《Reincarnated as a step-dad in a fantasy world》


 Chapter 1 : Jack green [Edited]

    Chapter 1 : Jack green [Edited]

    The battlefield was a chaotic and harrowing scene of destruction. Explosions from bombs and artillery shells echoed through the air, sending tremors through the ground. Smoke and dust filled the air, making visibility difficult. The sound of gunfire and the cries of wounded soldiers added to the cacophony of war.

    Amidst the chaos, soldiers d in various uniforms fought fiercely, taking cover behind whatever wreckage they could find. The ground was littered with debris and craters caused by the relentless barrage of explosives. The stench of gunpowder and death hung heavy in the air.

    On this tumultuous battlefield stood a soldier, a symbol of resilience and expertise, wearing a worn-out uniform, evidence of his years of service and countless battles fought. Despite the chaos around him, the man, Jack, moved with precision and agility, skillfully avoiding deadly traps set by his enemies.

    Surrounded byrades just as experienced as him, Jack led his unit through the perilousndscape.

    Despite being outnumbered, they fought with courage and resolve. Despite the enemy having the advantage in numbers, Jack''s foes retreated.

    As the enemy finally retreated, a tall and handsome man with brown hair and ck eyes approached Jack.

    "What is your analysis?" Jack asked the man, Paul.

    This man had been by Jack''s side for more than a decade. He was present even before Jack became the aplished man he is now. In fact, there is a chance that had Paul not been by his side this whole time, he would have died long ago.

    They had shared the bitterness of defeat, the joy of victory, and had cried together as their formerrades fell one after another until they were the only ones left alive. He knew this man more than he knew himself, thus he always considered his opinion before doing anything.

    Lowering his weapon, Paul replied, "We''ve won this battle, but the enemy outnumbers us. They''ll regroup and attack again. We should get out of here before theye back."

    Jack nodded his head in agreement, "I think the same."

    He turned to observe the forest surrounding them, sighed, and turned back to Paul. "For now, let''s return to the hill we came from and take refuge in one of the caves there."

    Paul nodded and turned to stare at the soldiers who were on the ground, groaning from exhaustion, "Youzy bunch, get off your asses and get moving! We don''t have much time!"

    The soldiers grumbled in dissatisfaction but stillplied, aware that Paul''s words were urate. If they wasted time lying on the ground here, they wouldn''t know how they died.

    However, there was still someone, a man, who was still kneeling on the ground, crying over the fallen body of a soldier.

    "DIDN''T YOU HEAR ME?! I SWEAR IF IN THREE SECONDS YOU ARE NOT-"

    "Alright, alright, I will take care of it. Go support the others in securing our route and making sure everyone is ready to depart." Jack patted Paul on his shoulders.

    Paul cast a side nce at Jack, then nodded his head and left to execute the orders.

    Jack observed the person on the ground, a man, for a moment before walking toward him.

    Crouching next to the crying soldier, he asked with a soft tone, "Is it your friend?"

    Only after he spoke did the man realize that someone was next to him. Looking up at Jack with his swollen eyes, the man stiffened when he realized that the one who just spoke to him was Jack.

    "C-Captain, I''m sorr-"

    "At ease," Jack smiled at the man, who seemed rather young. ''Too young to be sent to war,'' thought Jack with clenched hands. Still, he forced himself to maintain the gentle smile on his face.

    Hearing his words, the young man visibly rxed. Turning to stare at the corpse before him, he answered Jack, "It''s actually my brother, my twin brother to be precise." As he spoke, the tears that the young man had managed to keep in check threatened to spill over again, but he firmed his heart and continued:

    "Despite the fact that we have the same age, he was always the one who took care of me. He did anything to protect me, even joining the army because he wanted to protect me and our country. But to me, he was always my guiding light, and I didn''t want to lose sight of that guiding light. So, despite his refusal, I also enlisted in the army," the young man tightly clenched his hands, tears dropping from his eyes.

    "I-I should have l-listened to him. Had I... he wouldn''t have taken a bullet while trying... to protect me," the young man said while sniffing.

    Jack gritted his teeth, his anger soaring when he thought that this whole war that was killing so many innocents was caused just because of some rotten politicians and their misced ego. But soon, he sighed and calmed down.

    Reaching out, Jack took the identification tag that was around the dead man''s corpse and read the name "Donny" engraved on it.

    Turning to the sobbing young man, he ced the identification tag in his hand and said, "There''s nothing that I can say that will bring back your brother or ease the pain you are currently feeling. Just know that your brother and all those who have sacrificed themselves in this war are heroes. The only thing we can do to honor their memories is to continue to stand tall, to never falter, and continue to do so until the end of this war or until the end of our own lives."

    Jack rose to his feet, executed a military salute towards the battlefield, and solemnly uttered, "May the souls of all our fallen brothers find eternal peace."

    The young man wiped the tears from his face and slowly stood up. Reciprocating the same gesture as Jack, he said, "May the souls of all our fallen brothers find eternal peace."

    Looking down at his brother''s corpse, he added, "Rest in peace, brother."

    Jack nodded his head and patted the young man on his shoulder, "Let''s go before it''s night."

    Together, Jack and the young man walked back to the rest of the unit, who were ready to depart.

    The young man rejoined his group while Jack regrouped with Paul. The instant he came near, Jack heard Paul say, "You are too soft."

    "For the thousandth time, it''s called having empathy, not being soft!" eximed Jack in a frustrated tone.

    "Yeah, right," Paul snorted and advised, "then you should stop feeling empathy; otherwise, it will lead to your downfall."

    Having said his piece, Paul turned back and left Jack alone.

    Sighing, Jack nced behind to observe the battlefield onest time before turning back and going to take his position at the head of the unit. Soon, they left the battlefield behind them.

    As Jack and his unit made their way back up the hill, it started raining heavily, slowing down the advance of their unit. Thankfully, they eventually came upon a cave capable of amodating all of them and decided to seek refuge in it.

    Soon, the initial darkness of the cave was reced by the intense light emanating from the soldiers'' shlights.

    Walking to a secluded spot in the cave, Jack sat and observed his soldiers who began unpacking.

    A minute or soter, Paul approached him and suggested, "I believe a well-prepared meal would boost the morale of the soldiers more than the usual jerky."

    ''Since when do you care about the morale of the soldiers?'' Jack thought with raised brows, but didn''tment on it, knowing that this friend of his likes to cook. Instead, he took on a confused expression and inquired, "What is wrong with eating the usual jerky?"

    "People are not like you, you know. Us normal people prefer eating something different from time to time," Paul teased.

    Shrugging his shoulders, Jack replied, "Do as you want."

    Hearing Jack''s approval, a hidden glint shed through Paul''s eyes, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared.

    One hourter...

    "Here, it''s for you," Paul ced a bowl containing soup before Jack.

    "No thanks, I prefer eating jerky," Jack said after ncing inside the bowl.

    "Just give it a try; it''s not that bad, I promise," Paul insisted.

    "I... sigh, alright," Jack put back the jerky he was intending to eat and took the bowl of soup.

    Bringing the spoon to his mouth, Jack''s eyes slightly widened in surprise, ''It''s strangely delicious.''

    "Delicious, right?" Paul smiled.

    "Well, it''s at least edible," replied Jack with a smirk.

    "Tsk, I will leave you to it," Paul clicked his tongue and left Jack alone.

    Despite what he said, Jack very much liked the food before him, so he finished everything in his bowl. It was rare for them to eat anything aside from jerky, so even if the food wasn''t that great, he would still eat it.

    When he finished stuffing his stomach, Jack leaned his back against the cave''s walls and tilted his head to look at the ceiling, his mind filled with thoughts about the war and all the damage it caused.

    All of a sudden, the ceiling of the cave became blurry, and just after, an insufferable pain erupted through his whole body.

    ''W-What is happening?'' Jack groaned while holding his head in pain.

    "Arrgg..."

    "Ugh..."

    Despite the fact his whole body was aching, the instant Jack heard groans of pain near him, his eyes concentrated to look where it wasing from, but what he saw mortified him.

    All of his subordinates were on the ground, groaning from pain; some were even vomiting blood. Everyone seemed agonizing, no, not everyone.

    Struggling against the pain, Jack''s gaze focused on a particr figure who seemed to be the only person still standing.

    "P-Paul," Jack muttered in disbelief. He wasn''t stupid; the instant he saw the condition in which he and the others were, he deduced that they had been poisoned. Since the only one on his feet was Paul, then it was obvious who was the cause of this situation.

    He knew there was always a risk of being poisoned, but he never thought it woulde from one of his unit members, especially Paul, who was his best and only friend.

    The pain Jack felt due to the poison was really bad, but knowing that Paul, his closest friend, was the one who poisoned him hurt more than any physical pain. It was tormenting.

    "Oh, don''t give me that look. You had iting long ago," Paul asked as he approached Jack.

    "W-W-cough cough- Why?" Jack inquired as he coughed blood.

    The sheer pain he felt just from talking was like twisting a dagger, piercing his body. But Jack didn''t care about that; the only thing on his mind was understanding why his friend had betrayed him.

    "Oh, it''s quite simple!" Paul eximed with a distorted smile. "I needed to climb thedder, and you were bing annoying to the higher-ups. They were certain that someone as righteous as you would cause a rebellion one day, so they charged me to kill you. If I aplished this mission, I would be the new war hero."

    Paul''s smile distorted even more, and he theatrically made a sweeping gesture in the air, as if he were envisioning the future or directing a dramatic scene in a film, "just imagine, all over the country, people would narrate how I, Paul O''Brien, the sole survivor of today''s battle, managed to cause the Zetanian army to flee."

    "D-Don''t... speak b-bullshit, I know you, that''s not... your only-cough cough - goal!"

    Paul''s distorted smile stopped, reced by a cold one as he uttered, "Seeing how you got yourself betrayed by me, I doubt you know me as well as you think. But you are right; it''s not the only reason."

    "T-Then what is it?" Jack wondered with a hateful re.

    "Well, you are going to die anyway, so there''s no need to hide it anymore," Paul chuckled. "I''m Zetanian."

    It was like an explosion went off in Jack''s head. Some weird behaviors and actions of Paul he had discarded as his friend being weird fell into ce like pieces of puzzles, forming a whole picture.

    "It seems that you finally connected the dots. Too bad it''s toote," Paul said as he took out his firearm. "I will end your sufferings in memory of the good old time," he said with a sincere smile.

    "F-Fuck you!"

    "Hehe, I will also miss you, Jack Green," Paul said, and then...

    Bang

    A bullet exited Paul''s firearm, finding its mark in Jack''s heart.

    As he felt himself dying, Jack thought, ''Ahh... what a pathetic ending for a supposed war hero...''

 Chapter 2 : Meeting Alexandre

    Chapter 2 : Meeting Alexandre

    Jack opened his eyes and found himself in a space where everything was nk, as if he had entered a realm beyond reality. He sat up, contemting the situation, and wondered aloud, "Am I truly dead?" A voice responded from behind him, confirming his suspicion, "Yes, you are indeed dead."

    Startled, Jack turned around to see a man in his thirties standing there. The sight of him left Jack speechless, for the man was the epitome of beauty and grace. His long, silver hair flowed elegantly, framing his handsome face, while his gray eyes seemed to hold the secrets of the universe. His wless, unblemished skin exuded an otherworldly radiance, and his immacte white attire only enhanced his angelic appearance.

    As Jack''s gaze lingered, the man teasingly remarked, "Have you finished admiring me?" Feeling embarrassed, Jack quickly apologized, "I''m sorry."

    With a yful smile, the man introduced himself, "I am Alexandre Eswald, you can call me alex. The reason why we both find ourselves in this nk space is due to my power called ''soul linkage.'' You see, like you, I died, betrayed by my best friend."

    Curiosity piqued, Jack inquired, "Why did your friend betray you?"

    Alex''s expression darkened momentarily before he answered, "There is many reasons and one them is that he discovered that I was fucking his wife and that I was the father of her four daughters-"

    "Huh," Jack was taken aback, and he couldn''t help but ask, "If you were fucking his wife, wouldn''t that mean you betrayed him first ?"

    Alex''s eyes narrowed with lingering pain as he countered, "I may have fucked his wife, but does that truly warrant death?"

    ''yes, you do deserve death'' though jack thought that, he didn''t say it out loud.

    Meanwhile Alex continued by saying "the other reason is that I had something precious that he wanted"

    Curious jack asked "what is that "something" ?"

    Alex replied " you will knowter".

    As the nk space seemed to envelop them in silence, alex revealed an astonishing proposal.He exined that through his power, the "soul linkage," Jack''s soul could be reincarnated into alex''s body. This revtion left Jack bewildered and anxious.

    Seeking rity, he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

    Observing Jack''s agitation, alex reassured him, "Through my power, I can arrange for your soul to inhabit my body, more or less. But for that to happen, you must promise me two things."

    "Before that, what do you mean by ''more or less'' " questioned jack.

    "To tell you the truth, I only have an inkling of what might happen," honestly replied Alex.

    "Hmm"

    Seeing jack pondering wether he should take his offer or not, Alex said to him.

    "I might not know with certainty what might happen, but I can at least promise that nothing will happen to your soul, or mine for the matter, so, you don''t need to worry."

    "Plus, you don''t really have anything to lose, you are already dead, we, are already dead" chuckled Alex.

    Alex''sst remark seemed to have convinced Jack, so he curiously inquired, "What are these conditions of yours?"

    Raising a finger, alex enunciated his first request, "Firstly, you must seek vengeance on the man who killed me, and you also need to save his wife and daughters"

    Jack nodded, understanding the task. He replied solemnly, "I promise to fulfill your first condition." he then continued by asking alex "what is the second condition ?"

    Alex grinned at jack and said to him " fuck them all"

    "what ?" dumbstruck by thatst statement jack asked "fuck them all, what do you mean by that ? and who should I fuck ? "

    Alex responded calmly by saying " you see I''m surrounded by beautiful women both young and mature, and that was at death door that I regretted not fucking them, of course, this is not the only reason but it is the only I can talk about right now", he smiled at jack and continued "as for whom to fuck, you will decide by yourself, you can fuck them all or just some of them, after the merging of memories you will know more about me and those around me"

    Jack still confused asked "I understood what you said earlier, but I still can''t see the need to fuck women, why would you want me to fuck women, and why is having sex with those around you, your f*ckingst will ?"

    Alex sighed and replied calmly, ''You will know all those reasonster. Also, it''s not really myst will; you will understandter what I mean. I can''t get into details right now as we don''t have much time. All you need to know now is that fucking with women would greatly help you in your journey. Believe me."

    Just when he finished speaking Alex seemed to remember something and said "Ah, you also need to take care of my wife and children".

    "You have a wife ?"

    "Ah, yes, I didn''t tell you, but I''m not as young as I look. I''m actually sixty this year. And yes, I have a wife, and we have four children. Well, the first three are not my biological daughters; only thest one is my blood daughter. But since I raised all of them from their childhood, I consider them all as my own," exined Alex.

    "As I was mentioning, you need to have sex  with as much women as possible. That''s the second promise you need to make."

    Jack contemted  on the conditions conditions and asked " why won''t your soul return to your body ? if you can use your power to send my soul in your body why can''t you do the same for yourself and why did you chose me ?"

    "I already tried but it''s seems that my soul can''t return in my corpse, from my understanding it''s because I already died in this world, apparently the world won''t allow that the soul of someone dead to return"

    Jack couldn''t understand and asked " how is it different with me, I''m also dead"

    Alex smiled and said " yes you died, but not in my world, you and I are from different world which make me assume that my world might permit that your soul take over my body"

    Jack was taken aback by the revtion that there were other worlds beyond Earth, and that he and Alex hailed from different realms. He tried to process this newfound knowledge while attempting to calm his shock.

    Alex, noticing Jack''s stunned expression, gave him a few moments to collect himself.

    "What happens if your world doesn''t allow me to take over your body" questioned Jack.

    "Well, in this case I guess both of us will ascend to heaven...or hell. In either case it''s mean that it''s truly the end of the road for us" answered Alex, but then added:

    "I don''t know about you, but I''m surely not ready to kick the bucket"

    "Wait, you said earlier that those conditions are not yourst will and now you are saying that you don''t want to kick the bucket, so, I''m wondering, what will happen to your soul once I take over your body"

    "I will exin it once you decide to ept my offer. So, what will it be? Are you on board or not?"

    Jack paused briefly, thinking before responding with unwavering determination, "Yes, I ept."

 Chapter 3 : System

    Chapter 3 : System

    Jack epted Alex''s proposal, yet, as soon as he epted, a question arose in Jack''s mind, and he turned to Alex, seeking rity, "You mentioned that I must also have sexual rtionships with powerful women. I imagine that you are more powerful than these women, aren''t you?"

    Alex chuckled and shook his head, "No, not at all."

    ''why is he saying it like he is proud of it ?''

    Perplexed, Jack asked, "Then how do you expect me to engage in rtionships with the most powerful women in your world if I am weaker than them? They won''t even give me a second nce."

    Alex smiled at jack and said "don''t worry I have a gift for you that will help you to be strong quickly"

    Intrigued, Jack asked, "What is this gift?"

    "You see this ''thing,'' as I said, my friend betrayed me for, is an artifact we discovered together. We stumbled upon a treasure, and it promised immense fortune��medicaments to enhance strength, gold, and many other treasures. However, realizing that this artifact could make me incredibly powerful, I suggested we split the treasure in half. I told him that I would take only the artifact, and he could have the rest of the treasure,"

    Alex paused before continuing with a furious expression. "He agreed, and each of us took what was promised. I spent months studying the artifact and eventually discovered how to wield its power. Meanwhile, that damn traitor had squandered everything he took and turned his greed towards the artifact, which was in my possession. Unable to challenge me on his own, he decided to involve his family��especially his sister��to get rid of me."

    Jack mind raced with excitement and curiosity. "A system? Is he referring to those fantastical things I read about in fantasy novels when I was a child?'' he wondered.

    Jack looked at Alex and asked, "If he has already killed you, does that mean he already possesses the artifact?"

    Alex grinned before replying, "You see, what he didn''t know was that I had already activated the artifact. It merged with my soul, which is also one of the reasons why our two souls must merge."

    Jack pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, let''s do as you say."

    Alex walked to him and said, "We don''t have much time, since you epted, I think it''s time to start."

    Jack nodded and said, "I''m ready."

    As soon as Jack epted the offer, a surge of energy enveloped him. The nk space around them seemed to transform into a kaleidoscope of colors, and Jack felt a merging of consciousness with Alex. Their souls intertwined, bing one.

    In that profound moment of fusion, Jack could feel Alex''s memories, experiences, and emotions flowing into him. It was as if a floodgate had opened, flooding Jack''s mind with a torrent of knowledge about Alex''s world, his loved ones, and the people he mentioned earlier.

    As the merging processpleted, Jack found himself standing in Alex''s body, which now felt strangely familiar yet foreign at the same time. He looked down at his new hands and flexed his fingers, getting used to the sensation.

    Despite the sensation being faint, jack felt like he fondamentaly changed, it felt like it was now weird being called jack, like he was truly reborn as Alexander Eswald.

    ''guess I will just stick to being Alex and forget about my life as jack''

    Jack easily epted the opportunity to be Alex, as he didn''t have a strong attachment to his past life. As he looked at Alex''s body, he noticed that his physical condition wasn''t particrly impressive. ording to the information he received after merging with Alex, it seemed that Alex wasn''t as strong as one might expect from his family background. However, being surrounded by powerful family members, he never needed to be strong to live a peaceful life.

    Jack also learned how Alex had died. ording to his memories, Alex''s friend, Felix Sturbridge, had invited him to a bar and poisoned him. After finding no trace of the artifact on Alex, Felix must have disposed of his body in the forest, which exined its current location.

    Moreover, when Alex mentioned being surrounded by women, he wasn''t exaggerating. In his memories, Jack saw that Alex was indeed surrounded by women, with not a single man in sight. He had no brothers, and his father had been executed by the emperor. The murder of his father was another event Alex had sought revenge for, butcking the strength, he had to reluctantly abandon that pursuit.

    Within Alex''s memories, Jack also learned how to use the artifact and called out mentally for ''status.''

 Chapter 4 : System (2)

    Chapter 4 : System (2)

    Immediately after Jack''s mental call, an interface materialized before him, disying:

    [Name: Alex Eswald

    Age: 60

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 20

    Stamina: 15

    Defense: 10

    Mana points: 5

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Harem:---

    Soul Points: 0]

    Jack recognized the power ''Soul Linkage'' as the one Alex had used to bind their two souls. As far as he knew, this ability allowed the user to link their soul with that of another person.

    The artifact''s role had been to amplify the potency of this power. While it may seem like the artifact hadn''t yed a significant role, the truth was quite the opposite. In the world of Valeria, there were various methods to enhance one''s strength, but most of them were temporary or offered only modest improvements.

    However, the artifact Alex had found granted him not only permanent empowerment but also the ability to track his evolution and selectively augment specific aspects of his power.

    It was precisely due to the artifact''s augmentation of ''Soul Linkage'' that Alex could reach out to Jack''s spirit in his final moments, even though Jack hailed from another world entirely.

    Jack refocused his attention on the floating screen before him and wondered, ''What are ''Soul Points''?''

    As if in response to his question, the floating interface transformed, and Jack read:

    [Soul Points are points that allow the development of a particr skill. They also enable the replication of a power from a person with whom you have engaged in intimate rtions.]

    Jack understood, but then another question arose, ''How do I obtain these points?''

    Once again, the floating disy transformed its characters, and Jack read:

    [To acquire Soul Points, you must engage in sexual rtions. The stronger the woman, the more points you will gain.]

    It became evident to Jack why he needed to have rtionships with multiple powerful women and why their strength was a crucial factor.

    As Jack contemted his Mana Points, he recalled that Mana was the energy used to cast spells, attack, or even defend oneself in this world. Looking at his low Mana stat, he couldn''t help but wonder, "Am I just weak, or am I extremely weak?"

    As Jack pondered over the interface and absorbed the information, his attention was drawn to the term "harem." It wasn''t the concept of having a harem that intrigued him; he understood that he needed one to fulfill the conditions set by Alex. What puzzled him was that there were no names listed beside "harem." Considering that the system seemed to respond to his questions, he thought, ''Why are there no names here when I already have a woman? Following this logic, why do I have 0 Soul Points?''

    The characters on the floating screen changed once again:

    [Rtionships and encounters before the activation of the system are not ounted for.]

    "I see," Jack replied with a tinge of disappointment. He had hoped to start with some Soul Points to experience the system''s effects of enhancing his abilities, but unfortunately, it was not possible.

    With nothing else to explore for now, Jack decided to dismiss the system''s interface. As if by magic, the screen vanished from his sight.

    After the interface disappeared, Jack looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, wondering where he was. He walked in a random direction, hoping to find distinctive signs that would help him identify the forest.

    The moonlight filtered through the dense foliage above, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor.

    Minutes turned into hours as Jack explored the forest, searching for any indication of his location.

    As he was busy searching for the exit of the forest, he stumbled upon a small pond of water, he decided to wash himself and remove all the blood that was on him.

    After he finished washing he put back his blood stained clothes and resumed his search.

    Minutes turned into hours as Jack explored the forest, before finally finding an exit to the forest and wasted no time in stepping out. As he emerged from the dense foliage, he turned back to gaze at the eerie forest and couldn''t help but feel a surge of anger towards Felix.

    "That bastard killed me and dumped me in this forest without even bothering to give me a proper burial. Well, brace yourself, you bastard, I''ming for you, and this same forest will be your final resting ce," he thought fiercely.

    It was strange how easily Jack had slipped into the role of Alex. There were no discrepancies or odd feelings when he pretended to be him; it felt natural, as if he truly had be Alex. He attributed this phenomenon to the fusion of their souls during the Soul Linkage.

    Once outside the forest, Jack realized where he was and the location of his own house. The forest was not far from his home. With determination in his heart, he set off towards his house, thinking:

    ''it''s time to start earning Soul Points.''

 Chapter 5 : Lilia Eswald

    Chapter 5 : Lilia Eswald

    With the help of the system, Jack, now transformed into Alex, reached the end of the forest. The dawn had just passed, and he spotted a vige as he emerged from the woods. It was the vige of Elmdale, the ce he had decided to settle with his family.

    However, instead of heading directly to the vige, Alex''s home was a little apart from it. When he arrived at his house, he was once again amazed by its beauty. Unlike the other houses in the vige, his home resembled more of a grand mansion. The estate was vast, built to amodate the numerous members of his family.

    Approaching the house, Alex saw the front door open, and a maid stepped out. As he reached the mansion''s entrance, the maid greeted him politely, "Wee back, master." Alex nced at the maid from head to toe and thought to himself, ''Not bad.''

    He was pleased with his choice of such a beautiful maid. The maid possesses flowing, chestnut-brown hair that cascades gracefully down her back. With a figure graced by above-average breasts, she exudes a subtle allure. Her curvaceous form is entuated by a plump and shapely ass, adding to her captivating and charming presence.

    "Anna, where is my wife?" Alex asked the maid. She blushed hearing his voice and looked up to respond but paused upon noticing the bloodstains on his attire. Anxious, she rushed towards him and said, "Master, are you injured? I''ll-"

    Alex cut her off, reassuringly saying, "I''m fine. It''s just my clothes that are stained, just tell me where my wife is." Still concerned, Anna replied, "She is in your chambers, master." "Thank you."

    Alex entered the mansion and headed towards his wife''s chambers. Before him was an ornate and magnificent door, decorated with intricate carvings .

    He knocked, and a few momentster, a melodious voice beyond the door inquired, "Who is it?" Alex answered, "It''s me, my love," as he opened the door and locked it behind him.

    Turning towards his wife, he was once again left speechless by her iparable beauty.

    Her hair, a cascade of silky by red, fell like a fiery curtain around her exquisite face. Exceptional beauty radiated from her every feature, drawing attention effortlessly.

    Adorned in an elegant red dress that gracefully revealed just enough, she embodied both sophistication and allure. Sensual curves defined her figure, with ample bosom and rounded ass that surpassed the ordinary. A slender waist added grace to her silhouette, and an aura of serene tranquility and captivating beauty enveloped her presence.

    Overwhelmed by his wife beauty, Alex couldn''t resist drawing closer to her. He gently held her waist and leaned in to kiss her lips.

    Once their kiss ended, Alex''s wife, Lilia Eswald, pouted and said, "Now you remember me? Where were you allst night? And what''s gotten into you? It''s been a long time since we''ve been intimate."

    Alex looked at his wife apologetically and replied, "I''m sorry forst night, my love. I had a little setback. As for our intimacy, what can I say except that I''ve been a fool to leave a woman like you alone. But don''t worry, that will change starting now." Alex truly meant his words, realizing that he had been foolish to leave Lilia alone. Despite being the mother of four children, just like Alex, Lilia still looked like a young woman in her twenties.

    Alex resumed kissing Lilia, but this time he gave her a deep kiss, his tongue moved out of his mouth and invaded Lilia''s mouth.

    "Hmm..."

    Lilia couldn''t help but moan when her husband was kissing her like this. Thest time they shared this kind of kiss was really long.

    Alex retracted his face from hers, and as he distanced his face from hers, there was a string of saliva between them.

    He looked at the blushing face of his wife and suddenly said, "I''m sorry."

    "Huh?" Not quite expecting her husband to suddenly apologize, Lilia didn''t know what to do. Fortunately, Alex didn''t wait for her to respond before speaking.

    "I''m sorry that I left you unattended all this time, but don''t worry, since today I swear to cherish you for all of my remaining days, of course if you let me."

    To his sudden confession, Lilia simply smiled and said, "You silly man, of course I will let you care and cherish me. You are my husband, after all, and I still love you as much as the first time we met."

    Hearing his wife''s approval, Alex dived again and gave her a deep kiss. He started kissing her all over her face and then made his way to her neck, kissing and licking it, which made her moan again.

    "Hmm yes, darling, just like that~."

    Encouraged by Lilia''s words, Alex picked her up like a princess and brought her to bed, heid her gently on the bed while saying:

    "I think it''s time to get rid of those clothes."

 Chapter 6 : F*cking The wife (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 6 : F*cking The wife (1) (R-18)

    Alex gently posed lilia on the bed and got on top of her, he started gently kissing her, then as time passed the kiss started getting hotter and hotter.

    He started to gently  undress lilia by taking her dress off, he just finished undressing her when he froze.

    He was mesmerized by how beautiful she was, he found her absolutely hot, with her big breasts and big ass, her ming red hair, her scarlet red eyes, her skin of a softness and a breathtaking beauty, not to mention her sexy underwear which made her hotter.

    Just looking at her like that made him got rock hard, his lust was rising and all he wanted was fuck her to his heart content.

    Lilia looked at him with the same lust in her eyes, it seemed that she had craved his touch for a long time and now that she had the asion she was ready to pounce on him if she had to.

    He resumed kissing her while his left hand snaked towards her panties, upon reaching his target, Alex felt that lilia panties were soaking wet and asked teasingly:

    "Excited are we ?"

    Lilia controlled her rugged breathing and responded with an alluring voice " that''s your fault dear husband, so you have to take responsibility"

    "hoh, then I will dly take my responsibilities"

    After saying that, his right hand  undressed her bra, he gently kissed her before making his way to her breasts.

    He marveled at their sight, and without waiting a second, he brought his mouth to her right breast, began to suck it while his right hand was groping and teasing her left breast.

    Mmmm~

    Aaan~

    Lilia couldn''t stop herself from moaning as she was drowning in pleasure.

    Alex loved the moans of lilia, in his head it sounded like heavenly bells, he just wanted to keep hearing her moan. Slowly he snuck his other hand in her panties and started to stimte her clitoris.

    annhhhh~

    Just him touching her clitoris was enough to send lilia over the edge, she grabbed his head that was licking her breast and couldn''t help screaming while saying:

    "I''M CUMMING~ ",  she climaxed, and after that she started breathing in a rugged way.

    Alex was d to have made her cum this quick, he waited some time for her topose herself and said:

    "We are not done here, so prepare yourself"

    "what do you mmmhh~~~ ?", lilia was startled when she heard what Alex said, she just finished climaxing and he wanted to continue, s before she could protest his left hand gently squeezed her clitoris while he was gently bitting her right breast and his right hand squeezing her her left nipple.

    "Aann~ darling just like that~

    Alex moved his hand around her slit, gently massaged the fold of her slit before entering her with his index finger.

    "Mmmm~~~"

    Lilia moaned like crazy as Alex started fucking her with his finger''s.

    ''So wet and hot'' meanwhile Alex was astonished by how wet lilia was, she was gushing love''s juice every time his finger''s went in, he increased his speed and just when lilia was on the verge of cumming, he stopped his hand and removed her panties.

    He kissed her breast onest time and started moving downward towards her pussy while kissing her all a over, he kissed her belly, her waist, her soft but thick thighs.

    He redressed himself to look at her pussy, it looked like a little cute pink paradise, it was without any hair and was smeared by the love juices produced by lilia, seeing this Alex already hard dick got even harder.

    Lilia blushed slightly when she saw her husband looking at her private ce with such intensity, but she didn''t try to stop him, it wasn''t the first time he was seeing it, and by what he said today it clearly wasn''t thest time either. She just tried to enjoy the moment.

    Soon Alex face got close to her pussy, he gently rubbed it with his hand, then he directed his face to her clitoris and started sucking on it.

    "oooomph~"

    Lilia was overwhelmed by pleasure as her husband was sucking on her clitoris, meanwhile Alex sucked and licked her clitoris while directing one of his finger''s to enter the moist cave of his wife.

    Alex yed some more with clitoris before redirecting his attention to her vagina, he first moved his tongue around her cave before diving in and started eating lilia out.

    Lilia first wanted to stop her husband because he never did that to her, but as Alex tongue invaded her pussy she couldn''t even muster the words she was trying to say and just moaned loudly:

    "AAAAAHHHH"

    Her mind went nk and all she could think of was her husband pleasuring her. Alex also started stimting her clitoris which made it even more pleasurable for her and sent her over the edge, she screamed as she climaxed while saying:

    "  Darlinggggg ~"

    She climaxed for the second time in a row, Alex looked at her, licked her love juice that sshed on his face, grinned, and thought:

    ''we are only getting started''

 Chapter 7 : F*cking The wife (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 7 : F*cking The wife (2) (R-18)

    Alex got up and moved away from the bed and started to undress, lilia, despite the ecstasy she was feeling after orgasming twice in a row watched her husband as he was undressing, Alex took off his coat, then it was the turn of his pants, after he got rid of them, a massive cock emerged from his pants.

    Alex may not be in great shape but what he didn''tck was a big cock, and that cock was actually standing like a pole, one could even see veins popping around Alex penis.

    Alex approached the bed once again while lilia was looking at him with lust in her eyes while licking her lips seductively, seeing this Alex thought ''look at that lustful vixen''

    Alex got on the bed and started kissing lilia, she moaned as he was kissing her.

    Alex liked when his wife moaned so his already erect cock got even more hard, he couldn''t hold himself anymore and ced

    his cock between lilia lower lips, smirked and whispered In her ear with a teasing tone:

    "Get ready because I will fuck you all day long".

    Lilia love''s juice leaked just hearing that, she smirked in return at her husband and asked  "then what are you waiting for dear husband ?".

    One might think that after orgasming twice in a row lilia would have enough or be tired, but it was none of that, instead she was even anticipating the next pounding she would soon be getting.

    Alex grin got wider hearing her and said "ohh you are so going to regret saying that".

    After saying what needed to be said, Alex didn''t waste time and started  teasing her pussy lips with his cock, he rubbed his cock against her moist cave, then moved upward and started teasing her clit with his cock.

    Aaann~

    Lilia spine jolted due to the pleasure she was feeling, with a pleading look she said to her husband "please do it"

    Alex smirked at her pleading and teasingly asked "doing what ?" as he was saying that he rubbed his cock to her clit again and lilia couldn''t stop herself from moaning

    Mmm~

    Lilia couldn''t bear it and nearly screamed "please just fuck me"

    Alex decided to finally fulfill her wish by inserting his cock into her cave, he just put the head of his cock but he felt so much pleasure as lilia pussy walls gripped his cock that he nearly came right away but steeled himself and continued moving his cock in his wife hot pussy.

    AAAAAHHH~

    Alex started to slowly move back and forth in lilia pussy, enjoying the sensation of her tight pussy around his cock.

    As time passes Alex started moving faster and faster, making pping sounds emerge  as he fucked lilia more and more fiercely.

    Anh anh anh~

    Meanwhile lilia was enjoying herself from having her pussy being ravaged by her husband.

    As they continued their lovemaking their breathing''s turned rugged and their bodies became sweaty, Love juice was being constantly created from the ce where their two bodies were joined, and slurping sounds escaped with each of their movement''s.

    Alex and liliapletely lost themselves in their lust for each other, their moans and deep breaths spread through the room, as Alex was pumping lilia pussy his face got closer to lilia face, they looked at each other for a moment, and a split secondter started to passionately kiss each other.

    Alex tongue invaded lilia mouth and their tongues moved in a furious dance, each trying to dominate the other

    While still kissing her,Alex kept moving in and out of her dripping cunt, meanwhile his hands were busy pulling and kneading her tits.

    "I''m about to...Mmh~"

    As the pleasure was intensifying lilia started moaning in Alex mouth which greatly excited him and he couldn''t contain himself anymore. He hugged her shoulders and started moving faster, which in turn pushed lilia over the edge, she then twitched fiercely and cummed.

    Lilia expression turnedpletely lustful as she orgasmed for the third time in a row.

    At the same time, her cave tightened fiercely over Alex cock and increased the pleasure he was feeling, he thrust a few times and then, he ejacted in lilia pussy.

    She moaned again when she felt Alex seed being shot inside her womb, painting it white.

    A sigh of satisfaction escaped Alex lips as he lowered his head and gave lilia a peck on her lips.

    After kissing lilia he separated from her and watched as a mixture of lilia love juice and his semen kept pouring out of her pussy.

    That sight alone got him excited again and made him want to fuck her again, but unfortunately he was also a bit tired, so he justid down next to her.

    Lilia was already sleeping but sensing the warmth of her husband next to her, she hugged him gently.

    Alex looked at his wife with a gentle gaze, smiled and thought ''we will continueter''

 Chapter 8 : Statuses

    Chapter 8 : Statuses

    Alex woke up an hourter to find Lilia cuddling him. He smiled and wanted to check the number of points he had earned from their fucking session.

    "Status," he called in his mind, and immediately a floating screen with inscriptions appeared. Alex nced at his status:

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 20

    stamina: 15

    Defense: 10

    Mana points: 5

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul points: 4]

    Seeing the system response, Alex thought, ''Lilia''s name is now listed under the harem section.'' He then turned his attention to the number of soul points he had gained.

    ''Hmm... I''ve gained 4 soul points... Can you tell me the basis for awarding these points?''

    The characters on the screen changed again to respond:

    [The closer a woman is to you and the stronger she is, the more points you gain.]

    ''Lilia doesn''t have her previous strength anymore, and despite our reconciliation, we''re not as close as before, which exins the low point rate.''

    ording to his memories, Lilia had resorted to a forbidden technique during a battle, which was why she had be weaker.

    This was one of the reasons Alex was so excited when he obtained the artifact, with the help of the system he can heal lilia and help her regain her former powers. Even though she didn''t show it, she was saddened by her inability to use her abilities.

    Alex then thought, ''Can I see someone else''s status?''

    [Yes, but the person must be part of your harem.]

    "Hmm... Alright, show me Lilia''s system."

    Immediately after, a floating interface disying Lilia''s information appeared before Alex:

    [Name: Lilia Eswald

    Age: 64

    Strength (sealed): 50

    Agility (sealed): 50

    Stamina (sealed): 50

    Defense (sealed): 50

    Mana points (sealed): 0

    Abilities: Space (sealed), Fire (sealed), Earth (sealed), Water (sealed), Lightning (sealed)...

    Nicknames: Battlefield Queen, Blessed by the Gods, Incredible Talent...]

    "..."

    Surprise was the only emotion he felt, and that was because despite her current state, Lilia was immensely stronger than him and could knock him down whenever she wanted. His thoughts raced: ''Why is she so powerful despite her strength sealed ? and what''s this "nickname" section in her status? Why do all her nicknames sound so cool and badass? Why don''t I have one? Is it because I have no nickname?''

    Alex couldn''t help but be overwhelmed by countless questions, yet the only conclusion he could consistently draw was "monster." His wife Lilia was a powerhouse, so much so that even with her powers sealed, she remained incredibly formidable. A smile spread across his face, his contentment evident in having such a beautiful and powerful wife by his side.

    Despite being asleep, Lilia''s well-honed senses picked up on a gaze directed at her. She opened her eyes to find her husband looking at her affectionately. It had been a long time since she had seen such a gaze.

    In recent years, her husband hadn''t shown as much affection as he did in the early days of their marriage. Of course, she knew he still loved her. Knowing Alex''s character, if he no longer felt a trace of love for her, he would have made that clear without hesitation. He was the kind of man.

    But there was a difference between knowing someone loves you and hearing that person say "I love you" directly to your face.

    Seeing his wife wake up and look at him with a pensive expression, Alex brought his face close to Lilia''s and kissed her briefly on the lips before pulling away, asking her, "What''s my beautiful wife thinking about?" Lilia replied, "I was just thinking about our rtionship in recent years."

    Hearing this, Alex put on a serious expression and said, "Like I said, I''m sorry for neglecting you these past years, but rest assured, I still love you."

    Hearing that, Lilia smiled with joy. Her smile was so radiant that for a moment, Jack seriously wondered what was wrong with the former Alex for neglecting a woman like her.

    Meanwhile, Lilia responded to her husband, saying, "I know you still love me, but it''s still nice to hear it, and I still love you too."

    Lilia openly shared with her husband what was on her mind, without a care in the world. After all, who else could she confide in so openly if not her husband?

    Hearing his wife''s response, Alex smiled before kissing Lilia again, meanwhile his left hand sneaked her body before reaching her left breast, without waiting for a second he started kneading and pulling them.

    Mmm~

    Lilia moaned before asking her husband with a sultry voice "Are you not satisfied with everything we did this morning?"

    Alex grinned while pinching her nipple and said "not even a bit"

 Chapter 9 : Alice Eswald (R-18)

    Chapter 9 : Alice Eswald (R-18)

    Alex continued to kiss Lilia while he pinched her nipples with his fingers, little by little his hand started to move down while caressing her body, when his hand came upon her vagina he teased it gently before putting two of his fingers in her warm cave.

    Aagh~

    Lilia moaned a little when Alex started finger fucking her, he started gently moving his fingers in and out of her pussy before he started elerating the pace of his fingers, he fucked her with his fingers till her pussy became wet, then he suddenly stopped his fingers, distanced his face from lilia who was looking at her like he betrayed her.

    Alex grinned at his wife reaction and teased her by asking "weren''t you the one asking if I wasn''t satisfied from what we did earlier ? so why are you disappointed ?''

    Not one to back down, lilia smiled cutely at her husband before saying "well...I didn''t want to continue, but since my perv of a husband wants it, as a good wife I should oblige"

    This time it was Alex turn for being stunned by his wife shamelessness, wasn''t she the one moaning just now ? so why does she say it like he was forcing her ? it seemed that this little vixen needed to be taught a lesson.

    Without hesitation Alex picked her up before turning her over, her ass pointed at him.

    "Ah !"

    Lilia was surprised by her husband''s sudden movement, meanwhile Alex was admiring his wife''s big ass, her ass was just beautiful, without any stains, he couldn''t help himself from gulping, seeing her husband staring so intently at her ass, lilia started wriggling it.

    he stared at her big ass for some time before reminding himself that he needed to punish this vixen, so he raised his right hand and pped her right ass cheek.

    Anh~

    Without knowing it lilia moaned making Alex grin, he said teasingly to his wife''s "so who''s the perv now ?"

    "That''s definitely you- Mmh~"

    Before she could finish her sentence alex pped her ass left cheek, he continued pping her ass till it started bing slightly red. Despite the pain, lilia never stopped moaning, the slight pain she felt when her husband spanked her was in fact bringing her pleasure.

    Alex abruptly stopped spanking lilia, he took his rock hard cock in his hand, then started rubbing his cock between lilia thighs, whenever he pushed his cock it touched lilia clit, making her moan and leak more and more love juice.

    "darling~Mmm~"

    She couldn''t even speak normally, seeing lilia in this state got Alex even more harder, not able to control himself anymore, he positioned his cock to the entrance of her pussy, and in one powerful thrust he rammed his cock in his wife''s hot cave, even touching her womb with his cock.

    Mmm~

    This time even Alex moaned when he sensed lilia hot inside gripping his cock tightly, despite the fact that she was a mother of four children''s, her pussy seemed as tight as a virgin.

    Alex started then moving his waist, fucking lilia with soft thrust at first before he started fucking her with more and more powerful thrust.

    Alex was really enjoying himself, he liked the view he had back there, how his cock was prating lilia pussy, the bouncing of lilia ass cheek every time he pushed his cock in her pussy, with each thrust his lust was getting more and more out of control. While fucking lilia, Alex grabbed her hair''s -not to hard as he didn''t want to hurt her- and pulled them while fucking lilia with renewed vigor.

    *p* *p*

    The only sound one could hear from the room was the sound of flesh hitting flesh, with lilia bing unable to speak, she could only moan, groan and scream repeatedly.

    ***

    While Alex and Lilia were lost in their love making session, they didn''t have a thought that someone was just behind their door. If they knew, they would have been shocked.

    This person was non other than the second daughter of lilia and alex step-daughter.

    Alice Eswald

    However it''s not that that would shock them, what would shock them was that this young woman had a lust filled face while she was fingering herself looking at the door like she could see what was happening inside.

 Chapter 10 : Next time ? (R-18)

    Chapter 10 : Next time ? (R-18)

    *p*p*p*

    "Aaannh~aaanhh~aannn~dear~"

    The only sounds one could hear in the room was the sound of flesh pping flesh and lilia continuous moan as Alex was continuously ramming his big cock in her pussy while pulling on her hair.

    Lilia pussy was releasing so much love juices that squelching sound were made everytime Alex prated her pussy, and to the current  Alex who was drunk in pleasure his only wish now was to fuck lilia dripping cunt to oblivion.

    He was moving his waist with so much force that lilia ass cheek started getting more and more red, however the now red colored ass of lilia only got him more excited, so he started fucking lilia with even more strength.

    "Ahhh~ahhh~ahh- huh ?"

    Lilia who was busy moaning while enjoying her husband fucking her from behind got surprised when he started moving faster and more powerfully that her hands that were supporting her got weak and she copsed on the bed.

    Due to lilia copsing and his cock sliding out of her pussy Alex suddenly came to a halt, when he looked at how lilia ass got red from his pounding he thought ''what is happening to me ? it''s like I couldn''t stop even if I wanted''.

    Alex was intrigued by his sudden lust boost, he knew that he was lustful man, that''s because of that that even though he had a beautiful and wonderful wife he couldn''t contain himself and cheated on her multiple times, but the lust he was feeling now exceeded everything he ever felt.

    ''hmm...well I will think about thatter, as for now I have a pussy to fuck,'' even though he was concerned by what was happening to him, he couldn''t let that distract him while he had a woman with a juicy and dripping cunt waiting to be fucked.

    So he got hold of his cock, lowered his waist and pped lilia right ass cheek with his rock hard cock and said while grinning "what is it ? can''t endure a little bit of strength ?", he waited for some snarky remarking from lilia but he got nothing, instead lilia turned her head and gazed at him with annoyed eyes while saying.

    "just shut up and fuck me" Lilia was really getting annoyed. Why was it that this man of hers liked to tease and joke instead of just fucking her ?

    Seeing lilia annoyed expression while asking to be fucked, Alex bursted withughter''s, then he grinned again and positioned his cock  on his wife asshole and asked "so shall continue ?"

    "huh ?" sensing her husband cock at her asshole entrance lilia quickly eximed with a panicked tone "w-what are you doing ?"

    Alex smiled a devilish smile and answered calmly "what ? didn''t you just ask to be fucked ? that''s what I''m about to do".

    Hearing her husband response lilia got even more panicked and said stuttering "b-but t-that hole-"

    However before she could finish speaking Alex cut her off by saying "I always wanted to fuck that big ass of yours", he said it with such a charming and innocent voice that If someone hadn''t heard what he had said, they might have mistaken him for an angel, but to lilia he was like the devil incarnate.

    She was really frightened at the thought that big thing going in her asshole.

    Seeing her expression Alex chuckled, he pped lilia ass with one hand and said reassuringly "don''t worry I won''t fuck your ass today, but I will definitely do it the next time, so you should prepare yourself"

    "N-Next time ?"

    Lilia felt relieved upon hearing the first half, but when she heard the second half, she felt dread. Alex just loved the expression his wife was making, and he was really anticipating the next time. However what he has today is more than enough.

    Alex then repositioned his cock at lilia pussy entrance and in one powerful motion he prated her, he got so deep in her pussy that his cock kissed lilia womb.

    Aaannn~

    Lilia moaned when she felt her husband cock reaching her womb.

    Alex didn''t move for moment and just enjoyed lilia tight pussy that was grabbing at his cock like it never wanted it to go away.

    After a little while he started moving slowly before he started pounding lilia pussy with powerful thrust, the fact that lilia was beneath him got him even more excited and pushed him to lose himself again as his lust exploded forth.

    *p*p*p*p*

    Ahh~Ahh~Ahhhhh

    While Alex was fucking lilia with more and more strength, she was equally moaning more loudly.

    And just like that, Alex fucked lilia for several hours before finally grunting onest time and cumming in her womb, painting it white.

 Chapter 11 : Dinner

    Chapter 11 : Dinner

    Alex woke up after their earlier escapade, nced outside, and realized it was almost night.

    "Hmm... We really did that all day, huh?" Beside himy Lilia, who also seemed to be waking up. Lilia gently opened her eyes and, like Alex, looked out of their bedroom windows, noticing that it was almost dark. Upon seeing this, she quickly got up and eximed, "Oh my god, it''ste!"

    Beside her, Alex, seeing her reaction, chuckled and asked, "Why are you so agitated?".

    Lilia looked at her husband for a moment, narrowed her eyes, and inquired, "Don''t tell me you don''t know what day it is."

    Alex, scratching his head, tried to recall, and then it hit him, "Oh...It''s today, isn''t it? The dinner." In their family, there were three days a year when members of the Eswald family gathered.

    During these three days, family members discussed the family''s political and financial situation, and for the adults, they evaluated the talents of the family''s children.

    Tonight marked the beginning of the three days when the members of Alex''s branch of the family came together to discuss their action n for the uing meeting next month.

    Although his family had never treated him as if he were incapable, Alex always felt useless during these meetings. One of the goals of his branch was to ascend to the position of family patriarch.

    To be the patriarch, one needed strength, political acumen, and various qualities that Alexcked. Thus, when the family gathered to discuss their ns, he would either disappear or be physically present but mentally absent.

    However, this was the old Alex. The new Alex was determined to be the patriarch of his family, But he had far greater ambitions than just bing the patriarch of this family; he was going to be one of the overlords of this world.

    He watched Lilia as she headed towards the shower to wash up. He quickly got up and caught up with her before she could enter. He embraced her, gave her a peck on the cheek, and said, "I''m joining you to help you wash up."

    Lilia blushed slightly at this disy of affection from her husband before realizing his intent. She then looked at him and said, "No."

    Alex chuckled and asked, "No?, why?" Lilia narrowed her eyes and told him with a serious tone �C or at least what she thought was serious, as to Alex she sounded simply adorable, "I know what you n to do in the shower, and it''s a no. I don''t have the time; I need to get ready and oversee all the preparations to make sure everything is perfect."

    "Okay, okay... I won''t try anything," Alex said.

    After that, they entered the shower together to wash away the scent of their earlier intimacy. Unfortunately for Alex, nothing happened in the shower despite his attempts. Lilia steadfastly refused.

    After they had finished washing up, Lilia asked, "Are you not going to join the dinner this year as well?" She asked this because in recent years, Alex always found an excuse not to attend the family dinner,But this time was different.

    "Oh, I definitely n to attend. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen everyone," Alex replied.

    Alex helped Lilia get dressed for the reception, and after lilia got dressed Alex couldn''t tear his gaze away from her.

    She was a striking embodiment of beauty, a woman with fiery red hair whomanded attention in her elegant red dress. Her figure was graceful, entuating enviable curves, fuller hips, and generous breasts, yet her attire was provocative without being indecent, perfectlyplementing her fiery red hair.

    But Alex had to avert his gaze as he needed to get dressed himself. He had decided to attend tonight''s dinner, so he might as well do it with style.

    Alex donned a sleek ck suit adorned with silver ents, creating a striking contrast that highlighted his strong presence. The jacket''s silver trim added sophistication, and his silver cufflinks gleamed subtly. Tailored trousers and polished ck shoespleted his impably refined attire, showcasing hismanding charisma.

    After getting ready, he linked his arm with Lilia''s, looked at her, and asked, "Ready?"

    "Ready," Lilia replied. Together, the two spouses left the room, with Alex thinking, ''This is going to be interesting.''

 Chapter 12 : Daddy

    Chapter 12 : Daddy

    Just before leaving the room, Alex decided to check his status level. Immediately after thinking about his status, a floating screen appeared in front of him, disying:

    [Name: Alex Eswald

    Age: 60

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 20

    Stamina: 15

    Defense: 10

    Mana Points: 5

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 10]

    ''I''ve gained 6 points... hmm, tell me, how do I increase my stats?''

    [The conversion rate is as follows:

    1 Soul Point = +5 points for the attribute you wish to increase]

    ''I see... let''s see... um, how do we do this?''

    [You inform me of the attribute you want to increase.]

    ''I see... does it hurt?''

    [...]

    He needed to know if it would cause him any difort before deciding to increase an ability; after all, he was currently with Lilia, and he didn''t want to worry her.

    Seeing that the system wasn''t responding, Alex decided to let it go and use the system to increase his abilities once he was alone.

    Just as he was about to dismiss the floating screen, a question popped into his mind, and he decided to ask it.

    ''How can I unlock Lilia''s powers?''

    The screen changed once more, disying:

    [You must use soul points.]

    ''I see... So how many points do I need to unlock Lilia''s powers?''

    [Since the technique that left her in this state was a high-level one, the unlocking process must ur progressively,] it replied.

    "Progressively? What do you mean by that?"

    [It means you cannot release all her powers at once; you must unlock one ability after another.]

    ''How many points does it take to unlock one ability?''

    [Fifty points for each ability.]

    "Heok"

    Alex let out a surprised sound, and Lilia, noticing her husband''s unusual expression, asked, "Dear, are you okay?"

    "Huh, oh yes, everything''s fine."

    He said everything was fine, but in his head, he was thinking, ''Fifty points to unlock one ability? I barely have 10 points.''

    It was at this moment that he realized freeing Lilia from her "weakness" would be a challenging task.

    ''But I''ll make it happen,'' he thought with determination.

    And then together, he and Lilia left their room and found their maid, Anna, waiting outside their door. She was still dressed as a maid, but her attire looked more elegant and sophisticated than what she wore when she weed Alex in the morning.

    Upon seeing her master and mistress finally emerge from the room, Anna turned her gaze toward them. She couldn''t help but be a little shocked to see her master dressed so elegantly.

    Normally, he always wore casual clothes when at home, and she had never seen him so well-dressed or with such a stylish haircut since she started working for them. However, she was a professional and quicklyposed herself.

    She greeted them, bending slightly towards them. "Master, Mistress, good evening."

    Alex discreetly admired the maid''s appearance, appreciating her figure. As Anna blushed under his gaze, Alex couldn''t help but think, "Really not bad." He found her quite attractive, but he knew he had to avert his gaze before Lilia noticed his attention on the maid.

    Anna blushing even more intensified his thought, "Cute." He decided to focus on other things, not wanting Lilia to catch him checking out the maid.

    When he heard an acknowledgment sound, he didn''t react further, but Lilia asked Anna, "Have the guests arrived?"

    Anna shook her head and replied, "They haven''t arrived yet-"

    Lilia let out a sigh of relief, saying, "Thank goodness." She was genuinely nervous about guests arriving while she was absent. After all, what kind of host would she be if she missed their arrival?

    Meanwhile, Anna continued speaking, "However, the youngdies have arrived."

    "Oh, they''re here! Where are they?"

    "They''re in the meeting room."

    "Alright, let''s go see them," said Lilia, pulling Alex in the direction of the meeting room.

    A few minutester, they arrived at the meeting room, and there was already someone waiting for them.

    The person waiting for them was a young woman in her twenties.

    This person was none other than Viviane Eswald, the eldest of Alex and Lilia''s children.

    Viviane was as stunning as her mother, with luscious red curls cascading down her back. Her crimson eyes held kindness and respect as she watched her parents approach.

    She possessed a body akin to her mother''s, featuring ample curves that hinted at future allure. In her youth, her bust and hips were already slightly above average, and as she matured, there was no doubt her physical assets would rival or even surpass her mother''s.

    As she saw them approaching, Viviane''s face lit up with joy, and she started running toward the approaching couple, shouting:

    "Daddy!"

 Chapter 13 : Girls (1)

    Chapter 13 : Girls (1)

    Alex couldn''t help but smile warmly as Viviane rushed toward him, her excitement contagious. He stood there, opening his arms wide to wee her. Just as she reached him, she embraced him tightly, and he returned the hug with equal enthusiasm.

    "Daddy," she said with affection, as she hugged him, Viviane''s joy at seeing her father again was palpable. It had been a long time since they hadst met, and she had missed him dearly.

    ''Oh... soft,'' thought Alex as he embraced Viviane. The warmth of her hug, coupled with the softness of her touch, brought a sense offort and happiness to his heart. He had missed this during his months of seclusion.

    It was essential to remember that ever since Alex had obtained the artifact, he spent most of his time either in his office or away from home, engrossed in studying the artifact. He didn''t want anyone to discover its existence, so he kept himself secluded from others. This went on for months, which exined why he hadn''t crossed paths with any of his daughters during this time.

    Even though he probably wouldn''t win the "Best Dad" award, Alex genuinely loved his daughters, and he had missed them during his months of seclusion.

    After sharing a warm embrace with her father, Viviane lifted her head, pouting slightly, and asked, "Where have you been all this time?"

    Seeing his cute daughter''s sulking face, Alex couldn''t help but smile before replying, "Sorry, little one. I was busy thesest few months."

    Still in her sulk, Viviane retorted, "Hmph, even with work, you could''ve visited me."

    Seeing that Viviane was still pouting, Alex yfully said, "How about I make it up to you by spending an entire day with just us?"

    Upon hearing this, Viviane''s face lit up, and she eagerly asked, "Really?" Alex nodded, and Viviane eximed, "Yes!"

    Alex smiled as he watched Viviane''s excitement. He had always tried to treat his daughters equally, but despite that, Viviane was perhaps his favorite. She had spent more time with him than any of his other daughters, and she looked up to him as a role model as she grew up, that''s why she always did things like him.

    "Ahem, ahem."

    As Alex and Viviane continued their conversation, they heard a voice nearby. Viviane looked over and saw her mother watching them. She moved out of her father''s arms, smiled apologetically at Lilia, and said, "Hello mom" Her red curls bounced with enthusiasm.

    Lilia responded yfully, "Hmph, it''s only now that you notice your mother? What an unworthy daughter."

    Viviane chuckled, her eyes reflecting her genuine affection for her mother, and said, "Sorry, Mom. You look gorgeous as always."

    Lilia smiled warmly, appreciating thepliment from her daughter. "Thank you, sweetheart."

    Lilia then asked, "Are all your younger sisters here?"

    Viviane replied, "Violette and Alice are here, but as usual, Scarlett is absent."

    Hearing Scarlett''s absence, Alex chuckled andmented, "It would have been quite unusual if she showed up."

    Scarlett, the third daughter of Lilia, shared Alex''s tendency to avoid family gatherings, but her reasons were different. She was deeply immersed in her studies and spent most of her time in the library. Scarlett was highly intelligent and focused on her studies, considering family meetings a waste of her time.

    From a young age, she disyed an insatiable curiosity and a thirst for learning. The only thing that could drag her away from her books was a threat to her family. Scarlett had a strong protective streak and would swiftly confront anyone who spoke ill of her loved ones.

    This protective nature was one of the reasons she refused to attend family gatherings, despite her family''s desire to benefit from her knowledge. She knew that people might criticize her father, and she didn''t want to be present when that happened.

    "This girl is really stubborn," Lilia said with a hint of exasperation. Despite her efforts, Scarlett remained resolute in her decision not to participate in family meetings.

    Alex smiled and said, "I''ll try talking to herter to encourage her participation."

    Lilia responded with a sense of relief, "Yes, she''ll probably listen to you."

    She knew that Scarlett was more likely to heed Alex''s words, as he had always held a special influence over her since childhood.

    Alex continued, "But let''s go see Alice and Violette, who are already here."

 Chapter 14 : Girls (2)

    Chapter 14 : Girls (2)

    Just before entering the meeting room, Viviane wrapped her body around Alex''s other free arm, so now Alex had Lilia on his left arm and Viviane on his right, with Viviane being even closer to Alex.

    Unlike Lilia, who simply linked her arm with Alex''s, Viviane leaned the upper part of her body against Alex''s arm.

    ''Must be what they call the good life,'' Alex thought. After all, it''s not every day you get to have two beauties by your side.

    After a few seconds of enjoying thepany of these two women clinging to his arms, Alex regained hisposure and opened the door to the meeting room.

    Inside the meeting room, they found two young women engaged in conversation. As soon as the two women spotted them entering, they stood up and simultaneously greeted, "Wee, Father, Mother."

    These two young women were Alice Eswald and Violette Eswald.

    Alice, the second daughter of Lilia, had light green hair that set her apart from Viviane and Lilia, who both had red hair. She was slender, more so than Viviane or any of Alex''s daughters.

    However, this slim figure didn''t mean shecked curves. Her chest and hips were clearly above average, though not as developed as Viviane''s, showcasing the good genes inherited from Lilia.

    Her green hair cascaded down her back in a waterfall of emerald strands, matching her striking green eyes, which were filled with warmth and intelligence. Her figure was entuated by a sense of grace that apanied her every movement.

    As she stood there, her vibrant green attireplemented her appearance, making her look radiant. Alice was a true reflection of her mother''s beauty and charm.

    Alex had always gotten along well with Alice, but there was always something about her that felt peculiar. It was in the way she looked at him or behaved around him when they were alone.

    Moreover, he couldn''t shake the feeling that she was hiding something. He couldn''t put his finger on it, but he sensed that she knew something about him. He wasn''t sure what it could be, but he had a distinct feeling that it was nothing good.

    Furthermore, she had a habit of teasing him when they were alone. If that were all, he wouldn''t mind, but sometimes her jokes bordered on being suggestive, making him a bit ufortable.

    Beside that, he got along perfectly well with Alice.

    Beside Alice was Alex''s precious gem, Violette Eswald. She was the youngest of Alex and Lilia''s children and his only biological daughter.

    Even though he considered all the girls his children, regardless of their biological ties, Violette held a special ce in his heart. Not just because she was his biological daughter, but also because she was the youngest and resembled a perfect fusion of his appearance and Lilia''s.

    Violette had the same silver hair as Alex cascading down her back, but her eyes were the vibrant red of her mother''s.

    She wasn''t very physically developed, given that she was only 17 years old, but she certainly had more charm than girls her age. It was evident that, like her mother and sisters, she would develop into a stunning woman in the future.

    Unfortunately, unlike his other daughters, Alex''s rtionship with Violette was strained, and this saddened him deeply. It hurt him to know that the one daughter who shared his blood was the one with whom he got along the least.

    Their rtionship had been perfect at first. Just like his other daughters, Violette had looked up to him as her role model, and like Viviane, she copied him in everything.

    However, something changed a few years ago, and Violette began to disy hostility towards him. He had tried to ask her why she was acting this way, but Violette refused to listen and spent her time ignoring him.

    ''But I''ll mend our rtionship,'' Alex thought, looking at his daughter.

    Alex removed his arms from Lilia''s and Viviane''s, gently positioning them by his sides. They both understood what wasing and smiled, ready for it.

    With his arms now free, Alex opened them wide, approaching Alice and Violette. He said, getting closer to them, "No such formalities among us,e here into daddy''s arms."

    He was already at their level when he said this, so before they could protest, he embraced both of them in a tight hug simultaneously.

    Neither of them pushed him away, and he hugged them without any issues.

    As he cuddled them he felt Alice move, she directed her head towards his ear and whispered into Alex''s ear:

    "say rather that you wanted to feel our young bodies against your''s."

 Chapter 15 : Girls (3)

    Chapter 15 : Girls (3)

    "Cough, cough..."

    Upon hearing what Alice had said, Alex started coughing. Meanwhile, Alice was giggling at his reaction.

    After a moment, Alexposed himself and whispered back to Alice, "What are you talking about?"

    "Is it not true?" Alice replied.

    "As a matter of fact, yes, you are wrong." It was true he could be a bit perverted at times, but not to that extent!

    "If you say so," Alice responded, sounding unconvinced.

    Just as Alex was about to retort, he heard Violette''s voice saying, "Hey, old man, that''s enough!"

    Before he could respond, Violette and Alice started to pull away from the hug. However, just before theypletely separated, Alice whispered onest thing in his ear.

    "We''ll continue this discussionter."

    As they broke away, Alice nted a kiss on his cheek. Lilia and Viviane, who were observing, had noticed the whispering but hadn''t paid much attention. However, the kiss piqued their interest, and Viviane asked Alice, "What was that for?"

    "It''s a secret between Daddy and me," Alice replied provocatively.

    Hearing Alice call him "Daddy," Alex sensed her intentions. She rarely used that term, and among his children, only Viviane did. So, the kiss and the use of "Daddy" were likely meant to make Viviane jealous.

    The expected effect was achieved because right after Viviane said "Daddy," her face turned green with jealousy. She also hurried over to Alex and nted a kiss on his cheek. In response, Alice remarked, "Very infantile."

    In response, Viviane stuck her tongue out at her.

    "That''s enough," Lilia interjected before the situation could escte any further.

    "Behave like adults," she continued. Seeing their mothers'' intervention, both girls stopped their teasing.

    Once they had settled down, Lilia, while taking a seat, said, "We have much more important matters to discuss."

    The girls nodded in agreement and took their seats as well. Alex also positioned himself beside Lilia, with the girls facing her.

    Although he had initially mentioned his intention to join today''s dinner, Alex had no intention of discussing preparations with Lilia and the girls. So, while they began their discussion, he summoned the system, which disyed:

    [Name: Alex Eswald

    Age: 60

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 20

    Stamina: 15

    Defense: 10

    Mana points: 5

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul points: 10]

    "Hmm... Which stat should I improve?" He didn''t intend to enhance a stat right now, but it would be good to know which one to focus on.

    While considering which stat to enhance, he noticed something he hadn''t paid attention to before.

    "Why is ''abilities'' in plural when I only have one ability?"

    The system''s screen changed, and he read:

    [Because you can also increase the number of abilities you have.]

    "Huh..." Alex was greatly surprised to hear this response. He didn''t expect such a thing.

    "Just... just imagine all the possibilities that would open up."

    Despite his efforts to hide his excitement and not alert the girls, he couldn''t help but smile from ear to ear. Fortunately, they were no longer paying attention to him and didn''t notice his peculiar expression.

    After a few moments lost in thoughts about all the things he could do with this, he calmed down and asked, "How can I acquire more abilities?"

    [You can acquire abilities from women you have intimate rtionships with.]

    "Then why don''t I have Lilia''s powers when I..." He stopped himself, realizing how stupid the question was. How could he copy Lilia''s powers if they were sealed?

    However, the system still answered his question:

    [Lilia Eswald''s powers were sealed, which is why you couldn''t copy her powers. Also, you don''t have enough points.]

    ''Oh, it takes points. How many points does it take to copy someone''s power?''

    But when Alex saw the response, he eximed, "Motherf*cker."

 Chapter 16 : Girls (4)

    Chapter 16 : Girls (4)

    Without meaning to, Alex eximed out loud, catching the attention of Lilia and the girls who looked at him strangely. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Lilia finally asked him:

    "Is everything okay, dear?"

    "Huh... y-yes, I was just thinking about something."

    His response slightly irritated Lilia. They were there preparing dinner to make everything perfect, and he was lost in thought about something else.

    So, Lilia told him, "Since apparently what we''re discussing doesn''t interest you, be useful and go fetch Scarlett."

    Alex hurriedly left the room to avoid further irritating Lilia. Besides, he had more important matters to discuss with the system, so leaving the meeting room was a wee escape.

    As he exited the room, Alex recalled the system''s response:

    [The points required to copy an ability depend on the power level of that ability. For the lowest level, the copying cost is 50 soul points.]

    "50 points? Even after spending the whole damn day with Lilia, I''ve barely managed to umte 10 points. How long will it take to get 50 points?" Alex wondered, starting to feel frustrated.

    Moreover, the ability he could copy with those 50 points was a low-level one. So, he couldn''t help but wonder how much it would cost if he wanted to copy an overpowered ability.

    "Worst of all, I need to improve my physical skills too. How can I copy someone''s abilities when my physical capabilities are so low?" he pondered.

    Alex began to contemte whether copying multiple abilities was the right approach.

    "Wouldn''t it be better to just copy an ability that suits me and then train to master it... Wait?"

    Just as he considered this possibility, he remembered a crucial point he had forgotten.

    "I must not forget that I obtained so few points because Lilia''s powers were sealed. If I have sex with a more powerful woman, I''ll gain more points!"

    ''Hmm... but even with that, it would still be challenging,'' he thought.

    He recalled the conditions for earning points and sought confirmation, "ording to what you''ve said, I earn more points if the woman I''m with is close to me, as well as if she has a higher power level."

    The system''s screen appeared and confirmed:

    [That''s correct].

    ''When you say ''close,'' how close are we talking?''

    [This implies a woman with whom you share good rtions...]

    "That''s what I suspected," thought Alex, but the system''s next words made them pause.

    [but also women with whom you are rted].

    "huh... what?" obviously he hadn''t expected such a response from the system and it shocked him, but after a moment he startedughing to himself in the middle of the corridor.

    ''sleeping with women I''m rted to, huh? this artifact is definitely wicked,'' Alex thought with a smile.

    ''But that suits me perfectly; after all, it''s one of the conditions for me toe into this world,'' indeed, the former Alex had imposed the condition of fucking them all, and now the system was offering him to even earn points from doing it, so that was definitely good news!

    ***

    Alex arrived in front of a towering 5-meter door with a handle no more than 10 cm.

    This door was the entrance to the library where Scarlett was most likely.

    Alex grasped the door handle but immediately withdrew his hand due to an electric shock that jolted him.

    "Argh... I forgot she had set up a security measure on the door," Scarlett spent most of her time in the library, to the point where it had be more like her room. Since she detested being disturbed, she had installed a security measure on the door so that anyone attempting to enter unannounced would be instantly electrocuted.

    Alex didn''t know how she had done it, but even Lilia couldn''t force this door open.

    Right after he pulled his hand away from the handle, an almost angelic voice inquired, "Who is it?"

    "Scarlett, darling, it''s me. Open the door."

    "who?"

    Alex was irritated by this question. He was certain she had recognized him, but she still insisted that he tell her his name. Over the years, he had wondered if she had really installed the security measure on the door because she didn''t want to be disturbed or just to inconvenience those who visited her.

    "Alex," he replied, followed by a few seconds of silence.

    "Oh... Dad, wee."

    Immediately after she uttered these words, the door swung open, allowing Alex to enter.

 Chapter 17 : Girls (5)

    Chapter 17 : Girls (5)

    Alex entered the library and was shocked by what he saw. This "library" looked nothing like a typical one.

    Firstly, books were scattered all around the room, and secondly, the ce resembled aboratory more than a library. There were vials containing strange substances everywhere, some even contained animal parts.

    "But what is she doing in this room?" Alex wondered, taking in the scene.

    "I''m upstairs," a voice called from the second floor.

    Alex made his way upstairs, carefully avoiding the piles of books blocking the staircase. As he ascended, he found a young woman engrossed in something that looked like a microscope.

    "Uhh... Scarlett?"

    "Who else could it be but me?" Scarlett replied.

    "What did you do to your hair?"

    Scarlett paused her work and turned to face Alex, leaving him momentarily breathless.

    What Alex witnessed was a young woman of striking beauty, with long violet strands gracefully cascading down her back. Her captivating eyes were of an intense red, like two drops of blood, seemingly piercing the very soul of anyone who gazed into them.

    The sses she wore enhanced her charm and entuated her beauty. They perched on her nose, giving her a natural symmetry of her face.

    Her figure was both alluring and elegant, with breasts that were well-proportioned, beautifully round, and remarkably firm.

    She was wearing a blouse that wasn''t buttoned all the way to the top, revealing a portion of her breasts. Alex wasn''tpletely certain, but he was convinced that she waspletely nude underneath that blouse.

    unintentionally for several seconds after Scarlett turned around the only thing Alex was looking at was her breasts protruding from the blouse.

    It was only when he started to feel excited that he realized what he was doing.

    ''Snap out of it, you moron'' Alex thought to himself when he sensed the situation was getting weird.

    "Why is your hair violet ?" Alex asked, trying to divert the attention from the recent awkward moment.

    Scarlett, having noticed the desire in Alex''s eyes when he looked at her, simply smiled before responding to his question.

    "Oh, this? It was just a failed experiment, but the upside is that my hair color is different from Mom''s now. Don''t you like it?"

    "Uh, yeah, I do. It''s just that I didn''t recognize you with this hair color," Alex stammered. Just like Viviane, Scarlett had red hair like Lilia, which is why Alex hadn''t recognized her when he saw her from behind.

    Scarlett continued, "So, dear father, what brings you to my chamber? It''s been months since thest time you visited me."

    Alex''s lips twitched when he heard Scarlett refer to the library as her chamber, but he didn''t say anything.

    Before he could respond, Scarlett asked another question, "Were you able to figure out how to activate the artifact you showed me?"

    Apart from his friend Felix and himself, Scarlett was the only one aware of the artifact''s existence. He had brought it to her for research and to learn how to activate it.

    After realizing that it would take her several days or even months to figure it out, Scarlett had given him some hint she had discovered on how to activate it, then sent him on his way.

    "Yeah, I was able to activate it," Alex replied. He trusted Scarlett not to reveal his secret. He knew Scarlett was generally too absorbed in her experiments to engage in gossip or idle talk, which she considered a waste of time.

    So, he was confident she wouldn''t inform anyone else unless he gave her permission. Plus, given her maturity from a young age, Alex had always talked to Scarlett as more of a friend than just a daughter.

    ''Now that I think about it, my rtionships with the girls are all quite different,'' Alex pondered.

    Indeed, his rtionship with each of the girls was unique. Viviane was a daddy''s girl who mimicked his habits and routines. Alice, on the other hand, constantly teased him, and her jokes sometimes pushed the boundaries between father and daughter, asionally bordering on the suggestive.

    Violette seemed to hold some grudge against him for reasons he couldn''t fathom.

    Lastly, Scarlett had an unusual and somewhat bizarre rtionship with him. She came across more as a friend than a daughter.

    They had discussed things together that he probably shouldn''t have discussed with a daughter, and the feeling was mutual. Sometimes Scarlett talked to him as if he were a friend rather than her father.

    While Alex was lost in contemtion about his rtionships with his daughters, Scarlett responded with a surprised look, "Oh, really? So, what does it do?"

    "Just as I thought, it allows me to increase my strength without any side effects," Alex replied.

    Hearing this, Scarlett''s eyes lit up likenterns, and she quickly approached Alex, eximing, "Really? Let''s try it!"

 Chapter 18 : Explanation

    Chapter 18 : Exnation

    Scarlett came to a sudden halt right in front of Alex, her eyes shining brightly, and fired off a barrage of questions one after another, not giving Alex a chance to respond to the first one.

    "Where is the artifact? Do you have it on you? How does it work?"

    "Wow, wow, wow, calm down, you maniac," Alex replied.

    "I can''t calm down! Do you realize the implications of such a thing? I must study it! Come on, quickly, get it out," Scarlett eximed, her excitement reaching its peak.

    Faced with so much enthusiasm, Alex scratched his head and replied, "Uh... I don''t have it anymore."

    Scarlett looked at Alex as if he were some kind of idiot and asked in a disappointed tone, "Don''t tell me you lost it."

    The way Scarlett was looking at him annoyed him a bit, but he calmed himself and exined, "I didn''t lose it; it''s just that when I activated the artifact, it merged with me."

    This response only ignited Scarlett''s eyes even more, and she eximed in excitement, "Ohh, an artifact that can merge with a person? I''ve never heard of such a thing! How does it work? How do you increase your strength? Have you used it before? What were the results��"

    "I''ve already told you to calm down," Alex said, interrupting Scarlett.

    "Ask your questions one by one; I can''t keep up with your rapid-fire inquiries," he continued.

    "That''s because you''re old," mumbled Scarlett.

    "What did you say?"

    "Nothing..."

    An awkward silence followed before Alex sighed and said, "Go ahead, ask your questions."

    Scarlett''s eyes regained their brilliance, and she asked, "If it merged with you, how do you activate it?"

    "I don''t know how it works, but all I have to do is think about it, and a floating screen disying my condition appears."

    Hearing this, Scarlett''s eyes sparkled even more, and she eximed, "Fascinating! What does this screen you''re talking about contain? No, better yet, make it appear so I can see for myself."

    Alex summoned the system and told Scarlett, who was excited to see the system''s screen without realizing it was right in front of him, "I don''t know how it works, but I''m the only one who can see this screen. For example, it''s currently right in front of your eyes, but you can''t see it."

    Upon hearing this, Scarlett''s eyes dimmed for a moment before they sparkled again, and she said, "I see. But what about my other question?"

    Recalling her question, Alex said, "The screen shows me just my current abilities."

    "I see. When you say abilities, are you referring only to your physical abilities?"

    "Not just that; it shows much more."

    For several minutes, Alex exined what the system showed him. In the end, Scarlett''s eyes sparkled even more than before.

    "Truly fascinating! It can quantify your abilities!" Scarlett eximed before swiftly moving on to another question.

    "Now, onto the most important question," Scarlett said before asking, "How do you increase your strength with this thing?"

    Alex hesitated about whether to answer this question because, in the future, he might have enemies, and sharing such information with someone else could harm him. But in the end, he decided to trust Scarlett. However, he gave her a stern warning.

    With an extremely serious expression, Alex said to Scarlett, "What I''m about to tell you must absolutely stay within this room. Not even your mother or your sisters should know."

    It wasn''t that he wanted to keep the rest of his family in the dark, but Alex believed it was too early to inform the others, especially Lilia.

    Even though he was exining all this was to Scarlett it was because he intended to ask for her help, she was young, but Scarlett was the smartest person he knew, and he was sure she could help him.

    Scarlett looked at him with a solemn tone and said, "Don''t worry; I won''t talk about it with others."

    Hearing her response, Alex finally answered Scarlett''s question, "It relies on a point system. I earn points by doing particr ''activities,'' and with these points, I can increase the ability I want."

    He wanted to exin everything to her, but he hesitated to tell her how he earned these points. He even wished she wouldn''t ask him how.

    s...

    "Wow, this is getting more and more interesting!" Scarlett said, and continued by asking, "How do you earn these points?"

 Chapter 19 : If only

    Chapter 19 : If only

    After Scarlett''s question, Alex remained silent for several minutes, a heavy silence that hung in the room. Scarlett began to notice something was amiss and decided to press further.

    "Why aren''t you saying anything? Speak up! How do you get points?"

    Seeing that he was still silent, she continued, her voice growing impatient. "Don''t tell me you can''t get any points?"

    Alex finally sighed and replied in a calm tone, "No, it''s not that."

    Scarlett, growing more curious by the second, pressed on, "Then what''s the issue?"

    With another sigh, Alex decided to reveal the truth, "To earn points, I need to have intimate rtions with women."

    Scarlett''s eyes widened slightly, and she responded with a simple, "Oh."

    Following Alex''s unexpected revtion, Scarlett was momentarily stunned. Her eyes, however, quickly regained their sparkle, and she looked at Alex with fascination.

    "Is that all? This artifact is truly mysterious," she eximed.

    Alex, slightly taken aback by her nonchnt response, asked, "What do you mean, ''is that all''?"

    Scarlett, maintaining her cool demeanor, replied, "What? Were you expecting me to tell you it''s wrong to earn points by being with women?"

    Alex, emphasizing the distinction, retorted, "It''s not about being with ''women,'' it''s about being with ''a woman.''" He referred to the fact that he could potentially earn points by being with Lilia alone, even though he wasn''t obligated to do so. However, given the number of points required to copy a power, being with just one woman would be too time-consuming for too little gain.

    Scarlett, seemingly unfazed, calmly remarked, "It''s not like you''ve always been faithful to Mom anyway."

    Hearing this, Alex shot Scarlett an annoyed look and said, "You''ll never stop talking about that, will you?"

    Scarlett didn''t respond verbally but simply smiled, making it clear that she had no intention of letting the topic rest.

    "Damn mouth," Alex thought, slightly exasperated.

    Remember when Alex said he talked to Scarlett like a friend and not like a daughter? Well, one day, while chatting with her, he inadvertently mentioned that he had slept with one of the maids. Immediately after saying it, he mped his mouth shut, but unfortunately, the damage was already done.

    Since that day, Scarlett held onto this information like a sword of Damocles over him. She went so far as to coerce him into buying her things she needed for her experiments, or else she would spill the beans to Lilia.

    What he didn''t know was that Scarlett had never intended to tell Lilia in the first ce. After all, in this world, it was moremon for nobles to have multiple wives than just one.

    For instance, Alex''s grandfather had three wives. Alex and his father were the exceptions with only one wife each. Furthermore, when Alex married Lilia, she already had three children, and he had raised them as his own. From Scarlett''s perspective, his affair with a maid could be understandable.

    However, if that extramarital rtionship were to harm their family, Scarlett would have been capable of taking drastic measures, even going as far as killing the maid if needed. That''s how much she despised anything that could threaten her family.

    After a moment of silence, Scarlett asked Alex, "Do you earn the same number of points no matter which woman you''re with?"

    "No, it depends on the power level of the woman I''m with and the nature of our rtionship," Alex replied.

    "What do you mean by the ''nature of the rtionship''?"

    "By proximity, the closer my rtionship with a woman, the more points I can earn," exined Alex, but this time he decided to not reveal the fact that he could earn more points by sleeping with someone he was rted to.

    "Do you have any points? If so, how many?" Scarlett asked.

    "I have ten points," Alex replied, hoping she wouldn''t inquire further about how he earned them.

    Fortunately, Scarlett didn''t press the issue and moved on to her next question.

    "Most importantly, have you ever used the artifact to increase one of your abilities? If so, what were the results?"

    "I''ve never used it," Alex admitted.

    "I see... Soe with me," Scarlett said.

    "Where to?" Alex asked.

    "What do you mean, ''where''? Let''s test what effect the artifact will have on you if you increase your abilities," Scarlett replied.

    "Now?" Alex inquired.

    "Yes, right now. Come on, follow me," Scarlett said, heading towards a room in the library.

    ''I hope that increasing my abilities won''t hurt,'' Alex prayed as he followed Scarlett.

    s, If only he knew.

 Chapter 20 : It’ll be different

    Chapter 20 : It��ll be different

    Arriving at arge door in the library, Scarlett opened it and said to Alex, "We''re going to conduct the test in this room."

    "I don''t remember this room. How long has it been here?" Alex asked.

    "It''s been here for a little while. I wanted to test something but didn''t want to do it in my room, so I had it constructed. It''s mainly used for experiments that might be destructive," Scarlett exined.

    "I see," Alex began to respond but then remembered the purpose of his visit.

    "Um... I don''t think it''s possible to test the artifact today," he said.

    "Come again?" Scarlett inquired.

    Alex sighed and then replied, "The reason I came to see you is to ask you to join the family dinner today."

    "No, thank you," Scarlett responded without much consideration.

    Knowing Scarlett''s stubborn nature and that she would likely continue to refuse if the conversation continued this way, he decided it was time to use his secret weapon to persuade her.

    "I promise to buy you anything you want for your experiments if you participate," Alex said, rubbing his hands together like a sleazy merchant.

    While Lilia thought Alex was seeding in convincing Scarlett by using some sort of authority, the truth was that Alex spent his time buying her things to convince her!

    "Hmm... I don''t need anything right now, so no thanks," Scarlett replied, before adding, "The only thing I want to see is the impact of the artifact on your strength. So, the only thing that could convince me to participate is if you agree."

    "Nothing else?" Alex asked.

    "Nothing else," Scarlett confirmed.

    Alex took a moment to think about the situation. The guests would start arriving in a few hours, so he didn''t have much time for the test. He proposed a counteroffer.

    "Okay, for the test, but we''ll only test my physical strength. The rest of the tests can be done after dinner," he suggested.

    Scarlett pondered his proposal for a moment before replying, "Deal."

    With an agreement in ce, Alex and Scarlett entered the room Scarlett had designated for testing.

    Inside the room, there was nothing present��just a vast, white space.

    "How am I supposed to test my strength?" Alex asked.

    "One moment," Scarlett replied.

    She walked toward a sort of switch and pressed it. Immediately after she pressed it,partments in the floor opened, and various devices emerged. Alex had no idea what most of these devices were for.

    He was like a child in a zoo, looking from one device to another, trying to figure out their purposes.

    "Come here," Scarlett said, gesturing for Alex to approach one of the devices.

    Alex walked up to the device, and Scarlett exined, "We''ll measure your strength first before you increase it, so we can evaluate how much it has improved."

    "Okay," Alex replied, examining the device that would be used to measure his strength. The device wasn''t very sophisticated; it consisted of a punching bag connected to a screen that was likely there to measure the force of the punches.

    Without Scarlett having to tell him what to do, Alex got into position and delivered the most powerful punch he could muster.

    BAM!

    The punching bag shook for a moment beforeing to a stop. Together, Alex and Scarlett looked at the number disyed on the screen.

    100.

    That''s what the screen connected to the punching bag showed.

    "Not bad for someone..." Scarlett started to say, then stopped abruptly and looked at Alex.

    He reassured her, saying, "Don''t worry."

    What she was going to say was, "Not bad for someone normal," but she held back, recalling Alex''s circumstances.

    In this world, there were various power levels that differentiated people. Depending on one''s talent, they could be among the strongest or the weakest.

    Like all others, as a child, Alex was excited when they evaluated his talent level. Since his father was one of the most powerful people in the entire empire, he expected to have an extraordinary talent as well.

    Unfortunately, his talent was not high; in fact, it was literally trash, to the point where he likely would never have surpassed level 1 even with a lifetime of training.

    However, being a duke, his father sought ways to ensure his son could gain power as well.

    After extensive research, the only thing his father found was a kind of elixir that could increase his power level. But, as previously mentioned, there was no elixir or method capable of increasing one strength without a corresponding cost.

    The cost, in Alex''s case, was sacrificing the little talent he had in exchange for physical abilitiesparable to those of a level 2.

    That''s why Scarlett stopped herself, remembering that he was not someone normal but rather someone who had sacrificed his talent for a chance at the strength he now possessed.

    ''But this time, it''ll be different,'' he thought while summoning the system.

 Chapter 21 : Problem and solution

    Chapter 21 : Problem and solution

    [Name: Alex Eswald

    Age: 60

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 20

    Stamina: 15

    Defense: 10

    Mana Points: 5

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 10]

    ''Hmm, how many points should I allocate to my strength?'' Alex wondered. He didn''t want to use them all, but he also wasn''t sure if he would notice a change by just increasing his strength by a few points.

    "What do you think, Scarlett?" he eventually asked to get her input.

    "Use just 2 points," she advised. "Since we''ll be testing enhancements in other areas, it wouldn''t be wise to deplete all your current points on strength."

    "You''re right," Alex agreed.

    ''Okay, the system told me to notify it when I want to enhance an ability, right?'' Alex thought.

    "I''m going to start the enhancement," he informed Scarlett.

    "Okay," she replied.

    ''Alright, I wish to increase my strength,'' he thought, addressing the system.

    [How many points?]

    ''Just 2.''

    [Okay]

    Alex stared at the floating system screen with excitement. However, after just a few seconds, instead of seeing his strength increase by two, he saw a message appear before him.

    [An issue preventing the enhancement has been detected.]

    "Huh... what are you talking about?" Alex asked, a bit scared. He had just realized that his life was about to change course with the system, and minutester, he learned that there was an issue preventing the enhancement. His feelings of disappointment and frustration were understandable.

    Without caring about Alex''s emotions, the system disyed:

    [After aplete body scan, it appears that your body is at the limit of what it can handle. Increasing your strength or any other ability would do more harm than good to your body.]

    Hearing this, Alex''s heart sank. It wasn''t the same wording, but this sentence reminded him of the day when his talent was assessed, and he was told that he wouldn''t be able to exceed level 1, even if he trained his whole life.

    He had sacrificed the little talent he had to enhance his physical abilities, but in doing so, he couldn''t level up; he didn''t even have a level.

    The sacrifice ensured that he would have physical aptitudeparable to a level 2, but in reality, he wasn''t even considered a level 1.

    And now, the system he had ced all his hopes on had just let him down, making it clear that his body couldn''t handle any more enhancements.

    He began to think that believing the system would change anything about his shitty talent was the biggest joke of the century.

    However, just as despair began to take hold of him, a message of hope was delivered by the system.

    [To remedy this issue, your body needs to be reconstructed.]

    ''Reconstruct my body? Is that possible?''

    [Yes, it is possible, but you will lose all your current physical abilities.]

    ''Will I be able to enhance my abilities afterward?''

    [Yes]

    Hearing the confirmation that he could increase his strengthter, Alex didn''t hesitate for a second to make his decision. It would be foolish to refuse. Just as he was preparing to exin the new situation to Scarlett, another message from the system appeared.

    [I should rify that reconstructing your body will be extremely painful.]

    ''How painful?''

    [To rebuild your body, I will have to destroy it down to the cellr level before recreating it, so it will be very painful.]

    Alex was sure he felt a viciousnessing from the system when it said thest part, but he decided to ignore that and instead ask:

    ''If you destroy my body, won''t it kill me?''

    [As long as you don''t lose consciousness during the process, you will live.]

    ''And what if I do lose consciousness?''

    [You will die.]

    Upon hearing this, Alex realized the potential danger of what he was about to undertake. However, this did not discourage him; he was motivated to change the course of his life. What was a bit of painpared to that?

    Shortly after, he exined to Scarlett the new direction things were taking. He expected her to encourage him to go ahead with it, given her thirst for knowledge and the discovery of new things. But to his surprise, her response was quite different.

    "Hmm... isn''t this a bit too dangerous? I think you should try to see if there''s another method. After all, if you could find that artifact, there must be another way," she said.

    Alex found her concern endearing. He grinned confidently and reassured her, saying, "Don''t worry; something like this won''t get the better of me."

    Scarlett remained unconvinced, but she replied, "Okay," while raising another point, "Are you not going to inform the others before doing this?"

    "No need. As I said, I don''t n on dying, so

    there''s no need to worry them for no reason."

    "Okay."

    "Now that everything''s settled, let''s begin."

 Chapter 22 : Pain

    Chapter 22 : Pain

    "Is there a ce where I can change?" Alex asked Scarlett. He had no intention of staying in his current attire during the process, as he was certain it would get messy, so he preferred to change beforehand.

    "You can do it over there, and there are also garments designed for this sort of thing if you need them," Scarlett replied, pointing to a room she had just conjured with a remote-like device in her hand.

    "Thank you," Alex said before heading towards the designated room.

    Inside the room, he found white garments that looked like they were meant for patients��or perhaps test subjects.

    He undressed and put on one of the garments before exiting the room. There, he found Scarlett sitting on a chair with a notebook in hand.

    "What''s the notebook for?" he inquired.

    "Take a wild guess��it''s obviously for taking notes. It''s not every day you get to witness the destruction and reconstruction of a human body, so I want to document it," she paused for a moment before continuing, "and who knows? Maybe, thanks to this, I might make a significant discovery."

    "Fair enough," Alex replied, settling himself on the floor, crossing his legs into a meditative posture, and addressing the system, "How long will this take?"

    [Just a few minutes,] came the system''s response.

    I understand. Here''s the scene you requested:

    "I guess I can endure it if it''s only for a few minutes," Alex remarked.

    [...]

    [Alright, I''m ready. Start the process,]he said, mentally preparing himself.

    "Okay."

    [Process beginning in 3...2...1...0.]

    During the few seconds after the system announced that the process had begun, Alex didn''t feel anything. He started to ask why he wasn''t experiencing any pain, but before he could finish his sentence, a pain of intensity he had never imagined surged through him. Unable to contain his suffering, he unintentionally let out a guttural scream of pain.

    "AAAAAHHHHH...."

    Scarlett, who was observing the situation a few meters away, jumped in surprise. The scream had been so sudden that it caught her off guard. One moment, Alex was in meditation, and the next, he was writhing on the ground, releasing a scream of excruciating pain.

    Alex continued to thrash on the ground like a fish out of water, his body convulsing with unbearable pain.

    He felt his muscles tearing, his skin fracturing, and blood oozing out. Even the act of screaming sent waves of agony through him, as if his vocal cords were being seared. But he couldn''t stop screaming.

    In an instant, his pristine white clothing began to stain with blood, the crimson liquid flowing from every orifice - quite literally every one.

    Scarlett, who stood nearby, watched the horrifying spectacle with a mixture of awe and terror as Alex''s body was being systematically destroyed.

    What she couldn''t see, however, was the chaotic symphony unfolding inside Alex''s body.

    Every bone in his body shattered, then reconstructed itself, only to be broken down once more, creating an endless cycle of destruction and reconstruction. But it wasn''t just his bones; every element constituting his body, from the tiniest cells to thergest units, went through this harrowing process.

    After a while, even his screams ceased. His vocal cords had beenpletely seared. His eyes began to dry out, his hair fell away, his teeth dropped out. At some point, he lost all sensation, no longer able to see, hear, smell, feel, or even taste. All that remained was the unrelenting agony that refused to let go.

    One might wonder how he could still be alive in such a state. Anyone else in his ce might have given up. But not Alex.

    He refused to yield. Why, one might ask? After all, he had spent his past years doing nothing of consequence, bing utterly useless in the eyes of the world.

    He sometimes even questioned himself why he was living. Yet, it was precisely this feeling of uselessness that drove Alex. He was fed up with feeling worthless and was willing to endure any pain to change that.

    "I must endure... I must endure... I must endure...", This phrase had be a true mantra for Alex as he endured the harrowing pain he was going through.

 Chapter 23 : Right now

    Chapter 23 : Right now

    After a while, the cycle of destruction and reconstruction stopped, making way for one final reconstitution. Everything that had been destroyed and reconstructed was now being rebuilt once more, stronger, more resilient, and tougher.

    Alex''s bones began to be reforged, his hair grew longer and more beautiful, albeit stained with blood, and his lost senses started to function again as the organs rted to those senses were being reforged.

    "What is this?" Scarlett wondered, seeing some sort of ck liquid being released from Alex''s body as he regenerated for the umpteenth time.

    With no idea of what was happening, Alex continued to suffer. However, fortunately for him, the pain began to wane now that the cycle of destruction had finished.

    After enduring even more pain for a few minutes, the pain finally subsided, and Alex heard the system''s voice saying:

    [Processplete]

    With these liberating words, the system''s voice seemed angelic to Alex''s ears at that moment.

    "Hah...hah...hah...hah..."

    Alex''s breathing wasbored. He had survived, but he felt an immeasurable fatigue. He grinned a victorious grin before finally passing out, but not before he had seeded.

    He had experienced something that perhaps no other human had ever endured, but he had managed to survive. There was definitely something to be proud of.

    "DAD!" Scarlett eximed, seeing him pass out. She rushed over to check his vital signs. Unlike Alex, she didn''t know if the cycle was over, so she was frightened when she saw him faint.

    However, after checking his vital signs, she realized he was still alive, and as his body was no longer being destroyed, she concluded that the process was finally over.

    ***

    ''hmm... Where am I?'' Alex wondered as he opened his eyes, not recognizing the ce he was in.

    "Oh, you''re finally awake," Alex heard, and as he recognized Scarlett''s voice, his anxiety eased. He then tried to respond to her, but nothing happened. He couldn''t make a single sound, move his lips, or even his head.

    ''Hey, what''s happening to me?''Alex asked, addressing the system. However, the response he received only irritated him further.

    [You are perfectly fine,] came the reply.

    ''Then why can''t I move?'' he inquired.

    [It''s due to your stats,] the system replied.

    ''My stats?'' Alex wondered before invoking his status.

    ''Status,'' he said, and immediately, a floating screen disying his stats appeared before him, and he read:

    [Name: Alex Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 0

    Strength: 0

    Agility: 0

    Stamina: 0

    Defense: 0

    Mana Points: 0

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 10]

    ''Huh?... Why are all my stats 0?'' he questioned.

    [I told you before the process that you would lose all your physical capabilities after the process. That''s the reason why you can''t move. To move, you need to invest some points into your strength and stamina], the system exined.

    ''I see... wait a minute... If I understand your exnation correctly, if I didn''t have any points right now, I would have been bedridden for the rest of my life?'' Alex asked.

    [That''s correct] the system confirmed.

    ''You couldn''t have warned me?'' Alex retorted.

    [I did] replied the system.

    ''You fucking... breath, breath, don''t lose your cool,'' Alex told himself.

    ''Now that the process is over, I can increase my abilities, right?'' Alex asked, appearing to have calmed down.

    [Yes, you can now increase any of your abilities], came the response.

    Hearing this, Alex grinned and looked at the floating screen disying his status.

    ''Hmm?'' It was only now that he had calmed down that he noticed something he hadn''t paid attention to before. That something was:

    Level: 0

    Seeing this, the grin on Alex''s face grew wider.

    ''Finally!'' he thought with a sense of relief. His level was 0, and he was currently weaker than a normal human. However, Alex didn''t see it that way. This number 0, which proved he had no level, was more like hope in his eyes��an hope that he could now be stronger.

    In fact, he was going to start right now.

    "Allocate two soul points to each of my stats"

 Chapter 24 : Does that mean….

    Chapter 24 : Does that mean��.

    [Are you sure?] the system asked.

    "Yes, do it," Alex confirmed.

    After his confirmation, he felt a kind of energy prate his body and disperse throughout every nook and cranny. This sensationsted for a few seconds before fading.

    [It''s done], the system said once the sensation had faded.

    "Status," Alex requested.

    [Name: Alex Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 1

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 10

    Stamina: 10

    Defense: 10

    Mana Points: 10

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 0]

    Alex examined his new stats carefully, and the first thing he noticed was his increased level. He was no longer level 0 but level 1, although it was understandable that he was considered level 1 due to his mana points.

    In this world, what differentiates a lower level from a higher level is their amount of mana. Mana is the dividing line between different levels.

    The level system is divided as follows:

    The known levels and their requirements were as follows:

    1~100 mana: Level 1

    101~200 mana: Level 2

    201~500 mana: Level 3

    501~1000 mana: Level 4

    1001~2000 mana: Level 5

    2001~5000 mana: Level 6

    5001~10,000 mana: Level 7

    10,001~100,000 mana: Level 8

    These represented the different levels known to the world, there were spections that levels beyond Level 8 might exist, but nobody knew the requirements for those levels.

    Considering these astronomical numbers, one might wonder how people could amass such a quantity of mana.

    The answer was simple yet dangerous: by absorbing monster cores. This world was popted with various monsters, and these creatures possessed cores filled with mana. The amount of mana within these cores depended on the monster''s level. To increase one''s mana capacity, all that was required was to hunt monsters and absorb their cores.

    Given this method, you might question why Alex remained weak throughout his life, especially since he was the son of a noble family who could easily provide him with monster cores. However, as previously mentioned, hecked the necessary talent to progress to Level 2.

    To advance from one level to another, absorbing monster cores was crucial, but having the talent to ess the higher level was equally important. Without talent, no matter how many monster cores one collected, it wouldn''t facilitate a level-up. However, that had been a problem in the past, but now, things were different - he was different.

    After checking his status, Alex dismissed the floating screen and sat up. He looked to his left, where Scarlett was staring at him, and asked, "How long was I unconscious".

    "Just an hour," she replied before continuing, "Now that you''re awake,e on, we need to start the tests."

    "Wow, how merciless of you. I''ve just woken up, and you''re already putting me to work," Alex said with a slightly hurt voice.

    "If you can joke, that means you''re doing well. And since you''re doing well, get up; we have a test to do," Scarlett said with an annoyed look. During the past hour, she had been quite worried about him, and now this old man was calling her merciless.

    "Okay, okay, but the strength test can''t be done anymore."

    "Why not?"

    Alex proceeded to exin how the situation had unfolded since he woke up. "...And that''s why we can''t test my strength. Since my strength level is the same as before, it would be pointless. We''d get the same result."

    "Hmm, I see," Scarlett said thoughtfully before asking, "Which of your abilities increasedpared to your previous abilities?"

    "Only my mana level increased."

    "I see," Scarlett said, still pondering.

    Not wanting to disturb her, Alex remained silent. After a moment, Scarlett asked, "By the way, can you increase your level like other people?"

    "Huh?" Hearing Scarlett''s question, Alex was surprised. He hadn''t thought about it at all. Maybe he couldn''t level up like everyone else, but to be sure, he asked the system.

    [You can absorb cores to increase your mana capacity.]

    Hearing this, Alex breathed a sigh of relief. ''Luckily,'' he thought before realizing something else.

    ''If I can increase my mana capacity by absorbing cores, does that mean I don''t need to use my points to level up? So, I can just use my points to increase the rest of my abilities?''

 Chapter 25 : Time to start planning

    Chapter 25 : Time to start nning

    The realization that he didn''t need Soul Points to level up was quite refreshing. Alex knew that if he had to increase his other abilities and mana capacity, it would take him much longer to be strong than if he used points to increase his other abilities and his mana capacity with monster cores.

    Not to mention, he would likely have to copy several powers along the way, and given the number of points required for that, not using points to level up would be a good thing.

    "And so?" Scarlett asked when she saw that Alex still hadn''t answered her question.

    "Ah... Sorry for zoning out. As for your question, yes, I can use monster cores to level up."

    "As I thought," Scarlett began but then remembered something she wanted to ask him when he woke up.

    "While your body was reconstructing for thest time, your body released some kind of ck liquid. Do you know what that was?"

    "What is she talking about?" Alex asked in turn, addressing the system.

    [The ck liquid represents all the impurities that were in your body as well as the remnants of the elixir you drank as a child.]

    "I see," Alex said before exining to Scarlett what the ck liquid she was referring to was.

    Then Alex got up from the bed, wanting to clean off the blood on him, but he noticed that he wasn''t very dirty. So he asked Scarlett, "Howe I''m fairly clean after everything that happened?"

    "Of course, I took care of cleaning you up. However, you''ll have to do it yourself one more time because I couldn''t wash off the blood from your hair."

    Alex looked at Scarlett with an inquiring gaze and teased, "Was it you personally who��"

    "Of course, it was one of my inventions that took care of it," she said, embarrassed.

    Alex chuckled upon seeing her like that and then asked where the bathroom was.

    Once in the bathroom, he undressed and noticed that his physique had changedpared to before. His muscles were more defined, and his body was very toned.

    "This might be due to the increase in my abilities," he thought as he entered the shower to wash up.

    After a few minutes, he emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist and asked Scarlett while drying his hair, which had grown longer and now reached his back, "Are my clothes still in the other room?" Referring to the room where he had changed before.

    However, Scarlett didn''t respond directly. Her gaze was directed at his well-defined abs, which were more visible now. But when she realized she was ogling him, she blushed and stammered all embarrassed, "Th-they''re in this room," pointing to a door in the bedroom.

    Alex, noticing that she had been checking him out and her embarrassed demeanor, wanted to tease her more but refrained from doing so to avoid embarrassing her further.

    He headed toward the bedroom, saying to Scarlett, "You should go get ready for dinner."

    Hearing what Alex had just said, Scarlettposed herself from her embarrassment and replied, "Aren''t you forgetting something?"

    "What?" Alex asked.

    "Our deal was that I would join the dinner if you agreed to let us run tests on your increased strength using the artifact, which unfortunately can''t be done today, so our deal is off."

    ''She''s right,''Alex thought before proposing another deal.

    "Okay, let''s do this: if you join me for dinner tonight, I promise toe to you every time I have tests to run."

    Scarlett didn''t respond for a moment but eventually agreed.

    "Okay, now that''s settled, go get ready while I change," Alex said as he entered the room where his clothes were.

    He wasted no time in changing as soon as he saw his clothes and exited the room just a few minutes after entering. However, he didn''t find Scarlett in the bedroom. Instead, he heard the sound of running water from the bathroom, so he deduced that she was probably in there.

    Just as he was about to tell her to hurry up, he heard Scarlett''s voiceing from the bathroom, saying, "There''s someone at the door, go see who it is."

    "How do I open the door?" Alex asked.

    "On the table near the bed, there''s a remote control that opens the door."

    Alex looked at the indicated table and saw the remote control, which he picked up. He left the room, telling Scarlett to hurry.

    He descended the stairs and made his way to the library''s front door. Once there, he used the remote control to open it.

    Upon seeing who stood behind the door when it opened, Alex smiled while thinking, ''Hmm... It seems that it might be time to start nning how to earn some points.''

 Chapter 26 : Head maid Anna

    Chapter 26 : Head maid Anna

    Behind the door that had just opened, Alex saw a stunning young woman with nut-colored hair and sensual curves that the maid''s outfit she was wearing was struggling to contain.

    The person standing in front of the door was none other than Anna, the head maid of the Eswald family.

    Seeing who was behind the door, Anna politely bowed her head and said, "Master," before raising her head to meet Alex''s gaze.

    As soon as she looked at him, she blushed and thought, ''There''s something different about him from earlier... He looks more handsome and more... muscr ?''

    Meanwhile, Alex was checking her out, which made her blush even more. Seeing her reaction, Alex licked his lips like a predator watching his prey and thought, ''That''s good; it seems she still has a crush on me.''

    At first, when Anna had arrived, she had been stoic and had simply focused on doing her job without wasting time on small talk or anything else. However, Alex being Alex- a pervert- he had started flirting with her.

    At first, she wasn''t interested, but with his handsome looks and smooth talking, she began to flirt back. They had grown closer, and Anna had developed some feelings for him.

    ''She was definitely a hard nut to crack,'' Alex thought, recalling how much effort it had taken to get her to open up to him.

    Alex was about to respond to her when he got an idea. He approached her and used his hand to lift her chin, bringing her face closer to his. He smiled and said, with a hint of reproach in his voice, "Why do you call me ''master''? Didn''t I tell you to call me Alex when we''re alone?"

    Due to the close proximity of their faces, Anna tried to move away, but he didn''t give her the chance. He wrapped his right arm around her waist to stop her.

    This action made Anna blush even more, to the point where her entire face was practically red.

    She eximed, "M-Master," but upon seeing Alex''s re when she called him "master," she corrected herself in a panicked and hushed tone, "A-Alex, what are you doing? Someone could see us and think that something is going on."

    Alex grinned and simply replied, "If you want me to release you, just answer my question: Why do you seem to want to distance yourself from me, and why have you reverted to addressing me formally?"

    Seeing that she had no choice and had to answer his question if she wanted him to let go, Anna replied after carefully choosing her words, "I''m not the one who distanced myself; it''s you who did. You started speaking to me formally again these past few months."

    "Ah..." Alex eximed, remembering how he had been treating her these past few months before obtaining the artifact. Just like with his family, he had stopped talking to Anna and had even started ignoring her presence. When he did speak to her, it was in a formal tone.

    ''I really neglected everyone these past two months, huh... But it was all for a good cause since it will help me be stronger,'' Alex thought to himself.

    He put on his most apologetic expression and said to Anna, "I''m sorry; I''ve been really busy these past few months. But how about-" He moved closer to Anna''s ear and whispered with a suggestive voice, "-youe to my office after dinner, and I''ll make it up to you." He then pulled back and asked aloud, "What do you think?"

    By this point, Anna was so red that she looked like a tomato. But she still answered, nodding her head shyly.

    "Great!" Alex said before asking, "Why did youe to the library ?"

    "Oh!" It was only now that Anna remembered the reason for her visit, thanks to Alex mentioning it. "Mistress sent me to fetch you and youngdy Scarlett. She said that your mother and younger sister will arrive soon."

    "Understood. You can tell her that I''ming," Alex said, removing his arm from around Anna''s waist but not before giving her a peck on the cheek.

    "Alex!" she eximed before quickly turning around and walking away, her face still flushed.

    When he finishedughing, Alex entered the library and found Scarlett descending the stairs. She was wearing a purple dress thatplemented her hair and showcased her curves.

    Alex was mesmerized as he watched here down the stairs. He snapped out of it and approached the stairs, offering his arm for Scarlett to link hers with. However, before she did so, Scarlett squinted at him and said, "Done ying with the maid?"

    "Cough cough, I don''t see what you''re talking about," Alex replied.

    "Sure, right," she said sarcastically, then linked her right arm with Alex''s left.

    "Let''s go."

 Chapter 27 : BIG BRO

    Chapter 27 : BIG BRO

    Alex and Scarlett made their way to the meeting room while continuing their conversation. After a few minutes of walking, they reached the door of the room, which Alex gently pushed open.

    Inside, they found Lilia and the others getting ready to leave.

    Seeing them arrive, Lilia''s face turned from neutral to an annoyed expression as she looked at Alex.

    "What took you so long? You were just supposed to fetch Scarlett. Why did it take so long?" she asked, a hint of irritation in her voice.

    "Uh... let''s just say there were some unexpected dys," Alex replied, scratching his head.

    "What kind of dys?" Lilia inquired.

    Just as Alex was about to use the excuse he hade up with on their way back, Scarlett interjected into the discussion, "Cut him some ck, Mom. He got me here, so that''s good enough... It''s already a big win that he didn''t get lost on the way."

    After she said this, she looked at him with a mischievous smile. Upon seeing her like this, Alex''s lips twitched, but he didn''t say anything.

    "You are right," Lilia agreed.

    However, upon hearing Lilia''s agreement, Alex couldn''t help but exim, "HEY!"

    But just as he was about to defend himself, they heard someone knocking on the door, and Anna''s voice came from behind the door, saying, "Madam Ava and Miss Amelia have arrived."

    "Okay, we''reing," Lilia said before looking at her family and telling them, "Behave yourselves."

    While the girls nodded, Alex yawned.

    A few minutester, the family went out to wee the two guests who were waiting at the front of the mansion.

    When they opened the door, they found two women.

    One of them was Ava- Alex mother

    She was a striking woman who looked in her early thirties, with long, jet-ck hair cascading down her back, glistening like the night sky.

    Her eyes were a brilliant shade of light blue, reminiscent of the clear, expansive sky. Her figure was both voluptuous and toned, a captivatingbination concealed beneath her flowing ck gown.

    Over her dress, she wore an elegant ck cape, its inner lining revealing a stunning shade of blue. She moved with grace and confidence, a captivating presence that turned heads wherever she went.

    Seeing her looking so beautiful and young, Alex couldn''t help but think, ''How can a mother look as young, if not younger, than her son and daughter-inw?'' Indeed, Ava appeared as young as Alex and Lilia, but that was normal in this world. The higher one''s level, the slower they aged, and sometimes they even appeared younger as they leveled up.

    In addition to her level and the fact that she aged slowly, both Alex and Lilia had problems preventing them from increasing their levels. So, it was understandable that they looked older, but it didn''t mean they resembled their ages as well.

    Beside Ava stood another beauty, Amelia Eswald, Alex''s little sister, a striking young woman who looked in her twenties, her face radiating kindness and warmth.She had long, flowing ck hair, much like her mother''s, which framed her features perfectly.

    Her eyes were a captivating shade of gray, adding depth to her gentle gaze. She was dressed in an elegant, floor-length gray gown that beautifullyplemented her stunning eyes. Her figure was voluptuous, withrge breasts and curvaceous hips that gracefully led to her prominent, shapely buttocks.

    Before anyone could react, Ava approached the girls and hugged all four of them while speaking with a melodious voice, "How are my granddaughters doing?"

    Ava hugged the girls tightly, to the point where Alice, managing to extricate her head, said, "We''re doing just fine, Grandma, but that might change if you keep squeezing us so hard."

    "Oh... oops," said Ava before releasing the young girls.

    Just as things were about to return to order, Amelia, too, made her move. However, this time, it wasn''t the girls who were the target, but rather Alex.

    Before he could react, she embraced him tightly, shouting :

    "BIG BRO!"

 Chapter 28 : Promise

    Chapter 28 : Promise

    Alex was surprised by Amelia''s sudden embrace but managed to catch her in his arms.

    "I missed you so much!" Amelia eximed once she was in his embrace.

    "I also missed you, little Amy," said Alex while patting Amelia''s head.

    "Good evening, Mother," Lilia greeted Ava as she approached her.

    "How are you doing? I hope that my son is treating you well," Ava inquired while giving Lilia a hug.

    No one paid much attention to Alex and Amelia; everyone already knew how close they were. What everyone didn''t know was how much closer they truly were.

    Amelia lifted her head from Alex''s chest where she was resting and whispered in Alex''s ear, "Gods, I want to kiss you so bad~"

    While maintaining his smile, Alex whispered back, "You know very well that you can''t do that."

    "But I really want to, it''s been years~" Amelia pouted.

    Hearing her, Alex sighed. What people - in this case, members of his family - didn''t know was that Alex''s rtionship with Amelia, or Amy as he liked to call her, was quite special. In fact, their rtionship had long transcended the typical sibling bond.

    In their youth - before Alex got married - they often sneaked around their house and kissed for hours. However, Alex had always refused to let their rtionship go beyond just kissing, and when he married Lilia, he put an end to this rtionship he had with his sister, despite her strong objections.

    ''However, things are differents now, I think I should resume this rtionship,'' he thought, looking into Amelia''s gray eyes.

    ''And why not start now?''

    He looked around to see if someone was focusing on them, but no one was paying attention to them, lilia and ava were greetings each other''s and the girls were busy chatting.

    Seeing that the coast was clear he quickly lowered his right arm and gently squeezed Amy left ass cheek before whispering in her ear, "You can''t do it now, butter if you want."

    Anh~

    Amy moaned a little and her face got flushed a little because of Alex grabbing her ass, but it''s not like she was against, it was the contrary, after years trying get a positive response from her brother it seemed that he was finally epting her,  Amelia was so happy that she couldn''t help but exim aloud, "promise ?"

    This little shout finally drew attention to them.

    Seeing Ava approaching them Alex swiftly retracted his hand from Amy ass and whispered in her ear "Promise"

    Soon after Ava was next to them and said to Amy, "You can release him now, Amy."

    "Okay," she said, a little disappointed but still in a joyous mood, before stepping out of Alex''s arms.

    After that Amy happily went to greet Lilia and the girls.

    Meanwhile, Ava approached Alex with a big smile and said, "How is my little emperor doing?" Before hugging him.

    ''My goodness, they''re doing everything to test my self-control,'' thought Alex as he felt Ava''s soft yet firm body against his own, here he was, trying not to get a boner, however with such beautiful and sexy women hugging him constantly, it was getting harder and harder not to.

    Alex restrained himself and returned the hug to his mother, saying, "I''m doing well, Mom. But how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that, especially in front of my daughters?" He referred to the nickname "little emperor" his mother had just used.

    This nickname had originated when Alex was a child, after he made a promise to be an emperor in his life. However, since his talent test and everything that followed, he hade to dislike that nickname.

    "Oh hush, you will always be mommy''s little emperor."

    "That''s right, Dad, you will always be Grandma''s little emperor," said Alice while giggling.

    "Don''t tease your father," Ava yfully scolded Alice.

    "Okay, I will leave him alone..." Alice paused for a moment before adding, "but just because your mommy asked," and then she burst intoughter.

    ''Just you wait, you brat, you will pay for that,'' Alex thought mischievously when he heard Alice''s teasing.

    "Do you know when the others will arrive?" Lilia asked Ava once the situation had calmed down.

    Ava put on a serious expression and said to Lilia, "The others won''t arrive today but the next week."

    "Why is that?"

    "Let''s go inside and discuss it. All I can say is that the situation is quite rming."

 Chapter 29 : Heir

    Chapter 29 : Heir

    Together, the family members entered the mansion and headed to the meeting room, with Ava and Amy each holding one of Alex''s arms.

    When they entered the room, they found Anna, who had just set up chairs around the table in the center of the room.

    Upon seeing them enter, Anna bowed her head politely and said, "Good evening."

    It was Ava who replied, "Good evening, Anna. How are you doing?"

    "Fine, Madame," Anna replied, her voice carrying a hint of respect and admiration. It was only natural since Ava had raised and trained Anna since childhood after discovering her talent. For Anna, Ava was like a teacher.

    Amy, on the other hand, detached herself from Alex and went over to give Anna a hug, saying, "Hello, Anna."

    Anna returned the hug and replied, "Hello, Miss Amelia."

    "Hush, none of that between us," Amy scolded yfully. She didn''t want Anna to speak to her so formally, considering they had lived together for a while, and Ava had even trained them inbat together. So for Amy they were friends.

    After the greetings were done, the family sat down, with Alex, Lilia, and the girls on one side of the table, and Ava and Amy on the other.

    Sensing that what was about to be discussed was likely important, Anna decided to leave but stopped when Ava said, "Stay, Anna. What we''re going to discuss concerns you as well."

    Anna was puzzled by what Ava meant butplied and stood behind Alex and the girls.

    "Can you tell us now why the others won''t being until next week?" Lilia asked.

    "The reason is due to the theme of the uing family meeting in a month."

    When Ava said this, not only Lilia but also Alex became serious, and he asked, "What will be the theme of the meeting?"

    "At the next family meeting, the heir of the Eswald family and one of the future dukes will be decided ."

    When Ava finished speaking, there was a deathly silence in the room. Everyone fell silent upon hearing this news, which was undoubtedly going to affect them in a negative way.

    It should be remembered that the goal of Alex''s branch of the family was to obtain the position of family patriarch, which had long been held by their branch of the family. In this context, they were taking their time to prepare for their ascension to this position. However, they were not ready, so the news that the heir would be decided at the next meeting was definitely not good news.

    "Why have they decided to elect the next heir so soon?" asked Alex, with an expression that looked like he just ate a pile of shit.

    Alex''s reaction was shared by Lilia as well because it was generally not how things worked in the Eswald family.

    In the Eswald family, the heir or heiress was only decided if the current patriarch could no longer lead the family or if something unfortunate happened to him, which was definitely not the case with the current patriarch.

    "We don''t have a definite answer, but it''s clear that the current patriarch wants to have his son elected, which is why he decided to speed things up."

    Hearing about the current patriarch, anger filled Alex''s face because even though he had no proof, he was sure that the patriarch had conspired with the royal family of Fiore��the empire where their family resided��to eliminate his father.

    Seeing her husband''s angry expression, Lilia interlocked her fingers with his as if to reassure him. Feeling Lilia''s hand in his, Alex calmed down, gently squeezed Lilia''s hand, and returned to his usual smile.

    A momentter, Lilia asked, "But what does this have to do with the rest of the family not being able toe until next week?" By "family members," Lilia was referring to the members of their branch of the family.

    Ava nced at Alex for a moment before replying, "Because next week, we have to elect the new head of our branch of the family."

 Chapter 30 : How ?

    Chapter 30 : How ?

    "The new branch head?"

    "Yes, you already know that the current family head is Alex''s grandmother, right?"

    Alex and the others nodded their heads. Indeed, after Alex''s father''s death, it should have been Alex who became the head of their family branch. However, since he was weak, other family members, especially his uncles and his father''s brothers, refused to ept him as the head.

    You see, Alex''s grandfather had three wives. The first, who was Alex''s grandmother, Grace Eswald, had two children: Alex''s father, Theodore Eswald, and Alex''s aunt, Emily Eswald.

    The second wife of his grandfather also had two children, Richard and Robert Eswald. Finally, the third wife had only one daughter, Eleanor Eswald, who was the youngest.

    But as in many households, there were issues, and in their family, the issue was that Alex''s grandmother and his grandfather''s second wife did not get along, leading to a rivalry between them that continued down to their children.

    The rivalry was especially intense between Alex''s father, the eldest, and his uncle Robert, the second child. This rivalry reached its climax when Alex''s father was designated as the next patriarch of the Eswald family. However, because Theodore was more powerful, talented, and intelligent than Robert, Robert could do nothing but ept that Alex''s father would be the head.

    However, after the death of Alex''s father and when their branch was removed from the position of the main branch, and a new head needed to be chosen, Robert firmly opposed Alex bing the head, stating, "It''s uneptable for such a weak and good-for-nothing person to be the family head."

    Though brutal, demeaning, and infuriating, he was not entirely wrong. So, Alex was rejected as the head of the branch.

    Afterward, Robert presented himself as a candidate for the position of family head. But how would Grace allow the son of her rival to take the position that, in her view, should go to her grandson.

    So, she proposed that the future family head be determined throughbat, and since she was stronger than everyone, she defeated them all and became the head of the branch.

    Since then, she has been the family head.

    Ava looked at Alex and his family before announcing, "Well, we need to choose a new family head because the election of the future patriarch will be in the form of apetition, and the winner will be the heir. However, there is an age limit, with a minimum age of 50 and a maximum age of 100. This means that Grace and the rest of us are automatically disqualified. So, the only ones who can participate in thispetition are the members of Alex''s generation."

    After this revtion, the room fell into solemn silence again before Ava broke it by saying:

    "That''s why the others won''te today or tomorrow but next week. Everyone is preparing for the minipetition that will take ce in a week to determine who will be the head of our family branch and its representative." Ava stopped speaking for a moment to let this information sink in before continuing:

    "I''m here to inform you of this news, and Amy is here to inform you of her participation."

    "Huh... you''re going to participate in thispetition?" Alex asked Amy.

    "Yes, I n to participate."

    "What will thepetition be about?"

    "It will be a fightingpetition."

    ''A week, huh? That should be doable,''thought Alex before turning to his mother and saying:

    "I will participate as well."

    Silence.

    That was the only thing audible after Alex''s announcement.

    Lilia, beside him, looked at him and asked, "Are you going to participate in what too, dear?"

    With a big, blissful smile, Alex replied, "What else do you think? I''m going to participate in thepetition to be the head of our branch."

    Once again, there was a second of silence before Ava asked, "Little empe- no, Alex, are you sure about what you''re saying?"

    "Absolutely."

    "How do you n topete against the others? Just so you know, all participants are at level 4. How do you intend to fight them, given��" Ava abruptly stopped in the middle of her sentence and started to observe Alex oddly.

    Again, there was silence, but this time it felt strange. Then Ava asked, astonished and confused, "How?"

    "Huh?" was surprised to see her pause in the middle of her sentence and then ask a question. But Ava didn''t seem to care about the others'' astonishment and asked again:

    "How is it possible that you are at level 1?"

 Chapter 31 : Level 1 ?

    Chapter 31 : Level 1 ?

    "How is it possible that you are at level 1?"

    As soon as Ava asked this question, everyone used their mana and senses to determine if what Ava was saying was true. When they confirmed that what Ava was saying was indeed true, they all wore puzzled expressions, except for three people.

    The first person who wasn''t surprised was Scarlett because she already knew that Alex was currently at level 1. The second and third people were none other than Lilia and Violette.

    In Lilia''s case, she could no longer sense or use mana, so she couldn''t know. Violette, on the other hand, hadn''t awakened her powers since you needed to be 18 years old to awaken them.

    Alex, meanwhile, was smiling despite all the curious looks directed at him.

    After a moment, Lilia asked, "Is it true, dear? Are you really at level 1?"

    "Yes," Alex confirmed.

    Upon hearing the confirmation from Alex himself, Lilia''s face lit up with joy, in stark contrast to the others who were rather confused.

    She was so happy that she jumped on him and hugged him while saying, "I''m so happy for you!"

    Seeing his wife''s reaction, Alex couldn''t help but kiss her on the cheek. He knew that unlike all the others who were waiting for an exnation of how he managed to reach level 1, Lilia didn''t care how he did it; she was just happy that he had reached level 1.

    ''I''m really lucky to have her,'' he thought.

    Seeing her so happy for him, he thought that he couldn''t hide things from her, so he whispered in Lilia''s ear, "I''ll exin how I did it after the meeting."

    "Mmm," Lilia made only a nodding sound. She was too happy at the moment to think about anything else.

    After a while, Lilia''s excitement began to subside, and she removed her head from Alex''s chest. She was about to move away from him, but Alex held her back and gestured for her to rest her head on his shoulder, which she did while linking her arm with his.

    Meanwhile, all the women around them, except for Violette, were thinking with somewhat envious gazes, ''Look at them disying their love in public.''

    Violette, on the other hand, was smiling from ear to ear, seeing her parents'' disy of love.

    "Cough, cough," Ava finally coughed to get the attention of the lovebirds.

    "How did you manage to reach level 1?" Ava asked after sessfully getting Alex and Lilia''s attention.

    ''If I have to talk about the artifact and how it helps me be stronger, it would be wise to discuss it privately rather than in public,'' Alex thought before responding, "I''ll exinter. For now, what you need to know is that I can level up now."

    "But how? Your father and I tried everything to find something that could��" Ava remembered that Alex had said he wouldn''t discuss the method for now, so she just sighed and let it go.

    "It''s good that you''ve finally found a way to level up, but with your current level, you wouldn''t stand a chance against the other participants," Ava stated matter-of-factly.

    "I know," Alex replied.

    "So why do you want to participate?"

    "Because I intend to reach level 4 by next week," Alex said, smiling as if he hadn''t just uttered an outrageous statement. This time, even Lilia lifted her head from Alex''s shoulder to look at him with wide eyes.

    "Come again?" Ava asked.

    "You heard me right. I''ll be at level 4 before next week. All I need from you is to provide me with 1000 monster cores."

    "So, if I understand correctly, you n to reach a level that typically takes geniuses decades to achieve in just one week, and for that, you want 1000 monster cores, is that it?" Ava asked after a few minutes.

    "That''s right."

    Ava and everyone around him looked at him with strange gazes when he imed to have achieved level 4 in one week. It''s not that they thought he was lying, but reaching level 4 in just a week was far from easy.

    As Ava had mentioned, it might take decades, even for a genius, to reach that level. So, when Alex confidently stated that he would do it in one week, it seemed like he was either bragging or clueless, or dumb.

    Seeing their incredulous expressions, Alex''s grin only grew wider, and he thought, If only you knew what I know and what I can do.''

    He scanned the faces of some of them and thought, ''Moreover, you may not know it yet, but it will be thanks to you.''

 Chapter 32 : Talk about reaching level 4

    Chapter 32 : Talk about reaching level 4

    "You know that even if I gave you those 1000 cores, you can''t absorb that many in a week, right? Your body couldn''t handle it and would explode," Ava said before continuing.

    "The lower your level, the harder it is for your body to contain mana. It''s only when you reach level 5 that your body bes capable of absorbingrge amounts of mana. That''s also why it takes decades, even for talented individuals, to reach higher levels. Considering what I just exined and your current level, if you try to absorb 1000 monster cores, the only thing waiting for you is death."

    Despite what Ava had just said, Alex still wore his smile as if nothing had changed.

    Of course, Alex already knew everything Ava had exined. After all, when he learned that he could use monster cores to increase his level like everyone else, Alex had asked the system about the number of cores he could absorb before reaching his limits.

    However, contrary to what he had expected, the system informed him that his current body could continuously absorb cores, which astonished Alex because such a thing was literally unbelievable.

    He also asked how many mana points he gained each time he absorbed a monster core, and the system exined that he gained 0.1 for absorbing a core from a monster of the same level as him, and 0.01 for a monster one level lower, and so on.

    One might think that all he had to do was absorb cores from monsters of a higher level to gain more points. Logically, that made sense. However, that only worked at level 5. Anyone below level 5 couldn''t absorb cores from monsters higher than their level, and apparently, even the system couldn''t allow Alex to circumvent that rule.

    But what the system allowed him to do currently was already too much.

    To reach level 4, Alex had already calcted the number of cores he would need, and it was precisely those 1000 cores he had mentioned.

    One might think that obtaining 1000 cores was easy, given the casual manner in which Alex mentioned it, but that was far from the truth. For most people, obtaining just 10 cores in one go was astronomical.

    However, it''s worth mentioning that Alex was a noble, and moreover, his family members were powerful, so obtaining 1000 monster cores from levels 1 to 4 was no big deal.

    Recalling something he had forgotten to exin, Alex said to Ava, "The cores should be divided as follows: 300 monster cores at level 1, 300 cores for level 2 monsters, 300 cores for level 3 monsters, and finally, 100 level 4 cores," he said, still smiling.

    "How do you n to... sigh, you can expect to receive them starting tomorrow," Ava finally decided not to ask too many questions. He had said he would exinter, so there was no need to ask all these questions now.

    "Thanks."

    When the discussion between Alex and Ava finally ended, silence fell in the room again. But this time, it was Anna who unexpectedly broke the silence.

    "Uhh... I still don''t understand why I have to attend this meeting; what is discussed doesn''t really concern me."

    "Don''t be stupid; you are literally family by now," said Alex to Anna.

    "Yes, he''s right, but that''s not why I said you should attend this meeting," said Ava before continuing with a grave expression.

    "The reason I said that you should stay is that when we arrive at the location where thepetition to determine the future heir of the Eswald family will take ce, there may be people targeting the girls. So, it will be up to you and other guards I will choose to protect them."

    "Understood, ma''am," Anna replied calmly despite what she had just heard. Alex and Lilia, on the other hand, were furious to hear such a thing.

    "Why would anyone want to harm them?" Alex asked through gritted teeth.

    "To destabilize our branch of the family," Ava replied calmly. In her heart, she was also furious that someone would want to harm her grandchildren, but she remainedposed, knowing that getting angry wouldn''t change the situation.

    Alex, on the other hand, had very dark thoughts. ''After my father, they now want to target the rest of the family? We''ll see about that. I''m going to rid this family of all the trash that gues it.''

    Seeing that the mood was darkening, Amy suggested, "What if we talked about how the minipetition within the family is going to y out instead?"

    "You are right," Lilia said, also wanting to change the subject.

    So, for over an hour, Alex and his family discussed thepetition, as well as various other topics, rxing and knowing that theing week would not be as calm.

 Chapter 33 : Failed mission

    Chapter 33 : Failed mission

    Far from the Eswald estate, even beyond their kingdom and continent, within a mountain,y a cave. At first nce, it appeared to be an ordinary cave, with a typical interior �C rocky walls, the faint sound of dripping water, and a cool, damp atmosphere.

    Yet, slowly but surely, a subtle energy emission grew in intensity until it manifested as a peculiar spatial portal right in the heart of the cave.

    Momentster, a man with jet-ck hair emerged from the portal. His features remained elusive, hidden beneath the hood of a long, dark robe resembling those often worn by schrly mages.

    Following him, two more individuals stepped out �C one with blond hair, the other with green. Just like the first man, their faces defied scrutiny, veiled by shadows.

    "Where are we?" inquired the blond-haired man.

    "I don''t know, but it''s definitely not Valornia," replied the man with ck hair.

    "None of this would''ve happened if that idiot hadn''t used a spatial technique to trap us all in a spatial bubble," the green-haired man interjected, referring to the blond-hairedpanion.

    "But it saved our lives, so maybe you should be thanking me instead ofining," retorted the blond-haired man.

    "Saved? Stuck in a spatial bubble for months!" yelled the green-haired man, his anger unabated. "THAT''S WHAT YOU CALL SAVED?"

    Just as the blond-haired man was about to fire back, the man with ck hair cried out, "Enough, you two."

    His intervention silenced the others. He continued calmly, "It''s no one''s fault. How could we have known that the guardian of the Artefact of Lust �C the weakest artifact �C would be so powerful? What''s important now is figuring out where we are and retrieving the Artefact of Lust before someone else gets their hands on it."

    As he finished speaking, the crystal hanging at his waist began to glow. He took it and infused it with his mana.

    Suddenly, a floating screen materialized before them, revealing an abyssal and terrifying darkness on the other side. A voice emerged from the darkness, inquiring in a calm tone, "Where have you been all this time, and howe you failed this simple mission?"

    Although the voice soundedposed as it posed its question, the three men felt a shiver run down their spines upon hearing that they''d failed the mission, knowing that they were in dire straits.

    "F-Failed the mission?" the man with ck hair stammered, his earlier bravado now gone.

    "Yes, you failed the mission," replied the voice, before asking for an exnation.

    The man with ck hair proceeded to exin that they had been forced to employ a spatial technique, which had entrapped them in a spatial bubble for months.

    Upon hearing their ount, the voice said, "That exins why the Artefact of Lust''sst known location is in Imperion."

    "I-Imperion? How could it end up there when it was in Valornia?" questioned the blond-haired man.

    "I guess we need to thank you for that since it was your spatial attack on the guardian of that triggered its transfer to Imperion."

    Hearing this, the blond-haired man shrank back and fell silent, while the green-haired man chuckled, relishing hispanion''s reaction.

    "Wait... what do you mean by the st known location''? Have we lost track of the artefact?" asked the man with ck hair.

    "That''s exactly what happened."

    "So, that means that..."

    "That someone has already found it," the voice confirmed before continuing, "Hurry back to base. We''ll decide your punishment then."

    "And what about the Artefact of Lust?"

    "I''ve dispatched Mustang to retrieve it from the person who took it."

    "Sir, with all due respect, I don''t think Mustang is ready for such a mission �C in fact, I don''t think he''s ready for any mission. He''s too inexperienced and still childish."

    "It should be fine; it''ll give him some experience," remarked the voice.

    "Okay, we''ll return as soon as possible," he continued, his tone serious, just before the transmission cut off.

    Even after the call ended, the man with ck hair remained still, wearing a solemn expression, while the others had already started moving.

    "What''s got you so serious?" inquired one of hispanions.

    "I''m thinking about the fact that the boss wants to assign the mission to retrieve the Artefact of Lust to Mustang. That idiot isn''t ready for this kind of mission."

    "Oh, don''t worry about the kid. He can aplish this simple mission. He just need to fight and kill the one who got their hands on the artifact."

    "That''s precisely what worries me. Just imagine the consequences if he were to lose and be the one killed. Not only would he have failed the mission, but he''d also make his opponent exponentially more dangerous."

    "Oh don''t worry so much, besides, we''re talking about the Carrier of Lust. What can he- or she- do to him, make him horny?" quipped the green-haired man, bursting intoughter.

    "Indeed, he''s right. Come on, let''s head back. We should be more concerned about our own situation," added the blond-haired man.

    "Sigh... Let''s hope he seeds," muttered the man with ck hair before the three of them set off on their way back.

    What the three men didn''t notice during their conversation was that there was someone lurking in the shadows, watching and listening to their conversation.

    "Hmm... a variable has just appeared," said the person with a sensually feminine voice.

    "They mentioned that this person is located in Imperion, didn''t they? Let''s pay them a little visit," the voice said before moving in a different direction from the three men.

 Chapter 34 : Woah (R-18)

    Chapter 34 : Woah (R-18)

    "I''m going to retire for the evening," Alex announced to his family members and decided to leave.

    He had already asked Lilia to apany him so they could return to their rooms, where he intended to exin about the artifact and the system.

    However, being a good hostess, she decided not to leave and continued to entertain Ava and Amy. Since all the serious matters had already been discussed, there was nothing interesting left to say, so he left.

    As he left the room, he gave a meaningful nce to Anna, who blushed slightly and nodded her head.

    Once outside the room, Alex made his way to his office, where he usually worked.

    Inside the office, he did nothing but sit and wait.

    About thirty minutester, he heard someone knocking on the door.

    "Come in."

    With his approval, the door opened, and Anna walked in with a slight blush on her face.

    Seeing her there, Alex smiled, got up, and walked toward her.

    With each step he took, Anna''s blush deepened.

    When he stood in front of her, she bowed her head and looked toward the ground with fully red cheeks.

    ''Cute,'' thought Alex, seeing her like this.

    He then used his hand to lift her chin until their gazes met.

    "So you came?" Alex asked in a teasing voice.

    "T-That''s b-because you asked me toe," Anna replied with her voice stuttering.

    "Oh... so you just came because I asked you to? In that case, you can return," Alex teased.

    "T-That''s n-not b-because of just that... I also..." Anna stuttered before her voice trailed off due to the embarrassment she felt.

    "Haha, don''t worry, I was just teasing you," Alex said when he noticed she was too embarrassed to speak.

    He then got even closer to her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

    Anna made a little surprised sound, which sounded really cute. Contrary to thest time, she didn''t try to distance herself from him and instead looked at him.

    Alex also looked into her eyes before lowering his gaze and focusing on her fully red lips, which seemed as red as wine. Those lips were like an irresistible temptation.

    Anna gazed at him with a mixture of excitement and a hint of trepidation. Slowly, he lowered his head and nted soft kisses on her lips, one after another, building up the anticipation. Then, he finally dove in, embracing her in a passionate, intense kiss.

    Anna reciprocated with the same intensity as him, and they kissed like that for a few seconds before Alex moved his tongue toward her mouth. Anna opened her mouth and let Alex''s tongue enter.

    Alex''s tongue moved inside her mouth and started twirling around Anna''s tongue.

    Alex and Anna kissed for a long time before finally stopping. When they distanced themselves, there was still a line of saliva connecting them.

    "Hah...hah...hah..." they both grasped for breath after their long kissing session.

    "That was my...first kiss," Anna managed to say while breathing ruggedly.

    "And...that...won''t be thest...tonight," said Alex before lowering his hands from her waist to her big ass. He then squeezed hard on both of Anna''s cheeks, which caused Anna to moan a little.

    Mmmmm~

    ''so soft'' thought Alex as he started groping Anna ass.

    Anh~

    Meanwhile, Anna started moaning more and more due to Alex groping her ass.

    Anna was getting more and more excited and started leaking love juice.

    Mmmm~

    Alex then resumed kissing her while continuing to grope her ass, molding it into different shape.

    For several minutes, they stood like that, kissing while Alex was ying with Anna''s soft ass like a kid.

    While still kissing, Alex removed his hands from her ass and lowered them, then picked up Anna while holding her by her hips.

    "Hiii!" eximed Anna when he picked her up.

    "Hey! A little warning," said Anna with a cute pout.

    "Haha, sorry, sorry," replied Alex, before returning to kissing her again.

    While still kissing, Alex started walking towards the table in the room and gently ced her on the table once they reached it. After cing her down, he then proceeded to undress her.

    When he finished taking off her dress, Anna shyly used her hands to hide her bra and pants from view.

    Seeing her like this, Alex Dick got rock solid, but he controlled himself. Tonight it was all about Anna, so he wanted to do everything right.

    He gave her a peck on the lips and gently moved her hands away, and then removed her bra.

    When he saw what was underneath the only thing was :

    "woah..."

 Chapter 35 : No intention to refuse (R-18)

    Chapter 35 : No intention to refuse (R-18)

    *Jiggle**jiggle*

    Underneath her bra, Anna had two massive breasts that were moving alluring.

    Anna''s breasts were so mesmerizing that before he knew what was happening, Alex was already fondling them.

    ''They are so soft, yet so firm'' thought Alex while ying with Anna''s breasts like some kid.

    Mmm~

    Meanwhile, Anna started moaning again the moment Alex took hold of her breasts.

    He yed with her breasts some more before he started pinching her cute little nipples.

    Ahhh~

    A moan escaped Anna''s lips a little, due to the pain but also from pleasure.

    "Would you look at that?"It seems that you enjoy feeling pain."

    "N-No, that''s not-Anhh~" Anna wanted to deny what her master was saying but couldn''t help but moan again when he pinched her nipples one more time.

    "You were saying?" Asked teasingly, Alex is still pinching her nipples.

    Then he approached her head and started sucking at her left nipple.

    Mmmm~master~

    Although she reverted back from calling him master, Alex didn''t mind, in fact it was the contrary he actually like the fact that she was actually calling him "master" while moaning so lewdly.

    He quite liked her moan; her subtle and cute moan was like a song in his ears, and he wanted to hear more, so he slightly nibbed her nipple, which caused her to moan a little too loudly.

    MMMM~

    Alex had to use his hand to cover her mouth, then he said to her "Try not to make a loud noise; we don''t want to be caught, right?", seemingly realizing that she was making too much noise. Anna blushed a little and nodded.

    "Good," said Alex before resuming to suck on Anna''s breast; however, this time, he directed his one free hand towards her pants.

    ''so wet'', thought Alex, feeling how wet she was down there; her pants were actually soaked from how much love juice she was leaking.

    He inserted his hand into her pants and gently rubbed her adorable little clitoral area with his fingers.

    Mmmm~Aaahhh~master~

    Alex''s rubbing started making Anna moan continuously because of all the stimulus she was feeling.

    Meanwhile, Alex got his hand lower and started caressing her pussybia slowly, then he gently inserted one of his fingers in her pussy.

    Mmmmmm~

    Anna, feeling Alex''s finger prate her, started moaning more and more as she was feeling wave after wave of pleasure that she had never felt before; all she wanted was for that feeling to never end.

    ''she is so tight'' while Alex was marveling at how tight Anna was.

    ''I had my doubts, but now I''m sure she is a virgin''

    While finger-fucking, Anna Alex asked the system:

    ''Do I get more points if the girl is a virgin?''

    [Yes]

    ''Nice'' thought Alex before finally moving his head away from Anna''s breast.

    He kissed her lips some more and started getting down while still kissing her all over her body.

    While getting down, he got his finger out of her pussy, used his hands to get her pants off, so when he finally got down, there was no obstruction between him and Anna''s beautiful little flower.

    He admired Anna''s cute slit for a moment before diving in and getting his tongue in her pussy.

    "M-Master, what are you doin-?"

    Anna got cut off mid-sentence when she felt a sudden wave of pleasure through her entire body. The feeling was so intense that she arched her back and straight out orgasmed on Alex''s face.

    ''That was fast'' thought Alex while tasting Anna''s juice.

    When she finished cumming, Annay on the table, still basking in the feeling. She had never cummed like this in her whole life.

    Just when she thought that it was over, she heard Alex say with a mischevious voice:

    "We are not done here."

    "What do you mean?"

    Before she couldprehend what he meant by this, she felt his tongue invading her inside.

    Anh~

    Anna clutched Alex''s hair as her body squirmed from the constant electrifying sensation she was feeling from his mouth ying with her pussy.

    AHN~AHN~AHHH~~~

    At this point, it seemed that Anna didn''t care if someone heard her moaning like a bitch; she only wanted this feeling tost forever.

    ''Not good, better finish her fast'' thought Alex when Anna''s moan started getting louder and louder.

    Alex then used his right hand and started stimting her cute little clitoris area while starting to eat her pussy more furiously.

    Thatbination quickly got Anna on the edge; her pussy walls started contracting, and she felt intense pressure building up before finally bursting out and washing her in a wave of pleasure.

    Mmmmm~

    She clutched Alex''s head harder and released a gush of love juice directly on his face.

    ''Tasty'' thought Alex, getting up and looking at Anna, who was lying on the table, still basking in euphoria.

    He quite liked the current expression on her face; eyes half closed, tongue out of her mouth, she really looked like a bitch.

    After some minutes, she finally came to her senses and quickly got up from the table. Seeing Alex''s face smeared by her love juice, she eximed:

    "S-Sorry"

    "Don''t worry about that," said Alex before asking, "did you enjoy it?"

    Hearing his question, Anna remembered how she was literally screaming moments ago, and her face got red like a tomato, but she still replied to Alex.

    "Y-Yes"

    "That''s good"

    "Umm..."

    "Yes ?"

    Anna''s face got even more red as she said

    "I would like to reciprocate what you did to me."

    "Oh, well, if you want to." Originally, he just wanted to focus on her and make her experience sensations that would make here back for moreter. However, if she wanted to satisfy him, he had no intention of refusing.

 Chapter 36 : The maid blowjob (R-18)

    Chapter 36 : The maid blowjob (R-18)

    Alex walked to the chair behind the table and seated himself.

    It wasn''t until now that he was sitting that Anna could clearly see the bulge that she had been feeling all along.

    "Didn''t you say that you would help me?What are you waiting for then?" said Alex, with his voice soundingmanding and teasing at the same tjuime.

    Hearing him, Anna got closer to him and asked, a little embarrassed.

    "Uhh, what should I do?"

    "You can start by freeing this "little" guy here," said Alex, referring to his cock.

    Anna blushed but still executed his order by unbuttoning his pants and freeing cock.

    freed from his prison Alex cock emerged like and stood like a proud dragon.

    Seeing her master big manhood, Anna got a bit intimidated.

    ''will something like that even fit ?''

    Since she was a virgin, she never saw a penis, so it was normal that she got a little intimidated.

    Knowing this, Alex didn''t rush her and just waited, looking at Anna, who was kneeling before him, looking at his cock with a curious glint in her eyes.

    After a moment without Alex even telling him, Anna touched Alex''s cock with one of her hands.

    She couldn''t hold Alex cock in one hand since she had small hands, so she had to use both of her hands just to take hold of Alex''s manhood.

    Feeling Anna''s hands on his manhood, Alex nearly moaned, her small, soft hands wrapped around his cock were so stimting.

    Like guided by some sort of instinct, Anna started stroking Alex cock. At first, she was doing it just because it seemed funny, but seeing that Alex seemed to like what she was doing, she started moving her hands with more fervor.

    Having his cock stroked by Anna was undeniably pleasurable, but Alex wanted more than that, so he said with amanding sound "Lick it".

    He didn''t want to sound somanding since he wanted Anna to go at her pace, but unfortunately, in this aroused state he was in, he didn''t have much control over how his voice came out.

    What he didn''t know was that thismanding tone quite aroused Anna and even made her leak some love juice, as she liked being bossed around like that.

    Without hesitating to execute Anna, she stuck out her tongue and sensually trailed it along the length of Alex''s cock.

    Feeling Anna''s soft and wet tongue on his skin, Alex shuddered as a wave of pleasure coursed through his body, making him almost moan.

    From where he was sitting, he could see Anna''s alluring ass, which fueled even more his lust as Anna''s head was moving up and down, licking his throbbing cock all over like a kid licking candy.

    However, although he was appreciating Anna tongue licking his cock, he wanted more; he wanted to see and feel her beautiful lips wrapped around his cock, so, with his stillmanding tone, he said to her "Suck it".

    Hearing his order, Anna hesitated this time, as she was concerned about his cock size and was wondering if it would even fit inside her little mouth.

    "Don''t worry, I will help you," said Alex, taking hold of her head.

    Gently, he directed his attention toward his cock, which was throbbing continually, like inviting those lips to embrace it.

    Just before prating her mouth with his cock, he looked at Anna and gently smiled at her, as if to let her know that everything would be fine.

    Seeing his reassuring smile, Anna nodded, knowing that he wouldn''t hurt her.

    With a mix of excitation and anticipation, Alex guided Anna''s head and slowly parted her lips before prating her inviting mouth with his hard cock, making her gasp.

    Still holding her head, Alex started moving it up and down while savoring the feeling of having his maid blow him.

    Slowly, he established a rhythm as he started thrusting in and out of her mouth. Anna, meanwhile, started moaning with saliva trailing down her chin.

    *slurp*slurp*slurp*slurp*

    The only sound one could make out in the room was that of slurping as Anna started getting more and more ustomed to sucking and her tongue started twirling and teasing Alex cock.

    As time passed and wave after wave of pleasure came crashing toward Alex, he started feeling himself getting close to climax.

    Just as he was about to cum and fill Anna''s mouth with his seed.

    Knock knock

    Before he even had time to do something, the door opened, and Alice walked in.

 Chapter 37 : Good show (R-18)

    Chapter 37 : Good show (R-18)

    "Hello, is there anyone?" said Alice, opening the door to Alex''s office.

    "Huh? There isn''t anyone. I could have sworn I heard voices," she said, realizing there was no one in the room.

    ''That was a close one,'' thought Alex, looking at Alice.

    When she suddenly opened the door to his office while Anna was pleasuring him, he thought it was over for him. The only thing he had time to do was take Anna''s maid dress from the table before the door swung open.

    Fortunately for them, Alice couldn''t actually see them.

    The reason she couldn''t see them was due to Anna using her power of concealment, which allowed her to be invisible. When she used this power, she literally disappeared from all sights. Plus, if she was in direct contact with someone or something, she could use her power on that person or thing.

    "I haven''t seen him anywhere else in the mansion, so I guess I''ll wait to see if he shows up here," Alice said before sitting down on the chair just across from Alex.

    ''Shit...can''t she just leave,'' thought Alex, irritated but also worried.

    But the problem was that they couldn''t make any sound, or the concealment would disappear.

    "Don''t worry; she can''t hear us."

    "Huh?"

    "I''ve improved my ability to better use my power. Now, I can make noise without anyone noticing, as if I''m in a separate dimension."

    "Oh, I see. Good work," said Alex, patting Anna''s head.

    He then continued, saying, "So, she can''t see us?"

    "No."

    "She can''t hear us either?"

    "Neither."

    "Then, can we continue what we were doing before she came?"

    "Huh...b-but your daughter is right here."

    "Anyway, as long as she hasn''t left the office, we can''t show ourselves. So, we might as well continue."

    ''What he''s saying makes sense, but...'' Anna nced at Alice and thought, ''But doing it right in front of Lady Alice... She can''t see us, but still.''

    Seeing her internal struggles Alex used one of his fingers to caress her lips and assuredly "don''t worry about anything, and just continue wrapping those beautiful lips around my cock".

    Anna remained thoughtful for a moment before responding with an uncertain tone, "Okay," then she resumed doing what she was doing before being interrupted.

    *Slurp*slurp*

    "Yes, just like that" said Alex encouragingly, feeling the same wave of pleasure as before crashing against him.

    He used his hand to hold Anna head and started slowly rhythmically moving her head up and down.

    Alex closed his eyes and just concentrated on enjoying the feeling of having his maid licking and sucking his throbbing cock.

    As time passes and The sensation of pleasure increased, Alex started feeling something bubbling up within him.

    Sensing his climax near, eyes shot open and his grip on Anna head tightened.

    As he was reaching his limit''s and was about to release his seed he inadvertantly gazed at the other side of the table where Alice was sitting.

    Bizarrely she was looking in his direction, looking at her he remembered her remark about him wanting to feel her young body against him.

    Without doing it consciously he started admiring her chest, but stopped when he realized what he was doing.

    He then moved his gaze to her face, seeing her face while he is about to cum was both disturbing and exciting at the same time, the simple notion of doing something so immoral as getting blowed while looking at his daughter got him over the edge.

    *Spurt*spurt*

    "Ahhh..."

    Alex groaned as he released his seed in Anna mouth while still gazing at Alice.

    When he finished cumming Anna slowly retracted herself with her mouth full of cum.

    "Swallow" said Alex in amanding voice seeing that Anna didn''t know what to do of his cum.

    *Gulp*

    "Open your mouth so I can check if swallowed everything"

    Anna then opened wide her mouth showing that she swallowed everything.

    "Good girl" said Alex patting Anna head.

    "Sigh...I guess I will go since he isn''ting" said Alice standing from her chair and walking toward the door.

    Once she arrived at the door, she opened it. However, before walking out, she eximed:

    "Oh, I almost forgot"

    She shot a nce toward Alex and said with a pleased look on her face:

    "Good show you two"

 Chapter 38 : Mischevious brat

    Chapter 38 : Mischevious brat

    Confusion.

    That was the sole emotion on both Alex and Anna''s faces after Alice''sst remark.

    "H-How is that possible? I was using my power all this time she was here," said Anna, not having a clue about what just happened.

    Alex was equally baffled.

    ''How could she have noticed us?,'' he thought, before continuing, ''but she clearly saw us, so Anna''s power must not work on her. But how can that be? She''s a lower level than Anna, so she shouldn''t be able to resist...''

    "Idiot!" Alex suddenly eximed loudly, remembering a crucial fact about Alice and finally understanding how she had spotted them.

    ''How could I forget this?''

    "Are you okay?" Anna asked when she heard him suddenly curse himself while banging his head with his hand.

    "Ah, yes, I''m fine," he said before exining with a sigh, "I just realized how she was able to see us."

    "How?" Anna asked, concerned.

    "Did you forget about her eyes ?"

    Immediately after hearing his question, Anna paled, realizing what he meant.

    "I see you''ve figured it out. With the eyes she possesses, your invisibility power is useless against her."

    ''How could I forget about her "God''s Eyes"?'' Alex wondered.

    God''s Eyes were what people called Alice''s eyes because, like the gods who can see everything and nothing can escape their gaze, nothing could be hidden from someone possessing these eyes.

    ''I remember when she was little; other kids often refused to y hide and seek with her because of her eyes,'' chuckled Alex while reminiscing.

    Thanks to her eyes, she could find everyone in less than a minute, so the other kids found it no fun ying with her because the games neversted. At those times, the only one willing to y with her was Alex. That''s why he scolded himself when he remembered that she had those eyes. He was the one whoforted her when her eyes became a burden, so how could he forget?

    But it wasn''t entirely his fault, given the state of excitement he was in; it was understandable.

    "Umm... What do we do now that she caught us?" Anna asked cautiously.

    "Oh, don''t worry about her; she won''t tell anyone," Alex said confidently.

    ''She won''t rat me out, no, she will surely use it as ckmail material,'' thought Alex, sighing.

    "A-Are you sure?" Anna asking for confirmation.

    Seeing her worried state, Alex kissed her forehead and said, "Yes, you don''t have to worry about a thing."

    "Okay," replied Anna before she stood up and dressed herself.

    "I will retire for now," she said after getting dressed.

    She walked up to the door; however, before she opened it, she felt strong arms hugging her from behind before she could do anything.

    "You''re leaving without even giving me a kiss," Alex teased in a whisper, his lips lightly pecking her cheek. He then slowly trailed his kisses down to her neck.

    When he reached her neck and licked it, a soft moan escaped Anna''s mouth.

    "S-Stop, we can''t continue now," Anna protested.

    "Thenter?"

    "O-Okay."

    "Great, see youter," Alex said, giving her a final kiss before releasing her.

    Once he was alone, he returned to sit in the chair and thought to himself, "I feel a headacheing my way in the near future."

    "Hey, System, do I gain points even if I don''t go all the way with a woman?"

    [Yes.]

    ''Just as I thought.''

    "Status."

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 1

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 10

    Stamina: 10

    Defense: 10

    Mana Points: 10

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 6]

    "Hmm... I''ve earned more than half the points I gained with Lilia. What factors do you consider when assigning these points?"

    [There are various factors: the level of the woman in question, the closeness between you and that woman, what kind of sexual activities you engaged in, how immoral that rtionship was, how-]

    "Okay, okay, I get it. There are several factors at y."

    Alex dismissed the screen, got up, and left his office, thinking, ''Let''s go see what this mischievous brat wants.''

 Chapter 39 : You

    Chapter 39 : You

    A few minutester, Alex arrived at Alice''s bedroom door and knocked.

    "Come in."

    "Here we go," Alex thought.

    He pushed open the door, and the room was dimly lit, with the moonlight being the only source of illumination streaming in through the window.

    Inside, he found Alice lying on the bed in her nightgown.

    "Oh, dear father, I didn''t know you wereing, or I would have been more presentable," Alice said in a teasing tone.

    Hearing her tone, Alex felt a little annoyed, but he calmed himself and said, "Cut the crap. I''m sure you knew I woulde to speak with you about that matter."

    "Speak about what matter?"

    "You know about what I''m speaking"

    "I truly don''t have a clue" said Alice, still joking, making Alex sh her an annoyed nce.

    "Oh...you mean the fact that you were pushing your manhood in the maid''s throat while looking at your daughter ?"

    Alex remained cool and asked "why didn''t say anything the second you entered the office"

    "Well, at first I wanted to say something, but seeing how you two thought I couldn''t see you, I suddenly wanted to y with you two, hence the reason why I acted as thought I couldn''t see you" said Anna in a yful tone before changing her tone to a surprised one while saying "what I didn''t expect was for the two of you to continue while I was right in front of you, you two are really freaky, huh?" Chuckled Alice.

    Hearing her, Alex really didn''t know what to say anymore, so he decided to be blunt.

    "What do you want ?"

    "Why are asking me that ?"

    "I know that you won''t tell anyone about what you saw, but will also ask something in return, so what do you want"

    "Hmm... I''m not sure if you can give me what I want" said teasingly Alice.

    "Shoot"

    Alice stood up from the bed and approached Alex, it wasn''t until now that Alex clearly saw what she was wearing.

    Alice was wearing a silk green nightgown that entuates her curves. Inadvertantly, Alex gazed at her curvaceous body for a moment before averting his gaze.

    As Alice got close to Alex she said "Okay if you are so sure of yourself...what I want is..."

    She approached him even closer and whispered to him in a charming voice:

    "You"

    ""Huh?" Eximed Alex, surprised. Of all the things that he thought she would ask of him, this was thest thing on his mind.

    ''No, what she meant is surely different from what I''m thinking about''

    "What do you mean by what you want is me"

    "Well, what I said is quite clear, what I want is what you gave Anna" said Alice in an alluring voice.

    "What the heck are you saying ?" Asked Alex a little angry at her demand, however there was also a part of him that was excited from hearing this, it was like he was divided by two with one part being rational and the other part so lustful that it wanted him to fuck everything that has a hole, even if it was his daughters.

    But this time it was his rational part that won, so grabbed Alice''s hand firmly and asked, "what do you mean by "what I gave Anna" ?"

    Alice then asked with a hurtful tone, "why are getting so worked up ? All I asked was to have some of your time, Is it so bad for a daughter to want to have a little of her father''s time ?"

    "Oh, you meant this" said Alex, releasing Alice.

    "Why is it that you sound a little disappointed ?" Asked Alice teasingly.

    "Oh, don''t tell me that what you thought I was asking was having your-"

    "That''s not what I thought " said Alex, gritting his teeth, finally realizing that she was toying with him.

    "If you say so" said Alice with a not-so-conviced tone before going back to seat on her bed.

    After some moment, Alex calmed himself and asked " so, what you want is to pass some time with me".

    "Spot on"

    "When ?"

    "I suppose you''ll only have free time after the meeting, so you''ll spend time with me after the meeting," Alice said.

    "Okay, fine. I agree. Now that we''re on the same page, I''ll take my leave. Good night."

    "Good night, Dad," said Alice with a twinkle in her eyes.

    Alex turned to leave as quickly as possible. He didn''t know why, but the way Alice was looking at him made him ufortable. There was something in her gaze that was disturbing.

    If Anna could read his thoughts right now, she would burst intoughter. After all, the look Alice was giving him was exactly like the look Alex had given her in front of the library.

    The look of a hunter eyeing its prey.

 Chapter 40 : Mine (R-18)

    Chapter 40 : Mine (R-18)

    After Alex left the room, Alicey down on her bed and started giggling.

    "That look on his face when I said I wanted him was absolutely hrious," she eximed whileughing.

    After some time, she calmed down and started remembering what had happened during thest hour.

    ***

    While the nce Alex shot at Anna before leaving the meeting room was subtle, Alice noticed it but didn''t say anything.

    A few minutester, Anna excused herself, saying she had work to attend to.

    "Hmm... Something''s going on," Alice thought at that moment, but she didn''t take any action for now.

    A few minutester, she also got up and gave the excuse that she was tired and wanted to rest before leaving as well.

    Her first destination was her parents'' bedroom.

    "Hmm... He''s not here, maybe he''s in his office."

    She then headed toward Alex''s office. Just as she held the doorknob and was about to open the door, she heard a loud moaninging from the office.

    Hearing this moan, she stopped herself from opening the door and instead used the ability of her eyes to see through the door.

    ''Oh... He is eating out Anna'' thought Alice, undisturbed by seeing her step-father eating out the maid.

    ''It''s been a while since he did it with one of the maid'' continued Alice.

    When Alex said he was sure Alice knew something about him and that he was sure that this thing was dangerous, he didn''t know how right he was.

    In every family, there''s a creep spying on everyone, well, in this family, that creep is Alice. Plus, with her eyes that allowed her to see even through walls, nothing could escape her gaze. So, she was aware of many of his adventures with the maids, in particr.

    As she was observing, Alex seated himself, and shortly after, Anna kneeled in front of him and then started licking his cock before starting sucking him.

    ''Woah, she is taking it like a champ'' thought Alice, starting to get wet seeing Anna suck on Alex''s cock.

    ''And what if I paid them a little visit, thought mischievously Alice before knocking on the door and opening it while saying:

    "Hello, is there anyone?"

    However, apart from themotion at the beginning when Alex retrieved Anna''s clothes from the floor, the two didn''t react as she expected.

    ''Huh? Why do they seem so calm? Don''t they see me?''

    "Huh? There isn''t anyone, yet I could have sworn I heard voices," she said, trying to make them react.

    She couldn''t understand why they weren''t panicking until she saw their lips moving, but she couldn''t hear anything. Moreover, seeing Alex sigh in relief while patting Anna, she understood what was happening.

    ''I see, Anna surely used her power to make them invisible, so they think I can''t see them... Too bad nothing can be hidden from my eyes, but since you want to y, let''s y,'' thought Alice before wondering out loud:

    "I haven''t seen him anywhere else in the mansion, so I guess I''ll wait to see if hees here."

    After that, she went to sit on the chair right in front of Alex and Anna. She knew they wouldn''t dare to continue, just waiting for her to leave the office, but she had no problem with that.

    ''We''ll see if her mana reserves canst forever,'' she thought. Her n was to sit and wait until Anna''s mana reserves ran out and her invisibility technique faded.

    However, contrary to what she expected, the two decided to resume what they were doing even though she was right in front of them!

    ''I didn''t expect it from dad, but I''m surely not disappointed.''

    As she was watching, Anna resumed sucking Alex''s cock with a renewed vigor.

    ''Woah�� Look at her sucking it like a candy, who knew that normally cold Anna could suck a cock with such a lusty face'' thought Alice leaking some love juice.

    As she was observing the scene of Anna sucking Alex, she remarked that Alex was nearing his climax, with how many times she saw him fucking the maid, she knew instinctually when he is about to cum.

    As he was nearing his climax, he suddenly turned his head and looked straight at her.

    ''Oh, kinky''

    She thought that he would advert his eyes, but no, he kept looking at her even when he started shooting his seed in Anna''s mouth.

    ''I wonder what is going on in his head right now'' thought Alice when she saw the blissful face Alex was making.

    ''I''d love to see the expression on his face when he realizes I was watching them all this time.''

    One of Alice''s favorite pastimes when she was with her dad was seeing the faces he would make when she teased him.

    So, she stood, pretending to leave since she had waited too long, but stopped just before walking out of the office, looked at Alex, and said:

    "Oh, I almost forgot"

    She shot a nce toward Alex and said with a pleased look on her face:

    "Good show you two", then walked out and closed the door before they even had time to understand what was happening.

    ''I will be waiting for you,'' thought Alice while giggling.

    ***

    Even now, remembering what happened, Alice couldn''t help but continue giggling.

    "That was really amusing...but also very hot" she said with her face twisted in a lusty way.

    As she was remembering the scene of Anna''s head bobbing up and down on Alex''s cock, her hand trailed down towards her panties.

    At this point, her panties were already soaked from all the juice she was leaking.

    She introduced her hand in her panties and caressed lightly her pussy lips, before using two of her finger''s to gently prate her warm, wet pussy.

    Next, she started moving her finger''s in and out in a slow and deliberate manner, teasing her pussy walls while doing so.

    As seconds ticked by, she started moving her hand faster and faster while still recalling the blowjob Anna gave Alex.

    However, at some point, as she recalled the memory, she found herself recing Anna in the scene, it was now her that was giving head to Alex, that thought got her even more excited as she started humping backward like she was getting fucked.

    As she imagined how it would feel to have that big cock in her mouth, sucking and ying with it, she felt her pussy muscle contracting and gripping her finger''s.

    As her mind was getting consumed with lust, her thoughts continued getting more and more perverted as she started imagining herself getting pinned down on the office table and ravaged by Alex.

    "OOOOHHH~YES"

    With a loud moan, Alice arched her back upward and orgasmed while releasing a flood of love juice.

    After the sensation of pleasure subsided, she stomped on her back, heaving in and out.

    "You...are...going to be...mine" said Alice, thinking about Alex.

    There was a saying that the first crush of a daughter was her father, but in the case of Alice, what she felt for her step-father wasn''t just a crush, it was much more than that.

 Chapter 41 : Sin’s Game (1)

    Chapter 41 : Sin��s Game (1)

    Unaware of how Alice felt about him, Alex walked towards his bedroom where he hoped that Lilia would be.

    The situation with Alice had served as a lesson, which is why he had decided to inform Lilia about the artifact and everything as soon as possible.

    "Honey?" said Alex, opening the door to the bedroom.

    "Yes, dear?" replied Lilia, who was sitting on the bedbing her hair.

    Alex walked to his wife''s side and gave her a small peck on her cheek before sitting behind her and starting tob Lilia''s hair.

    "So much affection," said Lilia before turning her head, narrowing her eyes, and saying with a cautious voice, "What do you want, better yet, what did you do?"

    Hearing her, Alex was bbergasted. Couldn''t he show affection to his wife without being suspected?

    With a wry smile, he said, "Can''t I just show my love to my wife?"

    Lilia narrowed her eyes further before smiling warmly and eximing happily, "Okay."

    ''cute.''

    Alexbed Lilia''s hair, and when he finished, he scooped her up and started making his way to the bed.

    "Hey... Put me down!" said Lilia, trying to make Alex put her down, although in truth, she actually liked being carried like this.

    Arriving at the bed, Alex gently ced her down before sitting in front of her with a serious look.

    Seeing his serious expression, Lilia knew that something was wrong, so she asked with a tender voice, "What''s wrong, Alex?"

    "It''s about how I managed to reach level 1," Alex began.

    "Oh, is it about that? If that''s the case, why are you so serious? You should smile instead, you can be stronger as you''ve always wanted."

    Hearing her, Alex couldn''t help but kiss her on the forehead and say, "You''re truly the best."

    "Haha..."

    Alex then repositioned himself and told her, "We really need to talk."

    "Okay."

    "Well... It all started when Felix and I..." Alex began to tell the story of how he got the artifact.

    At first, when he recounted how his friend Felix and he found a multitude of treasures in a cave, Lilia was all smiles as he narrated the events.

    However, her mood began to change when he talked about the artifact and the deal he had made with Felix, leaving Felix the fortune and taking only the artifact.

    At this point in the story, Lilia was frowning but didn''t stop him.

    Alex had noticed her change in mood but continued to tell the story. However the more he talked, the paler Lilia''s face became.

    He exined that it was precisely to study the artifact that he had literally had no contact with her or anyone else.

    At this point in the story, he thought she would make ament, but contrary to his expectations, she didn''t do anything to stop him. In fact, she didn''t speak at all.

    Nevertheless, Alex continued, exining that after his research, with the help of Scarlett, he had managed to activate and merge with the artifact.

    Of course, he skipped the fact that he had been poisoned and killed by Felix.

    "... And there you have it. You now know the whole story," said Alex, finishing telling Lilia about everything, even about how he needed to sleep with women to be more powerful.

    When he finished talking and nced at Lilia, he was mortified.

    At this point, Lilia''s face was as pale as a sheet of paper.

    "Hey Lilia, what''s happening to you?" said Alex, shaking her but still getting no response from Lilia.

    ''Don''t tell me it''s because of the fact that I have to sleep with women to be stronger that''s bothering her so much. If that''s the case, then I''ll just refrain from sleeping with other women.''

    One might think that Alex saying he wouldn''t sleep with other women was a good joke. After all, hadn''t he just cheated on his wife with the maid a moment ago? And even if we don''t count Anna, he had been cheating on his wife for years. So, who would take him seriously if he said he wouldn''t sleep with other women?

    However, Alex was dead serious. It''s true he had cheated on Lilia, but that didn''t mean he didn''t love her. No, the love he had for Lilia was stronger than anything.

    Plus, he had only started cheating on her during a time when his life had be dark. So, he would really stop any extramarital affairs he currently had if Lilia asked him to. It was unfortunate for Anna, but that''s how it was.

    But the next words that Lilia spoke had nothing to do with any of that.

    "The Sin''s Game..."

 Chapter 42 : Sin’s Game (2)

    Chapter 42 : Sin��s Game (2)

    "Huh? The Sin''s Game? What''s that?" asked Alex, addressing Lilia.

    However, Lilia didn''t respond to him; it looked as if she didn''t even hear him.

    "Hey, Lilia, are you okay?" asked Alex again, while shaking her.

    His action finally drew Lilia''s attention, and she, in turn, grabbed him by the shoulders and told him while shaking him too:

    "Where''s the artifact? You have to return it to where you found it quickly," said Lilia, nervous, and in a rushed tone

    Seeing that she had no intention of calming down, Alex replied while trying to free himself from her vice-like grip, "That''s impossible. As I told you, I''ve already merged with it, and I have no idea how to get rid of it."

    Finally, he managed to free himself from Lilia and asked her, "But tell me, you seem to know something about this artifact. Care to exin what you know?"

    "I... sigh, it''s not really the Lust Artifact that I know about, but rather the purpose of this artifact and any other artifact of its kind. That''s why I''m telling you that it''s imperative for you to get rid of it. But... sigh, apparently, it''s no longer possible."

    "The Lust Artifact? Its purpose? What are you talking about?" asked Alex with a dumbfounded expression. The direction their conversation was taking was quite different from what he imagined it would take when he decided to speak to Lilia about the artifact. In his head, if she was ever going to throw a tantrum, it would have been about somethingpletely different.

    "Don''t you remember having a conversation with the Goddess of Lust when you merged with the artifact?" Lilia finally asked, beginning to calm down from her agitation.

    "Goddess of Lust? Is there really such a god?" Alex asked cautiously.

    "You don''t know about the Goddess of Lust?" Lilia asked for confirmation, her face looking exasperated.

    "You know very well I''m not interested in anything rted to the divine," Alex said firmly.

    "I know, but you should at least know about some gods, right?" Lilia asked, a little hopeful. However, seeing Alex''s bleak face, her hopes crashed down.

    ''He really does hate the gods,'' Lilia thought, sighing inwardly. She knew that Alex hated the gods since he was a child because of his trash talent. And with all the incidents that followed, it wasn''t surprising that his hatred for the gods had grown even stronger. But she thought that he would at least know about some of them, but s.

    "Well, when someonees into possession of such an artifact, they usually have some sort of interview with the god or goddess from whom the artifact''s powerse. I don''t know why that wasn''t the case for you. However, what I can tell you is that by using this artifact, you''ve gotten yourself into big trouble. Forget about reaching level 4 in a week. You need to be much stronger much faster if you want-"

    "Wait, wait, wait... This is all too much at once. And by the way, how do you know all of this?" Asked Alex, cutting off Lilia.

    Hearing his question, Lilia used her hands to affectionately hold both of Alex''s hands while saying in a sorry tone, "I''m sorry, but I can''t tell you everything I know yet. There''s something stopping me from talking about some things. What I can tell you, though, is that you''re in danger. Not just you, but we''re all in danger from the moment you used the Lust Artifact. That''s why I''m telling you that you need to be stronger very quickly."

    "Hmm... So, if I understand what you''re saying, we''re all in danger, right?"

    "Yes."

    "But in danger from whom? Who would want to harm us?"

    "Those who possess artifacts simr to yours."

    "And why is that, and what is this ''Sin''s Game'' that you mentioned earlier?"

    "Sigh, that''s why you should have had a meeting with the Goddess of Lust to exin everything in detail," Lilia said, holding her head and sensing a massive headacheing on.

    "In short, there are other artifacts like yours all over the world, and these artifacts stem from the seven deadly sins, like your Lust Artifact. Like yours, the other artifacts grant power to those who wield them."

    "I see," said Alex, trying to wrap his head around all the things Lilia was saying.

    "But I still don''t understand why I would be in danger just by possessing the Lust Artifact."

    "Because being in possession of an artifact enrolls you in the Sin''s Game. It''s a game in which those who have artifacts like yours kill each other."

 Chapter 43 : Sin’s Game (3)

    Chapter 43 : Sin��s Game (3)

    "Killing each other? Why?"

    Lilia responded, "What you need to understand is essentially a game created by certain gods. That''s precisely the reason why they created the artifacts that grant their powers to the wielder of the artifact carrying their sin."

    "But why would they do something like that?"

    "I don''t know, probably for their own amusement," Lilia said, raising her arms as if to show she had no idea.

    "You see, this is precisely why I hate the gods. Everything is just a game to them; they don''t take anything or anyone seriously!" Alex said, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

    "Perhaps, but that won''t stop people from participating in the Sin''s Game. It might be a bloody game created for the amusement of the gods, however it''s still an opportunity for those who dream of world domination."

    ''That''s not wrong,'' Alex agreed inwardly.

    Before knowing all of this, he had set himself the goal to be one of the strongest in the world using the artifact. He still held onto that ambition. So, there was no reason why others like him wouldn''t want the same thing and try to use other artifacts to achieve their goals, the fact that you will participating in a bloody game that might get you killed won''t discourage them, only coward''s would pass up an opportunity like this.

    Alex took some time to think thing''s through, then asked for confirmation:

    "So, to participate in the Sin''s Game, one simply needs to possess an artifact, right?"

    "Yes, but it''s moreplicated than it seems. I''m not sure by how miracle you and your friend stumbled upon your lust artifact without having to do anything, but I''m certain that obtaining one of the seven artifacts is not supposed to be this easy. Something or someone must have caused it." Replied Lilia in a suspicious tone.

    "Hmm, maybe. Regardless, it''s toote to worry about that now. Tell me instead, aside from bing stronger with the artifact, do we gain anything else by participating in the sin''s game ?" Asked excitedly Alex, hoping that he would gain something from risking his life by participating in the sin''s game.

    "Not that I know of, but just the possibility of bing one of the strongest people in this world is already an immense temptation, don''t you think?"

    "That''s true, but then, I just don''t see the point of fighting other artifact users when I can just be powerful on my side without bothering participating in a game that might kill me, it''s useless."

    "Ah, I forgot to mention, that''s probably why you think it''s useless to fight other artifact users. In fact, it''s quite the opposite," Lilia said before continuing in a serious tone:

    "By killing someone who possesses an artifact, you can obtain their artifact. For example, if you were to kill the possessor of the Envy artifact, you would gain the Envy artifact and have two artifacts, significantly increasing your power in a short time. That''s generally the reason people fight each other. It''s also one of the reasons you need to be stronger faster than other artifact users."

    "I see," Alex said, trying not to let it show that he was actually quite rmed. He hadn''t been aware of the negative aspects of having or using the artifact. In his eyes, he had stumbled upon something that allowed him to be more powerful without any consequences.

    However, how could there exist something like that, the artifact indeed had its drawbacks, one of them being involved in this ursed Sin''s Game.

    Still, even if he had known about all this before using the artifact, it would be hard to say that he wouldn''t still use the artifact without hesitation. His thirst for power and vengeance was too great.

    Moreover, if one thought calmly about the drawbacks of using the artifact, they wouldn''t seem as damning as they sounded.

    He had to fight other people who possessed artifacts, but so what? Ever since the moment he had decided to seek vengeance for his father and be one of the overlords of this world, his path was one of conflict. A few more battles and confrontations wouldn''t change much to his situation.

    "Uhmm... Now that I think about it, how do artifact users recognize each other?"

    "There''s some kind of connection that links all of you together. The moment you meet someone with another artifact, you''ll instinctively know."

    "Okay, understood."

    "Now that we''ve sorted that out..." Lilia took a deep breath and continued, "Let''s talk about your potential future enemies"

 Chapter 44 : Someone else

    Chapter 44 : Someone else

    "Potential future enemies? You mean the artifact possessors?"

    "Yes, but not only them. In fact, those you should be most wary of are even more dangerous than the artifact users," said Lilia in a serious tone, causing Alex to adopt a serious expression as well.

    "You see, in this world, there are various forces that vie for dominance. These forces can be kingdoms, empires, sects, magic schools, and many others," Alex nodded, urging Lilia to continue.

    "In most cases, these forces are visible to everyone''s eyes. However, there are shadowy forces that exist in secrecy, and those are the ones you should be most cautious of, because unlike the visible forces, they have no reputation to uphold, so they won''t hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve their goals. Furthermore, these shadowy forces are the ones most informed about the artifacts and the existence of the Sin''s Game. As you can imagine, information about the artifacts is not widespread, which is why you''ve never heard of them."

    Lilia took a deep breath before continuing, "Of these shadowy forces, three are the most dangerous and powerful: Twilight Shadows, The Midnight Society, and Umbral Order. These forces are the ones who are aware of the artifacts. It''s possible that other forces may have be aware by now, but these, in particr, are likely to be significant problems for you, especially since some of these organizations possess artifacts," said Lilia before falling silent, allowing all the information to sink into Alex''s mind.

    "Twilight Shadows, Midnight Society, Umbral Order... What are these, names from a cheesy novel?"

    "Huh? Out of everything I just said, that''s what you focused on?" Lilia asked, astonished.

    "No, I heard everything you said, but seriously, what''s with those names? Are they trying to defeat their enemies with cringe?"

    "Pfft... Hahaha, only you would pay attention to such details at a time like this," said Lilia, bursting intoughter. Herughter sounded so angelic and sweet that Alex was tempted to keep making jokes just to hear herugh.

    "Okay, okay, be a little more serious here," said Lilia, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

    "As I mentioned before, these organizations are the most powerful. For your information, the minimum level to join one of these organizations is level 5."

    Immediately after she said this, Alex forgot the joke he was about to make and simply widened his eyes in disbelief. It''s essential to note that individuals at level 5 were highly respected because not everyone could reach that level.

    In Alex''s empire, for example, achieving level 5 not only earned one nobility but could also grant yound where you would be the lord, simply because you have reached level 5.

    So hearing that there were organizations where the minimum level for eptance was level 5 was sobering news for Alex.

    Additionally, learning that these organizations could potentially be against him was enough to make him finally take things seriously.

    "I see you''re taking this seriously now. That''s good; it''ll make your training easier," Lilia said.

    "Huh? My training? What are you talking about?"

    "Starting from tomorrow, I will personally train you. I may have lost my powers, but you should know that I was quite strong back then," said Lilia, sounding proud.

    If only Alex could know what she meant by "quite strong", he would choke on his spit.

    "That''s all well and good, but..."

    "What is it?"

    "Well, it''s just that you haven''tmented on how the artifact helps me be stronger."

    "The way the artifact allows you to be stronger? What are you talking about... Oh, I see, you want to talk about the fact that you have to be with other women," asked Lilia, finally understanding what Alex meant.

    "Yes, that fact. Does it not bother you that I need to be with other women to be stronger?"

    Upon hearing his question, Lilia smiled affectionately and gently took hold of his hands. "Alex, when I arrived at this house, I was covered in wounds and had three girls in my arms. Yet, you weed me, cared for me, and even looked after my daughters when I was just a stranger."

    Lilia then moved one of her hands to cup Alex''s face as she continued, "When you decided to marry me, many were against it. Some even mocked you, saying that you were marrying a ''used product.'' But you didn''t listen to them or care about their words. You married me, took care of me and my daughters, and raised them as if they were your own."

    Lilia took a deep breath, smiled sweetly at Alex, and said, "So, if you need to be with another woman to achieve your dreams, so be it. Besides, I know my husband is a fair and loving man, so I trust that you wouldn''t cast me aside for another woman. You love me too much to do something like that," she added, chuckling.

    "All I want to say is that the fact you might be with other women doesn''t bother me because I love you," Lilia finished, gently hugging Alex.

    "You are truly the best *sniff* wife one could ask for," Alex said, trying not to make it too obvious that he had teared up a little from Lilia''s heartfelt words.

    "Wait, are you crying?"

    "N-No."

    "Oh my god, you are really crying!" eximed Lilia, bursting intoughter while teasing him.

    "There, there, don''t cry. A big boy like you shouldn''t cry. Hahahaha."

    ''Whoa, she went from being a loving and supportive wife to aplete jerk so quickly,'' thought Alex, half annoyed and half astonished after seeing Lilia''s mood shift.

    "Oh, why are you making that face? Lighten up, my big baby of a husband. Hahahaha."

    ''At least now I know for sure where Alice got her teasing nature from,'' Alex thought, sighing.

    As she was making too much fun of him, Alex decided that she needed to be punished a little, so he used his hands and started to gently fondle her soft breasts.

    His sudden move abruptly silenced Lilia''sughter, and he smirked mischievously. He approached her ear and whispered, "Laugh while you still can because tonight, you won''t get a single second tough."

    Upon hearing him, Lilia felt a sudden chill.

    "D-Dear, I was just trying to lighten the mood. I was definitely not trying to make fun of you for crying *snicker* because your wife said she loved you. Oh, who am I kidding? That was hrious. Hahahaha..."

    "..."

    Alex didn''t even know how to respond to that. Since his attempt to intimidate his wife had failed, he simply sat there, gazing at her while she continued to tease him.

    When Lilia seemed to have finished poking fun at him, he got up and began to undress. Since she didn''t take him seriously, he was going to make sure that yful vixen would have an unforgettable night.

    "Wait, wait, wait, you can''t. I''m still sore from this morning, so..." Before he even got the chance to make a move, Lilia picked him up and tossed him out of the room, saying,

    "Go find someone else to relieve you."

 Chapter 45 : Eat her whole (R-18)

    Chapter 45 : Eat her whole (R-18)

    ''Did my wife just throw me out of our room while telling me to go find someone else to fuck ?'' Asked himself, Alex, with a disbelieving face.

    ''Truly the best wife! all those hardships while courting her were definitely worth it,'' thought Alex with a content smile. However, he still shivered a little when he remembered all he had gone through while courting her.

    ''What do I do now, though ? I don''t even have a shirt on,'' Alex asked himself while standing half-naked in the corridor.

    ''Hmm... I guess I will go see Anna much sooner than expected,'' thought Alex, starting to walk toward Anna''s bedroom.

    ''Ah... I haven''t been able to tell her that I can help her regain her former strength or even how I n to reach level 4, nor that... sigh... I suppose I''ll do all that tomorrow. In the meantime...''

    ''Status''

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 1

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 10

    Stamina: 10

    Defense: 10

    Mana Points: 10

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 6]

    ''Use all the current soul points that I have to enhance my stamina.''

    [Are you sure?]

    ''Yes, do it.''

    Just after his confirmation, Alex felt the same sensation of euphoria he experienced thest time he enhanced his stats. It was like some kind of cool energy was invading all parts of his body, taking away all the fatigue he was currently feeling.

    Thissted for a few seconds before the sensation vanished, and simultaneously, a new message popped up.

    [It''s done.]

    ''status''

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 1

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 10

    Stamina: 40

    Defense: 10

    Mana Points: 10

    Harem: Lilia Eswald

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 0]

    ''Cool,'' thought Alex when he saw that his stamina stat had increased.

    ''Now, let''s go pay a visit to our lovely maid,'' said Alex, licking his lips.

    Now that Lilia threw him out of their rooms, he changed his ns for tonight''s, his new n was to fuck Anna all night long. That was actually the reason why he used all his remaining points to enhance his stamina, if he was going to fuck all night he better have a stamina that was going to allow him to do that, right ?

    In just a few minutes, he was standing in front of Anna''s bedroom door.

    Knock Knock

    He knocked on the door then waited, secondster the door opened and Anna''s cute head bobbed out.

    "Hello"

    "Hmm, Master ? What are you doing here thiste at night ?" Asked Anna in a surprised tone when she saw Alex standing in front of the door, it was quite dark, so it took her some seconds before she finally managed to saw himpletely, she then couldn''t help herself from eximing out loud:

    "Why are you half-naked ?"

    Before she got the chance to make more ruckus, however, Alex quickly pushed the door open and introduced himself in the room while closing the door behind him.

    "Shh...you shouldn''t be making so much noise thiste at night" said Alex seductively, wrapping his hands around Anna''s waist after he closes the door.

    "What are you doing here thiste? What if someone saw you? Plus, did you forget about what happened an hour ago? And if Alice or someone else sees us again, not to mention Mistress Lilia... What if she catches us-" Before she could finish speaking, Anna''s lips were sealed shut by Alex''s own lips, making her release a cute little sound of surprise. Initially, she tried to resist, but soon her mind went nk, and she surrendered to the feeling of tasting Alex''s lips.

    After some seconds of furious kissing when their tongues battled for supremacy, Alex and Anna distanced their faces while still connected by a fine line of saliva.

    "You don''t have to worry about Lilia or anyone for that matter, nothing will happen to you even if someone were to see us together" whispered gently Alex to Anna.

    Now that he got the blessing of Lilia to fool around, Alex didn''t care anymore if Alice or someone else caught him with Anna or any of his future girls.

    "Promise ?" Asked Anna for confirmation with a serious tone, she was right to ask for confirmation as it might very well be a lie that Alex was spouting just for the sake of getting in her pants, if that was the case, it mighte to bit herter.

    "Promise" said Alex before resuming the kiss while his hands trailed down her sensual curves and lodged themselves on her round and plump ass.

    Mmm~

    Anna moaned in Alex''s mouth when she felt Alex''s hands fondling and ying with her ass.

    ''So big and soft'' meanwhile Alex was marvelling this time again at how Anna''s ass felt in his hands, her ass was big, soft while being firm at the same time!

    Alex then picked her up and walked towards the bed while still kissing her.

    When he got to the bed, he lowered himself and gently put Anna down.

    After putting her down, he stood up. Only at that moment, with the moonlight streaming through the window and falling directly on her, could he see Anna clearly, and what he saw took his breath away.

    Lying on the bed, bathed in the gentle moonlight, Anna''s chestnut-brown hairy sprawled around her like a cascading waterfall. Her short nightgown, harmonizing perfectly with her hair, clung around her sensual curves, making her appear sexy but not lewd.

    Her beautiful face was blushing, but she still looked at Alex seductively with a hint of lust hidden in her eyes, she then spread her arms wide towards Alex like beckoning him toe closer and ravish her.

    Seeing her like this, Alex''s blood boiled and his cock got immediately rock solid, before he knew what was happening, he started undressing himself, he wasn''t wearing anything beside he pants anyway, so in just a few seconds, under the expectant gaze of Anna, he was totally naked with his dick standing in all its glory staring at her like it was going to eat her whole.

 Chapter 46 : It’s time (R-18)

    Chapter 46 : It��s time (R-18)

    "So big��" marvelled Anna at the sight of Alex''s hard cock.

    Alex got on the bed and nted a soft speck on Anna''s lips, next he gently licked and nibbled at her ear, before gently introducing his tongue into her earlobe, causing Anna to moan softly.

    Alex then got a little down and then nted a gentle peck on her neck, then another, then another, before long, all around Anna''s neck there were traces of Alex''s lips, it was like he was trying to mark her as his, and that was exactly his intentions.

    Anna also understood what he was doing, but didn''t stop him because the idea of being marked by Alex as his woman was strangely appealing and quite arousing.

    Ang~Mmmm~

    In a matter of minutes, soft, lewd moan started spreading in the room as Anna''s excitation  grew more and more pronounced.

    Before long, Anna''s moan started getting louder and louder, seemingly realizing this fact, Anna tried to muffle her voice, but it was then that Alex whispered seductively in her ear "don''t hold back��", he kissed her on her lips before continuing "you can moan however you want~"

    Contrary to the time they were in his office, he wanted to hear her moan, scream his name as she was subjected to the throes of pleasure, and the lewder the sound she emitted the better.

    Alex then used his hands to massage Anna''s breasts through her clothes, then he gently  pinched her nipples that were actually erect, this action of his caused Anna to release another lewd moan directly in his ear as he was licking her neck.

    "Ahhh~ Master~"

    "I really like when you call me that while moaning like a bitch~" said teasingly, Alex, while continuing pinching Anna''s nipples.

    "I-Is that...anhh...so ? Then...mmmh... I will continue doing so~" replied Anna through her moans.

    While still pinching her nipple with one hand, Alex sent his other hand trailing towards her panties, when his hand arrived at destination it found that Anna''s panties were already soaking wet.

    That''s when he remarked some little wet stains on the bed that he had ignored at first.

    He smirked and said while gently pinching her clit, "were you masturbating before I came ?"

    Ahhhh~

    Anna released an especially lewd moan when she felt Alex finger''s invading her cave.

    "Answer me" said Alexmanding while starting rubbing Anna''s clitoris.

    "Y-Yes~"

    "What were you masturbating to ?"

    "T-To when...ahhmm...you...ahhh...l-licked me down thereeeeee~" replied Anna while moaning.

    "Is that so ? You are actually more perverted than I thought, " teased Alex while introducing two of his finger''s in Anna''s wet cave.

    "N-No, I-I''m not a anhh~"

    "Not a pervert ? Then why are your insides sucking my fingers like a hungry beast that finally found food ?" Asked teasingly, Alex while motioning his fingers in and out of Anna''s pussy in rapid session.

    "Anh anh anh~"

    He smirked when he saw that Anna couldn''t even answer him, however it was understandable that she couldn''t reply as she was assaulted from all sides, one of Alex''s hand was fucking her, his other hand was massaging her right breast and asionally pinching her hard nipple, meanwhile Alex was using his mouth to suck at her right breast, all of these stimuli made Anna moan more lewdly while leaking more and more love juices.

    *squelch*squelch*

    As time passed, squelching sounds were resounding in the room as Alex fingered Anna dripping pussy.

    In just a few seconds, Alex felt her pussy walls contract around his finger''s and knew she was on the verge of cumming, so he increased his fingering speed and in secondster, Anna arched her back and orgasmed on his finger''s while releasing a loud moan.

    "AAAAAHHHH YES~~~"

    "Pant��pant��"

    Anna sagged on the bed while breathing ruggedly, meanwhile Alex retired his hands from her pants and licked his fingers.

    ''Sweet''

    After some seconds, Anna came back to herself and blushed when she saw the teasing look on Alex''s face.

    "You enjoyed yourself ?" Asked Alex teasingly.

    Anna blushed and just nodded her head, too shy to talk.

    "Well, I hope you wouldn''t mind repaying the favor" said Alex, pointing to his twitching cock.

    Without saying anything, Anna approached and took hold of Alex''s penis.

    "So hot" eximed Anna when her hand got in contact with Alex''s hard member.

    "Suck it" ordered Alex.

    Heeding to his order, Anna slowly approached her head to his dick that Alex could feel her hot breath on the head of his dick.

    Anna then extended her wet tongue and gave a small lick at the head of his penis, sending a jolt of pleasure through Alex''s whole body.

    She licked his cock all over before finally getting the head of his cock in her warm mouth.

    "Yes, just like that" said Alex, cing his hand on her head to give her the tempo.

    *slurp*slurp*slurp*

    A slurping sound started emerging in the room as Anna lubricated and sucked Alex''s cock like her life depended on it, her head bobbed up and down while she used her tongue to twirl around his cock.

    It was only her second time giving head, but she was already bing an expert, she was definitely a fast learner, she got so good at it that in just a few minutes, Alex already felt that he was nearing his climax and had to stop her.

    "Why are you stopping me ? Did I do something wrong ?" Asked nervously Anna.

    "No, don''t worry you didn''t do anything wrong, in fact you were so good that I almost cummed"

    "So why did you stop me then ?"

    "Because it''s time"

    "Huh ? Time ? For what ?" Asked Anna, confused.

    Alex licked his lips and replied, "Time for me to im that body of yours"

 Chapter 47 : Making love to the maid(R-18)

    Chapter 47 : Making love to the maid(R-18)

    Finally understanding Alex''s meaning, Anna blushed profusely but didn''t object and insteadid on her back and looked at Alex with a fearful but determined gaze.

    ''Cute'' thought Alex seeing her like reaction.

    Then, he approached Anna with an intense, piercing stare that caused her to recoil nervously.

    Without losing a single second, Alex got rid of her clothes and then took a minute to admire her pristine white skin glistening with sweat, Anna''s chest was moving up and down rhythmically, which made her beautiful breasts appear as an entrancing pendulum, casting a hypnotic spell on him.

    "Beautiful" eximed Alex in a dazed manner, causing Anna to blush even more.

    Alex slowly approached Anna and gave her a peck on her lips, smiled gently while asking  "are you ready ?"

    Anna nodded her head, giving him the go.

    Alex gave her another peck on her lips and then positioned his cock at her moist cave opening slightly, however he didn''t prate her yet, no, he instead used his cock to gently stimte her cute little pink clit.

    Then he looked at her and kissed her again, deeply this time, entwining his tongue around hers, meanwhile he continued rubbing his cock against her clit and when he felt that her nervousness disappeared and that she started moaning again, he gently slid his dick in her vagina, but didn''t go all the way in, pausing to let her adapt to his cock.

    Anna''s body tensed, feeling something invading her insides, making her hug Alex by wrapping her hands around his neck.

    Feeling her nervousness getting back, Alex stopped and just kissed her till her body rxed again, then he resumed to thrusting till he felt something obstructing him.

    Alex stimted her body again to make her nervousness fade away and when he felt that she was ready, pushed forward, immediately feeling something breaking and Anna''s pussy walls contract around his cock.

    "It hurts" eximed Anna, making him stop again.

    "I know, but don''t worry, the pain will go away in a bit" said Alex in a soothing tone.

    He kissed her again, wanting to take her mind away from the pain, and it worked like a charm as Anna restarted moaning again.

    At this moment, he thrust the rest of his cock in her virgin pussy and felt an immense pleasure trying to overwhelm his being and make him release everything, but he held on and just savored the feeling of Anna''s pussy squeezing his throbbing cock.

    Slowly he started moving in and out, at first Anna still had a pained expression on her face, but as Alex''s movement continued the pain she was feeling started being reced by pleasure.

    Feeling this shift, Alex started increasing his speed of thrusting, Anna also started moving to attune herself to his movements.

    Lost in the throes of pleasure, the two of them started moving faster and faster with Anna moaning softly at first, but before long her moan started getting louder and also louder.

    *p*p*p*p*

    In a matter of minutes, sounds of flesh pping against flesh started resounding as Alex and Anna''s bodies met.

    "Ahhh~m-master~ anh...so gooood~"

    The lewd sounds of their bodies meeting, plus Anna''s moan got Alex even more excited and the only thing he wanted, wished even, was plunging his cock even deeper in Anna''s pussy which also made him increase his speed even more as he was pistoning in and out.

    He then moved his head to her nipples, sucking and biting them like a hungry beast. That action of his caused Anna''s pussy muscles to contract further, stimting his cock even more, which in return caused him to go faster and deeper in her pussy.

    As time passed, the sound of moaning and  meat hitting meat intensified as Alex and kept fucking like wilds animal''s.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Alex felt Anna''s pussy contracting and her pussy muscles grippe his cock even more tightly than usual, making him understand that she was nearing her climax, so, he used his hands to pinch her nipples while moving faster, enhancing the pleasure she was feeling to an all new level and sending her over the edge.

    "M-Master...anh....s-something is ahhh~"

    Anna started moaning and talking incoherently as she felt a hot sensation building up around her abdomen, when she felt like it was threatening to burst out, she hugged Alex''s body more tightly, and with a loud cry she arched her back and love juice gushed out of her pussy in waves.

    "AAAAAHHHH ~"

    As she orgasmed, she held Alex''s body even more tightly.

    Then after a few seconds, when her orgasm seemed to have finished, she released Alex and fell on the bed, causing his cock to get out of her pussy while making a plop sound.

    "So good~" eximed Anna, still basking in euphoria.

    "We are not done here" said Alex with a devilish smile.

    "Huh ? What- kyaa" before she even got the chance to understand what was happening, Alex turned her over and bent her over with her hands resting on the bed and her enticing plump ass sticking out and pointing toward him.

    Seeing Anna bent like this, Alex felt his desire growing even more, and, without waiting for another second, he parted Anna''s lower lips and pushed his cock all the way in her pussy till his dick kissed the entrance to her womb.

    "So fulllll~" moaned Anna, feeling a sensation of fullness she hadn''t felt before, the mixture of pleasure and pain making her mind go nk.

    Meanwhile, Alex was feeling an immense pleasure as Anna''s insides were clenching around him, demanding more, and he responded by pounding her pussy with powerful thrust that made her ass cheeks bounce each time he moved in and out of her pussy.

    *p*p*p*

    The pping sounds that were produced each time he got in and out of her pussy got Alex even more excited, causing him to pound her more and more aggressively.

    "Ahhn~ Auhh~uaaahhh~masterrrr~"

    Meanwhile, Anna, lost track of everything happening around her, all she was feeling was pleasure as Alex''s cock kept kissing her womb, bringing her pain but also a lot of pleasure, she just kept grunting and moaning as Alex continued fucking her Doggystyle.

    "I-I''m g-going t-to ommph~"

    Anna''s pussy walls constricted another time and she orgasmed again.

    The feeling of Anna''s pussy muscles contracting finally got Alex over the edge as he grunted and released his seed directly in Anna''s womb, painting it white.

 Chapter 48 : Pregnancy talk

    Chapter 48 : Pregnancy talk

    "So hot~" eximed lewdly, Anna feeling Alex releasing his essence inside of her, before he slowly withdrew.

    After retiring himself from Anna''s cave, Alex looked as a mix of his cum and Anna''s love juices leaked out of her pussy and said with a content smile on his face, "what a beautiful sight".

    Then heid on the bed next to Anna, who smuggled and hugged him when she felt his warmth.

    "Thanks, that was a great first time" whispered softly Anna.

    "Don''t thank me, I also enjoyed it" replied Alex while giving Anna a gentle peck on her forehead.

    "But jeez, you filled me to the brim, were you trying to get me pregnant ?" Joked Anna.

    However, just after she said that, she felt Alex''s cock swelling up a little.

    She nced at him, and when she saw the devilish grin on his face she asked incredulously "don''t tell me that you are really trying to impregnate me"

    "Well..."

    "Are you mad ? What would happen to me if I were to truly be pregnant with your child ?"

    "Calm down, I can''t get you pregnant anyway" replied Alex calmly.

    "Oh, that''s true" said Anna, remembering that he can''t actually get her pregnant.

    The reason Alex couldn''t impregnate Anna wasn''t due to his inability to have children or something of that sort; it was simply because of the level difference between them.

    In fact, it was exceedinglyplicated for a man of lower level to impregnate a woman who was more than two levels above him. His reproductive cells simply weren''t potent enough to even survive a day inside the woman''s body.

    Fortunately, this rule only applies when a woman is more powerful than a man. When it''s the man who is the most powerful of the two, it doesn''t change anything, and the woman can get pregnant as usual. In fact, if the man is the more powerful one, the chances of the woman, if she''s weaker than him, getting pregnant are higher.

    This is generally why noble families forbid their young members from engaging in rtions withmon women or ordinary people.

    That was also why Alex was certain that Anna wouldn''t get pregnant even if he cummed in her.

    "However, that''s for now as the minute I get to level 3, I will impregnate you" promised Alex, making Anna look at him speechlessly.

    After some time, she sighed and asked, "you are serious, right ?"

    "Absolutely"

    "Why ?"

    "Hmm, what do you mean by "why" ?"

    "Why would you want to impregnate me ?"

    "Why wouldn''t I want to impregnate my woman ? Or are you not my woman? " Asked teasingly, Alex knowing that she couldn''t deny it.

    As he expected, Anna didn''t deny that she was his woman, making him chuckle.

    "You see, that''s logic"

    Annaposed herself and then asked, "what about your family ? How will they react when they learn that you impregnated a mere maid ?"

    Alex chuckled again and hit her gently on her forehead while saying "silly girl, I already told you that you are my woman, so why are so worked up ?"

    "Because I''m just a maid!"

    "And ?"

    "And you are a noble, nobles aren''t supposed to impregnate their maid!"

    "Hmm, well, I''m different from other nobles then, I never really cared about being one anyway" said Alex nonchntly.

    "You might not care, but people will, what would happen to your reputation if people were to know that you have a rtionship with one of the maids"

    Hearing her, Alex couldn''t help himself from bursting ofughter, "hahahahaha...."

    Heughed so hard that the bed was starting to shake.

    "What is so funny ?" Asked Anna that was confused about what was making Alexugh.

    "Reputation ? What reputation are you talking about ? Did you forget that I used to being called the useless lord, you should worry about what people will think of you if they were to know that you were impregnated by a useless man like me hahaha..."

    What Alex said technically made sense, but it still made Anna frown deeply, like Alex said she decided to be his woman, so hearing her man belittling himself like that actually made her mad, so she asked in a somber tone :

    "Why are belittling yourself like that ?"

    Seeing her mad expression, Alex just chuckled and said "don''t be mad, I''m not belittling myself, all I said is just facts"

    "But still, plus, didn''t you say that you can now be much stronger than before, if that''s the case, everything will happen as I said and people will mock you for being with amoner like me"

    This time it was Alex''s face that got somber as he said in an evil tone "I actually don''t care if people mock or insult me, however if people were to insults my women or those around me for that matter, I will make <b>every single one of them live hell"</b>

    Seeing Alex like that, even Anna shivered a little despite being stronger than him, but it was like there was some kind of malicious aura surrounding him and making him appear dangerous.

    However, before she even got time to ponder on it, Alex reverted to his usual happy-go-lucky expression and said while stroking his cock that was now fully erect "all that talk about impregnation got me excited again, so let''s resume our lovemaking session"

 Chapter 49 : Enjoying the maid (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 49 : Enjoying the maid (1) (R-18)

    *p*p*p*

    A pping sound reverberated in Anna''s room as Alex took her from behind, driving his cock fiercely in her dripping cunt that was constantly sshing love juice all over his balls.

    "Anh...Anh...Anh...mmm~"

    Amidst the pping sounds released when Alex''s cock rammed in and out of her pussy, Anna''s voice could be heard as she kept moaning, feeling Alex''s member sliding in and out of her pussy effortlessly and sometimes hitting her womb making the pleasure she was feeling slowly build up toward climax.

    "M-Master... I''m a-about to..." said Anna while panting.

    "Don''t cum till I tell you to" ordered Alex, also feeling himself nearing his climax, making start thrusting faster and more forcefully.

    As he felt that he on the verge of cumming, he grunted and said to Anna "Go on, you can release everything"

    Hearing her master''s liberating words, Anna finally released all the tension she was feeling and started orgasming on his cock.

    The feeling of Anna''s inner walls squeezing him tightly as she cummed got Alex over the edge.

    Feeling the force of his load traversing through his body, Alex took hold of both of Anna''s arms and pulled her body toward him while thrusting one final time and spurting shot after shot of sperm directly inside her.

    The both of them screamed in pleasure as they orgasmed together.

    As the feeling of orgasm finally subsided, Alex finally released his hold on Anna''s arms, and she slumped on the bed with a mixture of love juice and semen kept oozing out of her pussy.

    "Love you" said Alex affectionately whileying down next to her.

    Hearing him confess his love for her made Anna, still reeling in the sensation of orgasm, immediately sober up.

    She looked at him with wide eyes while her face became beet red, before saying while stuttering, "I-I a-also love you".

    "I know" replied Alex while giving her a peck on her lips.

    "Haa... I''m spent, give me a few minutes before we restart" said Alex while sighing.

    "R-Restart ? W-We are not done" asked Anna in a quivering voice.

    "Nope, we are going to do it till morning"

    ***

    "Ahh...s-someone might ahh...s-see us" moaned Anna as Alex was pounding her from behind in a standing position, just mere inches from the ss window!

    "Well, let them see" smirked Alex as he thrust in and out of Anna''s sweet cave, reveling in the pleasure of her pussy squeezing him.

    He was quite certain that no one would see them even if they were to fuck just in front of the window, simply because Anna''s room was situated in the corner of the mansion where the guards barely monitored, but he actually didn''t care even if they were to be caught, his current thoughts and concerns were to better feel Anna soft body against his.

    "B-But if someone...anh...s-see us, that would b-be...ahh...p-problematic" finally managed Anna to utter through her moaning.

    "I don''t see...where is the problem...they would just see...a man pounding his woman, plus, don''t make it sound like you...don''t like it, I felt your pussy tighten around my cock the moment we got to the window...admit it, the thought of being caught excites you" teased Alex whilst panting a little due to the intense exercise.

    He used his left hand to cup and turn Anna''s face toward him, then kissed her passionately.

    As he was kissing and fucking Anna, his other hand slithered toward her right breast, feeling therge, soft and full breast of Anna around his hand. He couldn''t stop himself to squeeze it a little forcefully, eliciting Anna to release a moan in his mouth.

    He fondled her breast while not forgetting to tease her erect nipple, then his hand sinuously caressed her curvaceous body, feeling her gracious and well-developed body got him even more aroused, forcing him to pound Anna with more vigor.

    Alex then moved his hand down till he felt a little bud and started stimting it using his finger''s.

    Mmmm~

    The sensation of Alex ying with her clit coupled to the sensation of being prated while someone might see them made Anna reach the pinnacle of pleasure, and she orgasmed by releasing a flood of love juice that sshed on the window.

    "That was...hah...hah...intense~" said Anna with abored breathing.

    "Yeah, but we are not done here" replied Alex before reaching down and raising her up while outstretching her legs towards the ss window.

    If someone was passing by at this moment, that person could definitely see Anna wet cave being transperced by Alex cock, their carnal connection bare for the world to see.

    Despite the fact she had just cummed, Alex felt Anna tightening even further around his penis, feeling this, he smirked and said in a teasing voice.

    "Would you look at that, it seems that the thought of being seen or really gets you going, huh ?~"

    This time Anna didn''t refute what he said as she genuinely felt more excited at the thought of being caught, which was quite paradoxical as her power the ability to hide herself.

    Seeing her silent approval, the grin on Alex''s face got wider as he started to move Anna''s body up and down while holding her thick thighs.

    This position allowed Alex a deeper pration, thus when he thrust his dick into Anna''s moist cave she felt the head of his dick kissing her womb and trying to prate it, this caused her to feel some pain, however that pain was soon overshadowed by the intense pleasure she felt course through all of her body as Alex penis started sliding in and out of her.

    With this new position, she could clearly feel his member spreading and molding her insides to its shape.

    At first, Alex movements were slow and deliberate, but as time he started to feel the need to go even faster, but retained himself, however as Anna neared another orgasm and her vaginal muscles tightened around him even more making him lost himself and just pound her faster and more forcefully.

    "Anh... I''M G-GOING TO CUMMMM~~~"

 Chapter 50 : Enjoying the maid (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 50 : Enjoying the maid (2) (R-18)

    While releasing a loud moan, Anna orgasmed another time.

    As she climaxed, her inner walls constricted even more around Alex''s cock, also bringing him over the edge.

    With a grunt, Alex deposited his cum deep in Anna''s pussy.

    "Haa...haa...haa..." the both of them panted as the feeling of orgasm subsided gradually.

    ''My stamina really improved a great deal'' marvelled Alex.

    Even after several rounds, he still felt energized and eager to continue. While Anna was catching her breath and savoring the aftermath of her orgasm, Alex gently turned her around, all the while holding her by her thighs.

    As they came face to face, Alex leaned in and his lips met Anna''s lips, slowly he invaded her mouth with his tongue, he sucked her saliva and yed with her tongue, feeling all of this, Anna grunted and started reciprocating his kiss with as much intensity.

    As they kissed with unbridled passion, their bodies started rubbing against each other, Anna could feel Alex''s bare and toned torso while Alex could feel Anna''s erect nipples brushing against him.

    Alex''s cock swelled up again and without wasting a single second prated Anna again.

    "W-wait, I''m...mmm...still sensitive...anh...down there~" pleaded Anna while still kissing Alex.

    "I already...told you...we...will do it till morning" said Alex while starting to move toward the table situated in a corner of the room.

    "Kyaa..." Anna released a surprised Yelp when Alex started moving and wrapped her arms around his neck.

    "Warn me the next timeeee~"

    As they were still connected together, with every footstep that Alex took, his cock moved in and out of Anna''s sensitive pussy, making her shivering as she felt like she was going to break under the constant pounding she was receiving.

    When he finally got to the table, Anna already restarted, releasing a lewd moan.

    Alex ced her gently on the tabletop while making sure that his cock didn''t slide out of her pussy, which would be easy with how much love juice and semen was still leaking out of her.

    After cing her on the table, Alex then resumed pounding Anna with such force that the table started squeaking, threatening to copse.

    *p*p*p*p*

    The sound of flesh meeting flesh spread in the room as Alex fucked Anna with wild abandon.

    "Uhhh... You drive me crazy" said Alex while grunting and pounding Anna''s moist cave faster and with increasing vigor, everything about her was making him excited, her smooth skin that felt like porcin, her soft and inviting breasts, her well-defined abs... He couldn''t help but be captivated by her alluring presence, each feature drawing him closer as if she were a work of art brought to life, and her enchanting body scent, reminiscent of lcs in full bloom, filled his nostrils, on top of all of that was the lewd pping sounds that reverberated every time his flesh met hers.

    All of that quickly pushed him over the edge, and he ejacted right in Anna''s womb.

    Feeling Alex''s hot semen pouring and painting her inside white, Anna loudly and orgasmed as well.

    ***

    "Uhn...ahh...anhhmm~" moaned Anna while bouncing up and down as she kept impaling herself on Alex''s cock, being in this position allowed her so much freedom as she could adjust the speed at which she could go and how deep to take his cock in.

    Meanwhile, Alex justid there on the bed, savoring the feeling of Anna''s tight pussy moving around his cock.

    As she was bouncing up and down, Alex''s hands reached up to her breasts and started squeezing her erect nipples, heightening the sensation of pleasure she was feeling.

    "I-IT''S COMINGGG~

    With one final shout, Anna impaled herself on Alex''s cock and climaxed.

    ***

    "Y-You are g-going too f-fast...s-slow down~" pleaded Anna too as Alex thrust madly, overwhelmed by the intensity of his rapid movements.

    This time they were fucking in the missionary position and Alex kept moving in and out of her pussy fiercely.

    "Get ready for another load~" said Alex.

    He thrust again a few more times before releasing his essence in her womb, which also brought Anna to the peak of pleasure and climax.

    Afterward, Alex slumped on Anna, kissed her a few times, before rolling andying next to her to rest a little.

    Minutester, after he judged that he had rested enough, he got up again and mounted Anna.

    True to his word, Alex fucked Anna throughout the whole night.

    ***

    As the morning sun''s rays filtered through the ss window, they caressed Alex''s face, coaxing him awake from his slumber.

    ''Hmm... it''s already morning ?'' Wondered Alex with a muddled expression, afterst night intense exercise he felt a little tired despite his increased stamina.

    He felt a gentle movement on his torso and nced down to find Anna sleeping soundly, a peaceful smile gracing her face.

    Alex couldn''t help but chuckle quietly, thinking, ''She''ll be quite surprised when she wakes up and realizes the sun is already shining.''

    With that in mind, he shifted his attention to more pressing matters. ''Alright, let''s see how many points I''ve earned.''

    ''Status.''

    Almost immediately, a translucent blue interface materialized before him. Alex''s eyes were drawn to the numerical value that represented his earned points, and what he saw left him astonished.

 Chapter 51 : Anna status

    Chapter 51 : Anna status

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 1

    Strength: 10

    Agility: 10

    Stamina: 40

    Defense: 10

    Mana Points: 10

    Harem: Lilia Eswald; Annaline Maxwell

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 30]

    ''I gained 30 points in just one night ? Perhaps bing strong won''t take as long as I originally thought'' marvelled Alex seeing his status.

    ''But it''s still not enough, to copy the lowest level ability I would need 50 points, so these 30 points are still not enough'' thought Alex.

    However, he wasn''t discouraged or anything like that, he was even happy, with 30 soul points he can boost his attributes to much greater heights, the only problem was that he also needed to gain another ability beside his [soul linkage], as he would need it in theingpetition.

    Even if he managed to get to level 4, if he didn''t have an ability that could help him in a fight, it would be in vain, as others most definitely have offensive or defensive abilities.

    ''I also need to think of the ability I will copy, well, I''m not quite there, but I should probably start to think about it, which reminds, let''s see our beautiful maid status''

    Alex nced at [Harem] and like he expected found the name of Anna.

    ''Show me the status of Anna''

    Just after he thought it, the writings on the floating screen changed, with the new writings being :

    [Name: Annaline Maxwell

    Age: 35

    Level: 3

    Strength: 40

    Agility: 50

    Stamina: 30

    Defense: 30

    Mana Points: 40

    Abilities: Phantom Veil; Darkness

    Bloodline: Ethereal assimtion

    Nicknames : child of darkness; Specter of Death]

    ''Huh? 35 years old? You''re telling me this sweet girl is 35? What''s wrong with this world?'' Alex thought hypocritically, momentarily forgetting that he himself was sixty but appeared as if he were in his thirties.

    However, it was a natural reaction for him. On Earth, people in their thirties don''t usually look this young. But, in this world, where life expectancy increased with your level, it was pretty normal to find people who were a thousand years old but appeared as middle-aged men or women.

    After a moment, Alex shifted his gaze from Anna''s age and examined her stats.

    ''Hmm, her stats seem to be more bnced toward agility, which is normal since she is an assassin.''

    ''Now that I think about it, despite being at a higher level, Anna''s stats are still lower than Lilia''s, except for agility. That''s means that Lilia is stronger than a level 3, even though she''s not even considered a level 1,'' Alex pondered, feeling cold sweat bead on his forehead.

    ''It''s as I thought, Lilia is truly a monster - a beautiful one, but a monster nheless,'' he thought before turning his attention to Anna''s abilities.

    ''Phantom Veil and Darkness, huh? I was aware of her Phantom Veil ability, but I never heard that she had the power of Darkness.''

    ''Can I get a description of her abilities?'' Alex inquired, addressing the system. In his mind, if he could see the abilities of those in his harem, he should also be able to ess descriptions exining what these abilities do.

    As he thought, the moment he asked, the floating screen changed and he read :

    [Phantom veil : Allows you to conceal yourself and anyone in direct contact with you from the eyes of the world.]

    [Darkness: you can harness and manipte the power of Darkness]

    ''The ability description is as I expected, I guess''

    Alex then looked down and made another surprising discovery he hadn''t known before, ''Bloodline? Anna has a bloodline?''

    He immediately inquired, ''Could you provide me with a description of her bloodline?''

    [Ethereal Assimtion: allows the user to assimte with their abilities.]

    "Is this even real?" Alex wondered aloud,pletely taken aback by the existence of such a broken ability.

    ''I''ll definitely ask her about it once she wakes up''

    Just then, Alex''s attention shifted to something else �C Anna''s nicknames.

    ''Even Anna has nicknames, and they actually sound quite badass. So why is it that I''m the only one without one?'' he mused, a hint of envy in his eyes.

    But quickly, a different thought crossed his mind, ''Actually, scratch that. It''s probably better this way. I can already imagine my nicknames being something along the lines :''useless son,'' ''weakling,'' or ''useless lord''. So, it''s better like this.''

    As he contemted how Anna had acquired such cool nicknames, she stirred from her slumber and found Alex seemingly staring into space.

    "What are you doing?" she inquired.

    "Oh, nothing. Good morning," Alex replied, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

    "Good morning," she replied with a smile.

    "Did you have a good night''s sleep?" he yfully teased.

    Upon hearing about the previous night, Anna blushed, remembering what they did the whole night.

    ''I just love how much cute she is when she is embarrassed'' thought Alex with his lips curled up, satisfied with Anna''s reaction.

    However, he quickly remembered the subject that had initially caught his attention and asked her, "Howe I never knew you had a Darkness ability?"

    Confused, Anna looked at him and replied, "What are you talking about? I don''t have a Darkness ability."

 Chapter 52 : Odd situation

    Chapter 52 : Odd situation

    "Huh? You don''t have a darkness ability?" Alex asked, stunned.

    "No," Anna replied, still confused.

    "Then how about a bloodline?"

    "Well, I don''t know. Even if I have one, I don''t seem to have awakened it, though," said Anna, with a thoughtful expression on her face.

    ''I don''t know about the bloodline, but it should be impossible that she had no clue about her darkness ability. Everyone has an instinctual knowledge about their powers the moment they awaken them, so how can she not know about her ability?'' contemted Alex.

    ''For her bloodline, it''s actually normal that she doesn''t know about it, though,'' remarked Alex.

    The reason he thought it was quite normal for Anna to not know if she had a bloodline or not was the fact that, under normal conditions, information about the bloodline was generally held by a family''s upper echelon.

    They were the ones who exined how to awaken your bloodline or how the bloodline worked, those sorts of things. That was exactly why Anna didn''t know if she had a bloodline or not, as she was considered to be an orphan.

    Anna was actually found by Ava when she was on one of her missions. Anna was barely 8 years old at that time and had lost her memory, so she didn''t know if she had parents or such, thus she just consider herself as an orphan.

    The only family she ever knew was the Eswald family.

    ''Even if she knew about her bloodline, I doubt she would know how to awaken it,'' thought Alex, as he knew that most bloodlines had an awakening requirement.

    Actually, from what his father once told him, the Eswald family also possessed a bloodline. However, the requirement to awaken it was being at level 7. That''s why no one knew about it, not even the current patriarch, as Alex''s father was the sole Eswald, beside their ancestor, to have attained level 7.

    ''Well, there is Grandma, but since she isn''t a born Eswald, she doesn''t count.''

    So, the only person knowing about their bloodline was actually Alex.

    ''From what the old man said, it should be a sort of strength multiplier bloodline. I guess that''s why he was actually stronger than regr level 7.''

    All of that to say that Anna not knowing about her bloodline was normal. However, the same form didn''t apply to her ability. Her not knowing about her ability meant that something was wrong. It was either that she was lying - which he doubted - or that something was terribly wrong.

    "Is something wrong?" asked Anna, seeing Alex''s frown deepening.

    Hearing her question, Alex decided to tell her about his findings. Since he couldn''t do it without telling her about the artifact, he had no choice but to tell her about it - not like he was going to keep it a secret from her anyway.

    "I see," said Anna after hearing Alex''s story, from him finding the artifact to the fact that he needed to sleep with women to be stronger, to how he knew that she had a bloodline coupled with a darkness ability that she didn''t even know she possessed.

    ''That should be a lot to take in, I imagine,'' thought Alex as he saw that Anna seemed to be in deep thought.

    However, contrary to what he expected when she finally spoke it wasn''t about her bloodline or ability.

    Anna looked at him and said in a cautious tone, "So, you have to sleep with multiple women to be stronger, right?"

    "Yep."

    "Does Mistress Lilia know?"

    "Yep."

    "Is she okay with that?"

    "Yep."

    Hearing hisst response, Anna seemed to be a little conflicted, so Alex asked her, "Does it bother you that I need to be with other women?"

    "No, not particrly. If Mistress Lilia is fine with it, I don''t see why I should be the one bothered by it. What troubles me is how she will react when she finds out about us."

    Hearing her, Alex just shrugged his arms to show that he didn''t have a clue about that. "I don''t know about that, but what I do know is her reaction when she sees that you arete for your work."

    It wasn''t until Alex hinted at it that Anna finally nced outside. The moment she saw that it was already morning, she quickly got out of bed and rushed to the bathroom while saying repeatedly, "Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t..."

    Seeing her like that, Alex chuckled in amusement, knowing well that Lilia would probably do nothing to Anna even if she waste.

    ''I should probably also head out and go see if Mom has prepared the cores as I asked.''

    ''Although the fact that Anna doesn''t know about her ability worries me a bit, I will have to ask Aunt Eleanor to check and see if there is something wrong with her mind.''

    ''Ahh... it''s been so long since I saw her,'' thought Alex while dreaming about his aunt.

    Eleanor was the daughter of his grandfather''s third wife and also the youngest of the siblings. She was also the first crush of Alex.

    ''I will definitely need to make her mine.''

 Chapter 53 : You’ll need it

    Chapter 53 : You��ll need it

    As Alex was stillying on the bed, daydreaming, Anna got out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her wet body.

    As she made her way to her wardrobe, her plump ass swayed from side to side, causing Alex''s cock to swell up and quickly harden, ready for another battle.

    "Don''t even think about it, I''m quitete as is", said Anna, warning Alex.

    However, Alex wasn''t easily discouraged. He climbed out of the bed and approached Anna, who had turned her back on him the moment she issued her warning.

    Before she had the time to notice what was happening, Alex wrapped his hand around her waist and hugged her from behind, then said in a sultry voice, "Come on, let''s go for another round~".

    As he said this, he moved his cock under her towel and rubbed it against her ass.

    Feeling Alex''s hot member rubbing against her ass, Anna got excited and hesitated if she should really go for it, but then she remembered that she waste and distanced from Alex while saying in her firm tone "No! I really can''t right now"

    "Well, suit yourself" replied Alex with a disappointed voice, before returning to the bed.

    "You are not going to take your breakfast with the other''s ?" Wondered Anna, seeing him return to the bed.

    "Nah, I''ll pass," replied Alex, his inner thoughts racing. ''I''m actually pretty tired, and knowing Lilia, I''m sure that whatever training she has nned for theing week will surely drain me to the core, so, I better rest while I still can''

    After Anna dressed up, she turned to find that Alex was already sleeping soundly.

    She approached and, with a smile on her face, nted a kiss on his cheek before exiting her room.

    ***

    Two hourster, Alex awoke from his slumber, took a bath and dressed up and exited Anna''s bedroom.

    As he was walking through the corridor, gasps of surprise could be heard as he passed the maids and other attendants, well, that was to be expected as he was walking around the mansion while only wearing a pair of pants.

    He could see the blush on the maid''s faces as they looked at his toned upper body, but paid them no mind and went straight to Ava''s room, nning on retrieving the cores that he had asked her.

    Knock Knock

    "Come in" replied Ava from her room.

    "Good morning mom" said Alex while stepping inside the room.

    "Good mor-" Ava''s words trailed off as she saw Alexing into her room bare-chested.

    ''How long has he had such a well-defined body ?'' Wondered Ava as she was eyeing Alex.

    ''Is she checking me out ? Well, I guess I should let her admire me'' thought narcissistically.

    After some seconds of silence during which Ava continued staring at Alex''s well-defined body, he coughed to draw her attention from his body and then said in a teasing voice "finished checking me up ?"

    Hearing him, Ava blushed a little, feeling embarrassed that she was caught staring, but quickly rposed herself and replied with a yful tone "well, a mother has the right to see how much her son has grown, right ?"

    ''Yeah, right, I''m not buying it''

    "Beside, it''s not really my fault if you decided to strut around shirtless"

    "Fair enough"

    An awkward silence settled for a moment before Alex broke by asking "are all the cores I asked of you ready".

    "Yes, I have them right here" replied Ava while showing him a spatial ring.

    "However, I will not give them to you if you don''t share with me the method you used to be a level one" continued Ava with a serious expression, making Alex understand that she wasn''t ying around.

    "Sigh, okay, I will tell you" replied Alex as he went to sit on her bed.

    Ava sat next to him, then Alex started to narrate to her the story of how he got the lust artifact, how he used it to be stronger or even how he needed to sleep with women to be stronger.

    Much to his surprise, Ava didn''t appear as shaken as he had expected. In fact, she even sought rification when he mentioned that he earned more points the closer he was to the woman he slept with.

    Of course, he didn''t tell her that he got even more points if the woman he had sex with share the same blood as him.

    ''I will eventually tell her about it, but not now, the moment she will know is when I hehe...'' thought Alex while licking his lips.

    "Does Lilia know about all of this ?" Asked Ava, after he finished his story.

    ''Why does everyone always ask if Lilia knows about it'' pondered Alex inwardly while replying "Yes, she knows about it, and before you ask, yes, she is okay with me being with other women"

    "Well, if she''s okay with it, that''s good. It means you can be stronger. By the way, here, take these," Ava said as she handed Alex the spatial ring.

    "Also, Lilia asked me to let you know to find her at the training ground. From what she told me, she''s going to train you to fight?" asked Ava.

    "Yes, that''s the n," confirmed Alex, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

    "Well, good luck"

    ''You''ll definitely need it'' continued inwardly Ava as she looked at Alex with a sympathetic nce.

 Chapter 54 : Cold expression

    Chapter 54 : Cold expression

    Alex got up from the bed and nned to leave when he stopped and asked Ava "where is Amy ?"

    "Well, we are nning to go to the nearby city and spend time with the girls, we wille back in two days"

    "I...see" replied Alex with a disappointed tone, he wanted to spend some time with his sister.

    "Don''t sound so disappointed, you will have the opportunity to spend time with her before the start of thepetition, you two are really too close"

    ''You have no clue just how much close we are'' thought Alex with a chuckle.

    "Well, I will go, spend some quality time with the girls," said Alex before leaning toward Ava and giving her a kiss on her cheek, just a few inches from her red lips.

    Ava froze due to the sudden kiss. She could almost feel Alex''s lips brush against hers as he moved his face from hers.

    "Mom ?"

    "Ah, Yes, yes, good training "replied Ava with slightly redder cheeks.

    Alex chuckled inwardly seeing her in this state then made his way out of the room while thinking ''That''s enough like that, shouldn''t push it too far''.

    Meanwhile, Ava was once again admiring her son''s lithe body, toned back, beautiful-

    ''Snap out of it, that''s your son!'' thought Ava, chastising herself.

    Once outside of Ava''s room, Alex looked at himself and wondered, ''should I go change ?''

    ''Nah, I will just go like that'' decided Alex as he made his way toward the library.

    He had promised Scarlett that he would notify her when he used the system to boost his strength, and since he was thinking of advancing his level today, so he might as well notify her.

    When he got to the library, he simply called out Scarlett''s name and waited, not daring to touch the door handle after what happened thest time.

    "What is it, dad ?" Asked Scarlett.

    "I''m going to enhance my level to level 4 today, if you are interested, join us at the training ground" said Alex before turning around and making his way to the training ground, he knew that Scarlett wouldn''t miss it for anything, so he didn''t even waste his time to hear her answer.

    Since the training ground was situated below the mansion, it took Alex quite some time before he finally reached it.

    The training ground was entirely constructed from a gray material calledhralium, which was incredibly sturdy, capable of withstanding even explosions the likes of earth nuclear explosions, what made it even more extraordinary was that it also possessed a propriety that allowed it to regenerate if it was given enough time, and the cream on the crop was that it was actually undetectable from the current detectors of this world, making the training ground a location that served to train oneself but was also a sort of bunker, it also allowed to hide from prying eyes.

    Actually, Alex almost never visited this ground because, well, he never trained before, the soles times he even got down there were when the girls were training, and he came to cheer them up.

    Inside the training ground, there were various rooms, each designed for specific training purposes. There were rooms for speed, strength, stamina, and more. However, Alex bypassed those rooms and headed straight to the one farthest from the entrance.

    He pushed open the door and walked inside the room, then he saw Lilia standing in the center of the room with her back turned to him.

    "Wifey~" shouted Alex as he was approaching Lilia with a beaming smile.

    However, his smile froze when he heard Lilia say with a cold but calm tone "you arete"

    Alex suddenly felt a chilling sensation all over his body, but calmed himself and replied with a soothing tone, "I know, I know, but I had a couple of errands to ru-".

    "Doesn''t matter, now that you are here, let''s start" said Lilia, cutting him.

    As she finished speaking, Lilia turned to face Alex.

    The moment he saw her expression - an expression he knew all too well - Alex turned around and started running toward the door while thinking ''sh*it sh*it sh*it...''

    Just as Alex was going to pass through the door, he felt his soul leave his body the moment he felt a small hand tightly grip his shoulder.

    '' I''m dead''

    "Where are you going ?" Asked Lilia with a chilling tone.

    '' I''m soooo dead'' thought Alex as he was forced to turn around and look at Lilia, as he saw her expression again, he shivered from fright.

    Lilia''s expression didn''t disy her typically bright and beautiful smile that could melt anyone. No, her current expression was as cold as a block of ice, sending shivers down Alex''s spine. Her once warm eyes were now devoid of any warmth or kindness, the room itself seemed to grow colder in her presence.

    She stood there, her gaze piercing through Alex, making him feel as if he were under a microscope, her icy demeanor unsettling.

    "I asked where were you going ?" Asked Lilia again.

 Chapter 55 : Let me ask you

    Chapter 55 : Let me ask you

    "I-I was going t-to...yes! I was going to bring Scarlett over"

    "Scarlett ? Why would you bring her ?"

    "Because I promised her that she could be there when I use the artifact to enhance level"

    "I see"

    "Well, now that it''s settled, I''m going to bring her down there" said Alex, returning to leave while saying inwardly ''like hell I''m going toe back''

    Unfortunately for him, before he could pass through the door, Lilia once again grabbed his shoulder while saying "we will be doing some sparring before shees, we have already lost enough time as is"

    ''Sh*t''

    Seeing that whatever he was going to say would save him for what was toe, Alex decided to at least gain some time to prepare himself psychologically, so when he turned around this time he said to Lilia In a serious voice "before we start with anything there is something that we need to discuss".

    "What is it ?"

    "Let''s go seat and I will you about it"

    "Hmm..." Lilia squinted her eyes at him trying to find any trace of deceit, but seeing Alex''s serious face she epted.

    Together, they made their way toward a room designed for monitoring activities in the training area.

    Inside the room, they seated themselves and Lilia immediately asked, "what did you want to talk about ?"

    "Well, it''s about..." Alex then proceeded to exin to her some things.

    The first thing he told her was what happened when he tried to enhance his stats the first time, exining to her the harrowing process he had to go through to obtain his current body that was capable of leveling up.

    He told her about the fact that with his current body he didn''t need to wait for years between each time he absorbed a monster''s core, that his body can directly adapt to the mana he consumed from the cores, which was the reason he had said during the meeting that he would be level 4 before theing week.

    He then proceeded to exin to her that with the help of the system, he could copy the abilities of the women belonging to his harem. This greatly shocked her, but she didn''t stop him nevertheless.

    Finally, Alex told her about the fact that still with the help of the system, he can cure whatever was stopping her from using her power.

    Thisst bit of information was thest straw that broke the camel''s back, as Lilia cold expression broke, and she muttered softly "that should be impossible".

    "What should be impossible ? The fact that I can cure you ?"

    Lilia took a deep breath topose herself then replied "Yes, but not just that, everything you just told me should be impossible to do, at least not by using the lust artifact", Lilia took a pause before continuing.

    "What you need to know is that the lust artifact is considered as the weakest, even I once thought that it was the case, however after what you told me yesterday I''m now certain that people consider the lust artifact as the weakest because they don''t have any information about how it works, but this, all the things you just told me now are impossible to do by using the lust artifact"

    "Why do you think so, you just said it yourself, the lust artifact is considered the weakest, but anyone knows what it is really capable of, so I don''t see why you say that''s impossible" replied Alex with a doubtful face.

    Hearing him, Lilia simply shook her head and replied "I say that''s impossible for the lust artifact because all those things you say you can aplish break themon sense even if we take in ount that you are an artifact holder".

    Still seeing some doubt in his gaze, Lilia sighed and said "let''s take for example the case of your current body, as you said, you don''t have to wait between each time you absorb monster cores and can continue pushing your level as long as you have cores right ?" Asked Lilia, to which Alex nodded.

    "Then tell me, do you know what happens when you reach the pinnacle in terms of level ?" Asked Lilia.

    Alex was a bit surprised why she was asking him that suddenly, but still answered by shaking his head.

    "Well, there is a theory that says that when you reach the pinnacle in terms of level, you cease to be a mortal and ascend to godhood"

    Hearing what Lilia just said, Alex couldn''t help but be utterly shocked as the implications of a theory were huge, however Lilia next words shocked him even further.

    "If we consider that this theory is true, then the body the artifact supposedly gave you is literally a perfect - no, at this point we can say that your body is of the divine rank since it can help you reach thest level as long as you have something providing you mana, and knowing that your talent is tied to your body it means that your current talent is also of the divine rank"

    Before Alex could even register what she just said, Lilia asked him "Now let me ask you, does it make sense to you that something created by a god for the sake of easing her boredom be able to grant a powerthat can potentially transform a mortal to a god ?"

 Chapter 56 : Fishy situation

    Chapter 56 : Fishy situation

    "Now let me ask you, does it make sense to you that something created by a god for the sake of easing her boredom be able to grant a power that can potentially transform a mortal to a god ?"

    Hearing Lilia''s question, Alex didn''t know what to say or how to respond. Everything she just said made perfect sense; the logic was sound, and even he himself started to feel that something fishy was going on.

    When the system told him that something was blocking the enhancement the first time he tried, he was feeling so low that when it offered him a solution, he didn''t really think it over and just epted right away. However, now that he was reflecting on it, it seemed extremely exaggerated that he had obtained a body that, in Lilia''s words, was of divine rank.

    That was another thing that was upying his mind: divine body? Divine talent? He had never heard of such things before. Of course, he knew that the body and talent were graded in rtion to each other.

    For example, his previous body and talent grades were both 1, which meant that he would struggle greatly to reach level 2, assuming he ever reached it.

    What surprised him the most was the ''divine'' grade. He had never heard of such a thing before.

    Meanwhile, Lilia, recognizing that his mind was undoubtedly in turmoil, remained silent for a while, allowing him to absorb the information she had just shared.

    After she observed that Alex seemed to have calmed down, she continued by saying, "Now, as for the fact that you can copy the abilities of your women, that''s even more exaggerated as It would imply that if you have enough soul points, and your women possess a wide range of different abilities that you can copy, you could potentially wield as many abilities as you want. This is quite unusual, since everyone has a limit on the number of abilities they can have. However, the way things are going, I''m sure you won''t have a limit, which doesn''t make any sense."

    Lilia took a deep breath before continuing, "To conclude, regarding the fact that you can help me regain my former strength, you need to understand that, currently, due to the technique I used, I have no trace of mana left in my body. Even ordinary people who aren''t even at level 1 possess some mana in their bodies, which shows the extent to which this technique has affected me. So when you mention that, with the help of your artifact, you can heal me, I find it hard to ept, especially since the Lust artifact should have no business having healing properties."

    ''When you say it like that, it is indeed weird that an artifacting from a so-called goddess of lust could be able to heal, I hope there is no foul y here, as that means that it mighte bit me in the asster, the gods are sly but even them won''t go that far, right ?'' Wondered Alex.

    ''Beside that, why is it that every time I want to speak with Lilia about the artifact, the discussion never goes as nned ?''

    The first time he told her about the artifact the discussion deviated to talking about the sin''s game, and now that he told her about the fact that he can heal her, there was another problem arising.

    Originally, his n was to soften her up by saying that he could heal her so that she would be lenient in his training, unfortunately that didn''t go as nned.

    ''Wait a minute, I can just ask the system about it''

    ''Hey, did everything Lilia just said true, is there something fishy going on''

    [...]

    He waited for some seconds, but no answer came from the system.

    ''Tsk, useless''

    [...]

    Seeing that the system had no intention to reply to him, Alex refocused on Lilia that seemed deep in thought and said

    "I don''t know what is going on, but since we have no lead in the matter we should just forget about it for now, there is no reason to-"

    "As a matter of fact, I have a clue, well, more like a guess"

    Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise and replied," I''m all ears, let''s hear what my genius of a wife thinks is the cause of all of this".

    Lilia was slightly annoyed by his tone, but she kept herposure while thinking wickedly, ''You''ll see what I think when I wipe the floor with your ass'', externally however she had a gentle smile as she replied to Alex:

    "Firstly, unlike you, I don''t believe there''s foul y. It would be dumb for the goddess of lust to stab in the back the one meant to represent her In the sin''s game".

    *Cough*Cough*

    "I never thought of something like that"

    "Yeah right" replied sarcastically, Lilia before continuing.

    "What I think however is that if you are able to do all of that, it''s because of your ability"

 Chapter 57 : Soul-related ability

    Chapter 57 : Soul-rted ability

    "My ability ? I don''t think so, that thing is as useless as useless abilities goes" replied Alex to Lilia after hearing her guess.

    Even though that was with the help of his [soul linkage] ability that he managed to connect his soul with the one of jack green and merge their souls together, when it came to other things it was useless.

    In fact, the only time that he managed to use that ability of his was when he was on the brink of death, other than that time, he never managed to use it, so there was no way in hell that he was going to ept that it was because of this useless ability that he now have all of these opportunities.

    Seeing that he didn''t believe her, Lilia sighed and said to Alex, "you really don''t know the value of having a soul-rted ability, huh?"

    "By value, you mean not being able to even defend myself with my ability ?" Asked Alex in an annoyed tone, not against Lilia but against his ability, as ridiculous as it might seem.

    Lilia sighed another time and replied "Sure, your ability may be pretty useless in a fight, but it''s the advantage it provides that truly makes users of soul-rted abilities even scarier"

    "What advantage are you talking about, there was and still is no advantage to having that ability!" replied Alex while grinding his teeth.

    "No there was always an advantage, it''s just that you couldn''t see it because you had no other ability beside [soul linkage], that''s why I always thought that you were pretty unlucky, if you had just one more ability you would have be more powerful, even if you had a poor talent"

    "..."

    Seeing that he didn''t seem to believe her, Lilia rified, "the advantage I''m talking about is that those who have soul rted abilities naturally have a sturdier, deeper and bigger souls than normal people''s"

    After she said this, Lilia saw a flicker of surprise in Alex''s eyes, but she could still feel that he didn''t believe her, so she continued:

    "As you might know, there is a saying that our abilitieses from our souls, so if you have a more powerful soul than others, that means that even if you have the same ability as someone, by virtue of having a soul rted ability you would-"

    "I would have been more powerful than this person" said Alex cutting Lilia.

    Lilia just nodded her head as confirmation, she had never told Alex about this despite knowing about it because what good would that have caused ? In fact, knowing her husband, Lilia was sure that it would have made him even more miserable as he would bementing himself over the fact that if he just had one more ability he could have been more powerful.

    However, the situation now ispletely different from then, if what Alex said was true, he could copy one of her abilities, which meant that he would be recuperating all the advantages he would have gotten from having a more powerful soul.

    What Lilia didn''t know was that Alex''s current soul is even more powerful than it was before because it was actually the result of two souls merging and bing one.

    Meanwhile, Alex was busy inwardly cursing at how unfair the world is, he just needed one more ability, and he would have be immensely more powerful than he was before finding the artifact, he might have not be a powerhouse -far from that - however it would still been much better and that was because even with a trash talent he could have mastered his second ability to the point that even if he had a low level he might still beat a higher leveled person, and all of that just possessing a soul rted ability.

    Instead, he got just one ability that he never could use, a trash talent that caused him to deal with the devil and sacrifice any further path, just so that he might be slightly more powerful.

    ''That''s just bullsh*t!''

    However, despite his inner turmoil, he tried to remainposed on the outside, he was in front of his wife after all!

    Well, he tried as Lilia could clearly see that he was raging by how loud he kept gritting his teeth, so she held both of his hands and said with her usually loving face:

    "Don''t beat yourself up over what''s already happened; it won''t change anything. However, you can shape the future with the help of your artifact, so don''t cry over spilled milk."

    As she said this, she leaned and kissed him on his lips.

    Alex reciprocated her kiss and for a few seconds, husband and wife just kissed.

    As they distanced themselves, Alex''s smiled faintly and said to Lilia, "you are right, I should focus on what is toe and not focus on what already happened".

    He leaned and kissed Lilia''s forehead while saying "thank you, you are the best"

    "That, I know" replied Lilia.

    "However, I still don''t see why you say that being able to do all these things is rted to my ability" asked Alex, a little confused.

    "Tell me, what kind of points do you gain when you sleep with other women ?"

    "Huh ? Why are you asking that all of a-" Alex abruptly came to a stop as he was talking, realizing something.

    "I see that you finally understood, the points you gain are called "soul" points and not "lust" points"

 Chapter 58 : No longer enough

    Chapter 58 : No longer enough

    Alex froze as he listened to Lilia''s words. Upon reflection, the points he had gained were indeed referred to as "soul points," implying a connection to the soul. However, as he pondered this, Alex couldn''t shake the feeling that there was something peculiar about this line of thinking.

    "If the points are rted to the soul, why do I  need to have sex with women to acquire them ?" asked Alex.

    "Well, it is still the artifact of lust, that''s normal that you need to do something lustful to get more points" replied Lilia.

    "True"

    A silence fell in the room as both Alex and Lilia were lost in their own thoughts on the matter, however that silence was soon disturbed by the sound of the door opening and Scarlett walking into the room they were in.

    "Oh, what are you doing here, mom, didn''t you go with grandma and aunt Amelia ?" Asked Scarlett seeing Lilia.

    "No, I need to train your father for thepetition a week from now"

    "Oh, I see" replied Scarlett before casting a pitying gaze toward Alex that looked at her like a beacon of hope.

    Unfortunately for him, Scarlett had no intention of saving him, in fact she even started anticipating the training.

    "But tell me, dear, aren''t you going with the other''s ?" Asked Lilia.

    "Going shopping for two days is a waste of my time, I prefer using that time to study"

    ''Well, she is true to herself'' thought Lilia with a chuckle.

    "Plus I currently have an interesting subject to study" said Scarlett whole looking at Alex.

    "That you have" replied Lilia with a sneer on her face as she looked at Alex.

    ''Why are they looking at me like I am some kind of zoo animal ?'' Wondered Alex.

    "When are you starting your level up process ?" Suddenly asked Scarlett.

    "I was waiting for you toe, now that you are here, we can begin" replied Alex while standing up.

    He walked to an empty space in the room, introduced his mana in the space ring and took out a batch of monster cores.

    Just as he took one core in his hand and wanted to start the process, Scarlett said while rushing out of the room "Wait, don''t start yet".

    "What is it about ?" Asked Alex with a puzzled voice.

    "Don''t have a clue" replied Lilia while shaking her head.

    "Come out!" Scarlett called loudly from outside.

    Alex and Lilia looked at each other before making their way out of the room.

    Outside, in the training ground, Alex and Lilia were left dumbfounded by the sight of a device that resembled an Earth electrocardiograph (ECG), but with a significant difference �C it stood at a towering height of at least five meters.

    Alex''s voice was filled with confusion as he asked, "How did you manage to bring that in here?"

    He needed to ask as the door of the training ground was noticeably smaller than the device!

    "I didn''t need to, I built it right here ?"

    ''She built something like that in less than an hour ?'' Wondered both Alex and Lilia.

    Meanwhile, Scarlett held a set of electrodes and approached Alex, exining, "This device will help me record everything that happens during your level-up process. To do that, I just need to connect these to your body."

    "Okay, go on"

    Scarlett connected the electrodes - or whatever they were called - on Alex''s chest and returned to stand near the ECG while looking at some screen.

    Some minutester, Scarlett motioned at Alex to start the process.

    ''Here we go'' thought Alex, taking hold of a monster core that had a vibrant blue color, then started sucking the mana that was inside it.

    ''It''s simr to when I enhance my attributes using the system, however it''s not as much potent'' remarked Alex when the mana inside the core was invading his body.

    Secondster, he finished absorbing the mana and threw the monster core, that now looked dull and lifeless.

    He then continued absorbing the other cores till...

    CRACK

    Just as he was about to take another core, Alex heard in his head the sound of ss shattering and a momentter he felt a heat spreading throughout his whole body, empowering his body.

    Alex didn''t need to think too much about what was happening, he instinctually felt it, he was ascending to level 2!

    It took a little while, but after the ascension finished, and he was firmly in level 2, he couldn''t believe the sensation he was feeling, it felt like his whole being had evolved, be it his strength, resilience, speed, stamina, cognitive capacity, all in all every aspect of his being had evolved.

    ''So that''s how it feels to be level 2'' thought Alex with an awed expression.

    A momenttter a big grin appeared on his face, since childhood, being at the level 2 was actually his dream, and today he had finally achieved that goal of his.

    ''However, Level 2 is no longer enough'' thought Alex before picking up another core and absorbing the mana inside of it.

    That day, Alex heard the sound of shattering sses two more times.

 Chapter 59 : Level 4

    Chapter 59 : Level 4

    "Incredible!" Said Lilia, her tone filled with astonishment and a hint of shock as she gazed at Alex, who firmly stood at  level 4, it''s not that she didn''t expect it, after all Alex already told her that he would push to reach level 4 in one go.

    However, hearing about it and witnessing it wasn''t the same thing. Even though she was prepared for it, it still greatly surprised her, as her husband had just achieved something that a genius would need years to aplish in just a few hours.

    ''Even that is due to the fact that he needed to absorb monsters core one by one, if he could absorb them in one go perhaps he may have reached level 4 in just a few minutes'' thought Lilia.

    "Truly fascinating!" Eximed Scarlett with shining eyes next to Lilia while looking at a sort of screen that was relied on to her huge ECG.

    "What are you talking about ?" Asked Lilia, having her interest piqued.

    "It''s like he doesn''t have a limit. A normal person would have caved the moment they reached level 2 because they need to consolidate their foundation, but also because their internal organs��mostly the heart��can''t keep absorbing mana. If that person persists and continues absorbing mana, they would die, or in extreme cases, explode," Scarlett nced at Alex and continued.

    "However, it''s not the case for Dad. In his case, the moment he reaches a level, he doesn''t need to consolidate his foundations because they are already perfect. So, he can just continue absorbing mana, and regarding the fact that one''s body can''t keep up if it absorbs too much mana, it''s actually the opposite for him. The more mana he absorbs, the more his body craves it. It''sparable to a thirsty person who has finally found water and can''t stop drinking, but, that person''s thirst doesn''t end, no matter how much they drink."

    Scarlett stopped for a moment before saying, "I don''t know how much this artifact has transformed his body, but it''s like he currently doesn''t have a limit, or��"

    "Or that his limits are beyond level 4, at the very least," said Lilia, finishing Scarlett''s sentence.

    Scarlett nodded her head continuing, "Also there is the fact that with each level up our bodies release some impurities, but in dad''s case not an once of impurities was released as-"

    "As if his body doesn''t have any impurities anymore" said Lilia, cutting off Scarlett again.

    "Can you stop doing that ?" Said Scarlett with an annoyed tone as she understood that her mother was cutting her off on purpose.

    "Doing what ?" Asked Lilia in an innocent tone while thinking inwardly'' It''s hrious to mess with her''.

    "I know that you are doing it on purpose, stop it!"

    "I don''t know what you are talking about" said Lilia while shaking her head, making Scarlett even more annoyed.

    Meanwhile, as the girls were busy bantering, Alex was deep in thought as he carefully inspected his body to understand how much his strength had increased.

    ''I can''t believe it, this much strength, it''s intoxicating'' thought Alex gleefully.

    He could clearly feel it, he was so much more powerful than before that he couldn''t help but wonder how he had spent his entire life in such a feeble state.

    ''Let''s see how my stats improved''

    ''status''

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 60

    Agility: 60

    Stamina: 90

    Defense: 60

    Mana Points: 55

    Harem: Lilia Eswald; Annaline Maxwell

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 30]

    ''Hmm, each one of my stats increased by 50, and they are still uniform, well, besides my stamina and mana points, which are higher than the others, but that''s understandable,'' thought Alex.

    After checking his status for a few more seconds, Alex dismissed it and finally turned to walk towards the girls.

    "Okay, okay, that''s enough, you two," said Alex when he was finally near them.

    They nced towards the approaching Alex, each prepared to say something, but then they froze.

    ''So handsome'' thought both the mother and daughter as they looked at Alex.

    Now that he was level 4, Alex had be even more handsome than he was back then, His long, silver hair seemed to have a sort of shining halo surrounding them, his beautiful gray eyes shined like two radiant stars. His nose became exquisitely sculpted, and his lips were so mesmerizing that when looking at him, one waspelled to kiss him.

    His whole face gained a sort of sharpness that wasn''t there before, making him be like a work of art, and like it wasn''t enough, his wless, unblemished skin exuded a soft radiance, and his sculpted, toned physique showcased perfectly defined abs and chiseled muscles. He appeared as if chiseled by the gods themselves, a living masterpiece of unparalleled beauty.

    "What is it with you ?" Asked Alex as he looked at the pair of mother and daughter that were practically drooling at this point.

    Upon seeing the blush on their faces, he grasped the situation and said in a smug, narcissistic tone, while using his hand to stroke his hair, "I see that the both of you have sumbed to my divine handsomeness."

 Chapter 60 : A beautiful monster (1)

    Chapter 60 : A beautiful monster (1)

    Hearing what Alex just said, they coughed with an embarrassed look.

    "Don''t look so embarrasseddies, I understand that you couldn''t hold yourself after seeing me, after all, I''m really handsome" said Alex with a beaming smile on his face.

    "..."

    "..."

    At this point, the girls were at a loss for words, uncertain about how to respond to him. They simply stared at Alex, who stood there with a smug smile on his lips for a while.

    Trying to shift the focus, Lilia then said, "Congrattions on reaching level 4. Now that that''s done, we can start the training immediately."

    "If you want, I''m also eager to know what I can do, but I must warn you, I may be stronger than you, so, you may be hurt" said Alex with a confident demeanor.

    "Oh, we will see about that" replied Lilia with a cold sneer, thinking inwardly ''you might be a level 4, but yourbat experience is no more than that of a level 1, I will wipe that smug expression off your face''.

    Seeing her cold expression, Alex almost caved out but then took a deep breath and straightened his posture, showing that he wouldn''t back down.

    ''Good, that''s the right attitude'' thought pleasantly Lilia, however on the outside her face remained as cold as a block of ice as she said "If you are ready, let''s begin, Scarlett will give the signal to the start of the fight".

    Alex and Scarlett nodded, then Alex and Lilia made their way to the center of the training ground.

    As they walked, Alex''s previous arrogant demeanor seemed to disappear as his focus heightened, contrary to what Lilia thought, he was actually going to take this fight as seriously as he can, after all if war taught him something it was to never underestimate your opponent.

    ''Let''s see, I''m sure Lilia won''t easily buy my act of being arrogant as she knows that I''m someone who is cautious, which is why I wouldn''t give the first strike and will wait for her to strike at me first, I''m also sure she counts on that opportunity to end the fight, which is why I shouldn''t let her strike first'' thought Alex as he made his way to the center of the training ground, contrary to what Lilia thinks this Alex indeed have battle experience, and a solid one at that, after all it''s not everyone that can be a war hero, even on earth.

    When they got to the center of the training ground, Alex and Lilia faced each other and as Lilia gazed at him, she felt that something was different about Alex, it was like a kind of dangerous halo was surrounding him.

    ''That kind of sensation should onlye from someone''s who had fought for years, I''m just imagining things'' thought Lilia as she shook her head.

    "Ready ?" Asked Scarlett with her arm held in the air, they both nodded and Scarlett lowered her arm, marking the start of the fight.

    As he had nned, the moment the fight began Alex charged toward Lilia with all his speed, which, like he had also nned, surprised her.

    ''At least he is not passive in an actual fight'' thought appreciatively Lilia.

    Alex''s sudden move was unexpected, but it was just that, she didn''t panic or anything of the like, instead she took a fighting stance and looked at Alex that was charging toward her like a bullet.

    In a split second, Alex was in front of her and sent a punch toward her, he didn''t retain his strength as he knew that his wife wasn''t someone to be underestimated.

    ''As expected'' thought Lilia as Alex''s fist was nearing toward her face, she had predicted that due to his inexperience he would do a move like that, which was quite easy to parry.

    She smiled coldly and thought, ''this will serve as your first lesson-''

    However, Lilia''s train of thought came to a sudden halt when, contrary to her expectations, Alex abruptly stopped as his fist drew near. Instead, he executed a swift change in tactics, delivering a powerful side kick.

    Taken by surprise with this unexpected feint, Lilia had no choice but to employ her arm to block the blow, however, due to the force of Alex''s kick she was sent stumbling back several meters.

    "..."

    "..."

    Not just Lilia, even Scarlett was taken aback by the development of the first sh.

    Meanwhile, Alex, not wanting to lose his momentum, charged at Lilia again, throwing a punch again.

    ''You won''t have me with the same move'' thought Lilia, preparing herself for another feint.

    However, Alex had predicted that she would think like that and didn''t feint this time and just punched her.

    Although not surprised like the first time, this move of Alex still surprised a Lilia a little, but it was enoughto send her stumbling back again.

    After she came to a stop Lilia gazed at Alex that was charging toward her again and thought ''I take back what I said; he definitely doesn''t have the experience of a level 1.''

 Chapter 61 : A beautiful monster (2)

    Chapter 61 : A beautiful monster (2)

    ''How is it possible that someone that never trained have this much experience'' wondered Lilia as she watched the charging Alex, running straight towards her.

    The reason Lilia was stunned by Alex''s disy was that she knew how difficult it was for someone who had just ascended to a new level to control their strength. And now, Alex didn''t just pass to another level; he ascended three whole levels. The difference in strength should be so vast that it might take days or even weeks topletely adapt to the changes.

    However, in just a few minutes, without even exercising, he was able to control his strength. Of course, she could still feel that he hadn''tpletely adapted to his new strength. But remembering his feint just moments ago, she knew that he had adapted to most of his strength because that feint he just made required good control of his body; otherwise, he couldn''t have stopped himself in time.

    ''There are two possibilities,'' Lilia thought. ''Either it''s due to his body rank; he can quickly adapt to his strength without needing much training. Or he''s simply a genius inbat, which I doubt because I''ve seen him fight once, and it was definitely not at this level. So, it must be due to his body.''

    Lilia was correct in her conjectures. Alex''s current body allowed him to quickly adapt to his strength, but that wasn''t the sole reason. The primary cause was Alex''s experience, particrly the part of Jack Green thatposed the current Alex.

    ''That''s a good thing that he at least has a decent level of experience, that''s means that it will take less time to transform him into a good fighter''

    As she finished her thoughts, Alex was already upon her, raising both of his arms to punch. He nned to follow up with a kick using his leg to strike upward toward her chin the moment their hands met.

    As Lilia moved and appeared to use her hands to block his own, Alex smirked slyly in his mind. He could almost visualize the surprise in her eyes when his legs connected with her chin.

    ''That will teach you to underestimate me,'' thought Alex gleefully.

    However, his hands met empty air. He couldn''t evenprehend what was happening. One moment, Lilia was right in front of him, and the next, she disappeared.

    ''Where is she?'' wondered Alex as his eyes darted from left to right, trying to pinpoint her location without sess.

    Just then, he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

    "First lesson..."

    Lilia''s voice had always seemed like an angelic voice in Alex''s ears, however, right now it sounded more like the voice of the grim reaper.

    He quickly moved, trying to put as much distance as he could between them while turning around to look towards her, unfortunately for him, he was toote to move, the moment he turned around he came face to face with Lilia''s fist, he felt a shiver run down his spine and tried to move out of her fist trajectory.

    s...

    "...try not to give away your next move" said Lilia as her fist connected to Alex''s face with so much speed and force that he was propelled in the air.

    Boom

    It took at least a few seconds before Alex''s body crashed against the ground while releasing an explosion sound, at the point of the crash a dust cloud was released and when it scattered one could find the motionless body of Alexying on the ground with foaming out of his mouth.

    "..."

    "..."

    "Did you just...kill dad ?" asked Scarlett worriedly.

    "No! He is just unconscious... I think" replied Lilia with a hesitant tone under Scarlett''s scrutiny.

    Scarlett then walked towards Alex''s body and checked his vital sign, she then released a sigh of relief when she felt that he was just unconscious.

    Seeing the relief on Scarlett''s face as she got up, Lilia eximed with a wronged tone, "see! I told you he was just unconscious"

    "Though I don''t think he heard what you said at the end" remarked Scarlett, looking at Alex''s motionless body.

    "I...also think so" replied Lilia while scratching her head, before smiling innocently and saying "it''s not a big deal, I will say it to him when he wakes up"

    ''How much time would that take, though ?'' Wondered Scarlett as she looked at Alex, who didn''t show any sign of waking up.

    ***

    After at least half an hour, Alex jolted awake while panting.

    He looked around him like, trying to understand where he was and why he wasying on the ground.

    ''Why does my head hurt so much'' wondered Alex before hearing a gentle voice say :

    "You are finally awake, now we can resume the training"

    Alex turned toward the location of the voice and saw Lilia trolling toward him while flexing her arm, however contrary to her tone, there was not a gentle expression on her face, just a cold sneer.

    Seeing Lilia, Alex finally remembered what had happened and why he wasying on the ground.

    ''What have I gotten myself into ?''

 Chapter 62 : A beautiful monster (3)

    Chapter 62 : A beautiful monster (3)

    "sh*t!"

    Alex cursed loudly as he tried to punch Lilia, but his fist consistently missed its mark as Lilia was just too nimble, no matter how he attacked, from how many angles he did so our how fast he attacked, she always sessfully dodged all of his strikes, at some time he even wondered if her stats were really inferior to his own and had to summon the system to check.

    However, the system confirmed that her stats were really inferior to his, which meant that he was actually being beaten ck and blue by someone technically weaker than him.

    As Lilia''s fist neared his face, Alex blocked it by crossing both of his arms in front of him, bracing himself for the impact.

    However, the expected blow nevernded. Instead, he felt a sudden jolt of pain originating from his leg, causing him to momentarily lose bnce and lower his arms. A split momentter, Lilia''s fist struck his chin, propelling him into the air.

    Boom

    With a resounding impact, Alex collided with the training ground''s wall, before slowly sinking to the floor. Fortunately for him, this time, unlike his initial sparring session with Lilia, he remained conscious. Ironically, it was precisely because of that consciousness that he felt an overwhelming amount of pain.

    He winced, turning onto his back, gazing up at the ceiling.

    In these few hours of training, Lilia had beaten him so much that if he didn''t know better, he would start wondering if she truly loved him.

    With each spar there was a new scar on his body, each of her punch hurt so much that he couldn''t resist three of her blow''s before crumbling down.

    ''How can such a beautiful thing be so much-'' before he could finish his thought he heard:

    "Didn''t I already told you to not give away your next move ?" Asked Lilia as she approached the stillying on the ground, Alex.

    ''It''s not that I''m giving away my next move, it''s just that you are the freak who can see the slightest mistake,'' countered Alex in his mind, fully aware that voicing this aloud would earn him another beating.

    Alex groaned and sat down, leaning his back to the wall and stared at the approaching Lilia, who continued to speak :

    "Your punches are also too weak for a level 4. To maximize your strength when punching, you should engage your legs, hips, core, shoulders, arm, and wrist for better efficiency."

    Once she stood before him, Lilia extended a hand and added, "Your mana maniption is also a mess. Since you currentlyck any offensive ability, you need to rely on your physical prowess, and for that, you must refine your mana maniption."

    She sighed and continued, "Although the fact that your mana maniption is so low is a direct result of your jump from level 1 to level 4. If you had progressed through the levels in the usual manner, your maniption would have been better."

    "Yeah, I know," Alex replied, taking hold of Lilia''s hand.

    He was fully aware that the area where hecked the most was the maniption of his mana. Back when he was just a level 1, he possessed a decent level of mana maniption. However, now, as a level 4, it had be incredibly challenging. This was primarily because his mana capacity had expanded significantly. To describe the feeling, it was like going from barely walking to suddenly running�C the transition had been too abrupt.

    "Rest for an hour, we will continueter" said Lilia while helping him walk.

    '' I''m really f*cked''

    ***

    "Finally at home," Viviane eximed with a yawn.

    After spending thest two days with Ava and Amelia, the girls were quite tired, as they hadn''t slept during that entire time.

    "Yeah, it was quite tiring but also very fun," Violette remarked as she entered the mansion.

    "A pity Scarlett didn''te with us," said Amelia.

    "There was no way that bookworm would have joined us for something like shopping," replied Alice with a chuckle.

    "Wee back, Ladies. I hope you had fun," Anna greeted them from just behind the door.

    "Yeah, we had quite some fun," replied Ava.

    "Where are Mom and Dad?" asked Viviane.

    "They''re in the training grounds," Anna informed them.

    "Training grounds? What are they doing there?" wondered Alice, unaware of Alex''s training.

    "Your mother is training your father," Ava exined.

    "Oh, let''s go see!" Viviane eximed excitedly. She was the battle maniac of the family, so the moment she heard about training, she was all in.

    "Okay, let''s go."

    With Anna leading the way, the girls made their way toward the training grounds, chatting happily.

    As they entered the training grounds, they heard the sound of something crashing against the wall just a few meters from them.

    They looked at the source of the noise and what they saw left thempletely stunned.

 Chapter 63 : Even for her

    Chapter 63 : Even for her

    As the dust settled and the girls could discern what had crashed against the wall, they were utterly astounded to see Alex''s body slowly slumping to the ground.

    Turning their gaze toward the source of his impact, they found Lilia frozen in abat stance, leaving them in disbelief.

    ''What is happening here ?'' That was the question that was on every girl''s mind as they kept looking towards Alex that wasying on his face and Lilia.

    The girls were visibly divided into three groups as they observed the scene. Anna, Viviane, and Amelia wore expressions of deep concern. Alice and Violette, on the other hand, observed the scene with curiosity. In contrast, Ava had a nostalgic smile as she gazed at the scene, hinting at a memory resurfacing.

    "Dad!"

    "Alex!"

    As the initial shock waned, Viviane and Amelia rushed to Alex''s body to check his condition.

    "Gasp"

    Both girls gasped as they saw Alex''s face when they turned him over.

    Alex''s face was all swollen and covered in blood from his eyes to his lips, in any other circumstance, his face would beical to look at, however the girls and didn''t pay attention to that, well, those who were worried about him, as for the other they exploded fromughter the moment they saw his face.

    Meanwhile, Amelia started healing Alex using her power.

    "What did you do to him!" Shouted Viviane as she looked at Lilia.

    Seeing Viviane''s expression, Lilia smiled sheepishly knowing that nothing she could say would calm her down, she had always been a daddy''s girl and didn''t want anything to happen to her father, but Lilia still replied in a calm tone:

    "Nothing, we were just training"

    "You call that training ? You literally disfigured him!"

    "Well, that happens during training," said Lilia with a confident smile. "Don''t worry, now that Amelia is here, he''ll be healed in no time."

    To prove her point, Alex coughed and suddenly sat up. Initially, he appeared disoriented, but after a few moments, he regained hisposure and asked the girls, "You''re finally back?"

    They both nodded, and Amelia instructed him, "Lie down while I heal your wounds."

    Alexplied, nodding, and settled down to receive treatment.

    As the others were approaching them, Ava chuckled and said, "this sight remind me of the time when your father was courting your mother".

    "Why would mom beating up dad would remind you of the time when he was courting mom ?" Inquired violette.

    "That''s because you don''t really know who that violent woman, whom you call mom, is," mumbled Alex, still lying on the ground.

    "What did you say, dear ?" Asked Lilia from afar.

    "N-Nothing" replied with a quivering voice.

    "That''s what I thought"

    While the girls were surrounding Alex, Ava walked towards Lilia that was sitting on a chair and looking towards Alex and the girls.

    Ava took the seat next to her and after a minute of silence asked, "is he that bad ?"

    "Hmm ?"

    "What I meant is if he is really so weak"

    "Oh I understand, to tell you the truth I think that he is good, in fact he is too good for someone that just started training for two days"

    Ava raised an eyebrow and asked, "what do you mean ?"

    "Well, when we started training I was already surprised by his battle sense and experience, but even then I didn''t think too much about it, he may have learned a few things from watching me and the girls training, but after thest two days, I don''t think it was due to that"

    "What is your guess ?" Inquired Ava.

    "Did he tell you about the artifact and what happened when he tried to enhance his strength the first time ?"

    "Yes"

    "Good, that will make things easier" replied Lilia before continuing:

    "What I think is that it is due to his current body, of course it''s not just due to his body, I don''t know what happened, but it seems that your son became a genius at fighting overnight".

    Ava raised a brow at her statement as she knew quite well that Alex was far from a genius when ites to fighting, but she didn''t stop Lilia nevertheless and continued listening.

    "However, I still think that his current body ys a role in his fast growth, at the start, he couldn''t even resist three exchanges before copsing, but now he canst at least a few dozens"

    Ava whistled and said, "He canst dozens of exchanges while fighting you; that''s quite the feat."

    "If it was just that, I might have attributed it to Alex''s learning. However, that''s not all. During thesest two days, I had to change my fighting style two times."

    Ava''s expression suddenly became serious as she knew how difficult it was to force Lilia to change her fighting, even for her, it was difficult to do so.

 Chapter 64 : Finally

    Chapter 64 : Finally

    "You needed to change your fighting style two times ?" Asked Ava incredulous.

    "Yes, I don''t know if he does it consciously or not, but after several sparring sessions, he became ustomed to my fighting style. I had to change it up, but after several more spars, his body adapted to my new style as well, so I had to adjust once again."

    Lilia took a deep breath and then continued:

    "In addition to all the things I''ve mentioned, there''s also his mana maniption. With each spar we had, his maniption skills improved greatly. Seeing this, I decided to stop any theoretical training to purely focusing on practical training, as it appears that his skills in maniption and technique grow the more he fights."

    Hearing this Ava fell silent for a moment before asking "do you think he could win thepetition in a few days if he were to get to level 4 as he said he would"

    "You didn''t notice ? He is already at Level 4"

    "Huh ?"

    It wasn''t until now that lilia said it that Ava used her sense to probe Alex level, as she did so a gasp of surprise escaped her mouth before she muttered to herself "bing a level 4 in two days, that''s way too fast"

    Lilia next to her chuckled as she said "forget about two days, he went from level 1 to level 4 in just 4 hours"

    "..."

    Hearing Lilia''s remark, Ava didn''t even know how to respond. Seeing Ava like this, Lilia chuckled once again, knowing that no sane person would believe something so unbelievable. If the process hadn''t urred right before her eyes, it was doubtful that even she would believe it.

    "That''s truly incredible," Ava said when she finally got over her surprise. Then, she asked with a thoughtful expression, "But will that be enough for him to win thepetition?"

    At Ava question lilia got silent before replying with serious tone:

    "if the fights were just a hand-to-hand fights I can confidently say that one week is more than enough, however the other participants will use their abilities which might make it impossible for Alex to win, it''s true that with enough training one can beat those with abilities even without possessing one, but Alex isn''t at that level of mastery yet, if he was given a few years or months even, I''m sure that he will be able to beat even those who possess high level abilities while only using his body strength, but we clearly don''t have that much time, so, he will have to get another ability beside his {soul linkage} if he wants to have a chance at winning thepetition"

    "I see" replied Ava still with a thoughtful expression.

    As they observed, Alex finally got up and chatted with the girls as they made their way towards them.

    Seeing them approach, Lilia got up from her chair and walked over to meet them.

    When she was close to them, she gazed at Alex and asked with a mischievous tone, "Should we continue the training?"

    Hearing her Alex shivered from fright and looked at the girls like to ask them to save him from this demoniac woman.

    Fortunately for him, contrary to the time with Scarlett, Viviane and Amelia came to his help.

    "I think that''s enough for today mom" said Viviane.

    "Yeah, she is right, his body is strained, he need to rest, beside that, he have some internals wound that I need to heal" supported Amelia.

    "Yeah, yeah, what they just said" said Alex while frantically shaking his head up and down.

    "Is that so ? How long will it take for you to heal him ?" Asked Lilia while looking at Amelia.

    "At least two days" said Amelia with straight face.

    ''Look at this lying vixen'' thought Lilia after she heard what Amelia said, she had been extremely careful to not hurt him internally so she knew that there was no way that he was that hurt.

    However she didn''t call out Amelia on her lie, instead she smiled and spoke while looking at Alex:

    "I guess that''s a shame, but we apparently need to postpone our training by two days"

    Unaware of what was happening Alex juste nodded with his head with a relieved expression.

    ''Don''t look so relieved, I doubt that you will rest for the next two days, but I guess that''s a good thing, he actually need to have another ability'' thought Lilia inwardly as she looked at Alex relieved face.

    "Girls, how about we leave your aunt to take "care" of your father while you tell me what you did thest two days" said Lilia looking at her daughters.

    "Ohh, you won''t believe what we saw in the..."

    Just like that the girls had forgotten about Alex and went to with Lilia, they reunited with Ava and prepared to leave, however just as they were going to left the training ground, Lilia looked toward Alex and winked at Alex.

    ''Why is she winking to me ?'' Wondered Alex as he was being led by Amelia toward her room to be "healed".

    On the way, the two didn''t chat much. Alex was busy inspecting his body to see if there were any serious wounds that needed immediate attention.

    However, he stopped doing so the moment the door closed behind him as Amelia jumped on him and kissed him with such passion that he was pinned to the door.

    ''Ah, I finally understand''.

 Chapter 65 : Lovely siblings (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 65 : Lovely siblings (1) (R-18)

    ''It''s been a while since I had seen this side of hers'' thought Alex as Amelia was furiously kissing him.

    Generally, Amelia was a person one could call as gentle as a flower as she was both kind and calm, however there were two forms of instances in which her personalitypletely changed, the first instance and the one everyone of the family knew was when she was angry at something or someone.

    The second instance, however, was unknown to anyone but Alex as it happened when she was aroused, like just now as she was aggressively moving her lips around Alex''s own.

    ''She is quite intense when excited, however, I can be as intense as her'' thought Alex before reciprocating Amelia''s kiss with the same aggressiveness.

    As Alex matched her intensity, the kiss turned into a fierce and passionate dance as both of their mouths moved around one another. Their kiss was a kiss filled with the raw intensity of their longing hearts as it had been a while since they had done something like that.

    As they were kissing, Alex felt Amelia''s tongue trying to invade his mouth, which slightly surprised him as he was always the one initiating such things, but he still opened his mouth and moved his tongue to meet hers.

    The moment their tongues met, Amelia released a lewd moan in Alex''s mouth while they tongue started swirling around each other in a mad dance.

    After a moment, Amelia withdrew her tongue and started running her tongue around Alex''s lips while asionally gently biting his lips, before invading Alex''s mouth again and starting to y with his tongue again.

    ''Oh, I see what you are doing, you are trying to take control, huh?'' Thought Alex.

    Of all the women he had been with, Amelia was most certainly the most aggressive and the one that always tried to be the one In charge when they were doing this sort of thing.

    ''But, like always, I won''t let you do as you please'' thought Alex before swiftly turning Amelia''s body around in such a way that she was the one pinned against the door now, as if to prove a point Alex used his hands and pinned her wrists to the door while still kissing her.

    Secondster, Alex distanced his face from hers as he felt that the both of them needed to breathe, as he was withdrawing a line of saliva could be seen still connecting them.

    As the both of them panted and tried to gain their breath, they pressed their heads together and each looked in the eyes of the other.

    Within Amelia''s beautiful gray eyes, Alex could see a zing fire that represented her desire, longing, love and most importantly, lust.

    Amelia could also see pretty much the same emotions raging within Alex as he gazed at her.

    After some seconds of doing nothing but staring at each other, Alex grinned and spoke with a ragged breath:

    "I thought that...we were here to...heal me"

    "Well, that was...a lie, you don''t have...many injuries on you" replied Amelia with the same ragged breath.

    "So you lied to my wife...to get me here in your room...just to kiss me".

    ''Although I don''t think she bought your lie'' added inwardly Alex.

    "Yeah I got you here...just so I can kiss you...and do many other things to you" replied Amelia as she gave a small lick to his lips, before adding in a sensual and inviting voice:

    "I want you, brother"

    Hearing her words, it took Alex all of his mental power to not just pin his sister right here and right now and have his way with her, but he stopped himself as he didn''t want to do something that he might regretter on.

    He looked Amelia in the eyes and uttered with a serious voice, "are you certain of what you are doing, little Amy? What you are suggesting is much more than just some harmless kiss. It might change our rtionship and everything, especially as I''m your brother, if people were to know - as I''m sure that we can''t keep this sort of thing a secret forever - they will most definitely speak ill of us and some may even try something as drastic as attacking and killing us, so I''m going to ask again, are you sure of what you are doing ?"

    Hearing him, Amelia also took a serious expression as she replied "I''ve been waiting for years for this to happen, I had time to think about it over thest few years, so I know what I''m doing, plus, did you forget that incest is legal in this Empire".

    "Oh please, everyone knows that it''s because the emperor wanted to screw his sister" replied Alex while rolling his eyes.

    In their empire, one of the nicknames of their emperor was the "lustful lord" as he always tried to fuck every woman he set his eyes on, even if they were the members of his family!

    "It might be to achieve his own goal, but it''s still legal" said Amelia with a chuckle.

    "It might be legal, but it''s still frowned upon. So, think carefully. Don''t make a decision in the heat of the moment that you mightter regret," Alex replied as he gazed into her eyes, searching for any hint of hesitation. If he saw any, he would stop what they were doing and only proceed when she was sure.

    To respond to him, Amelia just kissed him for a second before whispering sensually in his ear"I know what I want, and actually I want you".

    "Then, so be it" replied Alex as he leaned and kissed his sister.

 Chapter 66 : Lovely siblings (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 66 : Lovely siblings (2) (R-18)

    "Wait...wait, I need...to go clean myself...before we start" uttered Alex with great difficulty as his lips were being assaulted by Amelia who was like a hungry beast.

    The position they were in made it even more challenging for him to create distance, Although he continued to press Amelia against the door, her wrists were now liberated from his grip and now her hands were holding his face in ce while both of her legs were hooked at his waist.

    As Amelia saw that he was constantly trying to withdraw, she decided to finally let go of him, not before yfully biting his lower lip.

    "Why must you...go wash, we can just... continue~" whispered Amelia with pleading eyes.

    "Haha, don''t be so impatient...we have two whole days for ourselves, and I currently...really need to wash, I have been training for the past two days after all" replied Alex, still panting from the earlier kiss.

    "Okay" said Amelia with a pout, before her expression changed into a mischievous one.

    "I won''t be long" replied Alex before giving her a peck on her rosy lips.

    He gently ced her on the ground and to the bathroom to wash himself from all the little bloodstains that were on him.

    ''Why did everything need to be built on such a grand scale?'' wondered Alex as he gazed at the expansive bathroom.

    Thevishly designed space boasted a center stage upied by a bathtub, generously sized tofortably amodate at least 10 people.

    Alex walked towards the bathtub, filled it with hot water before stepping into it.

    "Ah, what a delightful sensation," Alex sighed in satisfaction as the warm water tenderly enveloped his skin. The soothing embrace of the hot bath seemed to melt away all his tension, leaving him in a state of serene bliss.

    "I shouldn''t make Amy wait too much-" just as he was thinking this, Alex heard the door to the bathroom being swung open and someone - probably Amelia - walked in.

    Since his back was turned to the door, he had to pivot himself to catch a glimpse of her, but when his gazended on Amelia just entering the bathroom, he froze and what he was about to say was caught in his throat.

    There just a few meters from him stood Amelia wrapped in a white towel that clung tightly to her body and showed her curvaceous form.

    Seeing her brother''s reaction, Amelia seemed happy.

    ''If you are already like that from just seeing me in a towel, what would you look like if I do this'' thought Amelia as she dropped her towel on the ground, revealing her body to her brother.

    Alex''s jaw nearly dropped when he caught sight of his sister''s naked body. Despite their past mischievous escapades, they had never progressed to the extent of undressing each other. Their interactions had mostly involved kissing and touching, making his first sight of her nudity quite astonishing.

    In his eyes, she looked like a goddess as she seemed simply perfect, from her beautiful ck hairs, her rosy plump lips, her full, well-rounded and beautiful breasts, her slender waist entuated by voluptuous hips and th thighs.

    From the delicate curve of her smile to the grace in her every movement, she looked like she had been carved out of a dream, her beauty enchanting Alex as he gazed upon her.

    As she walked toward him seductively, her breasts, reminiscent of two plush balloons, swayed gracefully from side to side, making Alex''s cock immediately harden.

    "What a naughty brother, you shouldn''t look like that at your own sister~" teased Amelia as she saw that Alex was almost drooling while looking at her.

    Hearing her, Alex got out of his daze and replied with the same testing voice, "well, it''s not my fault if my sister decided toe and seduce me when I''m bathing, right ?"

    "What are you talking about? I''m just here to assist you in scrubbing your back."

    "Is that so ?"

    "Absolutely"

    "Then, I won''t stop you. You may begin," said Alex as he turned his back on Amelia, distancing himself from the edge of the bathtub.

    Although he wasn''t looking, Alex unmistakably sensed Amelia''s entrance as the water stirred slightly, apanied by a subtle sshing sound.

    A momentter, he felt Amelia''s soft hands gently spreading across his chest as she stood behind him.

    "Hello there~" said Amelia while caressing Alex''s upper body.

    "Wee-" Alex''s words got caught up in his throat as he felt two soft mounds press against his back.

    "Cat got your tongue, dear brother?" teased Amelia as she sensually rubbed her breasts against Alex''s back in an up-and-down motion.

    The sensation of Amelia''s breasts pressing against him felt heavenly for Alex, to the extent that, without knowing it, he leaned back against her.

    After some seconds of rubbing her brother back with her breasts, Amelia whispered in his ear with a sultry voice,"why don''t we take it a bit further~"

    Before Alex could grasp the meaning of her words, he felt Amelia''s hand firmly gripping his penis!

 Chapter 67 : Lovely siblings (3) (R-18)

    Chapter 67 : Lovely siblings (3) (R-18)

    "Just like that~" said Alex with a  moan as Amelia was using her soft hands to slowly stroke his member.

    As she stroked his hard shaft, Amelia started kissing Alex''s neck and slowly made her way up to his ear, which she tugged gently with teeth before inserting her tongue in his earlobe, further intensifying the pleasure he was feeling.

    ''My God, where did she learn to do all of that?'' Wondered Alex, as Amelia seemed to perfectly know what she was doing.

    Like reading his mind, Amelia whispered teasingly in his ear, "that''s because I practiced~"

    When he heard the word "practice" Alex suddenly froze, making Amelia giggle softly before whispering in the same teasing voice "what? Are you worried that another man other than you hasetouched your sister, what a naughty brother you are, wanting to keep your sister for yourself?"

    As she said this,s Amelia used one of her hand to stroke his member while her other member was busy stimting his nd.

    "But you don''t need to worry, no man beside you has ever touched me, what I know mostlyes from other girls teaching me how to please a man" said Amelia while continuing to stroke Alex''s cock faster.

    "Good or else, I would have had to kill that man" replied Alex as hes avored the handjob his sister was giving him.

    "Why? Wasn''t it you that ended our rtionship, why would you care if I was with someone else ?"

    At her question, Alex suddenly turned to face then replied with a grin "why wouldn''t I care, you are my sister after all"

    "So you will kill that man only because I''m your sister ?" Asked Amelia with a smile.

    "Not only, I will kill him because he touched what was mine" said Alex while using his hands to fondle Amelia''s big ass.

    "Your''s?"

    "Yes, mine, you are my sister, my friend and also my woman" said Alex while shoving one of his hands between Amelia legs and caressing her lower lips.

    Aanh~

    Amelia released a lewd moan as she replied "I guess you are right, I''m indeed yours".

    As she replied Amelia face got closer and nted a gentle kiss on Alex''s lips before withdrawing, the two siblings looked at each other for a moment before they lunged again, kissing each other, but this time it wasn''t as gentle as the the first time, no, this time their kiss was passionate and aggressive as the both of them let their emotions run wild.

    Love, lust, and longing��all these emotions converged into a single kiss that felt like an eternal moment. They finally withdrew, gasping for air, as ifing up for breath after being submerged in a sea of emotions.

    As Alex was recovering his breathing, Amelia face got nearer again and she nted a kiss on his neck, before making her way down still kissing him all over, on his cor bone, his torso, his toned abs.

    Before long Amelia was kneeling in front of Alex while holding his penis in her hand.

    Contrary to Anna who seemed shy the first time she saw his manhood, Amelia seemed to be fascinated by it, which can be proven by the look she was giving his cock.

    A momentter Amelia''s face got closer and she stuck her tongue out and gave a lick to the the head of Alex''s penis.

    A shudder ran through Alex as her hot wet tongue carressed his cock sending wave of pleasure throughout his whole body.

    Emboldened by his reaction Amelia started sensually licking his cock, trailing it along the length of his throbbing cock.

    The sight of his sister kneeling before him, servicing him and the immorality of it all made Alex even more excited making his cock to keep throbbing incessantly as Amelia was licking it from up and down, trying to cover every nook and cranny of his cock by her saliva.

    After a moment she stopped licking his cock, looked up at Alex and asked in a sultry voice "tell me brother, should I take your hard throbbing manhood in my small and warm mouth ?".

    Amelia''s words and the way her breath tickled the head of his cock got Alex even more excited as he replied "yes sister, I want to feel your lips wrapped around my cock".

    Alex never knew that he had an incest fetish till now, the fact that Amelia was referring to him as brother and him as sister while doing all these lewd things together was definitely thrilling for him and he loved every one second of it.

    ''I''m really sick'' thought Alex with a chuckle, not caring one bit about it.

    Meanwhile Amelia got her face near his cock then looked up at Alex to meet his gaze, she smiled and then parted her lips and wrapped her mouth around his cock while still keeping eyes contact with him.

    The moment Alex felt his cock wrapped by her mouth Alex felt like an explosion went through his head!

 Chapter 68 : Lovely siblings (4) (R-18)

    Chapter 68 : Lovely siblings (4) (R-18)

    Warm, wet and divine.

    If one were to ask Alex what he was feeling actually, he would surely respond by using those very words as the feeling of Amelia''s mouth on his cock was really overwhelming to the point that the moment his cock prated her warm mouth it pulsed violently and Alex nearly came right away, he had to use all his willpower to not directly release his seed in his sister mouth.

    Seeing his reaction, Amelia smirked inwardly and started moving her head toward the base of his penis, but despite all of her practice, it seemed that she still couldn''t take the whole of Alex''s cock in her mouth, so she settled to just move her back and forth.

    As Amelia moved back and forth pleasuring her brother, she still kept her eyes in contact with his, so she could clearly see the pleasure on his face as he groaned and moaned.

    Seeing him like that, she tried to speak and tease him, but suddenly felt his hand on her head.

    "There there, little Amy, mom never taught you to not speak with your mouth full ?" Said Alex with a grin.

    Alex thenbed her hair away from her face so that he could clearly see the look of his sister as she gave him head.

    "Yes, just like that sis, use your tongue~" encouraged Alex as he felt Amelia starting to use her tongue.

    Hearing Alex''s words, Amelia started to use her tongue to swirl around his cock while increasing the speed at which she sucked him.

    As she increased her speed, droplets of saliva trailed down Amelia''s chin, while a slurping sounds started to echoes in the bathroom as Amelia devotedly sucked her brother''s penis.

    As their sinful act continued and wave after wave of pleasure crashed against him, Alex took hold of Amelia''s head using both of his hands, then started to fuck her mouth with his cock.

    At first, Alex''s move surprised Amelia, but before long she started moaning at the thought of her brother using and fucking her mouth, her already wet pussy started leaking even more juices, causing her to slide her hand down and start fingering herself.

    When he felt that he was nearing ecstasy, Alex looked at Amelia and said "prepare yourself sis, I''m going to cum down your throat".

    Alex''s words elicited a moan from Amelia.

    He then started moving faster than before, thrusting his cock with more and more fervor.

    With each thrust he felt the heat of pleasure building within him and, with a firm hold on Amelia''s head, Alex thrust one final time pushing his cock down his sister throat and released himself.

    Amelia gasped as warms ropes of sperm slid down her throat, but didn''t try to withdraw her head and instead pushed her head even further to make sure that she got all of her brother''s essence.

    "Ahh~" moaned Alex as he reveled in the sensation of cumming down his sister throat.

    After Alex finished releasing his sperm, Amelia withdrew her face from his cock and showed her mouth that was filled with cum to Alex before swallowing it.

    The sight of his sister swallowing his cum aroused Alex again, but unfortunately he couldn''t keep going right now, as he was feeling his legs grow weak.

    ''I don''t think I ever came so much since my awakening in this world'' thought Alex with a satisfied sigh.

    "How was I?" asked Amelia after she swallowed Alex cum.

    Alex ced his hand on her head and said with a smile on his "you did great little Amy, you did really great".

    Amelia smiled proudly at her brother''s praise and teased him by saying, "you see what you have been missing on, huh?".

    "Unfortunately, but we will make up for the lost time" said Alex while helping Amelia stand up.

    After she stood up, the pair of siblings washed each other bodies for some minutes before Alex suddenly started fondling Amelia''s ass while whispering in her ear, "how about we return to the bedroom to continue ?"

    Before Amelia even had the time to respond, Alex lifted her up and ced her over his shoulder, but she didn''tint and just giggled seeing her brother''s enthusiasm.

    ''Hmm, why do I suddenly feel light''? Wondered Alex.

    "That''s because I healed the remaining wound you had" said Amelia like she could read his mind.

    *p*

    "Good girl" said Alex as he gave her a p on her beautiful round ass while stepping out of the bathroom.

    He directly walked to the bed and unceremoniously threw Amelia on the bed before slowly crawling onto the bed with a wicked smile stered on his face as he moved closer to Amelia with deliberate intent.

    His fingers trailed along her inner thighs and chest, teasing her as he made his way up.

    Alex gave a soft speck on Amelia''s lips before whispering in her ear:

    "I''ts time that I eat you up"

 Chapter 69 : Lovely siblings (5) (R-18)

    Chapter 69 : Lovely siblings (5) (R-18)

    "Eat me up? Then what at you waiting for? Start already" replied Amelia with a big smile on her face.

    "Then so be it" said Alex before lunging and kissing Amelia.

    Their tongue intertwined with passion and before long their kiss turned into a mad battle in which both of them tried to dominate the other.

    As the kiss was intensifying, Alex started massaging his sister''s soft breast, making her moan In his mouth.

    After a moment, Alex withdrew his face from hers and started kissing her all over, from her pointed nose to her rosy lips, her neck, corbone, chest.

    With each kiss, Alex got lower and lower until he found himself between Amelia''s thighs, he softly kissed her inner thighs and said in a sultry voice "spread your legs for me sis~".

    With a blush, Amelia shyly spread and spread her legs for him, despite her bold appearance, she was still a virgin, so the action of spreading her legs for someone was still embarrassing, but she still executed thinking that it was for her brother and no other man.

    As Amelia spread her legs, her beautiful pink pussy glistening with love juice came into view.

    The sight of his sister''s sacred ce being just in front of him aroused Alex, causing his cock to swell and stand on guard, ready for another battle.

    Unfortunately for it, Alex didn''t want to rush things, so the first thing he did was caress Amelia''s inner thighs, slowly approaching her pink paradise.

    Alex traced a finger across her delicate folds, teasing her entrance and causing Amelia to start moaning a little louder than usual.

    The look of pleading that Amelia kept sending toward made Alex understand that she wanted something more, so with slow and deliberate motion, Alex inserted one of his fingers in his sister''s pussy.

    "Your insides are really tight and warm" said Alex as he relished in the feeling of Amelia''s slick warmth while motioning his finger in and out of her.

    "Oh god, continue like that brother, finger me faster~" said Amelia in a pleading voice as her body shook slightly from all the tension in her body.

    Alex couldn''t deny her plea and started fingering her faster while he approached her pink bud and gave it a small lick at first before he started to suck it, bringing the tension Amelia was feeling to new heights.

    Ahh~Annnm~Mmm~

    Alex fingering her while licking and sucking her clit made Amelia start to moan louder as she felt her climax nearing.

    Also feeling that his sister was approaching her climax, Alex moved his head lower and then inserted his tongue in his sister''s pussy, wanting to taste her.

    The moment she felt her brother''s tongue invade her insides, Amelia arched her back while wrapping her legs around his head, holding him in ce, and released a loud scream as she climaxed right on his face.

    AANNNHHHM~

    ''Tasty'' thought Alex as he kept swallowing the love juice his sister released on his face.

    After a few seconds of intense moaning as she climaxed, Amelia finally slumped on the bed with her chest heaving up and down as she still basked in the feeling of orgasm.

    Meanwhile, Alex withdrew his face from his sister''s private ce and sat up enjoying the sight of his sister''s body twitching from time to time, as he continued gazing at his sister''s pleasure-filled face, Alex''s started getting more and more excited, his excitement quickly approaching its maximum, so, the moment he saw that Amelia was getting out of her sensation of euphoria, he literally pounced on her and positioned his cock at the entrance of her cave while whispering to her:

    "I want to stick my cock inside of you sis"

    Amelia looked at him with the same excited expression despite just climaxing and uttered "then what are waiting for? Fuck me already!".

    Alex was a little shocked by her enthusiasm before bursting inughter, then looked at Amelia with a loving gaze and uttered "I love you sis".

    "I also love you, brother" replied Amelia with the same loving gaze.

    They slowly moved their faces and their lips met in a sweet kiss, while Alex''s cock slowly parted her lower lips and inserted itself in her cave, sliding inside and reaching deeper and deeper with each moment that passed.

    Fortunately, due to what they did till now, Amelia''s pussy was very lubricated, so Alex could easily continue to slide in her pussy till he felt her hymen, then stopped, fearing that he would hurt her if he was too hasty.

    He withdrew from the kiss and looked at her, expecting a pained expression and preparing himself tofort her, but to his surprise, there was not a hint of pain on her face.

    Seeing the surprise on her brother''s face, Amelia smiled and said "you don''t need to worry about hurting me, I''m actually using my ability, so I''m not feeling any pain, you can continue without worrying about anything".

    Hearing his sister''s words, Alex resumed kissing her while putting even more strength on his waist, he tore through her hymen and continued to slid into her till his cock reached her deepest part, engulfing his entire being in an overwhelming wave of pleasure.

    Tears streaked down Amelia''s eyes the moment Alex waspletely inside of her, causing Alex to withdraw from the kiss with a worried expression.

    "What is it, sis? Did your ability not work, did I hurt you?" Asked Alex.

    Amelia simply shook her head and replied happily "don''t worry, those tears are tears of happiness, after waiting for seventeen years, my dream is finally fulfilled".

 Chapter 70 : Lovely siblings (6) (R-18)

    Chapter 70 : Lovely siblings (6) (R-18)

    Hearing Amelia''s statement, Alex felt both happiness and guilt.

    Happiness because Amelia didn''t give up on him even when he clearly told her to do so.

    Guilt because it was him that ended their rtionship without consulting her, thus leaving her in a state of longing for many years, and what added to his guilt even more was the fact that even now Alex could see it in her eyes, she doesn''t really me, all she said back then was just her teasing him.

    Alex gently kissed her forehead and said, "I''m sorry to have made you wait so long"

    "You don''t need to feel sorry about anything, we are together now, that''s all that matters" replied Amelia with a smile, before her smile turned into a lewd grin, and she added "now that it''s settled, fuck me~"

    Alex also grinned and started repeatedly moving in and out while Amelia''s insides constricted around his cock, heightening the sensation of pleasure he was feeling, causing him to start moving faster as he fucked her.

    "Mmm, ahn, ooohh~"

    Before long, Amelia restarted moaning, in a low voice say first, but with each of Alex thrust into her virgin pussy her moan became louder.

    *p*p*p*

    The lewd sounds of meat hitting meat coupled with Amelia''s moans filled Alex with excitement and causing him to move his hips faster as he drilled her pussy.

    "Ahh, ahh, anh~"

    Amelia''s moans in Alex''s ears were like a drug, and he just wanted for her to keep moaning while he was enjoying her body, so he increased his speed of thrusting while moving towards her nipples, sucking and nibbling them, bringing much more pleasure to Amelia.

    With each thrust, Alex felt Amelia''s insides trying to squeeze him further, increasing his pleasure and making him want to go even deeper inside her pussy, which he did.

    "I-I''m going to, ahh~"

    Alex felt Amelia''s pussy constricting him further and knew that she was on the verge of climax, so he moved his head from her breast and kissed her furiously.

    As he was kissing Amelia and her climax was getting nearer, Alex slowed his thrusting speed and instead started to move his cock with slow but powerful thrusts.

    Each time he went out of his sister''s pussy, he took a split second before plunging in with a powerful thrust, making the head of his penis kiss her womb.

    AHH, ANH, ANH~

    As she about to climax, Amelia''s moans got so loud that if someone was actually walking in the corridor in front of her door, they would surely hear her loud moans, it''s just that they wouldn''t know that she was moaning so loudly because her brother was drilling her.

    "I''m going to AAAHH"

    Amelia suddenly hugged Alex''s body very tightly like she was trying to fuse their bodies, then climaxed while releasing a loud cry.

    Wave after wave of love juice came out of her pussy, lubricating even further as Alex still continued to thrust into her despite the fact that she was cumming.

    Alex thrust a few more times before he felt that he was about to burst, he could even feel his sperm traveling in his dick, he grunted, then he thrust one final time and released himself deep in his sister''s pussy.

    They stayed embraced for a while before gradually parting from each other as their orgasms subsided.

    They both panted from the intense exercise, but each had a pleased smile on their face.

    "It was really...good, I love you" said Amelia with a sweet smile.

    Alex kissed her on the lips and responded, "I love you too, Amelia..." He then shed a devilish smile and continued, ''...but we''re not finished here."

    "What do you mea-" Before she could finish her question, Alex took hold of her body, flipping her over with her hands resting on the bed and her alluring big ass facing him.

    Alex took his time to admire her body before looking down toward his sister''s pussy that was leaking with his cum.

    This sight before him was beyond arousing and caused his cock to swell up and harden again.

    "W-What are you doing" asked Amelia as Alex was positioning himself between her legs as she was on her stomach.

    Alex rubbed his cock to her pussy, but didn''t directly prate her.

    Afterward he slowly inched toward her upper body while licking along her back, he then sensually licked her neck before nibbling gently on her ear, causing her to moan, then he whispered in her ear with a sultry voice:

    "What am I doing ? You didn''t think that we were done after just doing it once, right~?"

    "N-No, but I thought we would-"

    "No, I want to feel your pussy around my cock right now" said Alex cutting Amelia.

    Before she could reply, Amelia felt her brother''s penis slowly prating her.

 Chapter 71 : Lovely siblings (7) (R-18)

    Chapter 71 : Lovely siblings (7) (R-18)

    Amelia released a slight cry of surprise as Alex''s cock prated her from behind, making her feel an increasing sensation of fullness as Alex kept sinking his cock into her pussy.

    "Mmm, you are so tight~" murmured Alex in Amelia''s ear as he felt her inner muscles tightening around his cock.

    Alex''s hot breath on her ear coupled with the sensation of his cock deeply lodged in her cave aroused Amelia and brought out her aggressive side.

    She nced back at Alex and replied, "then fuck my tight pussy brother"

    "As you wish" said Alex before starting to move in and out of her pussy.

    "Yes, like, mmh that~" said Amelia with a lustful her ass, she felt her brother once again pounding her pussy.

    Alex then used his hand to turn her face further toward him and tasted her lips while starting to increase his thrust speed.

    Amelia kissed him back with the same intensity and aggressiveness.

    Instinctually, Amelia also started moving her hips back each time Alex pounded into her pussy.

    At first, the way she moved her hips was messy, but before long she synchronized her movements with those of Alex and pushed back her hips the exact moment his cock was going in her pussy, causing her round ass to ripples each time their bodies met and sounds of meat hitting against meat to echoes in the room.

    A momentter, they distanced their faces from each other to breathe, but still didn''t stop their bodies motion.

    AAAA, AN, AHMM~

    As their intercourse continued, Amelia''s moans started getting louder, so she burrowed her face in a pillow to try and muffle her moans.

    Meanwhile, Alex ced his clenched fists on the bed for support and then started drilling in her pussy with powerful thrust when he felt that Amelia was nearing her climax due to her pussy clenching him even further.

    Feeling his own climaxing, Alex became more aggressive and started fucking her with increased intensity.

    Amelia also could feel her brother nearing his orgasm as his cock kept pulsing each time it went inside of her.

    A few secondster, she started to feel a fire pooling low in her abdomen and after a few thrusts from Alex, she released a loud moan that even the pillow struggled to contain and came.

    Amelia''s moans as she came brought Alex over the edge and after one final powerful thrust he grunted and ejacted right in his sister womb, again.

    After he finished cumming, he slumped onto his sister''s back before slowly rolling over, lying on his back, and trying to catch his breath.

    "You filled me to the brim" said Amelia some momentster with a smile on her face.

    "Umm about that, I hope it was a safe day, right" Asked Alex while scratching his head.

    "What? You don''t want to have a child with me" replied Amelia with a pout.

    Alex gave her a kiss on her forehead and said "it''s not because of that, but you are my sister, the kid might suffer from congenital conditions, so I want to make sure that our child won''t suffer from anything before we can have one".

    Amelia squinted her eyes and looked at him like considering if what he said was the truth, or he was just spouting nonsense, but seeing his loving gaze she finally nodded her head while saying:

    "Okay, but the moment we find a method that could guarantee that our child will be safe, we will have one, I want a child!" Eximed Amelia in a serious tone that sounded quite cute to Alex.

    "I promise" replied with a chuckle.

    He then closed his eyes to rest a little, but then he felt a weight on him and opened his eyes to find Amelia grinning at him as she sat on his cock.

    "I have been waiting for this for nearly 20 years, you didn''t think that we were done with just two rounds, right?" Said Amelia as she positioned Alex''s cock at her cave entrance.

    "No, I was just going to give you some time to rest, but if you don''t want, we can continue right away" replied Alex.

    "Good because we are continuing" said Amelia before impaling herself on Alex''s cock while releasing a lewd moan.

    She didn''t move for a while, letting the two of them enjoy the feeling of being one again before finally starting to move up and down.

    Alex released a soft moan of pleasure as he felt his sister''s inner walls squeeze him each time she went up and down.

    As seconds ticked by, Amelia movements started to get faster as she rode her brother''s cock.

    The sight of his sister''s bouncing breasts as she fucked herself using his cock caused Alex''s arousal to skyrocket, making him grip Amelia''s soft thighs with his hands and started increasing her speed.

    Quickly, lewd moans and pping sounds filled the room as brother and sister indulged in their carnal desire, letting their forbidden love bloom, and such was the case for the next two days.

 Chapter 72 : How many ? (R-18)

    Chapter 72 : How many ? (R-18)

    "Ahh...ahh...aah... I''m going toe~" moaned Amelia as she bounced up and down on Alex penis.

    "I''m also going to cum, where do you want it sis~"

    "Insideeee~" replied Amelia as she came.

    A momentter, Alex also grunted and released his essence inside his sister.

    Amelia slumped on his chest as the both of them breathed withbored breathing.

    "Was it...the tenth...or eleventh this time ?" Asked Amelia, stillying above Alex.

    "I really... don''t know" replied Alex.

    Since their first time bing one, they kept going at it non-stop, they didn''t eat or even rest, they just kept fucking like rabbits, they did it in every position they could think of and everywhere in Amelia''s room, from the bedroom, the bathroom to even the table and hairdresser.

    Actually, it would not be strange to find traces of semen or love juice everywhere in the room, even on the walls!

    A thick and intense scent of sex lingered in the room, but it didn''t hinder them from continuing in their activities.

    They were so concentrated on just enjoying each other that they came to lose the track of time, if they were asked what day it was actually they wouldn''t be able to answer, if it wasn''t for their level they would have long caved in, even then, Alex had to use 10 soul points to further enhance his stamina, bringing it to 140 to have a chance at matching Amelia intensity, during thosest hours he hade to know something about his sister that he didn''t know before : she is crazed for sex.

    Despite how many times they did it, she always wanted to keep going, it was like she was always horny, he hade to ask himself what kind of monster he had unleashed, but it''s not like he was any better, so one could say that they perfectly matched each other.

    "It was...so good" said Amelia, to which Alex nodded his head in agreement.

    "Want to go another round" asked Amelia after she caught her breath.

    "Yeah, let''s go-" as he was replying Alex came to a stop as another voice cut him off.

    "I don''t think so. You two have been at it for the past two days. I even had to stop the girls froming into this corner of the mansion to avoid bothering you. But I think it''s time for you to stop."

    The both of them released a squeal of surprise after they recognized the voice and Amelia quickly jumped from Alex, making a plop sound as Alex dick got out of her pussy.

    "Li-Lilia w-what are y-you doing to her ?" Asked Amelia while stuttering.

    "Well, I came to see how my husband was doing, I see that you took good "care" of him" replied Lilia with a smile.

    "That..." Amelia didn''t even know what to say to defend themselves, after all, Lilia had caught them red-handed, there was no denying it.

    As she was brainstorming to find something believable to say, she heard a chuckle next to her, she turned to look at Alex with a dumbfounded expression.

    ''How can youugh in a situation like this, your wife just caught you having sex with your sister!'' Screamed in her head Amelia.

    Alex could almost imagine what she was thinking, making himugh even harder, it was normal that she freak out, after all, Alex never told her about his suspicion that Lilia already knew what would happen.

    After a moment, he calmed himself and said as he looked at Lilia "you should stop teasing her babe, she is about to have a heart attack".

    Since Alex already understood that Lilia expected that the two of them would have sex but didn''t stop them nevertheless, that''s mean that she was okay with it.

    "Fine, fine, I''m stopping, nevertheless her expression was priceless as she thought I caught you" chuckled Lilia

    "I know right?" Agreed Alex with a sneer of his own.

    "..."

    Not knowing what was happening, Amelia just looked with an astonished face as the pair of husband and wife made fun of her.

    "W-What is happening here" managed to ask Amelia after she collected herself.

    "Well that''s quite simple, Lilia knew from the beginning what we would, or, should I say she knew what you would try to do" Replied Alex.

    "B-But how ?" Wondered Amelia as she looked at Lilia, in her mind there was no way for her to know or be suspicious of what might happen between Alex and her.

    "How?" Repeated Lilia with a chuckle before adding:

    "Girl, even a blind man can see the infatuation in your eyes every time you look at my husband, or should I say our husband now ?"

    Hearing her, Amelia blushed in embarrassment, eliciting a chuckle from both Alex and Lilia.

    "Stop chuckling!" Eximed Amelia as she red at the both of them.

    "Calm down little Amy, we are just joking" said Alex as he patted Amelia on her head, but all he got was an annoying gaze in return.

    "You knew all along and didn''t tell me" said Amelia before directing her gaze at Lilia.

    "And you, does it not bother you that your husband is sleeping with another woman, moreover his sister ?"

    "Not really" replied Lilia while shrugging her shoulders.

    "Where Ie from, it''s not umon for family members to marry in order to preserve the purity of their bloodline," exined Lilia.

    "I see" replied Amelia before asking the most important question that was on her mind, "you won''t ask us to stop our rtionship right ?"

    "If the two of you want to continue, you can do so" replied Lilia with a smile.

    ''Yes!'' Thought excitedly Amelia hearing Lilia response, she didn''t really have any intention of stopping their rtionship even if Lilia denied her, but it was good to know.

    "Now that it''s sorted out, how many soul points do you currently have ?"

 Chapter 73 : Smoke element

    Chapter 73 : Smoke element

    "Points ? What are you speaking about ?" Asked curiously Amelia, since they had been having sex the whole time, he didn''t tell her about the artifact.

    "I will exin to youter" said Alex before summoning the system to verify his points.

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 60

    Agility: 60

    Stamina: 140

    Defense: 60

    Mana Points: 55

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage

    Soul Points: 240]

    "What the-" eximed, Alex when he saw his current''s number of points.

    ''240? That''s means that I gained 220 points, how can it be so much'' wondered Alex.

    The reason he was shocked was very simple, he had merely gained 40 points from having sex with both Lilia and Anna, and now he suddenly got an increase of 220 points from having sex with Amelia.

    ''But, if I think about it, it''s quite normal'' thought Alex after giving it some consideration.

    ''For one, Amelia''s level is higher than the level of both Lilia and Anna, two, she is my sister and the system did say that I gained more points from fucking those that have blood ties with me and the final reason, we had been fucking for thest two days, it''s way more time than thebined time I spent fucking Anna and Lilia, so I guess it''s normal that I have so much points right now''

    ''In any case, it''s not like I''m going toin about it'' thought Alex with a big grin.

    "From your grin, I assume that you have acquired a good deal of points, right ?" Asked Lilia.

    "Yes"

    "Can you copy any ability by using your current points ?"

    "Let me chec-"

    "Wait, copy an ability, what are you talking about, what is going on ?" Asked a confused Amelia, she had wanted to just sit and listen to what they were saying, but in the end she couldn''t stop her curiosity, plus, what they were discussing seemed a bit absurd, copying an ability, was that even something possible.

    "I rmend informing her about the artifact now; it will avoid interruptions every time she hears something."

    "You are right" replied Alex before starting to tell the tale of how he got his wands on the lust artifact, again.

    After he finished, like all the others girls, Amelia got silent as she mulled over what Alex just told her, Alex then profited this moment to ask the system:

    ''Show me the list of all the abilities I can copy with my current points''.

    [Abilities from which woman ?]

    ''All of them'' replied Alex, if he had a choice, he wouldn''t include abilitiesing from Lilia as he had to unseal them before copying them, but s, Lilia was actually the only one of his women to have many abilities, Anna had two, and he knew that Amelia has three, he just hoped that he could copy one of those five abilities.

    Unfortunately for him, the system response was actually what he feared:

    [You can only copy one ability, whiches from Lilia Eswald]

    ''Well, I guess that was to be expected'' sighed Alex before asking ''what is the ability I can copy ?''

    [Smoke (sealed): allows the user to manipte the element of smoke.

    Level: Low

    Soul points needed to copy: 150

    Soul points needed to unseal: 50]

    ''Smoke, that''s not bad, that''s even good I would say'' appreciated Alex.

    ''Hey, I want to know if I unseal this ability, can Lilia use it'' asked Alex, since the moment he asked the system if he can copy her ability even if he didn''tpletely heal her, he had always been curious what would happen if he unsealed some of her abilities while copying them, would she be able to use them or not.

    [No, she can''t use that ability even if you unseal it, because she can''t use mana]

    ''Well, that''s too bad, but it does make sense'' thought Alex as he dismissed the system screen.

    "So, can you copy one ability?" Asked Lilia as she remarked that Alex seemed to refocus on her.

    "Yes, I can copy your smoke ability"

    "Smoke ability ? I hoped that you could copy something better" replied Lilia with a disappointed voice.

    "Why do you sound so disappointed ? I actually think that the smoke ability sounds quite cool, I even wonder why it''s a low level ability" said Alex.

    "I''m not disappointed because the smoke ability is weak, in this world there is not really a weak ability, every ability can be dangerous if trained well, the problem is that it generally takes time to master abilities like smoke, time that we unfortunately don''t have"

    "As for your other question about why the smoke element is actually a low-level one, it''s quite simple. Unlike elements such as water, fire, lightning, and others, the smoke element is not a pure element. Smoke emerges only when there is abustion or vaporization of certain materials, making it a secondary and derivative manifestation in the elemental hierarchy, why it''s low level" exined Lilia.

    "I understand" replied Alex.

    ''Hey system, how many points do I need to copy the second-weakest ability'' asked Alex, in his mind, if the difference in points is not too significant, he could try to earn more points to copy another ability, however...

    [2000 soul points]

    ''I guess, smoke element it is''

 Chapter 74 : New ability

    Chapter 74 : New ability

    "I guess Amy has some questions for you right now, so I will leave, join me in the training grounds after you finish talking" said Lilia while leaving Amelia''s room.

    The moment she stepped out, Alex focused on Amy, who appeared to have finally absorbed all he had previously mentioned about the artifact.

    "Sooo, you found an artifact that can grant you power and also allow you to copy abilities, and to do that you need to have sex with women and get some sorts of points, then use those points to strengthen yourself. However, since you possess this artifact, you got yourself in a death game named the sin''s game, did I get it right ?" Asked Amelia some secondster.

    "That''s right" replied Alex.

    "Sigh, I can''t even decided if it''s a good or a bad thing" said Amelia.

    "Me neither, but well, it helps me get more powerful, so it''s a positive point in my book. Plus, I don''t n to die early, so you don''t need to worry about me, little Amy. Besides, you''ll always be there to heal me if something were to happen, right?" said Alex with a smile.

    "Yes, I would always be there for you!" eximed Amelia, leaning in to kiss him on the lips.

    Alex reciprocated, and slowly they started to make out, tasting each other''s lips and intertwining their tongues together. As things were getting heated, Alex suddenly withdrew.

    "Wait, we shouldn''t get carried on, Lilia is waiting for me" said Alex, getting out of bed.

    "Too bad~" replied Amelia with a pout.

    "We will continue another time, that''s a promise" said Alex as he gave her a speck on the lips.

    "Okay" replied Amelia with a soft smile before slumping on the bed.

    "While you go train, I''m going to rest, you wore me out during thesest two days" added Amelia.

    Alex''s lips twitched hearing her, as he was sure that it was the contrary, he was the one that had been drained by this sex-crazed sister of his.

    ''Forget it, let''s go to the training grounds'' thought Alex as he wore his pants and excited Amelia room.

    As he approached the training grounds, his steps bordered on a run fueled by excitement. Who could me him? In both of his lives before the merging of their souls into one entity, neither the former Alex nor Jack possessed abilities. They were just normal people, well, as normal as a war hero and semi-level 2 could be.

    ***

    "You are finally here?" remarked Lilia as Alex strolled onto the training grounds.

    "Yes, let''s start immediately" said Alex with an excited tone.

    "Woah, what would you know? I never thought I would ever see my dear husband excited to train," teased Lilia.

    "Yeah yeah, let''s just start"

    ''He really is excited, he didn''t even try to tease me back'' thought Lilia with a smile.

    "Before we start, you said that you can see the descriptions of abilities belongings to you or your women''s right ? Can you tell me the description of the smoke element?"

    Alex found her request weird, but still told her exactly what he read, then asked :

    "Why did you ask ?"

    "I simply want to test the theory suggesting that having a more powerful soul ability could strengthen your other abilities. Typically, because the smoke ability is considered low-level, any changes resulting from your soul should be noticeable. Therefore, if the description deviates from the one provided when you read my smoke ability, it would indicate that the theory is correct. This would also confirm that your soul yed a role in empowering the artifact of lust."

    "Ah, I see," replied Alex.

    Truth be told, he had already forgotten about this fact, all he thought about currently was having a new ability.

    "What are we waiting, let''s start!"

    "Can you chill, we are waiting for scarl-...oh here she is, I guess we can start now".

    Alex nced over his shoulder and saw Scarlett approaching with dark bags under her eyes, indicating that she hadn''t slept much in thest few days.

    "You don''t look well, you should sleep more" chastised Alex.

    "Said the one who look even more tired than me" replied Scarlett with a sarcastic tone.

    "Fair enough" said Alex, as he knew that he also looked exhausted right now.

    "Okay, go on now, copy my smoke ability" said Lilia.

    ''Hey system, I want to copy Lilia''s smoke ability''

    [Are you-]

    ''Yes, unseal and copy it''

    [Unsealing smoke ability...]

    [Unsealingplete]

    [Starting the copying process of smoke ability...]

    The instant the system initiated the copying process, a searing pain pervaded Alex''s entire being, forcing him to drop to his knees. Yet, he wasn''t alone��simultaneously, as the processmenced, one of Lilia''s knees also met the ground as she clutched her head.

    "MOM, DAD!" Scarlett screamed, unsure of what to do, as the situation wasn''t supposed to unfold like this.

    "I will...manage, go see...how your father is doing" said Lilia through gritted teeth.

    Hearing her mother, Scarlett didn''t hesitate and obeyed, rushing toward her father.

    Meanwhile, Alex was feeling a throbbing pain in his body, no, it wasn''t his body.

    ''It''s my soul!'' Thought Alex as he recognized where the pain wasing from.

    The sensation seemed to be contrary to when the former Alex and Jack''s souls fused.

    Now, it felt as if his soul was being ripped apart, with something new being introduced and integrating within him.

    Fortunately, the process didn''t take long, and momentster, he felt his soul being stitched back together. After it wasplete, he copsed on the ground, breathing sharply.

    [Copying process finished]

    [A new ability acquired : smoke]

 Chapter 75: All kinds of smoke

    Chapter 75: All kinds of smoke

    As he was breathing ruggedly, Alex felt some kind of information making their way in his brain and bringing another dose of pain, but it wasn''t as painful as having his soul being torn apart, so he could sit despite the pain.

    "Dad, are you okay?" asked Scarlett as she offered her hand in support to help him sit.

    Wincing from pain, Alex took her hand and sat down.

    After a few seconds, the pain he was feeling disappeared like it was never there in the first ce, allowing Alex to concentrate on his surrounding.

    "Lilia!"

    The first thing he did was rush towards his wife, the moment his pain disappeared, he might have been out of it during the process, however he clearly felt that something was wrong with Lilia the moment the process started.

    He could not fully exin it, but it was like in those brief seconds his soul was connected to that of Lilia, allowing him to understand that she endured the same level -if not more - of pain as him.

    "Are hurt somewhere ? Anywhere?" Alex asked worriedly as he examined Lilia''s entire body to see if she was injured anywhere.

    "I''m fine Alex" replied Lilia, standing up.

    "Because of me you were hurt, sorry" said Alex remorsefully.

    Lilia took his face in her hands and said with a smile, "hey, don''t me yourself, you couldn''t know what would happen, plus, I''ve suffered much more pain than this, I was just caught off guard."

    "Not to mention, even if you examine my body you won''t see any wound since it was not a physical pain" chuckled Lilia.

    "In any case, you don''t need to worry about me, if it would help you get stronger, I''m willing to experience this sort of pain no matter how many times it takes" said Lilia with a smile.

    Alex gave her a kiss on her forehead while saying, "did I ever tell you that you were the best ?"

    "Yes, you did, but continue doing so, it''s not like it''s false, I''m indeed the best!" replied Lilia with a proud smile.

    "You are so modest" said Alex in a sarcastic tone.

    Despite his outwardly smiling expression, Alex was actually seething inside.

    ''Hey, motherf*cker, why did you not warn me that she will also feel pain during the copying process ?'' Asked Alex, angrily addressing the system.

    [...]

    The system didn''t answer immediately, but when it did, Alex froze in his ce:

    [<i>How could I be sure that she truly loves you, besides observing her reaction after the process was done? And I must say, she does love you~]</i>

    ''Who is this ?'' Asked Alex as his back was covered by cold sweat, the voice of the system that always seemed monotonous, now suddenly sounded sweet and even yful, but Alex''s instincts were screaming to him that the owner of this voice was dangerous.

    [<i>Me? You would find out sooner orter, till then, take care, lover boy</i>~]

    After that, there was a slight pause before the system said with Its normal monotonous voice:

    [You didn''t ask me if it was going to hurt]

    "...."

    ''Motherf*cker'' cursed Alex.

    ''I wonder to whom this voice belonged, the goddess of lust, I don''t see anyone beside her, perhaps-''

    "Dear, are you all right ?"

    "Ah, yes, what were you saying ?"

    "I asked if the copy was sessful"

    "Let me check"

    ''Let''s forget about it for now, it''s not like I can find out who it was by thinking about it''

    ''status''

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 60

    Agility: 60

    Stamina: 140

    Defense: 60

    Mana Points: 55

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, smoke maniption

    Soul Points: 40]

    Just seeing "smoke" in his abilities, a big grin appeared on his face as he said to Lilia, "The copy was sessful, I now have the smoke ability".

    "What is the description ? Is it different from when the ability was with me ?"

    "Let''s see"

    [Smoke: allows the user to manipte all kinds of smoke.

    You are immune to the smoke element]

    ''Wow, I gained an immunity against the element of smoke, will it be the same if I copy other''s element'' wondered Alex, already seeing himself bing immune to every element there is.

    "And ?" Asked Lilia as she saw Alex start to daydream.

    "Ah, yes, the description indeed changed, here is what the new description says..."

    Alex then exined to her what the new description of the ability said, and at the end of his exnation both Lilia at Scarlett next to her seemed shocked.

    After a moment, Lilia released a softugh.

    "I expected it, but I didn''t think that the changes would be so exaggerated"

    "It''s not just exaggerated, it''s literally a fraud" supported Scarlett.

    Hearing them, Alex scratched his head.

    "I know that obtaining an immunity against an element is overpowered, but surely not as much as make it sound"

    "Oh, we are not surprised because of the immunity" replied Scarlett

    "Then about what ?"

    "What does the first line of the description say ?" Asked Lilia.

    "It''s almost the same description as your smoke ability description, the sole difference is that I can manipte all kinds of smoke"

    Lilia shook her head then said, "you don''t know anything about the smoke, huh?"

    "Umm no" replied Alex, scratching his head.

    "So, let me exin the difference, contrary to the description given to my smoke ability, here it says that you can manipte <b>all</b> kinds of smoke".

 Chapter 76: Smoke attributes

    Chapter 76: Smoke attributes

    "All kinds of smoke? Isn''t that the same for all user of smoke element ?" Asked Alex, not understanding the difference.

    Lilia and Scarlett looked at each other for a moment before each released an exasperated breath.

    "You know, you could have studied how abilities function even if you didn''t have one that you can use" said Scarlett.

    "..."

    Alex just stayed silent knowing that she was right, he never studied how other abilities work, and why would he? It was not like he could picture himself in the future possessing or going against other abilities, if it wasn''t for the artifact that he got - per luck-, he wouldn''t even be here training and would instead be somewhere else, probably getting drunk.

    "Well, it is what it is. We should stop talking about your father''sck of education," said Lilia, driving the nail further in.

    ''They are really annoying when together'' thought Alex as the pair of mother and daughter kept teasing him.

    "Can we just concentrate on what''s important here ?"

    "Which is ?" Asked Scarlett

    "What is the difference between being able to manipte smoke and being able to manipte all kinds of smoke"

    "Well, it''s not really our fault if you don''t know, is it" replied Lilia, still continuing at making fun of him.

    "...."

    His increasingly annoyed expression caused Lilia and Scarlett to burst intoughter.

    "Okay, okay, that''s enough, we are stopping" said Lilia after a moment, then started finally exining:

    "The difference between your newly acquired smoke element and mine is that with yours you can manipte all kinds of smoke contrary to me, what was the reason why I told you that smoke is a low-level ability?"

    "Smoke emerges only when there is abustion or vaporization of certain materials, making it a secondary and derivative manifestation in the elemental hierarchy" responded Alex responded, parroting the exact words Lilia had uttered back then.

    "Yes that''s right, it''s why it''s a low-level ability, however due toing from the vaporization orbustion of certain materials it also has a very good advantage that many other abilities of higher level don''t have" exined Lilia.

    "Which is ?" Asked Alex with raised brows.

    "Attributes, the smoke element can have different attributes based on what''s burned or vaporized. Liquid Smoke, for instance, has special traits linked to the specific liquids used. For instance, If ites from a freezing substance, this smoke could induce a sudden drop in temperature, creating a chilling effect. On the other hand, if produced from a different type of liquid, the smoke might have distinctive properties. The smoke element presents numerous possibilities, each determined by the nature of the material involved.

    "However, one person can only control smoke with one, two or several attributes, for example, one person might only be able to manipte the smoke thates from freezing materials, one other can only manipte the smokeing from explosions and such, that''s why I said back then that abilities like smoke take time to master, normally when one person has the smoke ability it might even take some years to know what kind of attributed smoke they can use, some unfortunate one never find that attributed smoke they can use, but in your case it''s different, you don''t need to search for what kind of attributed smoke you can manipte since you can manipte all kinds of smoke no matter the attribute, which means that one of the greatest if not the greatest obstacle to the smoke ability user actually became a trump card in your hands" exined Lilia.

    Alex got silent when he heard her exnation, quite frankly, he was shocked, when he decided to copy the smoke ability it was mostly due to it being the only one that he could copy, the smoke element seemed like something cool, but it was just that, he didn''t think that it would be anything exceptional, but this...was absolutely mind-blowing.

    "Quite frankly, I think that the current smoke ability that you possess is no longer a low-level ability" added Scarlett.

    ''Who would have thought that this useless ability of mine would one day be such a boon, life is really unpredictable'' thought Alex with a sudden chuckle.

    "All of this also proves my suspicion" said Lilia after a moment.

    "Which suspicion ?" Asked Scarlett.

    "That your father''s soul actually boosted the capabilities of the artifact, allowing it to be be able to do things that it normally shouldn''t be able to do, like copying abilities".

    "It does make sense" agreed Scarlett before asking with a thoughtful face, "but If this theory is right, what will happen if dad''s soul bes even more powerful? Would the artifact allow him to do even more things than now, or will there be no change at all".

    "I''m not sure about that. The only way to find out would be to further empower his soul and see what happens," replied Lilia.

    "Because you know how to empower one soul ?" Asked Alex with a sarcastic voice, fully aware that empowering a soul was nearly impossible.

    "As a matter of fact, I do know a few ces, and there is even one such ce on this continent and you''re already familiar with it, maybe you could visit itter and try your luck" said Lilia with a wide mischievous smile.

    "One ce where one can boost his soul, there is no such-" as he was about to finish his sentence, one such ce came to his mind, making him shudder as he eximed:

    "No, no, no, there is no f*ucking way I''m going to that cursed ce!"

 Chapter 77 : Too abnormal

    Chapter 77 : Too abnormal

    "Why won''t you go, it might help you empower your soul" said Lilia with the same mischievous smile.

    "Even then, I won''t go!" Replied stubbornly Alex.

    "Umm, where is this ce you are talking about?" Asked curiously Scarlett.

    "The ce I''m talking about is the Elysian Mountains in the Elysian Kingdom. Every two years, a rumored portal emerges, leading to a pocket dimension believed to house treasures and an elixir capable of enhancing soul power," exined Lilia.

    "All of these are mere lies, how could people know what is in that dimension pocket while it''s been hundreds of years that no one managed toe back alive, people are just saying nonsense, I''m telling you!" Eximed Alex.

    "Whether it''s true or false, no one knows. What we know is that there is definitely something in that dimension pocket, so it would be good to check it out, maybe there is really something that can empower the soul" said Lilia, then added:

    "We should forget about it, we need to restart your training, we barely have three remaining days to train, we should make better use of them".

    Alex nodded his head and Lilia continued:

    "Before anything, we should see if you can really control the smoke element, to do that, we will be setting fire to those dried leaves over there, and you will try to manipte the smoke that will emerge" said Lilia, pointing to a pile of leaves.

    "Okay, let''s start!" Replied Alex, already making his way toward the pile.

    "The least we can say is that he is excited" said with a chuckle Scarlett.

    "Well, we shouldn''t keep him waiting" replied Lilia.

    Once they were at the location of the pile of leaves, Lilia said to Alex:

    "We will start now, concentrate", she then looked at Scarlett and nodded.

    "Hehe, it just means I''m amazing!" said Alex with his nose in the air, reveling in his own perceived brilliance.

    One momentter, smoke started to be emitted from the burning leaves, seeing this, Alex extended one of his arms and willed the smoke to stop spreading.

    Just like that, the spreading smoke stopped moving, making a smile appear on Alex''s face.

    He then willed for the smoke to take the form of a round ball, then a cube, then into a chair, a bike, and even a car, he had once thought that manipting the smoke element would be difficult or that he would struggle, but it was none of that, in fact, controlling smoke was like moving his arms, it was like the smoke was just an extension of his body and he could do anything with it.

    Each time that the smoke moved like he wanted it to, the smile on Alex''s face grew, conversely, each time he shaped the smoke into something new, the girls looked more bewildered.

    They looked at each other and Scarlett said, "he is not supposed to do that so soon, right ?"

    "No, he isn''t" replied Lilia.

    Meanwhile, Alex continued ying with the smoke like some kid ying with his favorite toy.***

    When the fire went out, he finally stopped ying and turned around. However, he did so while ensuring the smoke didn''t vanish. To achieve this, he infused some of his mana into the smoke.

    "Did I do good ?" Asked Alex with a beaming smile as he looked at the girls.

    "...."

    "...."

    After some silent, Lilia sighed and replied "you did well, actually you did too well"

    "What do you mean?"

    "Honestly, I didn''t think you''d manage to control the smoke, let alone shape it as you wanted. Usually, it takes people a few tries to control their element, but you did it on your first attempt, and you can even give it any shape you want. It''s really astonishing," exined Lilia.

    "Hehe, it just means I''m amazing!" said Alex with his nose in the air, reveling in his own perceived brilliance.

    ''I guess he deserves to boast a little'' thought Lilia.

    After Alex finished praising himself, Lilia informed him of their next test, which involved determining the range he could manipte the smoke element. To achieve this, they used devices created by Scarlett.

    Those device released smoke and were ced some distance away from Alex.

    At first, they positioned the devices 100m away from him, and he attempted to control the smoke from that distance. However, he couldn''t manage it. Yet, this was anticipated; the ability to control one''s element typically expands with training, it''s not like there was a fixed range for ranged for everyone.

    After the 100m test, they shortened the distance to 70m. Despite this, Alex still couldn''t control the smoke. Consequently, they further reduced it, cing the device at 60m.

    At 60m, Alex could sense the presence of smoke nearby, yet he still couldn''t exert control over it.

    When they brought the range down to 50 meters, Alex could finally control the smoke. This surprised Lilia because a 50m range was umon for someone who hadn''t trained their abilities.

    However, the girls got even more shocked when they realized that he can control smoke from different location as long as they were in his range, a novice shouldn''t be able to do something like that.

    Shaking her head, Lilia thought, ''I don''t even know if I can refer to him as a novice, he''s just too abnormal''.

 Chapter 78 : Till it’s time

    Chapter 78 : Till it��s time

    Let''s pass to the final step of the test" said Lilia after the range test ended.

    "What will be the final test?" Curiously asked Alex.

    "Nothing much, we will just test if you can truly manipte all kinds of smoke, of course we can''t fully test it since it''s not like we have all the kinds of smoke in existence, but we will do it like this: we will take the record of the smoke element user who can use the most attributes as reference, if the number of attributed smoke that you can manipte is more than the number of attributed smoke that person use we will assume that you can effectively manipte all kinds of smoke, for now" exined Lilia.

    "Who holds the record of being able to manipte the most attributed smoke?" Asked Alex.

    "He calls himself the smoke king, and he is not on this continent, but from verdantia, it''s said that he can currently manipte fifty-six kinds of smoke".

    "That''s quite a lot" whistled Alex.

    "If you ask me, it''s not enough to be called the king of smoke, manipting fifty-six kinds of smoke is definitely good, however how many kinds of smoke for you think it exists? Hundreds? Thousands? Ten thousands? I don''t know what I do know however is that the fifty-six kinds of smoke that he can manipte don''t represent even one percent of the numbers of kinds of smoke that exists, so calling himself smoke king is actually very arrogant" said Lilia.

    ''Put that way, being able to control fifty-six kinds of smoke does sound mediocre'' thought Alex.

    "Don''t worry, now that I can also use the smoke ability, I''m going to take that title from him!" confidently eximed Alex.

    "Right, how can someone dare call himself smoke king just by controlling fifty-six kinds of smoke while my husband can control all kinds of smoke, the nerve! No one besides my hubby deserves the right to be called the smoke king!" Supported Lilia.

    "Well said, no one besides me deserves that title" agreed Alex.

    Meanwhile, Scarlett was looking at her parents, speechless.

    ''He just got the smoke ability no more than 2 hours, and he is already the only one that deserves to be called the smoke king? What kind of logic is that?'' Wondered Scarlett.

    After some minutes, when the shameless couple finishedining about the fact that the smoke king title "unfairly" belonged to someone other than Alex, they finally started the test.

    This test didn''tst very long, they used the same devices that they used to determine the range at which Alex could control smoke, which they ced around Alex.

    There were fifty devices, each containing a different kind of material which was burned -in some cases vaporized - thus creating different kinds of smoke.

    Since Alex could control smoke as long as it was in his range of maniption, the moment the fifty devices released the smoke contained within them, Alex took control of all the different kinds of smoke at the same time!

    This result proved another time that Alex''s level of control over his element was excellent, but also that, like the system says, he can potentially control all kinds of smoke!

    ''The only problem with the smoke element is that I need a material to burn or vaporize beforehand, which is a problem as it means that even if I can use many attributed smoke as long as I can''t burn them, I can''t use them as my opponent won''t certainly give me the leisure to do so if he/she know about my power, what to do?'' Pondered Alex while pacing back and forth as the girls were busy retrieving the devices.

    ''I need to find a way that can allow me to use my-...wait, I can do that!''

    Alex quickly approached Scarlett and whispered to her :

    "Can you make me..."

    After he finished exining to Scarlett what he wanted, she took a moment to think before replying:

    "Something like that should be possible, but it will not be easy to make, so what will you give me in return ?"

    "...."

    Alex looked deep in her eyes and saw that she was quite serious, which made him sigh as he murmured :

    "Can''t even ask your own daughter something without her asking some other thing in return, how ungrateful"

    "I heard you!" Eximed Scarlett.

    "That was intended"

    "...."

    After some silence in which they started at each other, Scarlett finally said "I will make the thing that you asked me, but you will owe me one".

    "Deal!" Replied Alex.

    After that, Scarlett left the training grounds and returned to the library to start creating what Alex asked her.

    "What was it about?" Asked Lilia after she regrouped with Alex.

    "Oh, I asked her to make me something"

    "What is it?"

    "You will see when it''s done, meanwhile we should start the training, right ?"

    "Yes, you are right, let''s start, and this time we won''t stop till it''s time for thepetition to begin".

 Chapter 79 : New arrivals

    Chapter 79 : New arrivals

    "With what will we start ?" Asked Alex.

    "Since your maniption is already at a good level, we will be skipping some steps, so the first thing you will train is how to expand your smoke ability" exined Lilia.

    "But, I can already do that" replied Alex.

    To prove what he said, Alex took control of the smoke around them and expanded it around the training grounds.

    "See, I can already do that"

    Lilia shook her head then exined, "What I''m referring to is dispersing the smoke under your control while maintaining a consistent thickness. What you just did was simply spread the smoke that was within your control over the training grounds. Consequently, as the smoke spread, it became thinner."

    "Oh, I see, how do I do that ?" Curiously asked Alex.

    "It''s quite simple, you just need to tweak your mana in a way that will allow you to do something like that, learning such a thing won''t will at most take us a few hours, so we must start right no-"

    As she was speaking, Lilia came to a sudden halt as Alex concentrated all the smoke near them before spreading it around the training grounds, just like before. However, this time, the smoke didn''t thin out as it traveled, but instead retained the same thickness!

    "Like this?" Asked Alex with a faint smile.

    "...."

    After a slight moment of shock due to what just happened, Lilia sighed and thought with a helpless smile:

    ''he has already shown that his control of his element is out of the ordinary, I guess it was my fault for thinking that it would take him a few hours to learn something like that''

    "What other thing can you teach me ?" Asked Alex excitedly.

    ''He might really be a monster after three whole days of training'' thought Lilia with a faint pleased smile.

    ***

    One dayter

    "So, Alex resumed his training ?" Asked Ava.

    "Yes, he resumed it yesterday" replied Amelia seated in front of her mother.

    After a moment of silence, Ava squinted her eyes at her daughter and asked in a suspicious tone:

    "Why did it take you two days to heal him? From what I observed, he didn''t carry that much of Injuries, so why did you say that you needed two days to heal him, what kind of treatment did you administer to him"

    Amelia froze when she heard her mother question, the way she spoke seemed to indicate that she knew something or at least was suspicious of something going on between them.

    As Amelia struggled toe up with a sound exnation, they heard a knock on the door.

    "I will go see who it is," quickly said Amelia, wanting to avoid answering her mother.

    "No, sit down and tell me what is going on between you and your-"

    Before Ava could finish speaking, the door opened and Anna walked in.

    "Master, Amelia" greeted Anna.

    "You wouldn''t have opened the door if it wasn''t something urgent, so what''s going on ?" Inquired Ava.

    "A flying carriage with the Eswald family emblem ising towards the mansion" informed Anna.

    "Huh? No one was supposed toe today, who is it?" Wondered Ava.

    "I guess we will see who it is when they arrive, let''s go wee them anyway" said Ava.

    ''I don''t know who it is, but perfect timing '' thought Amelia, d that she wouldn''t have to answer to her mother question.

    Unfortunately for her, it seemed that Ava had no intention of letting go of things.

    "We will continue our discussionter" said Ava, eyeing Anna.

    ''Guess I won''t escape it'' sighed Amelia.

    Together, the girls made their way out of the mansion, and waited for the carriage toe.

    Minutester, a whiterge carriage pulled by two white pegasinded on the ground right before the door of the mansion.

    The coachman descended, greeted the girls with a bow, then turned to open the carriage.

    The moment he opened the carriage door, an overbearing aura locked on the girls, making them freeze on the spot.

    ''Who is it that has such an aura'' wondered the girls.

    They didn''t have to wait for long to know as a woman slowly came out of the carriage.

    The woman that came out looked to be in the forties, but despite that she was exquisitely beautiful, she had magnificent silver hair that matched well with her mesmerizing gray eyes that seemed to sparkle. Full, luscious lips and a regal nose enhanced her captivating features. She was draped in an exquisite white long dress that seemed to struggle to conceal her generous curves.

    All in all, this woman embodied the ideal image that every young, beautiful woman aspires to when aging.

    When she saw who came out of the carriage, Amelia shouted "GRANDMA", before rushing to the woman and hugging her.

    The woman hugged back Amelia and asked with a smile:

    "How are you, little Amy?"

    "I''m doing great, and you ?"

    As she was going to reply, Ava approached them with a smile and said:

    "wee mother"

    Then she asked, "Weren''t you supposed toe in two days ?"

    "Ah yes that was the arrangement, but I was bored, so I decided toe earlier!"

 Chapter 80 : Eleanor and Candace Eswald

    Chapter 80 : Eleanor and Candace Eswald

    ''You came two days earlier because you were bored?,'' wondered Ava while shaking her head.

    ''It seems that she is still as carefree as ever,'' smiled helplessly Ava.

    Grace Eswald, Alex''s grandmother and the current head of their branch of the family, was someone one would call free-spirited; she always does what she wants despite what everyone says.

    Even when her husband, Alex''s grandfather, was alive, he didn''t try to restrain her, because it was all for naught.

    As Ava was looking at Anna and Grace greeting each other, she remarked something then asked Grace:

    "Did you advance to mid-level 7?"

    "I see that you noticed, yes, I advanced to mid-level 7st month. That''s why I seem even younger and more beautiful. Am I not amazing?" replied Grace with a proud tone.

    "Yes, you definitely are," replied Ava with a look of respect.

    It was to be noted that when you be a level 6, it bes incredibly hard to progress further. So progressing from low-level 7 to mid-level 7 was something that was actually a huge task, so it was understandable that Ava thought that it was worthy of praise.

    "Stop boasting; ultimately, you are still just as old as before breaking through," said a voiceing from the carriage.

    A few secondster, another woman with radiant ebony skin and pale golden eyes appeared. She carried the grace of someone in her fifties yet retained a timeless beauty. Short, shoulder-length hairplemented her appearance, and she wore a flowing ck gown that harmonized with her hair, entuating her captivating presence.

    This woman elderly woman was Candace Eswald, Alex''s grandfather''s third wife.

    Although she seemed much older than Grace, she was actually younger than her, but it was understandable. Unlike Grace, she was just a level 6.

    After she came out of the carriage, another woman came out; however, contrary to the other two that came out previously, this woman had a young face. She looked like she was in her thirties.

    This seemingly young woman was none other than Alex''s youngest aunt and first crush. She looked like a younger and more beautiful version of her mother, Candace, but contrary to her mother''s pale golden eyes, her eyes were an entrancing spectacle. They were like two pools of moltenva, glowing with such intensity that it seemed you would burn yourself if you stared at her eyes for a prolonged time.

    She had long braided hair, and, just like her mother, wore a long ck gown that clung to her curvaceous body.

    She was one would call the epitome of beauty, but it was difficult to concentrate on her beautiful face with the kind of face she was making.

    Eleanor had a cold expression as she got down from the carriage. One would think that it was because she was forcefully dragged her by her mother and Grace, but it was not like that; it was just that she always had an aloof expression even when she was younger. The only that had actually ever seen her smile was actually just those that were currently in the mansion. Other than those, she was like a block of ice for anyone.

    "Grandma Candace, Aunt Eleanor!" eximed Amelia as she rushed to them and hugged them in quick session.

    "How are you, little Amy? I see that you have also reached mid-level 4; it seems that you are as talented as your mother and grandmother,"plimented Candace.

    "Hehe, you are ttering me too much," replied Amelia, but she didn''t have a hint of shyness on her face, as she thought that she indeed needed to be congratted for reaching mid-level 4.

    "Tell me Amy, where is Alexandre?" suddenly asked Eleanor.

    She may look like the serious type of person �� which she quite frankly was �� but paradoxically, her favorite person in the family was Alex, who happened to be the mostzy.

    Their rtionship was something that, until now, many didn''t understand. Eleanor was a woman who despised the concept ofzing around. Despite being not much older than Alex, she was already at the peak of level 5 and would soon cross the bridge that separated her from level 6. In fact, if the Eswald familypetition had taken ce a couple of years ago, she might have participated. If that were the case, she would surely have be the next heir of the Eswald family.

    People couldn''t understand how such a woman could be affectionate toward azy bum like Alex, but those that knew her history when she was young understood perfectly why she had so many affinities with Alex.

    Eleanor was what one might call ate bloomer. Like Alex, her talent was deemed to be inconsequential when she was young, making her the victim of people''s mockery. It wasn''t until many years of hard work that her talent truly blossomed. So when it was identified that Alex had a trash talent, she was actually the only one truly knowing how he felt at that time.

    She was the one that approached him and nearly passed a year trying to cheer him up; it was actually from there that came the crush Alex had on her.

    "Alex is training with Lilia," replied Amelia to Eleanor''s question.

    "Hmm, what did you say again? Alex is... training?" asked for confirmation Eleanor, her stoic face giving way to an expression of surprise.

    She wasn''t the only one surprised; even Grace and Candace were taken aback by what Amelia said.

    Everyone knew that Alex never trained and even despised training, so it evidently came as a shock to hear such a person training.

    "Why is he training for?" asked Eleanor after her surprise faded away. However, Amelia''s next words shocked her even more than thest.

    "He is training because he intends to be the head of our branch."

 Chapter 81 : shocking news

    Chapter 81 : shocking news

    "What did you just say?" questioned Grace as she turned around to look at Amelia with a shocked expression.

    It wasn''t just her that was shocked; Candace and Eleanor were also in a state of shock.

    Learning that Alex was training was already surprising, but hearing that he was doing so because he wanted to be the head of their branch was even more shocking, as it implied another thing:

    He wanted to participate in the uingpetition that would determine the next head of the entire Eswald family.

    When they came to this conclusion, the three women didn''t even know what to say.

    Seeing their reactions, Ava released a soft chuckle, knowing that what they heard was indeed quite surprising.

    After a moment of silence, Grace startedughing uproariously.

    "Finally! Thatzy bum finally decided to grow a pair of balls!"

    "Mother! You shouldn''t speak like that-"

    "Don''t bother; you know very well that this woman is not dy-like,''" said Candace, but like Grace, she also portrayed a smile.

    Even the generally cold Eleanor was smiling.

    "I don''t want to be the one that kills the mood, but I don''t think that he can be the head of our branch," said Candace after a moment, making everyone frown as they looked at her.

    She smiled sheepishly, seeing their re toward her; even her daughter was ring at her frown.

    "Don''t look at me like that; what I said might be unpleasant, but it''s the truth."

    "And how do you know that?" questioned Grace.

    "In this world, even if you have a ''trash talent,'' as long as you diligently train, you will eventually transcend your talent one day. But is it the case for Alex? Did he diligently train all his life? Hell, thest time that we were here, Alex was at the tavern, getting drunk. So that means he started training not long ago. If I were to bet, I would say that he started training only when you informed him of thepetition we are holding in two days. In those conditions, how do you expect him to win against people that were training from their young ages?"

    Candace paused for a second before eyeing Ava and said with a smile:

    "Alex might bezy, but he is not dumb. He is already aware of all the things I''ve just exined, but he still wants to participate, which means that he had means that might help him win that we are not aware of, am I right?"

    ''I guess people call her the diviner for a reason,'' smiled Ava.

    Candace being weaker than Grace was due to talent difference but not only because of that; in fact, the difference in talent was an insignificant reason. The true reason was that Candace was not a warrior; no, she was the one that instructed the warriors. She was a strategist and a good one at that.

    ''With just a few words, she deduced that Alex had something that might help him win, and she wasn''t even using her ability. I wonder how much she would be able to deduce if she were to use it,'' wondered Ava, before replying to Candace:

    "It''s as you say; Alex managed to find something that might help him win."

    "Good, good," nodded Candace.

    "Wait, I don''t know what that ''something'' is, but even then, won''t it be incredibly difficult for a pseudo-level 2 to beat a level 4?" asked Grace.

    Amelia, Anna, and Ava looked at each other before responding, knowing that the response to this question was going to shock them even more. Ava sighed then dropped the bomb.

    "Alex isn''t a pseudo-level 2 anymore; he is currently a level 4."

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    ''I guess that was to be expected,'' thought Ava while scratching her head as she looked at the faces of the three women.

    They didn''t have a shocked face like she thought they would have; they looked at her with an annoying gaze, seemingly thinking that she was lying.

    "You shouldn''t joke like that, Ava; if Alex were to hear you, he might be upset. There are things that shouldn''t be said even in jokes," chastised Grace.

    "This time I''m with her, Ava; you shouldn''t say such insensitive jokes," supported Candace.

    Eleanor didn''t say anything, but it was clear that she thought the same, as she looked at Ava with a disapproving face.

    "...."

    This time it was Ava''s turn to look at them with an annoyed face; she told them the truth, yet here they were chastising her.

    "She is right; Alex is really at level 4," said Amelia, supporting her mother.

    However, despite what she said, Grace andpany didn''t believe them.

    They turned toward Anna then asked her, "Are what they are saying right?"

    Under their piercing gazes, Anna shrunk a little but still nodded her head, but even then, they didn''t want to believe such a thing.

    "Alex is in the training grounds, right? Let''s go; I won''t believe such a thing until I see it with my own eyes!"

 Chapter 82 : Nebula stones

    Chapter 82 : Neb stones

    "Well, if you want, we can head to the training grounds right now. Then you''ll see for yourself," replied Ava in response to Grace''s statement.

    "Let''s go!"

    Together, the six women moved toward the training grounds, maintaining a silent procession.

    Within a few minutes, they stood in front of the training ground''s door, which Grace promptly pushed open.

    Once inside, they were taken aback to see Lilia seatedfortably, sipping tea and engrossed in reading.

    "Isn''t she supposed to be training Alex ?" Questioned Grace.

    "That''s what I understood" replied Ava as they made their way towards Lilia.

    When they were near her, Lilia picked up their footsteps and lifted her head to look at who wasing.

    When she saw who it was, she stood up and gently bowed toward Grace while saying respectfully:

    "I greet the family branch head"

    "Oh, hush. I keep telling you to call me grandma," replied Grace with a smile as she approached Lilia to give her a hug.

    Lilia returned the hug before they separated from each other.

    Lilia then drew near to Candace, embracing her warmly while offering a friendly greeting.

    After they exchanged pleasantries with each other, Lilia greeted Eleanor.

    However, unlike the other two, she just nodded her head toward Eleanor, knowing that this one wasn''t the hugging type.

    "May I know what brought you here?" Asked Lilia after she finished greeting everyone.

    "Those three mentioned you were training Alex, so we came to check on his progress. But I don''t see him, don''t tell me that this brat ditched the training" said Grace.

    "That wouldn''t be a first" chuckled Candace.

    "No, actually he is right there" replied Lilia while pointing behind her chair.

    As the girls looked behind the chair, they saw a figure that had a humanoid shame made of thick smoke. The smoke was so dense that they couldn''t tell if it was a smoky being or a person wrapped in smoke. Surrounding this figure, there were rectangr-shaped gray stones.

    "Is this... Alex ?" Asked Anna, shocked.

    She wasn''t the only reacting like that, even the others were taken aback by the sight just before them.

    "Yes, it''s Alex".

    "Why is he in there, what kind of training is it ?" Asked Amelia what was on everyone''s mind.

    "Those stones, don''t tell me that it''s-"

    Before Ava could finish, Lilia nodded her head in agreement and said, "it''s as you think, it''s the neb stones".

    "If you are using the neb stones it means that he is currently training his affinity, aren''t you moving too fast in his training, he might miss thepetition if he doesn''t get out in time" stressed Ava.

    Although they didn''t understand what those two were talking about, the moment the other girls heard Ava, they frowned.

    "No, on the contrary, I think that it''s you who are underestimating him" replied Lilia with a smile.

    "Then can you tell me since when he is in this state?" Asked Ava

    "It''s just been a few hours, so-"

    "STOP!" Eximed Grace, making Lilia and Ava shut up as they were surprised by her outburst.

    "Mind exining to the rest of us what you two are talking about? What are those "neb stones" you are talking about, and what is going on with Alex, why did you say that he might miss thepetition..." Grace fired question after question.

    Lilia and Ava looked at each other before nodding their heads.

    Lilia pointed at the rectangr-shaped gray stones, then exined:

    "Those stones are called the neb stones, where Ie from, they are essentially used to boost one elemental affinity".

    When they heard the exnation, the girls were a little surprised, they had never heard about such a thing as boosting one affinity being possible.

    "How do they work?" Asked Eleanor with a hint of interested on her generally stoic face.

    "Well, it''s quite simple, at first, the neb stones are transparent, but they have a specialty, they can absorb the elements-"

    "I don''t see what is special about it, there are other stones or minerals capable of doing the same thing" said Amelia, cutting off Lilia.

    Lilia''s lips twitched, and she replied with an annoyed tone, "you would surely know if you stop interrupting me".

    "Sorry" apologized Amelia.

    "Ahem, as I was saying, these stones can absorb elements. But it''s not just that feature that makes them special. The unique aspect of these stones is that after absorbing an element, their colors change to match the absorbed element, and then they release the same element into the air."

    "Huh? The stone will release the absorbed element? " Asked an astonished Amelia.

    "Yes, the stone releases the same element it absorbed. However, there''s more to it. If a person possessing the ability rted to that elementes into contact with the released element, they will lose all of their senses upon contact."

 Chapter 83 : No more than a few hours

    Chapter 83 : No more than a few hours

    "They will lose all of their senses upon contact of with their own element ?" Candace questioned, taken aback.

    "Yes, that''s the case, if you have not the same ability as the element that is released in the air, then nothing would happen to you" exined Lilia

    "I see, that would exin why Alex hasn''t heard us even though-, wait, if I understood what you said, the released element only blocks our senses if we have the same element, so That means that-"

    Candace came to a stop as she came to a realization.

    "Alex has the smoke ability?" Muttered Candace in a surprised tone.

    "Hum? What did you say?" Asked Grace.

    "Alex has the smoke ability" affirmed Candace after a few moments of thought.

    It was after she said this that the others finally put two and two together, when they came to same the same conclusion as she Candace they were stunned, well, Grace and Eleanor were.

    As for the others, they weren''t as surprised, even though they didn''t know that he had the smoke ability, they knew that he can obtain new abilities, so it wasn''t as surprising.

    "He can control smoke? How''s that possible? In just a few months, he jumped from level 1 to level 4 and even got a new ability. He must have found something really amazing to do all that," Eleanor said.

    ''I guess I shouldn''t say that he did all of that in less than a week'' Lilia chuckled to herself.

    "Sigh, I can''t even begin to imagine how he achieved all of this, so I guess I will ask himter. Let''s go back to your training. I have a few guesses, but how can he lose all his senses to help him augment his affinity with his element?" asked Grace.

    "You see, when youe in contact with the released element, and you lose all of your senses, the released element��in Alex''s case, the smoke��wraps itself around you and acts like some prison. To get out of this prison, there are two options: the first one is that someone else shatters the neb stones, or you need toe out on your own."

    "However, it''s difficult to break out of this prison if you''ve lost your senses. Fortunately, you can still sense your element, or rather, the only thing you can feel is your element. It''s the only thing you can rely on. So, your way to get out is to take control of the prison you are in. Obviously, it''s not that simple, since to do that, you need to have a good affinity with your element. An affinity so strong that you can still manipte your element even if you have lost all your senses."

    "And since the only thing you can feel is your element, it bes easier to enhance your affinity," exined Lilia.

    "That''s also why I said that Alex might miss thepetition. No one knows how long it will take someone toe out of this state, and if we were to shatter the stones, Alex might never get the chance to use this method to enhance his affinity, since our body gains immunity against those stones'' effects after the first time. I think you have been too hasty," said Ava, sighing.

    Hearing her words, Lilia just shook her head and replied, "He won''t miss thepetition"

    "And why do you think that ?" Asked Grace with a quite serious tone.

    From Grace''s point of view, the only person that should lead not only their branch of the family but the whole Eswald family was Alex, but she had abandoned that train of thought when Alex made it clear that he didn''t want to be the family head.

    However, she knew her grandson well enough to know that the reason he said that he didn''t want to be the head of the family was not because he didn''t want, but because he deemed himself to be inadequate for the position since he was weak.

    But from what she had heard since she came to the mansion, Alex finally had the strength to pretend to the position of family head, if that was the case, Grace couldn''t risk letting him miss his chance just because he needed to enhance his affinity with his element, so if Lilia words weren''t convincing she was ready to shatter those stones, even if it meant that Alex couldn''t use this method ever again, in her mind, if Alex had found something that helped him be more powerful in just a few months, it was not impossible that he might find another method to enhance his affinity.

    "There are two reasons why I said that he wille out from this state before thepetition, the first one being the density of his element" said Lilia before adding:

    "Generally, the less dense is one element, the easier it will be to build an affinity with this element and since the smoke element isn''t that dense - generally - it will take Alex less time to get out"

    "And what is the second reason ?" Questioned Eleanor.

    "Talent, I started training him to better control his smoke element just yesterday, but his level of control is already at a level that I had reached only monthster after I started training myself to better control my smoke ability, his current affinity with this element is already off the charts, so I can assure you he will not take that long toe out, in fact..."

    Lilia smiled faintly then continued :

    "... I believe that it won''t take him more than a few hours toe out".

 Chapter 84: Classic and sovereign route

    Chapter 84: ssic and sovereign route

    ''It''s really a strange sensation'' thought Alex as he was... Actually, he didn''t know how current state.

    He couldn''t see nor couldn''t hear, he didn''t know if he was on solid ground or floating in the air, he hadpletely lost the track of time, he didn''t even know how long he had been here, one minute, one hour or one day ? He didn''t know, he felt like he was in a void, but was it truly a void? he didn''t know he was never in a void, all he knew was that this feeling was dreadful.

    ''Fortunately that Lilia warned, or I might have lost my sh*t, even when I died, it wasn''t as frightening as this!'' Thought Alex.

    At least his thought were still with him, those were actually the only thing apart from a strange sensation that he felt that were still him.

    The sensation he felt was the same as when he normally used his smoke ability, it was like a third arm that he never had, but subconsciously knew how to use.

    This sensation was obviously what connected him to his smoke element, from what Lilia said, it was like a chain that bonded him with his element. The longer this chain, the less affinity you had with your element, which made his current situation all the more problematic as currently his connection with the smoke element actually seemed much longer than before!

    ''Well, Lilia warned me before, but it''s still disturbing to know that the level of control I had over the smoke element wasn''t really as I thought'' thought Alex, painfully bing aware of his situation.

    From what Lilia had said, it takes one to be in a situation where the only thing you could rely on is your element, to really understand how weak - or good - the level of control you had over your element.

    ''Well, let''s start, but what method should I use?'' As he thought this, Alex''s mind drifted back to when Lilia exined the method he could use to augment his affinity when in this situation.

    ***

    "You have two methods to go about it: the first one is the ssic route which 99.99% of people generally take, or the controller method -also named the sovereign route-, which is less taken" exined Lilia.

    "How to achieve each route ?" Asked Alex, even though he was more interested in the sovereign method the moment he heard the name, but he forced himself to ask since he didn''t want to rush and take a method that wouldn''t suit him.

    "The first method -the ssic route - consists of shortening the link by pulling on it, the goal is obviously to shorten the distance between you and your element, this method generally takes more time than the other, but it is the safest route"

    "What about the second route ?"

    "The second method -The sovereign route - is a forward one, but it''s also a dangerous one, if the ssic route can bepared to slowly building a rtionship like friendship between you and your element, The sovereign route is a path that you take when you want to force your element into subjugation or servitude, like a subordinate or a ve."

    "This sovereign route seems more and more alluring. Tell me, what is the difference between the two ?" Asked Alex.

    "It''s quite obvious I think, the ssic route is the safest route, but it offers less level of control over your element, meanwhile the sovereign route is a dangerous one but if you achieve it you may be considered a sovereign as your level of control over your element is absolute." Exined Lilia.

    "I understand" said Alex with a contemtive expression.

    "You told me how to take the ssic route, how about the sovereign route" asked Alex after a moment.

    "If you want to take the sovereign route, there are three steps that you need toplete" Lilia expression turned solemn as she added "the first one is to make sure that you already have a good affinity with your element before even trying to enhance it"

    "The second step is to break the connection that binds you to your element."

    "Huh? Break the connection that binds me with my element, won''t I lose my element if I do this ?" Asked Alex, stunned.

    "That''s why I said that the sovereign route is dangerous, you may lose your ability by taking this route" said Lilia with a solemn tone.

    Alex got silent hearing her, suddenly the sovereign route seemed less alluring, but after a moment of thought he remarked something strange.

    "You said that breaking your bond with your element is the second step, right? That means there is a third step, so, if breaking your bond with your element  isn''t the end of the road, that''s means that it''s not that action that will make one lose his ability"

    Lilia nodded and replied:

    "You are right, but only in part, severing the chain that connect you to your element may or may not make you lose your element, it all depend on your affinity with your element before attempting the process, if you have a good enough affinity you may retain your ability and pass to the next step, if you don''t have a good enough affinity however..."

    Lilia looked Alex in the eyes as she uttered seriously:

    "... You wouldpletely lose your element and I doubt even the lust artifact may help you regain it"

 Chapter 85 : True sovereign

    Chapter 85 : True sovereign

    "Even the lust artifact may not help me regain my element? Why are you so sure of it, the artifact wasn''t supposed to be able to grant me the ability to copy others abilities, but yet, I can copy abilities" argued Alex.

    Lilia shook her head at his statement and replied.

    "What you need to understand is that severing your bond with your element is quite severe, when you break the bond that connects you with your element, it''s like you abandon your right to use this element, and likewise, the element will also abandon youpletely, which means that even if you somehow had the means to delete this element from your list of abilities and then recopy it, the element will still reject you"

    ''Hmm, it does make sense I guess'' thought Alex, but he still decided to ask the system if it was really the case.

    The system pretty much confirmed what Lilia said, making Alex understand that if he were to take the sovereign route, he might potentially lose his newly acquired smoke ability.

    His face got somber as he imagined himself losing the smoke ability, not only would he have lost his hard-earned points, but he would lose the element while he never truly had a chance to try it in an actual battle.

    In the end, he sighed and decided to hear out what was thisst step before deciding what route he would take.

    "What happen after I break the chain that bonds me with my element ?" Asked Alex.

    "After you break the chain that bonds you with your element, one of two things will happen, the first thing is that your affinity is not enough, and you will permanently lose your ability, or your affinity with your element is quite decent, in which case your element will reach out to you".

    "Reach out to me ?" Asked a confused Alex.

    "Yes, reach out to you, what you need to understand is that element are not just mindless energies, they also have their own will"

    "Mm, I once read something that said something simr."

    "Good, I wouldn''t need to exin it. If we consider that element has their own will, we could summarize your rtion with your element like that: your affinity is like a rtionship with your element, the higher your affinity with your element, the closer you are to it, so when you suddenly cut your bond to it, your element will reach out to you, it''sparable to when you suddenly cease to receive news of one of your closed ones, you will reach out to them and see if everything is going well, right? That''s about the same thing with your element".

    "I see, but what will happen when my element reaches out to me ? Will I directly be a sovereign?"

    "No, your element reaching out to you is actually the start of the third and final step towards either bing a true or false sovereign" answered Lilia while shaking her head.

    "True or false sovereign ? What is the difference between the two?" Asked Alex, feeling like he was asking the same question from the start.

    "Being a true or false sovereign is actually the result of you either seeding or failing the third step". rified Lilia.

    "And I assume the false sovereign are those that have failed the third step, right?"

    "Indeed, those that fail the third step are called false sovereign due to them possessing an affinity and a level of control above those that had taken the ssic route, but below those of true sovereign".

    "I get it, however you have been talking about the third step, what is it exactly ?" Asked Alex with an intrigued tone.

    "Like I already said to you, the sovereign route is the one you take when you want to subjugate your element to your will and enve it, this action is basically the third step. After your element reaches out to you, you actually have a choice to make, the first one is to willingly reconnect with your element, in which case you will build a new rtionship directly with your element without having a chain that connects you to it, thus bing a false sovereign."

    "The second choice however is to try and impose your will over your element, basically you try to turn your element into your ve, but your element won''t obviously sit tight and watch you do as you please, so it will fight back, if despite that you manage to overpower it, you be a true sovereign. If not, and you actually lose the battle, then you be a false sovereign".

    Lilia exhaled,ing to the end of her exnation.

    Alex lingered for a moment then asked:

    "You mentioned that I would need to battle it out with my element, how does it work ?"

    "It''s as I said, you just try to impose your will over your element, it''s actually a mental fight, the one with the stronger will and desire to make the other sumb will be the winner" exined Lilia.

    "I think it''s kind of cruel" sighed Alex after a while.

    "Hmm? What are you talking about ?" Asked Lilia.

    "I''m talking about thest step of the sovereign route. If the elements really had their own will, then the third step is actually kind of heartless, using your metaphor, you said that my element is like one of my closed ones that try to reach out to me after not having news of me, right? Don''t you think it''s cruel to attempt to enve it," Asked Alex with a slightly Disturbed expression.

    "Hmm, I never thought about it this way, but you are kind of right. Unfortunately if you want to be a true sovereign and have absolute control over your element, you don''t have another choice" said Lilia.

    "Sigh, I guess you are right" replied Alex.

    Since everything was said, Lilia took out the neb stones and ced them all around Alex that was sitting in a meditation position.

    "Hey, before the process starts, can you tell me what kind of sovereign you were" asked Alex, not even bothering to think that maybe Lilia had taken the ssic route, he knew very well his wife and understood that she wouldn''t in no way settle with the ssic route, and as he thought.

    "Why, of course I was a true sovereign" said Lilia with pride.

    "Haha, if so, then as your husband, I will also be gunning to be a true sovereign".

 Chapter 86 : Strange

    Chapter 86 : Strange

    "Haha, if so, then as your husband, I will also be gunning to be a true sovereign".

    ''I said that I will also be a sovereign, but I still feel bad about the idea of subduing my element when it reaches out to me'' thought Alex, his mind drifting back to his current situation.

    ''No, I shouldn''t think like that, I need to have the true sovereign level of control'' thought Alex firming up his heart.

    ''Let''s get started''

    Alex concentrated on the feeling of the chain binding him to his element, wanting to shatter the said chain when he could clearly take hold of it. He didn''t know how much time had passed, but eventually, he managed to clearly sense what linked him with his element.

    ''Here we go'' Alex sighed inwardly before grasping the chain and shattering it.

    Immediately after doing this, he could no longer feel anything; now, the only thing really with him were his thoughts.

    ''I guess that''s the moment of truth'' thought Alex.

    Now that he had shattered the chains, he could only wait and see, if he had a decent affinity with his element it will reach out to him, if not, then he would lose his element and get out of this state, since the smoke actually covering him will disperse if he no longer possessed the smoke element as ability.

    He waited and waited, his mind bing restless with each moment that passed, he even started counting the seconds that passed to try and take his mind off the fact that he may have actually lost his ability, the only thingforting him was that he didn''t get out of this state, which means that the process isn''t finished, well, even if it was the case, he would still be here as it would take a few moments before hepletely loses his ability even if he severed the chain linking him to it.

    He keptmenting the fact that he couldn''t measure his affinity before starting the process, but unfortunately, that wasn''t possible. The only moment one could know if their affinity was enough was when they shattered the chain binding them to their element.

    Although Lilia had assured him that his affinity would be enough to make the smoke element reach out to him, Alex was still nervous, and his nervousness kept increasing with every second that passed.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he felt his element reach out to him.

    Weirdly enough, the moment his element reached out to him, the feeling of it being a part of his being''s increased, at this moment it felt less like it was a third arm that he never had but knew how to use, and more like it was a vital part of his being, like his head or heart.

    He also sensed, in a strange way, that he could feel some sort of emotion, as if the smoke element was genuinely d to have reunited with him.

    Slowly the smoke element made contact with him and tried to wrap around him like hugging him, but the moment it tried to do so, Alex stopped it.

    ''I can''t let it wrap around or else I might be a false sovereign, I should either try to subjugate it''

    Although he thought this, Alex felt like he couldn''t bring himself to do so, there was a feeling of guilt welling up within him each time he tried to subjugate the element, and this feeling of guilt kept increasing each time the smoke element tried to make contact with him.

    ''Maybe, I should just give up, being a false sovereign doesn''t sound that bad''

    Slowly, thought like that started to appear in his mind, making the whole ordeal even more difficult.

    It was then that Alex realized something.

    ''The mind battle has already started!''

    This realization startled him because from what Lilia said, the mind battle started only when you tried to subdue your element, but here it clearly wasn''t the case, he didn''t act against the smoke element yet.

    ''That means that it started to attack me from the beginning and I didn''t even notice it, but now that I know, I won''t let you do as you please'' Alex thought, pissed off.

    Here he was, feeling guilty about subjugating his element because he felt like it was a bad thing to do, but the bastard was actually using that feeling of guilt to attack him mentally.

    Alex steeled his heart, and when the element attempted to envelop him once again, he didn''t merely repel it; instead, he sought to subjugate it.

    ''SURRENDER TO ME!'' practically screamed Alex in his mind, making it clear to his element that he didn''t want a friendship rtionship but one of master and ve.

    Feeling his intention, the smoke element tried to fight against his will, but it clears after a few moments that Alex was winning the battle of willpower, even he was shocked as it seemed too easy.

    Unbeknownst to him, his possession of a powerful soul also yed a role in his current situation.

    After a few back and forth where the smoke element tried to resist his will, Alex finally managed to overpower his element.

    ''Finally!'' Thought Alex as the battle of mind finally came to an end.

    He could feel the element bending to his will, bing his subordinate, ve or whatever he wanted it to be, but instead of him being d about it, the feeling of guilt that he had cast away came back again.

    However, this time he was sure that it wasn''t a mind attack, this time he was sure that it was his own emotions.

    ''Why am I feeling so sentimental?''pondered Alex with an inward frown.

    At the moment where his emotions were in a turmoil, and he was torn between releasing his hold over the smoke element or keeping it like that...

    <b><i>"You are quite a strange one, you took the sovereign route, yet, it seems that you can''t bring yourself to enve me".</i></b>

 Chapter 87 : Spirit of smoke

    Chapter 87 : Spirit of smoke

    Alex froze, well, his thought process came to a halt.

    ''Did I just hear a voice ?'' Wondered Alex.

    He heard it clearly, someone had just spoken to him, but how was that possible? Lilia didn''t say anything about such a thing.

    ''Did she forget to mention this or am I going crazy ?'' Pondered Alex.

    <b><i>"I don''t know who you are talking about, but I doubt that that person had an idea of something like that being possible, after all, it''s not every time that the spirits bother themselves to speak to someone that try to enhance their affinity with them".</i></b>

    This time there was no doubt, something or someone with a deep and powerful voice was addressing him, and by the words of this being it seemed to be the spirit of the smoke element.

    ''Spirit? I have never heard of such a being, is it here to stop my ascension to true sovereign?'' Wondered Alex nervously.

    If this spirit was indeed here to stop the process, Alex wasn''t sure if he would truly be able to push through on the true sovereign route, he could instinctually sense it, this being that just spoke to him was above him in every aspect.

    <b><i>"Don''t worry, I''m not here to stop anything"</i></b>

    ''Wait, you can read my thoughts ?''

    <b><i>"We are in your consciousness, so it''s normal that I hear everything that you think"</i></b>

    ''It does sound logical'' thought Alex after pondering on the matter for a moment.

    There was a silence for a moment before Alex asked :

    ''You said that you are not here to stop the process of me bing a true sovereign, why? From what you said, I deduce that you are the smoke element spirit, does it not affect you that I subdue the element''

    Although he never heard anything about the elements having a spirit, he could guess a few things. From that, his thoughts were: The spirits should normally feel something when someone subdues their elements, right?

    To his surprise, instead of an answer he heard the smoke spiritugh uproariously, it keptughing for some time before finally falling silent.

    <b><i>"It still amazes me how you Humans think that you can actually subdue us elements"</i></b> said the spirit with a chuckle.

    ''Ehh, what are you speaking about, didn''t you say that you are a spirit, why are you calling yourself an element?'' Asked Alex, feeling confused.

    <b><i>"What made you think, in the first ce, that a spirit was different from its element?"</i></b> Asked the spirit with an amused tone.

    ''Wait, if the spirit and his element are the same, then subduing the element means subduing the spirit, right? But it should be impossible'' thought Alex to himself.

    The reason he thought it was impossible was because he knew that he couldn''t subdue the spirit right in front of him, or to be a true sovereign, it is necessary to subdue one''s element.

    ''In this case, the true sovereign-''

    <b><i>"There are no true sovereigns, all the true sovereigns out there are just false sovereigns, even those -like you - that have ''subdued their element'' are false sovereigns as it is not their element that they have subdued, but just a tiny portion of the spirit consciousness. What makes people think that they have achieved true sovereignty is the fact that we give them a better control to congratte them for subduing a portion of our consciousness, that''s all"</i></b> exined the smoke spirit.

    The smoke spirit''s words shocked Alex, but after a few seconds, heposed himself. When one thought about this matter deeply, it would seem somewhat ridiculous for a person to be able to overpower the will of an actual element, especially when it was something that even a level 4 like Alex could achieve.

    Normally, it would be something that perhaps only a restrained circle of powerful beings can do, but it clearly wasn''t the case.

    ''If you are not here to stop the process of me bing a false sovereign, then why did you reach out to me? From your words, it isn''t something that urs normally,'' asked Alex.

    <b><i>"I didn''t reach out to you, it''s the Other way around"</i></b>

    ''Huh? What are you talking about, I definitely did not do something like that'' argued Alex, feeling confused about what he just heard.

    <i><b>"Hmm, it''s quite peculiar, I''m sure that it was you that tried to link your soul to mine, but it seems that you are also clueless about it"</b></i> said the spirit in a thoughtful voice.

    The moment he heard about him trying to link his soul to the one of the smoke spirit, Alex thought of a possibility.

    ''Could it be that-''

    <b><i>"What are you thinking about ?"</i></b>

    ''Well, I have an ability called ''soul linkage'', I just thought that maybe it''s because of this ability, but now that I think about it, I don''t think it''s due to that, it allows me to connect my soul with that of other, but I don''t know how to activate it'' answered Alex.

    <b><i>"Hmm, I think that you are wrong, sometimes you might activate your ability even if you don''t do it consciously"</i></b>

    ''But, why would it activate, though?'' Questioned Alex.

    <b><i>"I think I get, from what you exined, your ability allows you to link your soul with that of another being, right?"</i></b>

    ''Yes''

    <b><i>"My guess is that it''s due to you being in contact with a portion of my consciousness. This segment of consciousness is linked to my main consciousness, which, in turn, is connected to my soul. The same applies to you �C your consciousness is linked to your soul. So, by extraption, we can infer that our souls came in contact when you interacted with my wisp of consciousness."</i></b>

    ''What you mean is that my ability kicked in at that moment and tried to link our souls together?''

    <b><i>"Bingo"</i></b>

    ''Hmm, there is some sense in it'', Thought Alex, then he shamelessly asked. :

    ''Sooo, now that the mystery of why you are here is cleared, can you tell me how to be a real true sovereign?''.

 Chapter 88 : Deal

    Chapter 88 : Deal

    ''Sooo, now that the mystery of why you are here is cleared, can you tell me how to be a real true sovereign?'' shamelessly asked Alex.

    "...."

    There was some silence after Alex asked the spirit of smoke how to be a true sovereign, causing Alex to feel worried. He hadn''t thought much about it when he asked, but now that he considered it, perhaps he had just made a blunder.

    Fortunately for him, his inquiry just made the spiritugh.

    <b><i>"Hahaha, I like your shamelessness, human, but unfortunately you can''t be a true sovereign, you don''t meet the requirements"</i></b>

    ''Can I know what are the requirements?'' Asked Alex.

    He understood that even if he doesn''t meet the requirements for now, it might not be the case in the future, so, knowing what the requirements are might help him be a true sovereign in the future.

    <b><i>"You are not going to let go of the thought of bing a true sovereign, huh?"</i></b>  Chuckled the spirit.

    ''Nope'' replied Alex without hesitation.

    <b><i>"Hmm, I like your spirit" </i></b> said the spirit before disclosing :

    <b><i>"Beside the approval of the spirit, there''s only one requirement to be a true sovereign: being at level 8"</i></b>

    Alex thought froze when he heard the requirement, the level 8 was the highest level of power one could attain, there were only a handful of experts that attained such a level of strength, so hearing that to be a true sovereign the requirement was to be a level 8 was pretty shocking, and it was also disappointing as it really meant that he couldn''t be a true sovereign for now.

    However, Alex''s disappointment didn''tst very long before fading.

    ''It''s true that attaining level 8 won''t be easy, but with the system, it should take me less time to achieve it'' thought Alex with confidence.

    <b><i>"System? What is that?"</i></b>  Asked the spirit, hearing Alex thought.

    ''Oh, it''s nothing important; you shouldn''t bother yourself with that. Instead, can you tell me why I need to be a level 8 before being eligible to be a true sovereign?'' asked Alex. He was trying to divert the spirit''s attention from the system. Although the smoke spirit seemed friendly, he didn''t want to risk his life by telling everyone about the system.

    He felt like the spirit was squinting his eyes at him when he tried to divert the attention, but fortunately, it seemed that the spirit didn''t want to pry into his secrets and instead, processed to respond to his question.

    <b><i>"The reason is simple, to be a true sovereign, the spirit of the element and the human- or whatever race you are from - need to link their soul-...wait, now that I think about it, you might be able to be a sovereign"</i></b>

    ''Really?'' Asked Alex, surprised.

    ''What make you think so ?''

    <b><i>"Well, to be a true sovereign you would need to link your soul with that of the element, however, it''s not everyone that can sense their souls, even more so, link it with another soul, but that changes once you reach the level 8, at this level, you can sense your soul and even manipte it to some extent. All of that to say, a normal person need to be at least level 8 to do something that someone possessing a powerful soul can achieve."</i></b>

    ''So, if you have a strong soul, you fill the requirements?'' Asked Alex.

    <b><i>"No, merely having a strong soul would not make you be able to link it with another person''s soul, if you have a strong soul, you might be sensible to your own and these of other''s, it''s just that. However, it''s different in your case, in your case your ability is tailored to do something like that, which means that you can be a true sovereign - in theory - without needing to be at level 8"</i></b>  exined the smoke spirit.

    ''Then what are we waiting for, let''s connect our souls right now'' said Alex excitedly, however the smoke spirit''s next words froze him.

    <b><i>"Why would I do something like that?"</i></b>

    ''Huh? What do you mean'' asked Alex, confused.

    <b><i>"Don''t get me wrong, I kind of like you and want to help you, but you need to understand something, there can only be one and only one true sovereign for each element, so, why should I specifically choose you ? What do I have to gain from it ?"</i></b>

    Hearing him, Alex understood that the spirit was right, if he epted to connect his soul with Alex''s, what would he earn for doing that, the only beneficiary would be Alex, but Alex didn''t n to give up.

    ''If you agree to make me a sovereign, you''ll feel satisfied knowing you did a good deed,'' negotiated Alex.

    "...."

    <b><i>"Human, I said that I liked your shamelessness, that doesn''t mean you should abuse it," </i></b> said the spirit with an annoyed tone.

    ''Sorry'' apologized Alex.

    One couldn''t really me him, what could he offer the spirit that could move him/her ? Hell, he didn''t even know spirit are interested in what kind of thing''s.

    He thought and thought about it, but couldn''t find something to offer, in the end, he concentrated on the spirit and uttered with his most serious tone:

    ''I might actually be weak and unable to offer you something that can interest you. But I can promise you one thing. In the future, I will be someone so powerful that even the gods wouldn''t look down on me, at this moment, you can wish of me anything as long as it doesn''t go against my principles''

    <b><i>"In other words, you are asking me to bet on you ?"</i></b>

    ''Yes''

    The smoke spirit didn''t reply for a long moment, it was so long that Alex might have thought that he disappeared if he couldn''t still sense his/her presence.

    After a long moment, the smoke spiritughed again, then asked :

    <b><i>"I can wish anything?"</i></b>

    ''As I said, you can ask anything as long as it doesn''t go against my principles'' answered Alex.

    <b><i>"Haha, human, you don''t know what kind of promise you just made, but..."</i></b>

    <b><i>

    </i></b>

    <b><i>"...You have a deal"</i></b>

 Chapter 89 : Birth of a sovereign

    Chapter 89 : Birth of a sovereign

    ''Yes!'' Eximed Alex, hearing the smoke spirit approval.

    ''Come on, let''s start right now''

    <b><i>"Hold your horses, before we start, I want to make something clear for you".</i></b>

    ''What is it ?''

    <b><i>"You need to understand that bing a true sovereign may bring you some unwarranted attention and you may be confronted to a lot of trouble by bing a true sovereign,"</i></b> warned the smoke spirit.

    ''What kind of troubles ?''

    <b><i>"I don''t know" </i></b> answered nonchntly the spirit.

    ''So, you say that I might find myself in troubles by bing a true sovereign, yet you are not sure about the specific nature of those troubles, is that correct ?'' Asked Alex incredulously.

    <b><i>"Well, I have never encountered a true sovereign, so I don''t know how it was for them, but I do know that many people will covet your true sovereignty if is known by people".</i></b>

    ''I see, thanks for the warning'' replied Alex, realizing that the spirit was right.

    If people learned that he had true sovereignty, some people might target him to understand how he became a true sovereign and if those people were powerful they could even transform him into their puppets, so he had to make sure that his sovereignty is not exposed.

    ''However, I don''t have any intention to hide myself and my power''

    <b><i>"Well, suit yourself, anyway, let''s begin the process".</i></b>

    ''What do I need to do ?''

    <b><i>"Nothing, if like I thought when you touched my consciousness, your ability tried to link our souls subconsciously. So, just being in contact with me could make your ability try to connect our souls again."</i></b>  exined the spirit.

    ''Okay, then you can go ahead''

    <b><i>"Then, let''s make a sovereign out of you"</i></b>

    ***

    ''What''s going on? He has been in here for almost a day,'' worried Lilia as she nced at her husband''s body still encased in smoke.

    At this point, she was the only one still in the training grounds; the others had been gone for several hours.

    ''Did I make a mistake b-''

    Before Lilia could even finish her train of thought, she saw the smoke around Alex move away from his body. Instead of dispersing like it usually does when someonees out of this state, the smoke started swirling around.

    Slowly, the swirling smoke gained momentum, gradually morphing into a vortex, resembling a tornado, as its speed continued to intensify.

    "What the hell is going on ?" Wondered Lilia as she looked at the tornado of smoke.

    She had never seen nor heard something like that happening when someone tried to enhance his affinity.

    However, if she could see what was happening outside, her astonishment would be multiplied by a hundred-fold.

    ***

    Outside the mansion, no, throughout the entire Fiore Empire, columns of smoke began rising into the sky!

    In this strange moment, the air changed a lot, bing charged with the strong smell of smoke of all kinds.

    Columns emerged from every corner of the empire, spanning from the thriving regions to the deste ones. This extraordinary phenomenon epassed diverse sources �� smoke billowing from the chimneys of homes, plumes from explosive events, and even wisps from the simple act of smoking a cigar.

    All those types of smoke merged, creating beautiful, rainbow-like columns that people inside and outside the Fiore Empire could observe.

    Everyone on the continent suddenly halted their activities, whether it was women cooking, children ying, hungry individuals crouching on the ground, soldiers training, men fucking their wives- or mistresses.

    Every one of them raised their heads to look at the columns of smoke that kept rising in the sky, wondering what was happening.

    As they watched, the columns began converging, forming an immense cloud of smoke that veiled the entirety of the Fiore Empire. This ethereal cloud shimmered with a myriad of colors: blue, green, gray, white, yellow, brown...

    Then, under the astonished gaze of the onlookers, the smoke started shaping itself into a figure.

    At first, people couldn''t tell what it was, but as time passed, they began to see the shape. When it was done, everyone was amazed to see that the smoke had formed a human figure!

    It was specifically the figure of a man.

    As they gazed upon this smoke figure, their hearts raced, feeling as if they were witnessing a divine presence��a god among humans. The magnitude of this being was so overwhelming that many instinctively bowed their heads in awe, fearful of enraging such greatness by prolonged stares.

    ***

    In a distant sub-dimension, far from the Fiore Empire, in a room cloaked in darkness, two eyes abruptly opened.

    These eyes were truly captivating, gleaming with a spectrum of colors that could mesmerize anyone who gazed into them.

    Their mere presence had the power to dispel the darkness in the room.

    The eyes then turned their gaze toward the Fiore Empire.

    "Interesting, it seems that a sovereign is born" said the being to whom the beautiful eyes belonged.

    She released a lightugh as she looked at the smoke depicting a human.

    "A human sovereign at that, fascinating" remarked the being before closing its eyes, causing the room to fall into darkness again.

 Chapter 90 : Badass

    Chapter 90 : Badass

    "Can anyone tell me what the fuck is happening right now ?" Shouted a man dressed in Royal garments with brown hair and eyes.

    This man was Almond Drazen Fiore, current emperor of the Fiore empire.

    Those against whom he was shouting nced at each other before one of them stepped forward and bowed deeply to the emperor.

    "Sorry my liege, but we don''t know what is happening, no one has ever seen something like that happen, so-"

    "Stop with the excuse!" Cut the emperor, making the mage in front of him squirm from fright.

    ''You will pay me for this!'' promised the mage as he furtively nced at his colleagues behind him.

    They have been summoned to the throne room the moment the smoke started to coalesce to form those pirs.

    This mage that just spoke was actually a newbie that was eager to climb the ranks and those seniors of his had tricked him knowing this fact about him.

    Just now when the emperor asked what was happening, they had coaxed him mentally telling him that he should be the one to speak, that the emperor liked people''s that quickly responded to his inquiries and if he were to be the one to speak he will be in the emperor good grace, however, from the look the emperor was giving him currently, he understood that those f*cker just used him as their scapegoat.

    "Can you at least locate the origin of this phenomenon?" Asked the emperor.

    "S-Sorry, but the thickness of the smoke in the air made it impossible to find the location-"

    "SCRAM!" shouted the emperor, fighting the urge to kill those useless mages.

    After the mages had left and the throne room quickly descended into calmness, one of the knight standings beside the throne asked:

    "What are your orders ?"

    "Tell the soldiers to be on guard at all time and to increase the level of security in the whole empire, also, tell them to verify anyone entering or exiting the empire" ordered the emperor as he stood from his throne.

    He nced at the knight and added :

    "Prepare your men for war, I don''t know what the hell this was, but I''m sure that others kingdoms and empires won''t miss this chance to strike at us".

    "It will be done as you ordered" bowed the knight before exiting the throne room.

    Emperor Almond nced at the human made of smoke through therge window in the room and sighed.

    ''Why do I have a bad feeling about this ?'' wondered the emperor.

    If only he could know at this moment the response to his question, he would have done anything to find the one responsible for what was currently happening, even if he had to sell his children.

    s...

    ***

    Like emperor Almond had said, the moment the different kings and emperors remarked what was happening in the Fiore empire, they started to make their moves to destabilize the empire.

    In the minds of those cunning leaders, there was no way they would overlook such an opportunity. The instigator of this phenomenon might even be an enemy of the Fiore empire; if that were the case, then, there was no better time than now to strike.

    And so, behind a closed door, all the strong forces on the continent started to make their moves.

    Without even knowing it, by just one move that he didn''t even do purposefully, Alex triggered a shift in the entire continent''s geopolitical situation.

    ***

    "Doesn''t this person depicted by the smoke look simr?" Wondered Violette as she looked at the human made of smoke.

    "Now that you mention it, I also have this strange feeling, like I know who this person is" replied Viviane.

    They were currently on another shopping spree with Grace, Ava, Amelia and Anna.

    Candace didn''te with them as like Scarlett she was a bookworm, so she was pretty close to her, which is why that she preferred to stay with Scarlett.

    As for Eleanor, no one knew what she was doing right now.

    ''It''s true that it does look familiar'' thought Alice as she looked at the human made of smoke.

    ''Let''s try, perhaps I''ll be able to identify who it is,'' thought Alice, activating her god''s eyes.

    However, what she saw greatly stunned her.

    ''Dad ?''

    ***

    While great turmoil was happening on the whole of the continent, the one causing it could be seen sitting in a meditative stance.

    The speed at which the smoke swirled around him had started to slow down, at the same time, in the sky his depiction made of smoke started to dissipate, the sky returning to its natural color.

    When the surrounding smoke had vanished, Alex opened his eyes.

    When he opened them, Alex''s eyes shed with a blinding white light, and simultaneously, a mark appeared at the back of his hand, shing with the same light as his eyes.

    When the light had finally subsided from his eyes, Alex was fully awakened.

    The first thing he noticed was a soft light emanating from the back of his hand. He nced down and observed the mark that had appeared, then grinned.

    "Looks kind of badass"

 Chapter 91 : Bet

    Chapter 91 : Bet

    On the back of Alex''s hand glowed slightly, a symbol that looked like  a delicate, undting spiral crowned with regality, embodying mastery and sovereignty over the element of smoke.

    ''It looks really cool'' thought Alex.

    As he looked on, the symbol slowly stopped glowing and took a ck color, now it looked just like a tattoo.

    As he was admiring the symbol, Lilia quickly approached him, crouched and ced her hands around his cheeks.

    "Are you hurt anywhere? What was that that just happened?" Asked Lilia, a little worried.

    Although she could see that he was fine, she still needed to hear him say so.

    Alex took her hands in his own and replied with a smile on his face "that''s okay, I''m fine, but what are you talking about, what happened"

    Seeing that he really had no clue of what happened, Lilia proceeded to fill him on what happened just before he fully awakened.

    However, since Lilia didn''t know what happened, she couldn''t know that what she just told him wasn''t nearly as shocking as the things that really urred.

    "Hmm, I see, Berra had warned me that there might be a ruckus at my ascension to sovereignty, I guess that''s what he meant.

    When their souls connected, before Alex could awaken, the smoke spirit had exined some things to him, he also learned the name of the smoke spirit: Berra.

    "Who is Berra ?" Questioned Lilia.

    "It''s the spirit of the smoke element" replied Alex casually.

    "Smoke spirit ?"

    "Let me tell you what happened from the beginning," said Alex, proceeding to exin everything that urred to him from the moment he entered the state of meditation.

    After he finished, Lilia''s eyes were wide open with surprise.

    "So, you are a sovereign, not just a false but a real true sovereign, and you became a true sovereign by linking your soul to the one of Berra, the smoke spirit, correct ?" Asked Lilia.

    "Yup, isn''t your husband amazing ?" Boasted Alex.

    Lilia nodded absentmindedly, making boast even more.

    "What got you thinking so much ?" Asked Alex after he finished boasting.

    "You bing a sovereign is a good thing, but what is worrying me is that promise you made with the smoke spirit," conveyed Lilia.

    Alex wrapped his hand around her waist, pulled her toward him, and gave her a peck on her lips.

    "You don''t have to worry about that, like I said to Berra, I''m going to be so strong that I''m sure that I would fulfill my end of the bargain without even breaking a sweat" said Alex with a confident smile.

    Lilia was still worried, but all her worries disappeared as Alex continued kissing her, before long, he started to fondle her ass.

    "What do you say we go to our room and continue?" proposed Alex.

    "Yeah - No!" Eximed Lilia as she quickly pulled herself from his grasp.

    "We need to continue your training, we barely have one day remaining, we should make better use of this time"

    "Well, we can''t say that what we will be doing In our room is not a good use of our time, right ?" Asked Alex with a teasing smile.

    He quickly got up and wrapped his hand around Lilia''s waist.

    "We won''t be long, I promise!"

    "Nope, I know you if we do that we will surely go at it the whole day" said Lilia, squinting her eyes at him.

    "Cough, that''s not false"

    "I also want to, but you need to train. You might have be a sovereign of smoke, but even then, if you don''t train, your sovereignty won''t matter very much."

    "Okay, okay, you win" said Alex with a disappointed face.

    Seeing him like that made Lilia feel guilty, but she knew her husband. If they started making love right now, he would never train again.

    "The revised version:

    "Let''s make a bet," Alex suddenly proposed. "If I win all my battles in less than ten minutes, you will let me take you however I want and for as many times as I want", as he said this, Alex squeezed tightly her soft ass.

    "Deal ?"

    Lilia looked at him seriously and chastised "you shouldn''t underestimate your opponents, they have been training since young ages and some of them are really talented, don''t take them lightly"

    "Are you on or not ?" Stressed Alex.

    "Okay, if you win all your battles in less than ten minutes, you can have me however you want. It''s not really a problem; I''m all yours already. You can have me anytime you want anyway."shrugged Lilia.

    "That''s true, however I have never been in your ass, but if I win the bet then..."

    *p*

    Alex pped Lilia ass and continued

    "... I bury will bury my dick balls deep in your cute asshole"

    Lilia moaned softly, then with a sultry voice she uttered:

    "That''s if you win the bet"

    "Oh, believe me I will win, nothing will stop me to iming that ass" replied Alex with a grin.

    "Hmm, why are you so sure of yourself ?" Asked Lilia curiously.

    "You will seeter, since as of right now I''m going to train alone"

    "Are you sure ?"

    "Yes, I have something that I need to try, and it might take me a long time to seed, so there is no reason for you to remain here, go spend time with the other''s"

    "Okay, but you should take time to rest, if you spend all your time training, you risk being tired the day of thepetition, and it won''t be a good thing"

    "Don''t worry about that, I know what I''m doing" reassured Alex.

    Lilia didn''t know why, but each time that Alex said that he knew what he was doing, she always felt worried, because : he rarely knew what he was doing!

    But all she could do was to have confidence in him, so she left him in the training grounds to train.

    "Now that Lilia is gone, let''s start!"

 Chapter 92 : Arrival of the rest of the branch

    Chapter 92 : Arrival of the rest of the branch

    One dayter

    Very early in the morning, as the sun rose, a line ofrge flying carriages pulled by white beautiful pegasi appeared on the horizon of the mansion where Alex''s family resides.

    Each of these carriages bore the emblem of the Eswald family, featuring the golden image of three wolves in a lunar formation, symbolizing their united strength, loyalty, and profound connection to lunar magic.

    Alex''s father has once told him that the reason their family emblem was that of wolves was because they were stronger when united and were a loyal bunch, although if one remembers the way he died - betrayed by his family members -, then one would doubt if the emblem signification is really that of a united family.

    His father also said that they had some kind of link with the moon, but even him didn''t really know what that connection was.

    The trail of carriages arrived minutester at just at the entrance of the mansion where Candace, Ava, Eleanor, Lilia and all of Alex''s daughters were waiting as amittee of wee.

    Meanwhile, Grace could be seenying on a nearby chair with ck sunsses on.

    She didn''t even bother to look towards the carriages that just arrived, all the more so going to wee those that hade, and why would she do so ? She was the head of the branch, she wasn''t supposed to be the one to wee the members, it should be the other way around.

    As the girls looked on, the first carriage opened and an old man with a long beard stepped out first.

    This man appeared so old that one might think he was on his deathbed; however, his eyes were so sharp that one would immediately dismiss that notion.

    There was a long scar on his right cheek and several other scars all over his body, indicating that he had quite a turbulent youth.

    This man was the younger brother of Alex''s grandfather : Adrian Eswald.

    After he got out of the carriage, two women emerged from the same carriage; one had light green hair, while the other had shining ck hair.

    One could see some strands of white hair on their heads, indicating that they were quite aged. However, despite that, they still looked really beautiful, proving that they were both incredible beauties in their youth.

    These two were also the younger siblings of Alex''s grandfather: the one with green hair was named Abigail, and the one with ck hair was named Madison.

    After those two women stepped out of the carriages, another individual emerged, appearing younger than the first three.

    She had light blue hair and blue eyes and despite being a tall woman, she possessed a curvaceous body entuated by a light blue gown that perfectlyplemented her hair and eyes.

    This exquisite woman was none other than Victoria Evernight, Alex''s grandfather''s second wife.

    After those four, two others women''s came out as well. Those were the wives of Adrian.

    The carriages were arranged so that the oldest generation upied the leading carriage in the convoy. After they disembarked, the door to the second carriage opened, and Alex''s father''s brothers, along with his cousins, emerged one by one.

    Then, after they came out, it was the turn of the third and fourth carriages to fling open, and those inside started walking out. These two carriages contained members who were actually of the same generation as Alex.

    Finally, the furthest carriage at the back opened, and family members of the same age as Alex''s daughters came out. However, these kids were the least numerous of the bunch, which was quite normal as not many people wanted to settle down and marry at such a young age. Only Alex and a few others had children.

    After everyone was out, Adrian and those of the oldest generation walked towards the ones waiting to wee them.

    "Oh, Candace, you are already here ?" Asked Adrian with a surprised tone.

    "Yes, I came a few days back with Eleanor and Grace" replied Candace.

    "The branch head is already here, that''s quite rare for her to be the first one to arrive" said Adrian with a still surprised tone as everyone here knew that Grace was usually ater.

    "Where is sh-" before he could finish his sentence, Candace pointed to Graceying on a chair.

    Seeing this, Adrian''s lips twitched, but he didn''t make a ruckus, knowing that if he were to offend her, that woman wouldn''t mind beating him up, even in front of his great grandkids!

    So, he approached her and spoke courteously.

    "I greet the branch head".

    It was only after she was greeted that Grace finally took off her sunsses to look towards those that had just arrived.

    "How are you doing, little Adrian?" Asked Grace.

    Her question made Adrian''s lips twitch again.

    ''Damn woman, why would you call me little in front of my wives and offspring'' growled internally Adrian, but on the exterior he kept smiling courteously.

    Grace stood up and said, "Now that everyone is here, let''s start the meeting before proceeding to thepetition and decide who will take my position."

 Chapter 93 : Another person

    Chapter 93 : Another person

    Everyone nodded to what Grace said and wanted to enter the mansion when someone said:

    "I don''t think that it''s a good thing to start with the meeting, instead let''s directly start with thepetition"

    Grace looked towards who said this and when she saw who it was she scowled.

    "Of course it wouldn''t have been anyone beside you, are you so eager to see me step down from my position ?" Asked Grace as she looked at Victoria.

    "Of course, each second that passes with you being the head of the branch is a torturous one" replied Victoria.

    "Oh, if you so much desire my position, you can alwayse and take it from me" taunted Grace while using her mana to press on everyone present.

    "You think that I''m afraid of you ?" replied Victoria even though she knew that she was the weakest between the two of them.

    As both of them were ready to use their strength and battle it out right now, Adrian intervened.

    "Ladies,dies, we are not here to fight - beside those participating in thepetition -, we should instead concentrate on what we are here to do, please stop this nonsense"

    Both looked at each, then at Adrian, before snorting and turning their faces away.

    ''I don''t know how you managed to stop those two women from tearing each other''s throats all those years, but you merit respect, bro,'' thought Adrian with an internal chuckle.

    "Although, I wouldn''t say it as Victoria said it, I also think that we should begin with thepetition" said Madison.

    "I also think the same" supported Abigail.

    Seeing that everyone was hell-bent on starting with thepetition, Grace shrugged her shoulders.

    "If you want, we can start with thepetition"

    "Good, let''s go" said Adrian.

    With Grace at the front, therge group of people made their way around the mansion, where a kind of arena was set up for this kind of asion.

    "Why do you look so worried ? Is it about thepetition ?" Asked a feminine voice addressing to Amelia.

    Amelia nced to her side, and the face of a beautiful girl with pale blue eyes and a gentle smile came in her sight.

    The woman had long, almost too long hairs that had at their tips a tinge of purple.

    She was the first child of Alex and Amelia''s  uncle Richard, so she''s their cousin, her name  was Talia, and she perfectly embodied the definition of a busty woman.

    She had breasts so big that they jiggled each time she took a step, they were sorge that although the clothes she wore were pretty conservative, one could clearly see they round shape.

    She didn''t only have a big chest, no, she also had a big and round ass, but despite all of thoses attributes she also had a toned body, proving that she also trained her body. All in all, she was a woman truly desirable for those who appreciate curves.

    "No, I''m not really worried about that" replied Amelia with a smile.

    "Then what is worrying you ?" Pressed Talia with a curious expression.

    "It''s nothing really important" brushed off Amelia, not wanting to expose the fact she was worried about the fact that Alex hadn''t appeared till now.

    From what Lilia said yesterday, Alex will continue his training alone and would join the others when the other members of the branch arrived, but he still wasn''t here even though everyone was already here and thepetition was about to start!

    ''I hope he doesn''t miss the start of thepetition'' prayed Amelia.

    "You are no fun" said Talia with a tone tinged with disappointment.

    She could see that Amelia was worried about something and wanted to know what it was, which was normal since Amelia was her best friend, but since she clearly didn''t want to tell her what it was about, she dropped the subject and changed the subject.

    "Who do you think will win thepetition?" Asked Talia, curious about what Amelia''s answer will be.

    Amelia first impulse was to say ''Alex'', but she remained silent, knowing that Alex might have gained a great boost in his strength in thest week, it didn''t mean that he would be the winner.

    "I...don''t know" answered Amelia after a slight pause.

    "Well, I myself have an inkling of the ones that have the greatest chance to win" replied Talia.

    "And who might they be ?" Asked Amelia with a raised eyebrow.

    "Firstly, the number one genius of our branch, Jonathan" said Talia while pointing her finger to a tall man with broad shoulders and ck neatly trimmed hair.***

    This man, Jonathan, was the second oldest of their generation - with Alex being the first-, he was a man of few words that only spoke when he thought it was necessary, the rest of the time he just kept his mouth shut.

    He was the first son of Alex''s uncle Robert -the rival of his father and the one that treated Alex as useless.

    Jonathan had been for a long moment the one that was always the strongest of the branch and even though now everyone had the same level as him, everyone still considered him the strongest.

    Next, Talia pointed to Amelia, "you are also one of the contenders for the first ce".

    Talia sighed in disappointment and continued, "if you weren''t younger than Jonathan by a few years, I would have bet all my money on you".

    Although everyone epted the fact that Jonathan was the most talented, it was only for now as Amelia''s potential was far greater than his and even Jonathan himself know about this fact.

    Talia then pointed to a young man with auburn colored hair and a big build.

    The one she pointed at this time is the grandkid of Adrian.

    "Ector. He had been the close second to Jonathan all those years, perhaps it will be his chance to prove that he is better than him".

    "And finally..." Talia pointed at herself, then said with a big grin, "me".

    "Of course you will include yourself" replied Amelia while rolling her eyes.

    "Well, it''s not my fault if I''m among the strongest" said Talia.

    "Anyway, beside those I have just listed, the twins and those two brats might create some surprise" said Talia, quickly pointing between two men that looked exactly the same and two others men.

    The two men she pointed to were her little brother and Jonathan''s little brother. As for the twins, they were the adopted sons of Robert, thus they were also the younger brothers of Jonathan.

    "Beside those, I don''t think there is another person that might win thispetition" expressed Talia.

    Amelia smiled at her words and thought :

    ''No, you are wrong, there''s another person''

 Chapter 94 : Waiting for Alex

    Chapter 94 : Waiting for Alex

    "Those who wish to participate in thepetition, step forward!" Eximed Adrian as she looked at those around the age of 50 to 100.

    Following his request, Amelia, Jonathan, Talia, Ector, and everyone else eager to join thepetition stepped forward.

    ''The ones who stepped forward are pretty much the ones we expected,'' thought Adrian as he observed the group of young participants.

    In total, there were 16 contenders for the position of the branch head position.

    "As you may already know, the battles will be battles of 1 vs 1, and since you are sixteen in total, the winner would have to fight and win 4 times. There will be no time pause between the fight, so make sure to perfectly manage your mana, understood ?"

    The participant nodded and then Adrian continued, "If everything is clear, we will start to draw the lot so each of you will know their next oppone-"

    "Wait, one participant didn''t arrive yet" said Grace, cutting Adrian off.

    Everyone looked at her with a puzzled expression, one participant didn''t arrive yet ? Who was this participant ?

    People checked with their neighbors to see if anyone knew more, but nobody recognized the unknown participant.

    "Who is the participant you are talking about ?" Questioned Adrian.

    "Alexandre" replied casually Grace.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    Everyone looked at Grace with speechless expressions, including those from the older generation, beforeughter suddenly echoed in the air.

    As they looked towards the source of theughter, nobody knew how to react as they saw Robert ughing so hard that, for a moment, it seemed like he was out of breath.

    "Hahaha, you...haha...actually want to make this useless grandson of yours participate in thispetition? It''s the greatest joke I have ever heard, hahahaha" said Robert through hisughter.

    When they heard his words, many of the present people started tough at Grace''s words.

    "YOU MOTHERFUC-" before she could finish her sentence, Lilia covered the mouth of Scarlett.

    As previously mentioned, the reason Scarlett didn''t participate in this kind of gathering was actually because sometimes some people mocked her father and she hated that, she was someone that disliked that someone insult or nder her closed ones, so, when something like that happened, she immediately became pissed.

    However, it wasn''t just her that was like that, actually, all of Alex''s daughters eyes were glowing with rage.

    Lilia shook her head toward her daughters and turned to Scarlett and said with a confident smile on her face, "don''t bother, all of that will finish today".

    Hearing her, Scarlett calmed a little bit.

    Lilia nodded, seeing that she calmed down a bit and turned to Adrian, that was starting to speak again.

    "Grace, you know that I don''t have anything agaisnt your grandson, but he can''t participate in thispetition, he doesn''t even meet the requirements and even if by miracle he meets them, we can''t keep waiting for him, if he wanted to participate he would havee earlier".

    "Yeah, why would we wait for that trash toe before we start"

    "He doesn''t even fit the conditions to participate, I say that we start right now!"

    "He lives here, yet, he is the one that iste, that means only one thing, that coward won''t be showing up"

    As seconds ticked by, more and more people expressed their dissatisfaction, even the participants wereining, shouting that Grace was abusing her power by making them wait for her grandson that would surely never show up.

    As the situation was getting too heated up, Adrian nced at Grace, sighed, then turned toward the furious participant.

    "SILENCE!"

    Adrian''s outburst quickly calmed down the rowdy participants.

    He then looked at Grace and uttered seriously, "Ten minutes, in ten minutes if Alex doesn''t show up, we will-"

    "No need for that, I''m here" said a voice, cutting off Adrian.

    When they looked at the location the voice came from, everyone saw a shirtless man with long silver hair walking towards them.

    The man -Alex- had dark bags under his eyes, showing the state of extr��me exhaustion he was currently in.

    When she saw this, Lilia facepalmed, she had said to this idiot husband of her to rest, but here he was,ing to a battlepetition already exhausted.

    As Alex approached, he could see a myriad of expressions on the faces of the participants, from indifference, contempt, disgust and sometime even hate.

    However, he didn''t pay them any mind and continued walking till he came in front of Adrian.

    "Since you were waiting for me to show up, can we start right away?" Asked Alex with a sleepy voice.

    "Not so fast, we still don''t know if you meet the requirements, we will have to check that, before proceeding with anything" said Adrian.

    "Be my guest" replied Alex.

    Adrian then used his mana to probe Alex''s level.

    His eyes widened in shock when he felt Alex''s level.

    "Level 4?" Eximed Adrian absent-mindedly.

    When others, whether participants or onlookers, heard him, they all used their mana to gauge Alex''s level. This action caused a ripple of shock to spread among those present as what they witnessed was beyond surprising.

    "Now that it''s confirmed that I fill the requirements, let''s start already, I''m kind of tired here and need to sleep.

 Chapter 95 : Duel

    Chapter 95 : Duel

    "Now that it''s confirmed that I fill the requirements, let''s start already, I''m kind of tired here and need to sleep.

    "Y-Yes ?" stuttered Adrian aftering out of his daze due to Alex words.

    All around them, chatters broke out, each focusing on the fact that the supposedly useless lord that they knew for years was suddenly at level 4.

    "How did you help him attain this level ?" Questioned Victoria with a curious tone.

    "Nothing. I had nothing to do with his current strength, but does it really matter to you ?" Asked Grace, squinting her eyes at Victoria and Robert.

    "As a matter of fact, yes, it does matter not just for me but all of us. For all we know, he might have used something to push his strength past its limit, but we all know that things like thate with a price. If he bes the head of our branch - which I doubt would happen - and then is caught up by the consequences of the thing that enhanced his strength, we will all be aughingstock for allowing such a person to be the head of our branch," said Robert.

    Many people nodded to his words, feeling that he was right.

    "And what do you propose ?" Asked Grace calmly.

    She wasn''t an idiot; she knew perfectly well what Robert was getting at. Still, she asked, and as she thought, his proposition was to exclude Alex from thepetition. Like earlier, many people supported him; however, this time there was a second group that was against such a thing.

    This group imed that no matter what method he used, Alex was still a member of the branch, and it wouldn''t be right to exclude him. It was his right to participate, and no one can or should take it from him.

    As the situation seemed to go out of control, Grace raised her hand, silencing everyone. Then she turned to Robert and asked:

    "Can you prove that he used something to enhance his strength?"

    Robert wanted to argue that Alex must have surely used something to enhance his strength, it was impossible to go from level 1 to level 4 In one year, but ultimately he just kept his mouth shut.

    Even if he was sure that Alex used something to enhance his strength, as long as he couldn''t prove it, then his argument was considered baseless.

    "If you have nothing to prove that he used something to enhance his level, then shut the f*ck up and let us proceed to thepetition" coldly said Grace.

    She then nced at Adrian and ordered, "continue".

    "Okay" replied Adrian.

    As he was about to continue, however, someone among the participants raised his hand.

    "What do you want, Nox ?" Asked Adrian as he looked at Jonathan younger brother.

    "I just wanted to know how things are going to happen now that Alexandre is here," said Nox with a charming smile.

    It was after he mentioned it that everyone thought about it. At first, there were sixteen of them, so each person would have an opponent to fight. But now that Alex was here, they were seventeen, and there was one person that might not get an opponent.

    "Indeed, it''s tricky" agreed Adrian before continuing :

    "I guess you didn''t mention it for nothing, right? What do you propose ?"

    "Grandpa Adrian knows me well," replied Nox with a smile, then continued, "My proposal is that Alexandre would have to earn his ce within the members of thepetition. It''s his own fault foringte even though thepetition is held at his mansion."

    Nox nced at Alex, his smile fading, and said:

    "If he wants to be in thepetition, he would need to fight with one of the sixteen actual participants, if he wins, he will take the ce of this participant and if he loses, then he would apologize towards all the participants while on his knees".

    "What kind of bullshit are you spouting, if he does as you say, then he would have one battle more than any of us, where is the fairness in that, plus, he already looks tired if-"

    "It''s no one''s fault if your brother decided to entertain his drunk friendsst night, as for fairness, it should actually be us that should argue about fairness, it took all of us decades to attain our current level while your brother only took some drugs to enhance his level, yet, he is going topete against the rest of us, where is the fairness in that ?" Questioned Nox.

    "The reason why I''m proposing this, is to show him that he can take all the drugs or elixir that he wants, a trash like him won''t-"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Nox felt the gaze of someone powerfulnd on him.

    "Nox, you are the youngest here while Alex is the oldest, you are in no position to show disrespect to him no matter what he does, mind your words" warned Adrian.

    If there was anything that Adrian disliked, it was juniors showing disrespect towards their seniors.

    "I apologize..." said Nox while slightly bowing towards Alex.

    "...however, I still maintain my words. What I want to do is show Alexandre that even if he may have taken something to enhance his strength, it doesn''t mean that he can brush shoulders with the rest of us. That''s why I volunteer myself as his opponent," dered Nox.

    Amelia scowled and wanted to reply to Nox but then she felt a strong arm pat her head.

    "It''s okay Amy" said Alex with a smile, then turned to Nox and said with a calm tone:

    "I ept your duel; after all, as your senior, it''s my duty to teach my junior a lesson if he is out of line."

 Chapter 96 : Alex vs Nox

    Chapter 96 : Alex vs Nox

    "You ? Teaching me something, no, thanks, I think that even a dog would do a better job than you" replied Nox to Alex''s words.

    To that, Alex just smiled and didn''t continue further, instead he nced at Adrian.

    "Old man, give the signal, so we can start."

    Adrian''s lips twitched hearing Alex referring to him as an old man, but it''s not like Alex was wrong, he was indeed an old man, so in the end he just sighed and ordered the rest of the participants :

    "Everyone beside those two, get out of the Arena"

    The participants did as they were told and exited the Arena, but before doing so, some of them approached Nox to encourage him to show Alex hell.

    Amelia also approached Alex while dragging Talia �C who looked very unwilling �C with her. However, before she could say anything, Alex stopped her and said:

    "You shouldn''t worry, it won''tst more than one minute".

    ''One minute, does he think he can finish Nox in a minute? He might be disillusioned, thought Talia, clearly not believing Alex, which was why her eyes opened wide in surprise when she saw Amelia just nod at his words.

    "Okay, I will be waiting for you" said Amelia.

    After that, Alex turned and started walking towards the center of the Arena.

    ''Does she know something that we don''t'' wondered Talia as she looked at Alex back.

    "Oh, I was about to forget" Alex turned back and looked at Talia.

    "Hello Talia, you look even more in shape thanst year"plimented Alex while his gaze lingered around her chest area.

    "Stop leering at me, you pervert! I hope you get the beating of your life!" eximed Talia, storming out of the arena while dragging Amelia with her.

    "Haha, she is as fierce as always" chuckled Alex, while turning away to resume his walk to the center of the stage.

    ''System, enhance all my stats beside mana by 4 soul points''

    [Are you-]

    ''Do it already, it''s bing annoying each time you ask if I''m sure'' replied Alex.

    ''Ahh, I will never get tired of this feeling'' thought Alex after a moment as he felt a cool sensation spreading all over his body and strengthening it and taking away his weariness.

    Well, it didn''t take away his weariness, in fact it just increased the level of energy in his body, Alex was still as tired as before it''s just that now he gained an additional level of energy, it is akin to the effects of stimnts, where fatigue lingers, but an extrayer of energy is added.

    He had found out about this fact while training.

    He has also discovered some other thing when he looked at his status, and it was about his smoke ability.

    [It''s done]

    ''Status''

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 80

    Agility: 80

    Stamina: 160

    Defense: 80

    Mana Points: 55

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke sovereign;

    Soul Points: 24]

    Alex observed his new stat points before locking his gaze on his smoke ability, which was no longer [smoke maniption] but rather [Smoke Sovereign].

    The first time that he saw this, Alex was pleasantly surprised, from the system exnation, it was because his smoke ability had evolved.

    When he heard this, Alex asked if he could copy the evolved ability of his women, but the system reply was disappointing.

    He couldn''t copy the evolved ability of his women, if he wanted an evolved ability, then he needed to be the one that would evolve this ability, even the system couldn''t help him with that.

    "Why are looking ahead of you like a retard ?" Asked Nox as he walked to the center of the Arena and face Alex.

    Hearing him, Alex dismissed the system screen and concentrated.

    "I will be this battle referee and will stop any attack that I deem lethal, so you don''t have to worry and can go all out" instructed Adrian.

    "For information, he''s addressing me since it''s guaranteed that nothing you can do can kill me. In fact, I promise to not use my ability as a handicap to you" said arrogantly Nox.

    "I will dly ept it" replied Alex.

    He wouldn''t reject such an advantage even if it were presented to him a hundred times, and why would he? It''s not his fault if his opponent was an arrogant prick besides being dumb.

    "Are the both of you ready ?" Asked Adrian, to which they nodded.

    "Begin!" Eximed Adrian, marking the start of the fight.

    The moment the battle started, Nox charged at Alex at his full speed!

    The only thing one could see, a ck blur approaching Alex rapidly.

    ''He''s fast'' remarked Alex.

    ''Haha I''m sure this bastard is shitting himself right now'' chuckled inwardly Nox as he charged.

    What led Nox to think like that was that Alex didn''t move from the start of the fight and just stood there, attempting to follow the ck blur.

    When he was at least 10 meters away from Alex, Nox prepared to unleash his ability!

    ''I might have said that I wouldn''t use my ability, but why would I do such a dumb thing? It''s your fault for believing me in the first ce. Besides, my ability is tailored for the kind of things I''m going to do right now,'' he thought with a cunning smile.

    Nox''s ability allowed him to control electricity to a small extent. The only thing he could currently do with it is send electric discharges within anything that he touched.

    The more mana he injected, the more damage he caused. But right now, his intention wasn''t to cause great damage, but to simply torture his opponent.

    His n was to send an electric discharge into Alex''s body upon making contact with him. However, he wouldn''t go crazy about the voltage; he would just send enough so that Alex might feel immense pain but wouldn''t lose consciousness. And it would continue like this for the rest of the fight!

    In just a split second, Nox was upon Alex, ready to deliver the first punch in a long series of punches.

    However, his thought process came to a sudden halt when Alex, who was just standing in front of him, suddenly vanished!

    Then Nox heard a voice that seemed like the one of the grim reaper say from behind him:

    "I don''t have much time to spare, so let''s put an end to this"

    When Nox brain processed the fact that the voice he just was that of Alex, he felt a cold sweat running down his spine.

    He tried to quickly turn back to dodge or even block the iing attack, but he only had time to turn his head before his eyes locked onto a fisting straight for his face.

    ''Sh*t''

 Chapter 97 : Punishment

    Chapter 97 : Punishment

    [

    Nox couldn''t do anything, Alex''s fist was too fast, so he just closed his eyes and prayed that Alex''s fist wouldn''t carry much strength in it.

    s, his prayer went unanswered, and when Alex''s fist connected with his cheek, he was sent hurtling forward!

    The punch carried so much strength that Nox''s body ricocheted several times on the ground before finally being stopped by one of the walls of the Arena.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    The eyes of everyone, except those already aware of the unfolding spectacle, widened as they observed the incredible scene.

    Those that were below level 3 couldn''t evenprehend what just happened, and it wasn''t just them, some of the participants also didn''t see what happened, only the most sharp of them knew what happened, but even them struggled to follow what had happened.

    Only those above level 4 clearly saw what just happened, and it was because of that that they were the most astonished.

    They had witnessed Alex turning around to throw the punch, but what truly shocked them was not the action itself. It was the remarkable ease with which he executed the movement that left them astounded.

    Alex moved with precision, avoiding any unnecessary or wasteful gestures; his simplicity in motion proved remarkably effective.

    All those that had attained level 5 or more are experts on their own, so they understood very clearly that it wasn''t his first time, but it was when they came to this conclusion that many of them frowned.

    They had never seen or heard Alex train, but if he had been training fromst year then it was possible for him to possess a decent amount of knowledge and experience, but it shouldn''t exin his speed.

    Alex''s speed clearly surpassed that of a normal level 4, how was it possible ?

    They all nced at Grace, trying to seek an answer, but their lips twitched when they saw her whistling and shouting Alex''s name like she was a fan girl.

    ''You are the head of the branch, how can you act like that'' thought everyone.

    Meanwhile, Nox''s body slumped to the ground, but surprisingly, he was still conscious.

    "You are quite tenacious..."plimented Alex as he approached Nox''s that wasying on the ground.

    "...but, you should give up right now" advised Alex.

    "N-Never, I won''t...l-lose to a t-trash like...you" Nox spat with great effort.

    "Sigh, you''re being quite unreasonable here," Alex remarked, shaking his head.

    He stopped above Nox''s body, then bent to pick him up with his hand around thetter neck.

    "Well, as I said, if my junior is getting out of line, it is my duty to keep him in line, so..." Alex raised his other hand and then...

    *p*

    He delivered a resounding p to Nox''s right cheek; however, Alex hadn''t controlled his strength, causing a few teeth to fly out of Nox''s mouth.

    "Oops, I used too much strength, let me try again"

    "Y-You b-bastar-"

    *p*

    Another pnded on Nox''s left cheek. Fortunately, Alex controlled his strength this time, preventing Nox''s teeth froming out. Nevertheless, the powerful p left a red palm trace on Nox''s face.

    "S-Sto-"

    "It seems that you still didn''t learn your lesson, you shouldn''t try to order your seniors. You have been bad and bad boys get punished" said Alex with a devilish grin, then...

    *p* *p* *p*

    Alex continued pping Nox every time he attempted to speak. Eventually, Nox realized the relentless onught wouldn''t cease, prompting him to surrender the fight and end the humiliation. Yet, Alex didn''t permit even that respite.

    Each time he tried to speak, a palm got in contact with his face and stopped him from speaking.

    The most shocking thing in this situation is that he had used his ability against Alex, but the response he got was "it tickles".

    It was at that moment that he realized that he was utterly fucked.

    ''This guy is a monster, Father, HELP!'' Nox shouted inwardly, unable to do so outwardly.

    The father he was praying to save him could be seen seething in his ce, not due to his son being beaten ck and blue, but due to the humiliation he felt right now.

    "Stop this fight right now!" Demanded Robert as he stood from his chair.

    However, all that met his demand was Adrian''s stern eyes.

    "Boy, don''t try to tell me what to do"

    Robert immediately shut up and sat down, not just his son, even him was afraid of this old man and didn''t want to get on his bad side.

    ''I know that I should stop the fight, but I''m enjoying the show'' chuckled inwardly Adrian.

    As mentioned earlier, he doesn''t like when a junior disrespects his senior, so, when a senior was putting his junior in his ce, it was a very enjoyable event for Adrian, which is why he didn''t stop the fight even though he knew that it ended after Alex punch.

    Meanwhile, Alex persisted in pping Nox from right to left until he stopped, sensing that nearly ten minutes had passed since the fight began.

    When he stopped pping Nox, Alex used his hands to pinch his swollen cheek, then spoke to him with a bright smile.

    "I hope that you learned your lesson, if not, then I will dly return to teach you some manners, but I must warn you..." Alex''s smile faded, and it was reced by a cold one.

    "...the next time your punishment will be one hundred times harsher than now, so, think carefully the next time you try to insult or even look at me the wrong way."

    With that warning, Alex delivered a final, much stronger p, rendering Nox unconscious.

    ''Guess the show is over,'' sighed Adrian with disappointment before dering:

    "The fight is over, victory for Alex."

 Chapter 98 : Next opponent

    Chapter 98 : Next opponent

    "WOO-HOO, THAT''S MY GRANDSON! GOOD JOB PUTTING THIS ARROGANT BRAT IN HIS PLACE"ughed uproariously Grace while raising both of her hands in the air.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    Everyone was shocked by her behavior, and when they remembered that she was currently the head of their branch, they just wished for thispetition to end quickly, so this woman would step down. They didn''t even care who would be their next head, because anyone would be better than this woman!

    Even Alex''s daughters weren''t shouting with joy, but there she was, shouting like a fan finally meeting their idol after years of worship.

    Even Alex felt a little embarrassed when he heard his grandmother''s voice and words, but after a moment, he just chuckled.

    ''This woman will never change''

    Soon, Grace finally calmed down,  allowing Adrian to call back all the participants so they could draw lots to determine who is going to fight whom.

    "You promised that the fight wouldn''tst more than a minute, but it took you nearly ten minutes?" said Amelia with a pout when she regrouped with Alex.

    "Haha, I''m sorry about that"

    "Humph! Just apologizing won''t cut it!" Replied Amelia with her same pouting face.

    Alex leaned against her and whispered in her ear with a teasing voice.

    "What do I need to do so that my woman will forgive me, say anything you want, and I will bring it to you"

    Amelia blushed when he called her his woman. She still couldn''t believe that their rtionship had changed from siblings to lovers, but it''s not like she didn''t like it. In fact, she felt really happy that he was referring to her as his woman. It almost made her want to jump on him and ride him right here and right now, but she didn''t have a death wish, so she restrained herself.

    "You know perfectly what I want~" whispered back Amelia with a sultry voice.

    Knowing what she meant by this, Alex became speechless. They have done it for three whole days just two days ago, yet she already wanted to do it again ?

    ''This woman is insatiable'' thought Alex as he looked at Amelia who had slightly red cheeks.

    "What? You didn''t think that having sex just three days would quench my thirst, right?" questioned Amelia incredulously.

    "I have been waiting for years, so there''s no way three days of doing it will satisfy me~" finished Amelia with a sultry tone.

    "I understand, so, after thispetition ends, I will make it up to you by-"

    "What are you two whispering about ?" Interrupted Talia as she walked towards the pair of siblings.

    "Ah, n-nothing interesting" replied Amelia as she distanced herself from Alex.

    "It didn''t seem like nothing to me, and why are you blushing ?" Squinted Talia.

    "It''s really nothing" dismissed Amelia.

    Seeing that Amelia didn''t want to tell her about what they were whispering about, Talia turned to Alex. The moment she saw his smiling face, she immediately got irritated, took Amelia''s hand, and nned to pull her away. However, she hadn''t even taken a step when she heard a teasing voiceing from behind her.

    "Woah, not even a word, that''s quite harsh of you, don''t you think so my lovely Talia"

    The moment she heard Alex''s words, Talia''s anger red up, and she turned around with fiery eyes.

    "Don''t you dare ever call-"*

    "Your attention here," said Adrian, interrupting all the chatter happening among the participants; even Talia had to shut up.

    She shot Alex a menacing gaze before turning her attention to Adrian.

    ''Scary'' thought Alex.

    Meanwhile, Adrian started speaking.

    "Since Alex won his battle against Nox, we will now proceed to drawing lots so that each of you knows their opponent," exined Adrian.

    With that, each participant went to a small box containing a ball with a number written on it. They showed the number to a short man with ck hair, dressed like a butler, and then returned to the center of the arena.

    "Who do you think will be your opponents?" asked Amelia as she nced at Talia, then at Alex.

    "I don''t know, but I wish it''s that pervert, so that I can beat him to death" replied Talia as she gazed hatefully at Alex.

    "Sigh, can''t the two of you try to bury the hatchet?" asked Amelia, exasperated.

    "What are talking about ? I don''t have anything against my sweet Talia, quite the contrary! Also, I know that deep down in her stone-cold heart, she still loves me deeply" replied Alex while using his hand to make a love symbol that he ced on his heart while looking at Talia.

    "Who love you ? I would rather end up single than-"

    Before she could finish her sentence, therge screen glowed and showed the fight card, where each participant could see their opponent and those they might need to fight if they won.

    Alex raised an eyebrow when he saw who his opponent would be.

    He then looked at the location where two men totally identical could be seen standing next to each other, looking at the screen.

    ''Which of you is it ?'' Wondered Alex as he looked at the twins, trying to see if he could discern which of them was his opponent.

    He didn''t have to ponder for a long moment as one of the twins suddenly nced towards him.

    ''So that''s you''

    With a smile, Alex waved to greet him, but the twin, En,pletely ignored him and turned to speak to his brother, who was having a staring contest with one of the participants.

    ''Rude!''

    "Sh*t, I didn''t have this pervert as my opponent" cursed Talia.

    Alex looked at the screen to know who her opponent was and recognized that it was one of old man Adrian grandkids.

    ''From what I know she is not really that strong, so, Talia will surely win. Who might be her next opponent if that''s the case?''

    ''Oh, interesting''

    Talia''s next opponent was none other than the winner between him and En, so if he won, there would be a good chance that his next battle would be against Talia.

    She also noticed this fact, which is why she was grinning as she said to him:

    "You better win your fight, so I can have the chance to wipe the ground with your ass"

    With a lecherous smile, Alex replied:

    "Of course, I will win. How can I miss a one-on-one meeting with my beautiful and busty Talia?"

 Chapter 99 : Amelia vs Ector (1)

    Chapter 99 : Amelia vs Ector (1)

    "Humph, pervert!" Said Talia with a snort before turning to Amelia.

    "Who is your opponent ?"

    "Ector" replied calmly Amelia.

    "Eh, what ? So soon ?" Asked incredulously Talia.

    As if not believing what she was hearing, Talia looked at the screen to confirm if what Amelia said was the truth and indeed here opponent was Ector.

    It should be noted that Ector was a close second after Jonathan, so his strength wasn''t to be underestimated.

    "Sigh, you are really unlucky, girl" said Talia.

    "Why are you saying so ?" Asked Amelia with a puzzled expression.

    "Because you are going to fight Ector so soon!"

    "I don''t necessarily think that it''s a bad thing, in fact, it''s the contrary" replied Amelia.

    "What do you mean ?"

    This time it was not Amelia that replied to Talia but Alex.

    "There will be no break between each fight, and it''s not like each battle will take more than thirty minutes. It might not even take one minute for some battles to end. In this situation, it''s better to fight a strong opponent while you still have more mana. It''s something that everyone should have realized by now. You should use that brain of yours more often, Talia."

    "Hey! I use my brain all the time! It''s just that if she fights a strong opponent right now, even if she were to win, her mana reserve would be low, which may cause her to lose to even a weakling!" exined Talia.

    "Well, that''s also a possibility, either way, it stilles back to the fact that you need to better manage your mana during fights" replied Alex.

    Just as he finished speaking, Adrian said, "by now all of you must know your opponent and when your battle is going to happen".

    The participants nodded.

    "Then, let''s start right away with the first fight. Beside the ones who are going to fight, I don''t want to see no one else in the arena" ordered Adrian.

    Just as he finished speaking, the screen disying the different battles changed and the faces and names of those that were going to fight right now appeared.

    "Sigh, it''s as I said, you are really unlucky," eximed Talia upon seeing who was going to fight the first battle.

    Not understanding, Alex nced at the screen, which read:

    **Ector Eswald VS Amelia Eswald**

    ''Well, I guess my battle will be thest of the first round,'' thought Alex.

    His position and that of Amelia were on either extremities of the card of fights, so if Amelia''s fight was the first, then his own would be thest.

    "Well, I''m going, good luck Amy," said Talia before taking off towards the seats that were arranged for those participating.

    "Sooo, what do I gain as a reward if I win against Ector?" asked Amelia innocently the moment Talia disappeared.

    "It''s not really fair of you to ask for a reward for a fight that you already know you will win, is it?" asked Alex with a chuckle.

    "Still, what do I get?"

    "Hmm, let''s do something else. If you win all your fights and join me in the final, then I will do anything you want."

    "You promise?"

    "Yes."

    "Then don''te cryingter when I tell you to do something," said Amelia while waving her hand as she walked towards the center of the Arena.

    Meanwhile, Alex walked towards the seats made for the participants and sat next to Talia.

    "Why are you sitting next to me?" asked Talia with a hint of hostility in her voice.

    "Would you calm your tits? I just sat here because I wanted to. If you don''t want to sit next to me, then go sit elsewhere," replied Alex with an irritated tone.

    "Humph!"

    Meanwhile, in the center of the Arena where Amelia and Ector were facing each other.

    "The rules are the same as the fight between Alex and Nox. I will be the referee of the fight, so you two can go all out without worrying about lethally hurting the other," exined Adrian.

    "Ready?"

    The both of them nodded then Adrian eximed:

    "Start the fight!"

    The moment he gave the signal for the start of the fight, Adrian disappeared, leaving only the two fighters at the center of the Arena.

    "You should give up right now, Amelia," said Ector the moment Adrian left.

    "Why would I do something like that?" wondered Amelia with a puzzled expression.

    "Not to sound arrogant, but you might end up badly injured, and I don''t want to hurt you," replied Ector honestly.

    "Don''t worry, it won''t happen."

    "At least I warned you."

    At the same moment, in the box designed for those watching the fight.

    "Who do you think will win?" questioned Grace to no one in particr.

    "Who knows, both of them are talented youth," replied Candace.

    "That''s true, but I think that Ector will win," said Victoria.

    It''s not that she was against Amelia because she was the granddaughter of Grace - she was not that petty - it''s just that in the minds of those present, Ector was above the others beside Jonathan.

    "I don''t agree; Amelia will certainly win," said another person, to which someone else responded by saying that it was Ector who would win.

    Just like that, people became divided, one part saying that it was Amelia that will win, the other saying that it would be Ector.

    The same thing was happening in the participants'' seats, with one part - mostlyposed of women - supporting Amelia and the other part supporting that Ector would be the winner.

    "You have been strangely silent for a moment, John; who do you think will win?" asked one of the twins.

    "I don''t know; we will see in just a few minutes anyway," replied Jonathan.

    "What a boring answer," replied the other twin.

    Seeing that they wouldn''t have a decent answer from Jonathan, the twins resumed their talk about who will win.

    Talia nced at the calm Alex, then asked:

    "And you? Care to make a guess on the winning side?"

    When people saw that it was Alex that was questioned, everyone concentrated on what his answer would be.

    Without them realizing, their attitude towards Alex started to change the moment he had humiliated Nox. Before, they wouldn''t have cared about his answer, but now, although they wouldn''t necessarily take what he said seriously, they at least wanted to hear what his thoughts were.

    Without even bothering to look at Talia, he asked:

    "Why would I need to guess while I already know who the winner would be?"

    "And who is it going to be?"

    "Amelia," replied casually Alex.

    When they heard Alex''s answer, everyone turned their heads, having lost interest as Alex''s answer seemed biased.

    Alex didn''t care about what they were thinking; he said what he needed to say. If they don''t believe him, then they would see for themselvester when the fight ended.

    As for him...

    ''Hey system, show me the status of Amelia.''

 Chapter 100 : Amelia vs Ector (2)

    Chapter 100 : Amelia vs Ector (2)

    [Name: Amelia Eswald

    Age: 55

    Level: 4

    Strength: 60

    Agility: 70

    Stamina: 70

    Defense: 55

    Mana Points: 70

    Abilities: nt maniption; Cell master; Residual st]

    ''Her stats are quite high for a level 4'' remarked Alex.

    Besides his own and now Amelia''s, he had never seen a Level 4 stat. Despite that, he was still certain that Amelia''s stats surpassed the typical Level 4. Even now, his stats were just slightly above hers, except for stamina, which was surprising since he used soul points to enhance his attributes.

    ''As for her abilities... What kind of names are those? Was she the one to choose them?'' wondered Alex.

    ''Well, they might be bad names, but at least you directly understand what they do.''

    ''Show me the description of cell Master and Residual st'' asked Alex.

    The system screen changed and the description of the abilities appeared before Alex.

    [Cell Master: allows the user to control the cell of others organisms]

    The description of the Cell Master ability was straightforward, but what it does was, quite frankly, extraordinary.

    For example, one of it many uses is the healing power of Amelia. When she heals someone, in fact, she uses her ability to repair and regenerate damaged cells.

    When she uses her ability, Amelia analyzes and corrects faulty cells, stimtes natural healing processes, and, if necessary, is even capable of going beyond enhancing natural healing.

    ''And this is just one of its many uses; this ability is really a cheat,''thought Alex with a chuckle.

    Just when he wanted to move to Amelia''s third ability, the fight between Amelia and Ector finally started, causing him to dismiss the screen of the system, knowing that this kind of fight neversted a long time.

    Ector was the first to make his move by activating his ability that, which allowed him to manipte the sand.

    Arge amount of sand began to materialize just behind him. The sand then divided into many parts, quickly shaping themselves into dagger forms, forming arge array of at least a hundred daggers!

    Without wasting a second, he hurled those daggers towards Amelia. He had already warned her that she might get hurt badly. If she didn''t take his warning seriously, then it was her problem.

    Seeing these countless sharp daggersing her way, Amelia didn''t panic. Instead, she took out a few grains from her space ring, threw them on the ground, and utilized her nt maniption ability.

    The grains inserted into the ground, and a split secondter,rge green vines emerged from the ground, wrapping themselves around Amelia like a cocoon to shield her from the daggers.

    As the daggers made contact with the shield of vines, to everyone''s surprise, they didn''t pass through. In fact, after the initial barrage of daggers, some parts of the vine shield detached themselves from the cocoon and began sting away the remaining daggers as if they were mere flies.

    "Your shield of nts is a good defense, but how much time will it take for it to cave in?" questioned Ector as he continued sending waves after waves of sand daggers.

    As he mentioned, soon, one could see that the shield of vines became thinner, indicating that if things continued in that manner, Amelia would soon be exposed.

    This thought didn''t even have time to sprout in people''s minds when they saw Ector suddenly stop attacking and leap into the air.

    A secondter, vines with thorns and pink flowers on them emerged from the ground at the exact location where Ector stood just a second ago.

    ''Fortunately, I sensed them before they emerged. If not, God only knows in what kind of state I might be in at this moment,'' thought Ector as he observed the sharp ends of the vines.

    However, his relief quickly transformed into wariness when he saw the flowers on the vines start to open themselves. A secondter, after they bloomed, the flowers released a purple and ominous mist.

    ''It''s poison!'' inwardly eximed Ector the moment he saw the mist.

    He didn''t know what kind of poison it was and, quite frankly, did not want to know. That''s why, the moment the mist appeared, he created a literal sand tornado.

    The tornado swept away the poison mist and even charred the vines while directing itself toward Amelia''s cocoon of nts.

    "We will see how much time your nt protection wouldst," smirked Ector.

    However, at that moment, something unexpected happened. The nts forming the cocoon separated themselves, revealing Amelia standing with a raised finger.

    "What is she plotting now?" wondered Ector with a wary expression.

    He didn''t need to ponder more, as under his observing eyes, particles started to swirl around her finger.

    Quickly, the particles turned into a round sphere, barely the size of a tennis ball. The sphere seemed to be divided into two parts, with one part being green and the other part being orange.

    "It''s the end" said calmly Alex the moment he saw the small sphere appear on Amelia''s finger.

    The others didn''t even have time to ask him why he said that when Amelia hurled the sphere at Ector while she herself dodged the sand tornado.

    With the sphereing toward him while he was still in the air, Ector had two choices before him. The first was to maintain his control over the sand tornado and chase after Amelia, or concentrate on dodging the sphere that wasing straight at him.

    ''Let''s dodge. I feel like this orb is dangerous,'' thought Ector as he decided to dodge; he couldter retake control of the sand tornado anyway.

    "Not so fast, you''re not going anywhere," said Amelia with a snicker as she snapped her fingers.

    BOOM

    The moment Amelia snapped her fingers, everyone was surprised to witness a deafening explosion in the arena.

    What stunned them even more was to see that this explosion didn''t release smoke, but instead, a burst of sand fragments imbued with vibrant, swirling energies. The mix created a powerfulbo, tearing through everything in its path with devastating effects.

    The explosionsted for at least ten seconds before subsiding.

    When it finally stopped, and people looked to try and find in what kind of state Ector was, they were shocked to find that there was no one.

    There was just arge crater, and no Ector was in sight anywhere in the arena.

    "What the..."

 Chapter 101 : Residual blast (1)

    Chapter 101 : Residual st (1)

    "What the hell? Did she just kill Ector?" Asked Talia in disbelief.

    It was not just her, everyone was asking themselves the same question.

    "Don''t worry, he is safe" eximed Adrian as he appeared, gripping Ector by the cor.

    The moment he saw the sphere start to explode, he understood that Ector had no way to escape the explosion and might be severely injured.

    Although, now that he saw the destruction caused by the explosion, he was sure that Ector would have died had he not intervened.

    ''What kind of ability is that, I never heard of little Amy possessing such a destructive ability'' thought Adrian as he looked at Amelia that seemed quite relieved that Ector had survived, she didn''t want to kill someone of her family after all.

    ''This ability is really frightening no matter how many times I see it'' thought Alex as he nced at the description of the ability.

    [Residual st: Allows the user to concentrate the residual energy around him/her and transform it into a bomb that has the characteristics of the elements the residual energy is from.

    Caution: this ability feed on stamina, not mana, so if the user abuses it he/she might die exhaustion]

    ''Damn, this thing is so dangerous that even the system put a caution against it'' remarked Alex with a whistle.

    Contrary to the others, Alex perfectly knew this ability, since he had nearly died because of it.

    To this day, he still remembers that day like it happened yesterday.

    When Amelia was nearly 18, around the age when people start awakening their abilities, she had already awakened her nt maniption and cell mastery abilities a year prior.

    At that moment, she was acimed as a genius and no one thought that she had a third ability, even herself!

    One day, she and Alex got to watch the spar between two of their father''s subordinates that were both level 5.

    The fight was quite intense and attack flew between the two opponents.

    As he was enjoying the fight, Alex didn''t pay too much attention to Amelia until he saw her walking towards the area where the fight was happening.

    Worried, he shouted at her to warn her, but it seemed like she couldn''t hear him, like she was hypnotized.

    Gritting his teeth, he ran towards her and managed to stop her in her track.

    When he asked her why she was approaching the fight, her reply was.

    "I just wanted to get close to those luminous things, they look so beautiful!"

    Alex looked at the location she was pointing to, but all he could see was the battle between the two experts intensifying.

    "There is nothing there Amelia, you must be dreaming"

    "But I can see some luminous things right there, they are actuallying our way" replied Amelia as she extended her arm forward like trying to grab at something.

    "I don''t see anyth-"

    Alex came to a sudden pause as he noticed luminous particles of at least three different colors gathering around his sister.

    As he looked on with wide eyes, the particles started to merge and form something whole.

    "Strange, I feel like I can control these little orb, let''s try!" Eximed Amelia excitedly.

    "Wait, Amy, I don''t think that''s a good idea go-"

    Before he could finish what he was saying, he saw the strange orbs start to twirl around Amelia.

    "Woah, so beautiful!" Eximed Amelia.

    "Y-Yeah, they indeed look beautiful" admitted Alex.

    They were so engrossed looking at these orbs that they have not noticed that the two experts fighting had stopped, and we''re instead looking at them with wide eyes.

    A secondter, the both of them shouted:

    "YOUNG MISS, YOUNG MASTER, STAY AWAY FROM THESE!"

    "Huh? Why are they saying that ?" Wondered Amelia.

    However, Alex, on the other hand, realized what they meant, the moment he saw the orbs start to explode.

    Without waiting for a second, he pushed his sister and used his body to shield her as an explosion appeared to go off behind him.

    The explosion sent them flying, with Amelia held tightly in Alex''s arms.

    A secondter, Alex could feel someone stopping them as they were about to crash against a wall.

    ''Damn....''

    This was the only thing Alex could think before everything turned ck.

    Dayster, he who wasying on his stomach suddenly jolted up, winced, thenid down again on his stomach.

    "Don''t move, you are still not fully healed" said a man with a deep voice.

    Alex, stillying on the bed, turned his head toward the location of the voice.

    "Howe I''m not healed ?" Asked Alex with a hoarse voice as he looked at the man, his father, that was seating next to him with a book in hand.

    Alex''s father, Theodore, was a handsome man who appeared middle-aged with silver hair and eyes as ck as an abyss, a striking contrast to his shiny hair. Despite his stern appearance, those who knew him understood it was anything but.

    "I don''t know what caused the explosion, but the particles that formed the bomb actually prevented the healing magic from working on you. We had to treat you the normal way, which is why you are all bandaged," replied Theodore, still engrossed in his book.

    "How is Amelia?"

    "Thanks to you, she sustained a minor wound and is already healed," replied Theodore before finally closing his book and fixing his son with a serious expression.

    "Tell me, what happened?" Asked Theodore.

    Alex then proceeded to tell his father everything that happened, from the two of them going to watch the fight between the two level 5 to Amelia taking control of the luminous particles.

    "I see, it aligns with what Milo and Zilo told me," said Theodore with a thoughtful look after hearing Alex''s version.

    "Do you know what those luminous things were ?" Asked Alex a few momentster.

    "I have a guess, but we will only be fixed when your sister wakes up"

    "Huh? Didn''t you say that she sustained a minor wound ?"

    Theodore sighed and replied with a somber expression:

    "Amelia wasn''t badly hurt physically, but she is in aa."

 Chapter 102 : Residual blast (2)

    Chapter 102 : Residual st (2)

    "COMA? I thought you said she only suffered minor wounds!" eximed Alex, momentarily forgetting his own pain.

    "Calm down, as I mentioned, she isn''t severely injured. We''ve already treated her wounds, though she remains unconscious. Nevertheless, her life isn''t at risk; it''s as if she''s resting after exerting herself."

    Hearing his father''s exnation, Alex calmed down.

    "And now what ? What are we going to do ?" Wondered Alex.

    "Nothing, we are just going to wait for your sister to wake up, then we will try to understand what happened" replied Theodore, already returning to his book.

    ''I guess we don''t have much of an alternative,'' sighed Alex while closing his eyes to sleep.

    Time passed, and it took three weeks for Amelia to finally awaken from hera state, even then she was still weak and had to wait for one week to fully recover.

    When asked what happened, she essentially described the same events as Alex, except she imed she could control the luminous particles, though she didn''t understand why it exploded.

    To truly understand what urred, their father decided to rey the entire day. He called the two experts who had fought on that day and ordered them to reenact the battle exactly as it happened.

    As for Amelia, he instructed her to see if she could observe those particles again. Just likest time, she could see them perfectly, while Alex and Theodore couldn''t see anything.

    "Try to merge them together likest time" instructed Theodore.

    "But dad-"

    "Don''t worry, I will protect her with my mana"

    Following that brief exchange, Amelia began merging the luminous particles around her. Just like before, they became visible to Alex and his father as they fused together.

    As the merging continued around Amelia, the particles suddenly exploded!

    Fortunately, Theodore did as he said and protected Amelia from the explosion.

    She came out of the explosion unscathed, but a momentter, she lost consciousness.

    "It''s as I guessed" sighed Theodore as he caught Amelia before she fell.

    "What''s your conclusion?" asked Alex as he took the unconscious Amelia from his father and carried her in a princess hold.

    "Those particles are energy, more specifically residual energy, as for how she could control those residual energies..." he nced at Amelia and continued "...it''s an ability of hers, her third ability"

    "I see" replied Alex.

    "You don''t seem as surprised as I thought you would be" remarked Theodore.

    "Well, I had a doubt that it would be something like that, so it doesn''t surprise me that much, what is bogging me is why she loses consciousness each time she uses this ability".

    "It''s quite obvious; her body can''t keep up, which is why every time she uses it, she falls unconscious".

    "It does make sense" said Alex as he started walking towards Amelia''s room.

    His father followed him, and soon Amelia was lying on her bed.

    "And now what ?" Asked Alex.

    "Now that we know what this ability is and how it affects her, she will simply never use it" replied Theodore with a somber expression.

    "It won''t be easy to convince her to abandon her ability" said Alex with a chuckle.

    "I''m not saying that she should abandon it, just that until her body can support her using this ability, it''s better to forget about it and not use it" replied Theodore.

    Two weekster, when Amelia woke up, Alex and his father filled her in on about her ability and then forbade her from using this ability.

    At first, she wanted to throw a tantrum, but they calmed her by exining to her that she could use it when her body got stronger.

    This is why, now that she has finally used this ability, everyone is shocked, as nobody had ever heard about it before as Theodore had forbidden them from speaking about it to others.

    ''If her Cell master ability can be called a cheat, then I don''t even know how to address this one, even now I don''t have a clue on how to deal with this ability'' sighed Alex.

    Residual st allowed Amelia to control the residual energy of every ability that she wanted, and the explosion that she could cause had characteristics of the residual energy she used.

    How can one counter such a broken ability, knowing that there was residual energy even in a seemingly inactive environment!

    The only weakness of this ability is the fact that it feed on stamina rather than on mana, but even that weakness is rtive, if someone like Alex that can enhance his stamina with points got their hands on such an ability, then that person would be a real menace for his enemies.

    "Hey, do you know what this thing she used was ?" Asked Talia.

    The moment they heard her question, everyone turned to Alex, wanting to know what Amelia did.

    Amelia''s future opponents were even more concentrated than the rest, since it was them that would have to go against this dangerous power of Amelia, so, better gather some information.

    s, Alex''s answer disappointed them.

    "Noment"

    "Tsk, useless" growled the participants.

    Meanwhile

    "The first battle ended with Amelia winning!" Eximed Adrian.

    "Seeing how you easily won, I''m feeling a little embarrassed to have asked you to give up if you didn''t want to be hurt" said Ector with a bitter smile.

    "Haha, don''t worry about that" replied Amelia with a smile.

    After that, the two of them walked out of the arena while the next fighters made their way to the center of the arena.

    "It''s one win for me!" Said Amelia as she took the seat at the extremity, next to Alex.

    "Congrattions, you did well" replied Alex while patting Amelia on the head.

    "Can I have a kiss as a reward ?"

    "Didn''t we already establish that you would receive a reward only if you got to the final?"

    "Pretty please?" Asked Amelia with puppy eyes.

    "Sigh, okay, but only on the cheek for now" whispered Alex as he gave Amelia a kiss on her cheek.

    "It will do for now~" replied Amelia with a blush.

    The weird interaction between the two siblings did not go unnoticed by the others, it''s just that they decided to chalk it off as the two of them being close, but only gods would know what their reactions would be if they knew that Alex was actually fondling her ass secretly!

    ''Ahh, so soft!''

 Chapter 103 : First stage

    Chapter 103 : First stage

    "S-Stop it" whispered Amelia as her brother''s hand fondling her butt.

    "Don''t worry, no one will remark what is going on" whispered back Alex while still continuing.

    Ahh~

    Amelia had to use her hand to muffle her moans as Alex started squeezing her ass with increased force.

    While all of this was happening, Alex''s face remained that of calmness, but inside, he was feeling extremely aroused, his cock starting to swell and pick a tent in his pants.

    He ced his hand on his sister''s thigh and started caressing it gently through the clothes and squeezing it at times.

    As he was feeling bolder and bolder, he moved his towards her breast with the intention of inflicting them the same treatment as her soft butt-

    "Why are you two making such noise ?" Questioned Talia as she heard some rustle next to her.

    "Nothing is happening here!" Eximed Amelia nervously with a slight blush.

    She squinted her eyes at them for a moment, then turned her head away.

    However, as she was turning her head, something caught her attention and she looked down at Alex''s groin area.

    Her eyes widened a little seeing a bulge in his pants.

    She quickly averted her gaze so no one could notice where she was looking at.

    ''Could it be that those two....'' she nced again at the tent in Alex''s pant, then at Amelia''s blushing face and had a strange suspicion.

    ''Could it be that their rtionship is more than - No! I refuse to believe this, it''s just this disgusting man being a pervert, like always!'' thought Talia while shaking her head and focus on the ongoing fight.

    At that time, she couldn''t have known that her suspicion was urate, and those two were indeed more than just brother and sister.

    Meanwhile, Alex, despite being nearly caught just now, had no intention of stopping, but had no choice to when Amelia smacked away his hand.

    "Behave" said Amelia with a serious expression this time.

    "Sorry buddy, no action for you today as it seems that this woman of mine doesn''t want to do anything" whispered Alex with disappointment looking at his crotch.

    "You won''t guilt-trip me with that pitiful look of yours, as I said, behave, if you do, then I might consider doing it with youter~" teased Amelia.

    "You are more horny than me though, so I''m sure that you wille to me no matter how I behave, I''m even willing to bet that right now you are very wet down there" replied Alex with a grin.

    As Alex pointed out, Amelia panties were currently soaked, but unwilling to acknowledge it. She turned towards the center of the arena, fixating on the unfolding fight, deliberately ignoring Alex.

    Alex chuckled seeing her act like that and dropped the subject, also concentrating on the fight happening.

    From Alex''s point of view, the fight was boring as both side seemed to have the same level of strength and no one seemed toe on top.

    The two currently fighting were Adrian''s grandchildren, like Ector.

    After at least 10 minutes of fighting, one of them named Marx finally managed toe on top.

    After that, the next fight was between one of Adrian''s grandchildren, a man named Barken, and one of the twin, Zo.

    Contrary to the first fight, this one didn''t evenst three minutes, Zo dominated the fight without even using his ability, showing therge gap between the two of them.

    After this fight, it was Talia''s little brother, Zane, turn to fight.

    Although not as domineering as Zo, Zane managed to win his battle without too many troubles.

    After that, there were no other interesting fights for a long time, the ones that fought were of the same level and the battles kept being dragged on.

    It was until it was Jonathan''s turn to fight.

    As he walked to the arena, everyone focused on him, even Alex that was starting to doze off due to boredom.

    However, to everyone''s disappointment, Jonathan''s fight didn''tst even a minute.

    The moment Adrian gave the signal, he charged at his opponent with such astounding speed that, before the opponent could react, Jonathan already had a small knife against his throat.

    ''Damn, the old man sure have trained him well'' thought Alex, witnessing Jonathan''s prowess.

    After Jonathan won, there were only two remaining battles for the first stage to end : Talia''s and Alex''s fight.

    "I''m going, wish me luck" said Talia excitedly as she was standing up.

    "Good luck" wished Amelia.

    "Above all, try not to be held down by your... assets" said Alex as he leered at Talia''s breasts jiggle as she stood up.

    "Pervert!" Eximed Talia as she walked away.

    "Are you both ready ?" Asked Adrian.

    After the two girls nodded their heads, he gave the signal to the start of the fight.

    Just after Adrian gave the signal, Talia''s opponent didn''t lose time and created a few daggers of paper, yes, paper!

    Talia opponent, Celine, ability made her able to create paper out of thin air, she can shape them and give them any form she wanted and could make the paper construct sharp like a knife, blunt like a hammer and so on.

    This ability was in the category of abilities that, if you knew how to use them, could be really terrifying. If you don''t know how to use it, however, then it is the same as not having an ability at all.

    "Unfortunately for you, Celine, you came upon your worst opponent " said Talia with a sigh.

    Cindy gritted her teeth, but didn''t refute what Talia said, she was indeed at a great disadvantage against Talia, and it was soon exined why.

    As the daggers of papers made their way towards her, Talia crouched and touched the ground with her palm.

    The moment her palm came in contact with the ground, something extraordinary happened.

    The ground all around Talia suddenly transformed into water!

    Just as she stood up on the water surface, the daggers made of paper were mere centimeters from her face.

    However, she didn''t panic and didn''t even try to defend because the moment the daggers were about to pierce her eyes, a column of water raised and protected her.

    The moment the daggers made contact with the water...they swiftly began to lose their sharpness, the paper fibers absorbing moisture and causing the daggers to warp. The once formidable weapons now resembled a soggy remnant.

    That was why Talia had told Celine that she was the worst opponent for her, someone that can control paper will never be able to harm some other person that can control the water element and Celine knew about it, but she still didn''t want to give up, she would rather fight to the end.

    However, even that chance wasn''t given to her as the moment the daggers of paper disappeared, arge wave that looked like a tsunami surged toward Celine.

    A secondter, the column of water was upon her and engulfed her, or so it seemed as a secondter Adrian appeared with Cindy in his arms.

    "The fight ends with Talia''s victory, we will now proceed to thest fight of the first stage"

 Chapter 104 : F*cked up

    Chapter 104 : F*cked up

    "I believe that''s my cue," said Alex while standing in his chair.

    "Good luck, brother," supported Amelia.

    Alex turned to leave but then stopped when he saw a beautiful woman dressed in maid clothing bow towards him.

    "Master, young Miss Scarlett charged me to bring this to you," said Anna as she extended a spacial ring to Alex.

    "Oh, she finished. Good. Thanks for bringing it to me, Anna.".

    "I also brought you this."

    Anna then passed a shirt to Alex since thetter was bare-chested the whole time!

    "Haha, thanks; I even forgot about it," thanked Alex as he took the shirt from Anna and wore it. Just as he wore the shirt he thought of something and whispered to her with a joking tone.

    "Tell me, is it Scarlett or someone else that told you to give me a shirt, or is it that you were jealous of other women seeing me like this and decided to give me this shirt?"

    Anna blushed when she heard his words, because they were indeed the truth!

    "Don''t tell me it''s the case ?" Asked Alex incredulous when he saw her blush.

    Anna blushed even more, making him understand that he was right.

    "Haha, you are cute," said Alex with amusement in his voice.

    "Thanks for the shirt, beautiful," added Alex while kissing her.

    "M-Master"

    Anna immediately separated from Alex, making him wonder why she reacted like that.

    However, when he nced behind him, he understood why.

    The majority of the current participants were giving him a nasty re as they looked at his interaction with Anna.

    ''Haa, what a bunch of stuck-up brats'' thought Alex.

    He understood why they were looking at him like that, and it was actually what annoyed him.

    They were like that because he was not only flirting and being intimate with his maid but also doing it in public!

    Such things were unbing of a noble; it was an unwritten rule among nobles that even if a noble had a rtionship with their maid or other subordinates��non-nobles��they could only show affection towards them when they were in private since a maid or a subordinate was inferior to them.

    So Alex flirting and even going as far as kissing his maid in front of other nobles was not only disrespectful but frowned upon.

    "How long will you continue to degrade yourself and, in doing so, degrade us as well?" Said someone.

    Alex nced at the location the voice came from and found out that it was actually his next opponent, En, who was speaking.

    "We are nobles; we don''t mingle withmon people''s," continued En.

    "And why is that?" I asked Alex calmly.

    "What a naive question to ask. It''s obvious thatmoners are inferior to us, and they know it, which is why amoner might give everything to be with a noble, and your little maid here is the perfect example. She decided to be with you even though she knew that you are the trash of our family and don''t hold any power. I''m sure that she would have spread her legs for anyone as long as that person was a noble-"

    Before he could finish, En saw a fist appear just in front of his eyes. The fist was so fast that he didn''t have time to block. He closed his eyes as the impact was imminent, and a few secondster, the impact urred, but it was strange.

    '' I''m not feeling anything'' thought En.

    "No fighting outside of the arena; if you have any feud between the two of you, settle it in the arena," said someone with an aged voice.

    When En Final opened his eyes, he saw Adrian standing next to him, blocking Alex''s fist fromnding on him.

    Meanwhile, Alex looked at Adrian with a somber expression for a few seconds before pulling his arm back and turning away to look at Anna.

    He could see that she was fuming inside, but she couldn''t say anything to defend herself since the one speaking was a noble; gods only knew what would happen to her if she were to insult him right here.

    "Rx; you can say anything you want; nothing will happen to you," said Alex while patting her head with a gentle smile.

    When the other participants approached him, their expressions got even worse, but they didn''t say anything and remained silent, observing how the scene would unfold.

    Meanwhile, Anna still refused to talk, despite Alex assuring her that nothing would happen.

    "I once told you that if someone were to insult one of my women''s, then I would make them live hell, right?"

    Anna nodded her head.

    "Then watch me; I will show you that I keep my promises," said Alex before turning around and walking towards the center of the arena.

    ''I guess the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree'' thought Adrian as he watched Alex back.

    "Did you see how-"

    Talia came to a halt when Alex directly passed by her, not even bothering to nce in her direction.

    ''What is it with him?'' wondered Talia as she walked back to the other''s.

    While walking, Alex scanned what was in the ring Anna gave him and took out something.

    The item he retrieved was a gray and golden, masterfully crafted tobo pipe, measuring at least fifteen centimeters (5.91 inches).

    This tobo pipe was the item he had requested Scarlett to craft for him. The reason for asking her to make a tobo pipe was quite evident, but the method by which it produced smoke was the thing that truly made this pipe special.

    After taking out the tobo pipe, what Alex did next was look at the other things that were in the ring.

    ''This would do'' selected Alex.

    ''Why did he take out a pipe?'' I noticed En walking a few meters beside him.

    ''Well, whatever, it won''t change anything, thought En.

    He had heard the promise Alex had made to Anna, but he wasn''t the least bit concerned, showing him hell ? He wanted to see that happen!

    ***

    "Finally, it''s going to be dad''s turn!" Eximed excitedly, Viviane.

    "Don''t shout like that," reprimanded Lilia.

    "Let her shout all she wants; it''s not like she is the only one excited to see Alex fight," said Ava.

    As she said, everyone was excited to see his fight; even those who didn''t like him were excited since they were curious about his strength and, most of all, how he gained it.

    But they were surprised when they saw the kind of face Alex had when he stepped into the arena.

    The younger generation simply wondered why he was making such a face, while the older generation was visibly shaken. Alex''s current expression resembled one his father used to wear in certain circumstances.

    When Alex''s father had the same kind of face as Alex had currently, it only meant one thing:

    You fucked up!

 Chapter 105 : Alex vs En (1)

    Chapter 105 : Alex vs En (1)

    ''What happened?'' Wondered the spectators as they looked at Alex''s face.

    Since the location where the participants were gathered was different from the spectators'' location, they did not witness the incident that urred.

    ''I don''t know what happened there, but when Theodore was this furious, it never ended well...for his opponent'' thought Ava as she observed Alex walking.

    ''I have never seen Dad look like this; that makes him look more attractive,'' thought Alice with a perverse smoke on her face.

    "Why are you smiling like that?" Asked Violette next to her.

    "Oh, nothing, nothing; don''t pay attention to me; rather, do you have an idea of what might have happened?" Asked Alice, trying to divert the conversation from her.

    "I dunno, maybe someone insulted him?"

    "I doubt it''s that; your father generally ignores what most people say, and he would likewise ignore someone insulting him," reasoned Lilia.

    ''Perhaps someone insulted me or the others,'' she added internally.

    ''It might exin his face if that were the case''

    By the others, she meant Amelia and Anna.

    She knew fully well the personality of her husband, so she understood that disparaging either his women or his close ones were sure methods to enrage him. It was something she appreciated about him, even though it was somewhat of a weakness that his enemies could take advantage of.

    ''Anyway, let''s see if he is going to handle the situation''

    As they observed, Alex and En walked to the center of the arena, and a few secondster, Adrian also stepped into the center of the arena.

    "Are the both of you ready ?" Asked Adrian.

    "Start!" Shouted Adrian after they nodded.

    The instant the fight officially started, both Alex and En made their move. Alex took a strong puff on his tobo pipe while En pped his hands on the ground.

    The moment he pped his hands on the ground, it started to shake, and soon, six pirs of earth rose and started to be shaped intorge humanoid forms.

    The spectators quickly grasped En''s actions; he was summoning earth golems. However, he didn''t stop there; he also conjured numerous earth projectiles that he nned tounch at Alex to keep him from approaching while his golems were being created.

    ''I''m not foolish enough to fight him in a hand-to-hand fight''.

    Since his fight with Nox, all the participants understood that engaging Alex physically was.... risky, to say the least.

    Meanwhile, after Alex took a puff of his pipe, he exhaled green smoke, then put away his pipe in his spatial ring.

    Just after hepleted that, projectiles of earth surged toward him, causing him to move to dodge them.

    Although the projectiles moved swiftly, Alex effortlessly dodged them. Yet, he couldn''t close in on En as the projectiles obstructed his path.

    ''Let''s see how you are going to block this,'' thought Alex coldly, beginning to expand the small wisp of smoke he exhaled.

    Initially, people didn''t pay much attention to the smoke; they had witnessed him take a puff of his pipe and then put it away. It puzzled them, but no one voiced their curiosity.

    However, as Alex began to erge and expand the smoke while skillfully evading the projectiles, the spectators finally took notice of the white haze surrounding him.

    "What is this white thing?" I asked Abigail (Adrian''s sister) about no one in particr.

    "I''m not sure, but didn''t little Alex take out a smoking pipe before taking it away, so perhaps it''s smoke?" I replied to Madison.

    "Who knows? Let''s just watch and see."

    As En golems were about to be finished, Alex expanded the white smoke even further, this time epassing all the arena!

    Until now, people could see what was happening in the arena because the smoke was thin. But as time passed, the smoke got thicker.

    ''What the f*ck is this?'' He wondered as his sight started to be obstructed by the smoke.

    "The smoke is bing thicker; is it the act of Alex?" Madison asked Grace.

    "Mm" acknowledged Grace.

    "Then, that''s meant that-"

    "Alex has the smoke ability,"pleted Grace.

    No need to act clueless; Alex was already using his smoke ability. Sooner orter, people would have figured it out. It was better to just confirm what everyone already thought.

    However, even though they suspected it, hearing it from Grace was surprising. Her confirmation shocked everyone, including Alex''s daughters, except Scarlett, who didn''t know about their father''s smoking ability.

    ''So, the being of smoke of that day was really dad'' realized Alice, connecting the dots.

    "Seriously, what have you done?" Asked Victoria.

    "Believe it or not, I have nothing to do with Alex''s current power," replied Grace.

    "So you''re telling me that little Alex not only miraculously reached level 4, but he also has a new ability, and you had nothing to do with it?" Victoria questioned, disbelief evident in her voice.

    "Yes, now stop bothering me."

    Victoria''s lips twitched, then she nced at Ava and Lilia for exnation, but before she could ask.

    "Noment"

    "Don''t know"

    "...."

    Victoria and everyone curious about Alex''s power lips twitched; they knew that those two were clearly lying, but it''s not like they could force them to speak, so they just shut their mouths and concentrated on the fight.

    At the location where the participants were sitting, something simr was happening; every participant was shaken by Alex possessing an ability that changed everything.

    Many were sure that he was physically stronger than them, so they bet on using their special powers to gain an edge against him.

    However, if he possessed an ability, then everything changed!

    Those watching were shaken by Alex''s ability, but the most shaken was En.

    ''F*ck, I can''t see anything!'' Shouted internally, En.

    The white smoke had be so thick that he couldn''t see Alex anymore, making him stop attacking with the earth projectiles.

    It was not just him; no one could see what was happening in the smoke at this point, but it wasn''t a problem; the moment you reach level 3, your senses are improved, and you can even see by concentrating on the surrounding mana to see, which was what everyone, including En, did.

    ''Where is Alex?''

    Not just En; absolutely no one could sense Alex!

 Chapter 106 : Alex vs En (2)

    Chapter 106 : Alex vs En (2)

    ''Where the f*ck is he?'' Wondered En as his eyes darted from right to left, trying to spot Alex; unfortunately, he couldn''t see his opponent nor feel his presence using mana, which made him anxious.

    So, he did something that, at that moment, he thought was logical and startedunching earth projectiles all around himself in the hope of deterring Alex from approaching him.

    Unbeknownst to En, he wasn''t the only one that couldn''t sense Alex; be it Grace, Adrian, Candace, Victoria, or the others, no one among them could sense him, which was shocking.

    However, the most shocked among everyone was Alice, since even with her god''s eyes, she couldn''t spot Alex in the smoke.

    Unlike the others that couldn''t see through the thick smoke and needed to use their mana to sense what was happening in the cloud of smoke, Alice could easily see through the smoke and witness what was happening in the arena; she could see En frantically look from left to right while attacking in every direction, but that is where the problemy. She could see the entire arena, but she still couldn''t see her father!

    It needs to be reminded that Alice God''s eyes allowed her to peer into anything as long as she wished; not even Anna''s ability could fool her,  so why couldn''t she spot her father?

    ''Did I lose my God''s eyes?'' Wondered Alice, but as quickly as she had this thought, she discarded it. If she didn''t still possess God''s eyes, then how was she able to peer beyond the smoke?

    What Alice didn''t know was that while she may have eyes allowing her to peer into anything, it was a matter of potential. There were many things she couldn''t prate yet, and it was only through rigorous training that she could truly reach a level where nothing could hide from her. Fortunately, she came to this realization after seeing, or rather, not seeing, her father within the smoke.

    Meanwhile, Adrian could be seen in  a corner of the arena with sweat dripping from his forehead.

    ''How am I supposed to stop him if heunches an attack powerful enough to mortally wound En if I can''t see him act ?''

    Now that he couldn''t spot one of the fighters, his task of stopping any lethal attack turned out to be moreplicated than expected.

    ''Where are you, brat?''

    While everyone was looking out for him, Alex was hundreds of meters from En, far enough that En''s earth projectiles couldn''t touch him, standing still with his hands stretched.

    What he was trying to do right now was enhance the corrosive attribute of the smoke, yes, corrosive attribute.

    This white smoke was in fact made by vaporizing a liquid that is made to corrode the earth but does damage the earth.

    This substance is generally used by miners when they want to easily extract ores mixed with earth.

    However, although it elerates the process by corroding the earth around minerals, it''s a substance that was engineered so that it wouldn''t be too corrosive and damage the ores extracted.

    What Alex was doing right now was doing the contrary; he was enhancing the corrosive ability of this substance so that he would be able to immediately corrode the earth.

    During his training with Lilia, he learned that he could not only increase the thickness or how thin the smoke was, but he could also enhance  the potency of the attributes of said smoke!

    That was precisely what he was attempting to do at this moment, but he focused solely on the smoke in direct contact with his skin. However, achieving something like that required intense concentration, especially since he had never attempted it during training.

    As for En or the others spotting him? He wasn''t worried about that even one bit.

    When he became a smoke sovereign, he literally linked his soul with the smoke spirit, which is also the smoke element.

    From that moment onward, Alex became indistinguishable from smoke when he was surrounded by it, which was why even Alice couldn''t see him.

    As long as this smoke remains, no technique, special attribute, or device devised to find someone can find him since he is the smoke in itself!

    Which was why he allowed himself to close his eyes and concentrate.

    One of the advantages of bing a smoke sovereign was that he could directly understand what attributes a smoke carried as long as he was even in visual contact with that smoke, so understanding what attributes a smoke had was not reallyplicated, so, in just a bit over five minutes, he managed to find and enhance the corrosive attribute of the smoke.

    ''It''s time to end this,'' thought Alex as he opened his eyes and looked in the direction of En with a cold gaze.

    Without wasting a second, he walked towards En. With each step, the white smoke around him appeared to grow even whiter, not because he increased its thickness, but because he enhanced its corrosive attribute.

    With each step, his foot imprint etched into the ground as the corrosive smoke under his feet ate away at the earth. He had to carefully control the smoke to prevent his feet from sinking further into the ground.

    As time passed, the sounds of footsteps intensified within the smoke, prompting En to identify the direction of the approaching threat and direct his earth projectiles towards Alex.

    Alex could see the projectiles heading straight for him, aimed at impaling him. Nevertheless, he continued walking, not bothering to slow down his footsteps.

    He didn''t fear those projectiles; if he wished, he could have moved silently, appearing beside En and striking him before thetter could defend himself. However, he refrained from such a stealthy approach. The reason for all the noise was, in fact, to draw En''s attention, prompting him tounch projectiles. Only for En to despair when realizing that these projectiles couldn''t even scratch him.

    As the projectiles were a mere two meters from him, Alex still continued to walk forward, and the moment the projectiles were one meter from him, they suddenly disappeared��no, dissolved!

    The corrosive attribute of the smoke around Alex''s body was so potent that it instantly corroded the earth projectiles!

    Unaware of this, En still continued to fire the projectiles as the footsteps got closer and closer to him.

    After a second or two, he spotted a figure approaching him and was sure that it was Alex, so heunched the projectiles with even more speed and force.

    However, it seemed like anything was happening, but she still persevered andunched even more projectiles.

    ''What is going on? Why does it seem like I''m not touching him? '' Wondered En.

    Dread slowly crept into his heart, but he pushed the feeling down and ceasedunching projectiles, realizing they were clearly ineffective.

    ''Hmm, he stopped? Why, I was sure that he would continue to attack with the��oh, it''s because of that?'' Alex spotted the reason��or rather, the reasons��why En stoppedunching the projectiles.

    ''It seems like his golems are finished''

    He nced at the golems, then at En''s face, which was graced by a smile the moment his golems started moving.

    ''It''s cute to see how he thinks those will save him,'' thought Alex with a sinister smile.

 Chapter 107 : Alex vs En (3)

    Chapter 107 : Alex vs En (3)

    The moment the golems finished being created, En ordered them to attack Alex, who was still walking towards him.

    ''Crush him before he notices you'' ordered En.

    Unbeknownst to him, Alex could see perfectly well when surrounded by smoke; if he couldn''t, then why would he make it so thick?

    It was actually stupid of En to think that Alex couldn''t see far in the smoke like he himself couldn''t, but it was understandable that he would think like that because despite his golems finally being avable created, he was still feeling uneasy.

    ''Are they trying to sneak up on me?'' Alex wondered incredulously as he saw one golem going to stand before En, surely for protection, while six other golems surrounded him while trying not to make noise, which obviously failed because how could golems made of earth be silent?

    ''With each decision that he makes, he seems more dumb to me,'' thought Alex as he watched the golems''sneak up'' on him.

    When the golems were around five meters from him, they abandoned all pretense of hiding and charged at Alex from all sides!

    In response, Alex created a sphere around him by using the extra corrosive smoke, then stretched it in all directions.

    The moment the golems made contact with the smoke, they all dissolvedpletely!

    Alex shrank back the sphere, then resumed his walk unbothered.

    "Damn! It''s bing frustrating; what the hell is happening there?"Eximed Talia

    Since they couldn''t sense Alex, everyone focused on sensing En and what he was doing. Just a few secondster, they sensed his golems trying to surround something, and the next second, the golems disappeared, leaving them feeling frustrated.

    Everyone could sense that Alex might have done something, but since they didn''t witness it nor felt it, it left them with a sense of wonder.

    The most curious of the bunch were the participants, because if Alex were to win this fight, then some of them might have to fight against him; they would prefer fighting him while knowing all the tricks he had up his sleeve. s, they couldn''t even sense him, let alone know what he was doing, so they just focused on sensing En, who was currently about to shit himself.

    ''Fuck, fuck, fuck, what did he do?'' Wondered En in agitation.

    Since Alex wasn''t far from him when his golems attacked, he could see what happened when the golems lunged at him, but his brain didn''t manage to capture what happened next.

    Now he was left with only one golem, and Alex was just a dozen or so meters from him.

    "Why do you look so flustered? Weren''t you arrogant just a few minutes earlier?" Taunted Alex.

    "Humph, if you think you scare me, then think again," replied En.

    "I don''t scare you...for now," said Alex with an evil smile.

    ''What do I do? Escape and think of a n. No, he is faster than me; I wouldn''t be able to escape, plus I don''t have much mana remaining,'' thought En as he observed Alex still walking towards him.

    ''I need to fight him now, or I won''t be able to do soter'' resolved En.

    Since he decided to fight, he didn''t waste any more time. First, he conjured earth spikes just under Alex''s feet, intending to impale him, but it didn''t work; in fact, the spikes never appeared.

    ''Shit, it''s not working'' realized En.

    He then conjured arge wall between him and Alex.

    ''Hmm? Why is making a wall?'' I wondered, Alex, while continuing to walk in the direction of En.

    When he got in front of the wall of earth, he just passed right through it and emerged on the other side.

    What greeted him was a fist of earthing straight at his face.

    Alex tilted his head to the side and easily avoided the strike.

    "You merged with your earth golem to boost your strength? Smart, but it''s still not enough, and I''m done ying around."

    With that, Alex raised his hand and brought it down with force toward En''s shoulder. Since his palm was covered by the corrosive smoke, the earth protecting En''s shoulder gave way, and Alex''s palm made contact with En''s shoulder.

    Since his hand carried a great deal of strength, it didn''t stop at just making contact with En''s shoulder but pressed down on it, causing En''s knees to buckle. In a split second, En was forced to kneel before Alex!

    Boom

    When En''s knees made contact with the ground, it caused an explosion that cleared the smoke around the two of them.

    "Finally! "Before she could finish her words, Talia came to a stop at the sight before her.

    Not just her; everyone was shocked to see En on his knees while Alex was holding his shoulder.

    ''What happened?'' I wondered about most of them as they looked at the scene before them.

    ''Do I stop the fight?'' wondered Adrian as he also looked at the scene.

    ''No, it seems that he still hasn''t given up; let''s not act now'' decided Adrian, seeing the will to continue the fight still burn in En''s eyes.

    Like Adrian, En had no intention to give up, even though he knew that it was actually over for him.

    "And now what? You will beat me up because I insulted your little maid, huh? Go on!" eximed En, looking into Alex''s eyes.

    "You can do anything you want to me, but I won''t give up!" Promised En.

    The reason he was so stubborn and refused to give up, even though he himself knew that he had lost, was that for him, giving up on this fight was akin to admitting that he was inferior to Alex, someone who had believed there was no difference between nobles andmoners. No way!

    En was one of those nobles who believed that nobles were far superior tomoners, while for Alex, there was no difference. So, for En, this battle was a sh of their perspectives, and if he were to give up, it meant admitting that Alex was in the right. He couldn''t allow himself to give up in such a manner.

    "I like that look of defiance in your eyes; let''s hope it willst long," said Alex as he retrieved the tobo pipe from the space ring.

    He took a puff, then exhaled a dark red smoke.

    After that, he enhanced the potency of the attribute of the smoke to such an extent that it turned pitch ck.

    The next moment, Alex controlled the smoke to enter En body!

    En tried to resist, but utterly failed to prevent the smoke from invading his body.

    "You said that you wouldn''t give up, huh? Be my guest; resist for as long as you can," said Alex coldly.

    The moment the smoke entered his body, En felt a splitting headache that caused him to clutch his head. Alex dly released him and fell to the ground.

    As seconds passed, the pain started to spread throughout his whole body.

    Barely one minuteter

    "I YIELD, I YIELD, PLEASE STOP THIS PAIN, PLEASE PLEASE...."

 Chapter 108 : Not before he apologizes!

    Chapter 108 : Not before he apologizes!

    "I YIELD, I YIELD, PLEASE STOP THIS PAIN, PLEASE PLEASE...."

    "I prefer that," said Alex with a smile on his face as he looked at En trashing on the ground while screaming that he had given up.

    "The fight is finished; Alex wins," eximed Adrian.

    "Healers,e heal him right now," said Adrian as he pointed at En.

    ''What did he introduce in his body for him to scream so much?'' Wondered Adrian.

    After a moment, the healers got to En and started his treatment, but even after ten minutes, En still continued to scream at the top of his lungs.

    "What is going on? Why isn''t he healed till now?" Asked Robert with a frown from where he was sitting.

    En was his son, after all, and hearing him scream in pain for such a long time was disturbing.

    One of the healers got up, looked at him, then shook his head.

    "I''m sorry, Lord Eswald, but we can''t heal him."

    "Huh ? What did you say?"

    "The only wounds that Sir En seemed to carry are already healed; as for why he is still crying in pain, we don''t know what is causing it," replied the healer sincerely.

    The instant he heard the healer''s words, Robert turned to stare at Alex, who was still gazing at En with a satisfied smile.

    "What did you do to him?" Growled Robert.

    "Me? I just gave him a punishment," replied Alex while holding his chin with a thoughtful expression. "I seem to carry these a lot today.

    His reply confirmed the doubts that many had concerning the fact that something happened between the two of them before start of the fight.

    "Tell me, little one, what did he do to you?" Asked Victoria.

    "He insulted my woman," replied Alex with an angry expression.

    ''As I expected, it''s due to En insulting one of us'' thought Lilia hearing Alex''s words.

    "Oh, he insulted Lilia?" Asked Victoria

    "No"

    "No, then who else?"

    Victoria and everyone were pretty surprised because everyone knew that Alex only had one woman, which was Lilia; they never heard about another.

    Viviane and Violette looked at their mother with worry, thinking that she would be sad or enraged to hear that their father had another woman, but she smiled at them and whispered:

    "Don''t worry about me; I already know about that."

    "Does it not bother you that he has another woman?" asked Violette with a somber expression.

    "Not really," replied Lilia.

    Hearing her, the two girls decided to let go of the subject for now.

    Lilia then turned to her two other daughters and asked with squinted eyes:

    "You two don''t seem as surprised as Viviane and Violette; did you knew about it?"

    *Flinch*

    Alice and Scarlett flinched and looked towards one another, then Alice replied with a shaky smile:

    "Of course no, we are just as shocked as them; we are so shocked that we are left speechless."

    "What she said really came as a shock for us," supported Scarlett.

    "Mm, if you say," replied Lilia with a disbelievingly.

    Alice and Scarlett looked at each other, then sighed. They knew that their mother didn''t buy their bullshit, but since she didn''tment further, it was better to continue ying ignorant.

    "Since when did you know?" Alice whispered to Scarlett.

    They may both be aware of their father cheating, but each of them thought that she was the only one in the know, so it surprised them to find out that it wasn''t the case.

    "Not now and definitely not here;e find meter," replied Scarlett as she turned to concentrate on the conversation between Alex and Victoria.

    While they were speaking amongst themselves, Alex had already revealed that the woman he was talking about was Anna, then exined what En had said which justify his current situation.

    "So, you are torturing En because of your little maid, right?" Asked Robert, his rage threatening to burst.

    Alex frowned at his question; he could feel that Robert had the same perspective as En regardingmoners, but he still replied.

    "Yes, I''m doing this because he was-"

    "Release him," ordered Robert, not even bothering to hear the rest of Alex''s sentence.

    "Not before he apologizes to her," replied Alex with defiance.

    "Hahaha, you want a noble to apologize to amoner?" Asked Robert through hisughter.

    Robert''s action caused Alex''s frown to deepen, but he remained silent.

    "Boy, release him; I won''t say it a third time," ordered Robert with a cold tone.

    "Not-"

    Boom

    Before Alex could finish his sentence, he found himself under intense pressure that caused both his knees and arms to drop to the ground.

    The pressure was so great that the ground under Alex started to be crackle.

    "Grandma, stop-"

    Before Viviane could finish her pleading, Ava cut her off.

    "No"

    "Why ?" Asked Viviane in agitation.

    "Your father ispeting for the position of head of the branch; no one will take him seriously if, each time he is in a pinch, it is either his mother or grandmother thates to his rescue," firmly said Ava.

    "Moreover, he''s the one who decided to ''punish'' En; how would he appear if he needs help from someone to continue with his ''punishment''?"

    "I''m sorry, but this time around, your father needs to find the solution to his problem all alone," said Ava.

    As she mentioned, Alex had to handle this situation on his own. No one, not even his biggest fan (his grandmother), was going to assist him. Then again, he wasn''t really expecting help from anyone either.

    ''Enhace my strength by 10 soul points!'' Alex inwardly shouted the moment his knees touched the ground.

    [Are you-]

    ''JUST FUCKING DO IT, DAMN IT!''

    [Starting the process...]

    As the system worked to boost his strength, Alex felt his bones rattling, struggled to breathe, and sensed his muscles almost tearing as he resisted the pressure to stand up.

    ''FUCK, WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG!'' screamed Alex as blood began to flow from his ears and nose.

    He could still sense the familiar cool energy fill his muscles and enhance his strength, but in his current situation, he didn''t care about the pleasurable sensation. All he wanted was for the process to end quickly!

    [Enhancement finished]

    Once the enhancement concluded, Alex could feel his strength more distinctly than during the processing phase.

    He could feel that his strength had taken a huge leap, but he didn''t care to verify by how much right now.

    Struggling intensely, he arched his back, painstakingly raised both arms from the ground, lifted one knee, and then the other.

    Under the astonished gaze of everyone, Alex slowly stood up while still under the pressure of a level 6!

    As he stood up to his full height, he gazed at Robert with icy eyes and uttered in a cold tone:

    "Not. Before. He. Fucking. Apologizes!"

 Chapter 109 : Apology in front of everyone

    Chapter 109 : Apology in front of everyone

    Following Alex''s words, a hush fell over the space, broken only by En''s quiet sobs.

    Despite the great pressure on him, Alex stayed strong, looking right at Robert without any fear in his eyes.

    As the situation seemed to be about to get out of control, Robert suddenly startedughing uproariously.

    "Now you look like your father, interesting" as he said this, the pressure on Alex suddenly disappeared like it was a lie.

    Robert turned to En and ordered him "apologize"

    "B-But father-"

    "Do it

    En, with clenched teeth, turned to Alex and apologized amid his tears of pain.

    "I-I''m...sorry"

    Just saying those words seemed to drain all the energy from En, but he had no choice but to do it.

    "Good, but I''m not the one he should apologize to" replied Alex to En apology.

    "Then who ?" Questioned Robert.

    "Anna" seriously replied Alex.

    "N-Never!" Eximed En.

    "Apologize to her" ordered Robert.

    "H-How can you a-ask me to apologize...to amoner, father?" En asked, his forehead veins pulsating.

    "Would you rather stay in that state ?" Asked Robert.

    "Y-Yes!"

    "Then suit yourself" replied Robert before seating on his seat andpletely ignoring En, since he decided to be prideful and refuse to apologize, then it was his problem.

    "If you think that your pain will stop once I run out of mana, then you are in for a surprise because my mana reserves are nearly full, and it will stay like that for a long, long time" said Alex as he turned to walk towards the others participants.

    "W-Wait, I-I will do it!" Said En with gritted teeth.

    It''s true that En relied on the idea that whatever Alex did to him would stop once thetter ran out of mana. However, from Alex''s words, he began to realize that this might not be a viable solution after all. Of course, Alex could be bluffing, but the question was: would he dare to call that bluff? The answer was clearly ''no''. Consequently, En didn''t have any other option but to apologize.

    "I''m d to see that you''ve changed your mind," said Alex. He swiftly returned to the participants'' sitting area, where Anna was seated next to Amelia. Despite her initial refusal, he pulled her to the arena.

    "Now that she is here you can apologize and don''t worry about everyone seeing you apologizing to her" said Alex with a smile.

    ''This kid is a demon'' chuckled Adrian.

    Alex could have allowed En to apologize to Anna in the participants'' sitting area, where the incident urred. Instead, he brought Anna here deliberately, ensuring that everyone could witness the scene, knowing this would add to the humiliation of En, who was naturally prideful.

    Gritting his teeth, En bowed to Amelia from where he wasying and uttered:

    "I-I''m sorry for w-what I said earlier"

    "I-It''s okay" replied Anna with flushed cheeks.

    "Hmm, it seems too easy for me, maybe you should give him a p or two" suggested Alex.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    ''Does he not know when to stop?'' wondered everyone after hearing Alex''s suggestion.

    "Cough, Cough, after careful consideration, we will be the bigger ones and let go of things, but only this time!" Said Alex when he saw the weird nces everyone was giving him.

    After he said that, he snapped his fingers and the same pitch ck smoke that had entered En body came out of it, freeing thetter of his torment.

    "Since your little feud has been solved, get out of the arena, we will immediately proceed with the second round of fights" said Adrian.

    "Come, let''s return to the participants sitting area" said Alex as he dragged Anna along with him while En was escorted by a butler towards the spectators lounge.

    ''Seems like he holds a grudge against me for trashing his twin'' thought Alex as Zo red at him while passing by them while making his way to the arena center.

    "It''s normal that he holds a grudge against you, don''t you think so? You pretty much humiliated someone that shares the same face as him, gods only know how many people will make fun of him thinking that it''s his twin" giggled Amelia as she stopped to speak with Alex and Anna on her way to the arena.

    Since she was the first to fight in the first round, she was also the first to fight in the second round of fights, and coincidentally, her opponent was none other than Zo, En twin brother.

    "I don''t really care if he holds a grudge against me" replied Alex as he shrugged.

    "Well I do care since it''s me that''s going to fight him; Since I''m your sister, I''m sure that he will try to make me suffer like you did to his twin as some sort of payback against you"

    "As if something like that will happen" replied Alex with a smile.

    "It might not happen, but I''m still going to be the object of revenge of someone because of your actions!" Pouted Amelia.

    "As for you Missy" continued Amelia as she pointed at Anna, "why didn''t you tell me about the two of you ?"

    "Uhm, well, it''s kind of-"

    "Not now, we are going to have this discussionter, as for now, I have a fight to win!" Said Amelia while strolling toward the center of the arena.

    "Good luck" wished Alex, but he just received a snort as a reply, making him smile.

    Secondster, Alex and Anna returned to the participant''s lounge.

    The moment they came, everyone focused on them, well more specifically on  Alex.

    ''Why is he looking at me like that?'' wondered Alex as he saw the look Jonathan was giving him.

    While everyone had a curious and some of them even had fearful expressions as they started at Alex, Jonathan instead had an interested smile on his lips as he observed Alex.

    ''I will ask himter'' thought Alex as he sat on his chair.

    "I am going to stay standing" said Anna.

    "Nonsense, you can sit with us, I''m sure that no one is going to mind, right ?" Asked Alex as he eyed the other.

    No one protested, knowing that if they did so, there was a chance that they be the next En.

    "See? No one is against you sitting her,e seat next to me" said Alex, tapping the chair next to him.

    Anna nodded and sat with an embarrassed face.

    After Anna sat down, Alex turned to Talia, that was still seating next to him.

    "Now it''s certain that we are going to fight against one another, how do you feel about it, beautiful?"

 Chapter 110 : Amelia vs Zo

    Chapter 110 : Amelia vs Zo

    "Don''t call me that!" Reacted Talia to Alex calling her ''beautiful''.

    "Is it false? Are you not beautiful?" Asked Alex in an innocent tone.

    "No, it''s just that it feels disgustinging from you! I don''t even know how woman the like of Lilia and Anna can be with a man like you"

    "Oh you do know the reason, if I recall correctly, weren''t you also-"

    "Shut up!" Eximed Talia to keep Alex from continuing his sentence.

    She shot him a death re and whispered to him, "If you ever-"

    "Start!"

    Before she could finish her warning, Talia''s voice was drowned out by Adrian''s, announcing the start of Amelia and Zo''s fight.

    Talia red at Alex onest time before turning around to concentrate on Amelia''s fight.

    ''It''s always funny to mess with here, chuckled Alex before he also turned to concentrate on Amelia''s fight.

    Upon the fight initiation, before Amelia could even take out her seeds that usually grow into nts, Zo took out a longsword from his space ring and charged towards her.

    ''I must not give her time to use any of her abilities,'' thought Zo as he streaked towards Amelia with great speed.

    From what he had seen, Amelia was the type of opponent that one should defeat at the very start of a fight due to her abilities.

    He needed to defeat her before she had time to nt her seeds and make them grow.

    He wasn''t worried about her other power that allowed her to create an explosion in her battle against Ector because, from his understanding, she needed time to form that explosive orb. So, if he defeated her from the start, he didn''t need to worry.

    Contrary to what Alex and Amelia thought, he had no intention to harm her because Alex had ''humiliated'' his twin brother, He was someone with a cool head, able to analyze things calmly; He knew that his brother was in the wrong, so he understood why Alex ''punished'' him.

    As for why he had red at Alex, well, it was as Amelia said. En was his twin, and their faces were pretty identical. People often confused them. Now that his twin had been ''humiliated,'' if someone wanted to make fun of En, he might be the one at the receiving end instead of his brother. It was annoying, however, it was not enough for him to hate Alex or Amelia. All he wanted in this fight was to win because he wanted to be the head of the branch, nothing more.

    Barely a split second since he charged at her, Zo was upon Amelia, swinging his sword vertically towards her.

    ''He''s fast!'' thought Amelia as she swiftly evaded the sword by moving to her right.

    Boom

    ''And also powerful'' added Amelia as she nced at the aftermath of Zo longsword touching the ground.

    Zo''s attack was so heavy and fast that his sword caused the ground to crack under its force.

    ''His ability is truly dangerous; unfortunately, he is squandering it with that sword,'' thought Amelia as she evaded another attack from Zo, who didn''t leave her any room to breathe.

    Zo''s ability was one with a great potential, this ability boosted all his physical attributes, not just his strength and speed, but also his sight, his hearing and even the hardness of his body.

    The problem was that he persisted in using the longsword as a mean to fight, even though it''s not a weapon made for an ability like his.

    ''The sword is not meant for you, it greatly restricts you''

    The number of times Zo had heard this sentence was uncountable, even his twin had once said that to him, but for some reason he still clung to the sword.

    ''He might be the only one here able to go toe to toe with Alex in terms of physical might'' analyzed Amelia as she ducked to avoid a horizontal sh.

    ''Let''s end this,'' thought Amelia as she rolled on the ground to evade the kick that Zo aimed at her when his sh missed.

    The moment Amelia stabilized herself, she extended her arm and a multicolor round orb quickly formed on her arm.

    Seeing the orb, Zo came to a stop just as he intended to charge at Amelia again to prevent her from activating her abilities, however it seemed that he was already toote.

    What Zo didn''t know was that contrary to what he and everyone else who didn''t know Amelia''s residual st ability thought, she didn''t need to concentrate for a long period to create her orb. The reason it took her several minutes when fighting Ector was due to theck of residual energy in the air and the ground at the start of the fight. However, how many battles urred after hers? How many abilities were used, and thus, how much residual energy was avable for her to utilize?

    The answers to these questions were ''many,'' so contrary to before when she needed time to concentrate and draw residual energy to her, now she could do it even on the fly, as she just did.

    "Do you give up or do you want to test if your hardened skin can resist the explosion ?" Asked Amelia.

    As Zo was seriously thinking if he should have faith in his hardened skin to save him.

    "For your information, I can make this orb much bigger than this, and it will be at least ten times more powerful than the one I used Ector, are you willing to give it a go?" Questioned Amelia with a smile.

    "You pair of siblings are really something" said Zo as he shook his head.

    "I give up"

    "That''s the smart thing to do," said Amelia as she dispersed the residual energy she had used to create the orb.

    "Amelia''s wins the fight!" Eximed Adrian.

    After that, Amelia returned to the participants'' sitting area, boasted to her brother a little, then started gossiping with Anna and Talia as the next fight unfolded. Meanwhile, Alex dozed off again due to the boring battles that took too long from his point of view.

    Just like in the first stage of thepetition, all the fights that happened after Amelia''s were boring to watch because there wasn''t much action.

    The only fight that interested the people after Amelia one was the one opposing Talia''s little brother and Jonathan.

    Jonathan had won the fight, but it was not as easily as his fight in the first round, and he even had to use one of his two abilities, wind maniption, to win the battle.

    After this fight, there was another one and then finally it was time for thest fight of the second round.

    "Talia darling, it''s our turn, let''s make sure to go at it for a long time~"

 Chapter 111: Alex vs Talia (1)

    Chapter 111: Alex vs Talia (1)

    "Why do you say it like we are going to do something lewd, pervert!" Eximed Talia with a disgusted face.

    "I don''t know what you are talking about" said Alex with a chuckle as he got up from his chair.

    "I won''t be long" he said to Amelia and Anna.

    "Humph, you won''t being back, I''m the one that''s going toe back!" Eximed Talia as she walked past him.

    "We will see about that in a few minutes I guess" replied Alex as he also made way to the arena.

    "Here they go again" sighed Ava as she saw Talia and Alex walking in the arena while bantering like kids.

    Talia, like Amelia and Anna, was also trained by Ava, mostly due to her possessing the same water maniption ability as Ava. As a result, Alex and Talia spent a lot of time together growing up. However, since a certain incident during their teen years, the two have been at each other''s throats every time they see each other.

    ''It would be nice if they could go back to how it used to be when they yed together,'' Ava wishes, as both Alex and Talia stand in front of each other.

    "Ready?"

    "Old man, you should stop asking if people are ready and directly start the fight, you are wasting our time" said Alex to Adrian.

    Adrian''s lips twitched hearing him, but he remained calm and nced at Talia to make sure she was ready.

    "Start!" Shouted Adrian after Talia nodded.

    Once the fight started, Alex took out his pipe and took a puff, he had already chosen what he would use to make smoke in this fight.

    He barely had time to exhale the smoke when arge wave, at least ten meters high, wasing toward him, intent on engulfing him.

    ''Doing the same attack as herst fight, didn''t she think that I would have thought of a manner to evade the wave ?'' wondered Alex.

    Taliast opponent might have been caught off guard by the wave of water that Talia created, but Alex was already prepared for it.

    Just as the giant wave was about to reach him, he crouched on the ground and leaped into the air, clearing the wave!

    "Humph, did you think I wouldn''t anticipate such a move?" snorted Talia as she conjuredrge arms of water, balled into fists, from the wave.

    There were five arms in total, each shooting toward Alex with deadly speed!

    From an outsider''s point of view, Alex looked like an annoying fly about to be swatted; however, this fly named Alex was more tricky than he appeared.

    Before the hands could reach him, Alex erged the smoke he had exhaled moments ago, which was swirling around his neck, to at least three meters around him. What he did next quite clearly shocked everyone present!

    He grabbed the smoke like it was an stic and propelled himself towards the quickly approaching arms of water.

    When he was a few inches from colliding with the fist of one of the arms, he quickly pulled on the smoke haze around him and changed his trajectory, narrowly avoiding the fist of water.

    After evading the first fist, a second one tried to hit him, but Alex pulled on the surrounding smoke again to change his trajectory, propelling himself onto the arm of the third oneing at him.

    He spun in the air, and his feet touched the arm of water. Thanks to his nearly perfect control of his body and his high agility, before his feet could dive into the water, Alex jumped again, using the arm of water as a propelling stage!

    Under the astonished gaze of everyone, Alex continued to evade the fists of water in a mesmerizing disy of acrobatics, defying gravity with every move. Suspended in the air, his maneuvers were nothing short of extraordinary, leaving the onlookers with wide eyes.

    Each time that a fist was about to collide with him, he pulled on the smoke around him and changed his trajectory, causing the fist to miss.

    Seeing Alex''s performance, Talia dissolved the arms of water into the wave and then molded the whole wave into many arms, ten in total, and thenunched them at Alex that was still in the air.

    However, even with this many arms, Alex remained elusive.

    For Talia, catching him became as difficult as trying to catch fish with bare hands. So, she merged all the arms and created one superrge arm, 30 meters in height and 20 meters in width.

    Despite the superrge fist that descended on him with a deathly momentum, Alex remained calm.

    The first thing he did was expand the smoke in one direction. When the fist was about tond on him, he pulled on the smoke, allowing himself to glide through the air. The smoke acted like a whip of some sort, helping him slip away from the huge fist.

    Boom

    The water fist collided with the ground and lost its structure, secondster, Alex fell to the ground with not even a drop of water on him.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    When he observed around him, Alex remarked that everyone was looking at him with wide eyes.

    No one could believe what they had just witnessed, and it was normal to feel that way, they had just seen someone manipting smoke as if it was something tangible, touching it and using as if it was a rope.

    The only one that looked less surprised than the others, although she herself was pretty shocked, was Lilia.

    She was the only person here aware of Alex''s smoke sovereignty, but even she didn''t think that one could touch the smoke element.

    But it''s not even that which shocked her. He was a true sovereign through and through. She had never seen someone like that, so she couldn''t know what they were capable of. What was most shocking to her was that Alex managed to attain such a level in just a few hours of training. She didn''t doubt that doing such a thing was difficult even for a sovereign, but here was Alex doing it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

    ''What kind of ridiculous growth speed is that ?''

 Chapter 112 : Alex vs Talia (2)

    Chapter 112 : Alex vs Talia (2)

    "W-What did we just witness ?" Eximed someone a few seconds after Alexnded on the ground.

    However, there was anyone to answer him, as everyone of the people here were asking themselves the same question.

    "Didn''t you say that his ability is smoke maniption?" Asked Victoria after a long moment.

    "Yeah"

    "Well, it doesn''t look like a smoke maniption ability to me"

    "I don''t think so, since that haze around him came out of his smoking pipe then it should be smoke" replied Candace.

    "Have you ever seen a smoke ability user use it like it''s an stic?" Asked Victoria

    "Well, no, but who knows, perhaps his ability made it capable to do this, don''t forget that there are many types of abilities with weird application"

    "Mm" acknowledged Victoria.

    The spectators and other participants might have felt shocked and agitated witnessing Alex''s performance, but their agitation was not nearly as pronounced as Talia''s.

    "W-What was that?" Asked Talia to Alex.

    "Hm? What are you talking about?"

    "Don''t y dumb, how is it possible that you can hold onto the smoke like it is a rope?"

    "Ah, that? It''s not a big deal" casually said Alex.

    "Not a big deal? Are you f*cking with me ?"

    "No" replied Alex, then licked his lips as he stared at Talia''s body, ''but I wouldn''t mind doing it''.

    Indeed, Alex didn''t perceive his actions as particrly extraordinary. This was partly due to his limited knowledge of what other smoke ability users could achieve, and partly because of the effortless manner in which he learned this technique.

    The moment he became a smoke sovereign, it was like the smoke element in itself was whispering to him, delivering all its secrets to Alex.

    From then on, Alex figured out what he could actually do with his smoke power. He learned he could change the smoke''s features, like making it stretchy or other cool stuff.

    Of course, he didn''t know everything that the smoke ability, or rather the smoke sovereign ability, could do, but with each passing moment he learned a new thing.

    Needless to say, just because Alex knew he could achieve something didn''t mean it was a guarantee. He had to put in the work and train. In fact, it was during his training to solidify the characteristics of smoke that he ended up arrivingte for thepetition.

    All in all, the moment he became a sovereign, his potential skyrocketed. In the years, if not months, toe, his mastery of smoke maniption might be truly formidable.

    ''well, it''s a matter for the future, as for now...'' Alex''s eyes became sharp, and he suddenly charged at Talia who was pondering on his abilities.

    "Sh*t!" Eximed Talia as Alex just appeared before her in a split second.

    Alex threw a punch towards her face, but his attack faltered as Talia swiftly dodged his fist.

    ''Surprising'' thought Alex, seeing that his attack had failed.

    He was fairly certain he was faster and stronger than Talia, and he had attacked her when she wasn''t fully focused. Yet, she still managed to evade his fist.

    ''I guess that''s what experience is,'' thought Alex as he effortlessly dodged Talia''s high kick.

    The next moment, he attempted tond a quick jab, but instead, he abruptly took two steps back.

    "It''s been a while since I''ve seen you in like this," said Alex as he observed Talia''s new form. Well, calling it a new form might be a stretch as the only change was in Talia''s hair.

    Talia second ability allowed her to turn things she touched into water; this ability obviously didn''t work on everything, but it worked on many things.

    One of those things is her hair; when she touches it, she can transform them into water tentacles. However, she typically avoids doing so because the mana consumption is significant.

    "I guess if you are using this, then it means you are taking things seriously" said Alex as he observed carefully Talia tentacles of water.

    She didn''t answer him in words but in actions.

    The water tentacles on Talia''s head shot towards Alex with deadly speed, their sharp ends attempting to impale him, but Alex masterfully evaded them.

    However, it wasn''t the end, before he had time to close the gap between him and Talia, they came back again, this time from his back!

    Fortunately, Alex had predicted that something like that might happen, so he quickly crouched down so he could avoid the tentacles of water.

    He managed to do so; however, one tentacle grazed his leg.

    ''Damn that''s hurt!''

    The water tentacle didn''t draw blood, but its sharp end stung.

    ''I need to seriously avoid being touched by them'' thought Alex as he observed the water tentacles that wereing at him again.

    This time, none of the water tentacles managed to touch him; he agilely avoided them all. However, he still couldn''t close the gap between himself and Talia due to the water tentacles blocking his path.

    ''I need to find-'' as he was thinking this, Alex made a mistake.

    He tried to deflect one of the tentacles, forgetting that it was made off water, the moment his hand made contact with the tentacles, it engulfed his whole arm!**

    The tentacle yanked him toward the others tentacles that wereing in the opposite direction off him, intending to impale him.***

    ''Bad - no, it''s a good thing''

    Since the moment these water tentacles emerged, he couldn''t find a gap to close in on Talia. However, right now, the tentacle holding his arm was pulling him toward her, so why wouldn''t he take advantage of it?

    Still, there was the threat of the tentacles impaling him, but Alex wasn''t too concerned; his defense stat was high enough to assure him that those water tentacles couldn''t pierce him. At most, they would graze him. He was willing to endure a bit of pain if it meant getting closer to Talia.

    As he anticipated, the water tentacles couldn''t pierce him, but they still drew blood, causing intense pain. However, Alex didn''t show much expression; Lilia''s training had been ten times more painful.

    Yanking his arm free from the water tentacle that was holding him, Alex swiftly approached Talia before the other water tentacles could return.

    The moment he came face to face with Talia, Alex swiftly delivered a precise jab, targeting her stomach.

    She blocked with her arms, using the momentum of his jab to widen the gap between them. However, Alex didn''t allow her to do that; instead, he pressed on and delivered a much more powerful blow than thest.

    Alex didn''t hold back his strength, so, his blow sent Talia flying in the air before finally crashing against the wall of the arena.

    BOOM

    The impact of her crash with the wall caused a cloud of dust to rise, and when it settled, everyone noticed Talia''s body slowly slumping on the ground, unconscious.

    At that moment, Adrian appeared and eximed:

    "The battle ends, Alex wins!"

 Chapter 113 : Let’s bury the hatchet

    Chapter 113 : Let��s bury the hatchet

    ''I used too much strength'' frowned Alex as he looked at the aftermath of his punch.

    Talia''s collision with the wall created a massive crater in the arena wall, causing her to lose consciousness.

    She was the only participant to have fallen unconscious; the others were gravely injured, but none lost consciousness because the body of a level 4 was quite sturdy.

    ''She is definitely going to nag me when she wakes up,'' sighed Alex again as he approached Talia, who was being healed.

    "How is she ?" Asked Alex as he got near.

    "She was pretty injured, but we healed her external wounds and gave her a potion for the internal ones, so she should be okay now" replied one of the healer.

    "Hmm, I see. Take good care of her then," said Alex as he turned to leave, only to suddenlye to a stop.

    "What is it now?" asked Alex of Amelia, who stood before him with a reproachful look.

    "Did you have to hit her with so much strength? Did you want to severely hurt her?"

    "No, I simply miscalcted," replied Alex, trying to slip past Amelia, knowing that whatever she said next wouldn''t please him.

    As he expected...

    "Wait, won''t you carry her to the resting room? She is in this state because of you in the first ce" said Amelia.

    "Sigh, Amy, there were many participants who lost and were even more injured than Talia. However, did you see their opponents being the ones to shoulder them to the resting room?"

    "No"

    "Then why should I do it ?"

    "Because you arepassionate, you will carry her, right?"

    Alex''s first thought was to respond with a ''no,'' but seeing the look Amelia was giving him, he sighed, then turned around with an annoyed expression and went to pick up Talia."

    "Yes, I was certain you would do it, you are so kind~" Said Amelia with a teasing smile as Alex picked up Talia.

    "Yeah, right" grumbled Alex as he walked toward the resting room.

    "Don''t take too long, my fight won''tst long, so you might miss your one if you take too much time" shouted Amelia to Alex.

    When her opponent heard what she said, his lips twitched, but he kept silent, knowing that her words might hold some truth.

    Although he wouldn''t disparage himself when it came to his strength, he knew that if monsters like Amelia and Ector or Alex didn''t collide with each other and became his opponents instead, he wouldn''t surely make it to the semi-final.

    Meanwhile, Alex nodded his head and exited the arena.

    "We will now start the semi-final stage!" Eximed Adrian.

    "Are the both of you ready ?"

    Amelia and her opponent -Ss- nodded in unison.

    "Then, start!"

    ***

    As the battle between Amelia and Ss began, Alex entered the resting room. He walked toward the bed in the room and proceeded to ce her at the end.

    The instant he ced her on the bed, Talia''s eyes snapped open. Their eyes met, and then Talia slowly looked down, noticing Alex''s hands on her.

    ''F*ck''

    "Ahhh..." Talia released a loud scream of fear while hastily distancing herself from him.

    "You disgusting pervert! What were you trying to do to me in my sleep!"

    "...."

    As Talia was cursing him, calling him a pervert, Alex just stood there with a nk expression.

    ''What were the chances that she would wake up at the exact moment I ced her on the bed?'' wondered Alex

    ''Whoever is causing this situation, you will pay for this!'' vowed Alex.

    He entertained the thought of ignoring Talia and just leaving. However, knowing her big mouth, he was sure that if he left before clearing the misunderstanding, within a few hours, he would be known by the whole family as a molester and a rapist. He definitely didn''t want that.

    "You piece of shit-"

    "WOULD YOU FUCKING CALM DOWN?"

    His sudden outburst caught Talia off guard and she shut her mouth.

    "I didn''t try to do anything to you while you were sleeping, I brought you here to rest because you have fallen unconscious after my blow"

    "Oh... I see" replied Talia, realizing the situation.

    The room then fell into an awkward silence, with none of them knowing what to say.

    "Well, I will go" said Alex, not supporting the awkwardness.

    "W-Wait!"

    "What is it ?" Asked Alex with raised brows as he turned back.

    "T-Thanks"

    "Hoh, I never thought I would one day hear you thanking me, now that I think about it, why do you hate me so much?" Asked Alex.

    "As if you don''t know" replied Talia with somber expression.

    As she said, Alex was indeed very aware of the reason why she hated him.

    ''Hah, I was really a little asshole back then, thought Alex with a chuckle as he recalled the events that led to his rtionship with Talia to deteriorate.

    After it was revealed that he had a trash talent, Alex had be mood was always down and others kids constantly making fun of him certainly didn''t help his mood to get better.

    At that time, the only ones who supported him were his close family, among theses were Talia.

    Back then, she wasn''t as busty as she is now, and her chest was, well, nonexistent. She was a sweet girl that everyone liked because she never even swore. She was very kind to Alex, always trying to please him because at that time, she had a serious crush on him, even though he was her cousin.

    One fateful day, she decided to confess her love to him and his answer crushed her heart.

    "Sorry Talia, but you are t. I don''t like t women"

    She had prepared herself to be rejected, but she thought that the basis of his rejection would be something along the lines:

    ''I can''t be with you because you are my cousin!''

    However, his reply really crushed her.

    At first, she felt disappointment, then sadness before bing enraged.

    "You asshole!"

    Alex was pretty shocked because he never heard her swore, at that moment he realized that he fucked up, so he tried to calm her down, but then something happened.

    Talia awakened her abilities at that moment.

    The calm pond of water near them suddenly became turbulent, and water tentacles rose in the air.

    Before he could understand what was happening, the water tentacles surged toward him, engulfed him, and formed a bubble with Alex inside!

    ''F*ck, I can''t breathe; she is going to kill me!'' thought Alex with dread.

    A few seconds passed, and Alex started to drown in Talia''s water bubble.

    At the moment he thought that all hope was lost, Ava appeared and touched the water bubble. When she did this, the water forming the bubble separated, and Alex was saved.

    "Cough cough cough..." Alex coughed violently when he was saved from the water.

    It wasn''t until that moment that Talia snapped out of her trance and quickly rushed to Alex while apologizing.

    "Don''t approach me, you psycho! You nearly killed me!" Shouted Alex.

    Seeing the rage in his gaze as he looked at her, tears welled up in Talia''s eyes, and she fled away while crying.

    Alex immediately regretted his words and wanted to apologize, she was indeed on the verge of killing him, but he knew that it was an ident. However, Talia was nowhere to be found.

    He didn''t manage to see her until two yearster.

    The day he saw her again, his mouth nearly dropped to the ground as the ''t'' Talia was no more, she carried with her two enormous pair of boobs.

    "What are you looking at, pervert?"

    When he heard her talking to him like that, he realized that it was not just physically that she changed, but also mentally.

    However, at that time, Alex, who didn''t tolerate insults, didn''t let anyone insult him and do nothing. Instead of apologizing for what happened two years ago, he retorted by also cursing at her. From that day on, their rtionship became one marked by bickering each time they saw each other, despite Ava and Amelia trying to reconcile the two of them.

    ''What a mess'' sighed Alex.

    "Hey"

    "What ?" Asked Talia.

    "Let''s bury the hatchet"

 Chapter 114 : I’m interested in you

    Chapter 114 : I��m interested in you

    "Let''s bury the hatchet" said Alex as he extended a hand to Talia.

    "Why are saying that all of a sudden ? You are preparing something, I can feel it" said Talia as she looked at his extended hand warily.

    ''Nope, you are feeling nothing, stop lying'' spat Alex internally, but he didn''t say it externally, he was trying to reconcile with her, he doubted that saying that to her face would help him in this endeavor.

    "Am I so untrustworthy to you ?" Asked Alex with a bitter smile.

    "Yes!" Bluntly replied Talia, not giving a fuck about his bitter expression.

    "What bad thing did I ever do to you for you to-"

    "Let''s see, you once poisoned my food with a Puplix flower which disrupted my sight and caused me to wear sses for a whole month; stole my money when I went to shopping with Amy and made me seem like a thief; you once-"

    "Okay, okay, I may not have been nice to you back then, but it was just harmless jokes" said Alex in a convincing tone.

    "Harmless? Then how about that time we went hunting, and you attached a blood stone to my horse which caused me to be chased by a pack of giants wolves, or that time when you released a flock of...." Talia then processed to remind Alex of all the ''jokes'' he made that nearly caused her to lose her life.

    "Okay, I understand, I was awful to you, I''m sorry" sincerely apologized Alex.

    Even with that, Talia remained cautious since it was not the first time he had apologized for anything he had ever done to her, only to make another ''joke'' right after.

    "To show that I''m sincere, you can ask me anything you want"

    "Okay, what I want to know is how did you manage to be so strong In the span of a year" asked Talia the moment she heard his proposition.

    "Ask another thing" replied Alex almost instantly.

    He knew that Talia wouldn''t betray his trust and divulge his secrets to everyone, even though she liked gossip. But it was better to be cautious and only inform those he was one hundred percent sure would keep it to themselves.

    ''I might consider informing her about the artifactter, but definitely not now''

    "Hmm, I don''t want anything of you beside knowing this information" replied Talia after hearing his refusal.

    "Then let''s proceed like this; you can ask me anythingter when you have an idea of what you want," said Alex. Then he thought of something and added, "However, you can''t really ask me ''anything.'' If your request is reasonable, then I willply. If not, then you would have to find another thing."

    Talia thought about his proposition for a moment before nodding her head.

    "Okay, let''s bury the hatchet, but I warn you, if you try anything-"

    "It won''t happen" cut Alex.

    "Okay, then from now on, we will stop picking on each other" said Talia as she shook Alex''s hand.

    "d that-"

    Boom

    The exact moment Talia shook his hand, an explosion sounding from the arena rang out and a secondter...

    "End of the fight, Amelia wins!" Eximed Adrian.

    "Well, I guess that''s my cue to leave" said Alex as he turned and wanted to leave.

    "Wait!"

    "Mm?"

    "G-Good luck for your fight," said Talia with slightly red cheeks.

    "Thanks" replied Alex with a smile as he exited the room.

    The instant he exited the room, his smile was reced by a serious expression as he made his way toward the arena.

    ''He is already here'' thought Alex as he stepped into the arena and found Jonathan already waiting for him with the same interested smile asst time he was gazing at Alex.

    ''What is it with him?'' wondered Alex as he walked toward the center of the arena.

    "I never imagined when we came this morning that one of the semi-final battles would be between Alex and Jonathan," said Victoria.

    She wasn''t the only one to think that way; most people shared the same opinion.

    It should be remembered that Jonathan was thought to be the strongest of his generation, at least in this branch of the family, while Alex was considered the weakest. No, in fact, he wasn''t even ssified due to his low level and strength.

    However, here he was, about to fight the presumed strongest, and the showing thing was that no one knew if he would emerge victorious or not.

    "I''m certain that the show is going to be entertaining no matter who wins"mented Grace with an excited tone.

    "Are the both of you ready?" Questioned Adrian.

    "You are at it again, old man, as I said-"

    "If you mention this again, I will beat your ass right here," said Adrian with a menacing expression, yet Alex just chuckled at the threat.

    ''It''s pointless to threaten this boy; he doesn''t fear me in the slightest,'' sighed Adrian, seeing Alex''s reaction to his threat.

    ''Well, that''s one of the reason why I appreciate him more than the rest'' thought Adrian.

    "I guess we are ready" said Alex as he nced at Jonathan who nodded to him.

    "Then, start!" Eximed Adrian before disappearing from the arena.

    Contrary to what happened in their other fights, the two men didn''t make their moves even after the signal was given and observed each other.

    "Why do you look at me like that ?" Suddenly asked Alex.

    "How do I look at you ?"

    "Like you are interested in me" replied Alex.

    "I''m indeed interested in you" replied Jonathan.

    Alex felt a chill run down his spine and his expression became serious as he said :

    "Bro, I don''t swing that way"

    "What are you-" Jonathan was about to ask what he meant before he realized what Alex meant.

    "Hey hey hey, I didn''t mean it in that way!" Eximed Jonathan while waving his hands.

    "In what way, then ?"

    "Well, you see, my master - your father - had once told me that he was certain that one day, you will stop beingzy, he said that when that dayes I need to help you in aplishing your goals; at that time I obviously didn''t trust in his words, but seeing you today, I realized that he was correct" said Jonathan.

    ''The old man told him to help me ?''

    "What I mean by being interested in you is I''m interested in knowing what your goals are, and most of all, I''m interested in your strength and want to know how strong you currently are."

 Chapter 115 : Alex vs Jonathan (1)

    Chapter 115 : Alex vs Jonathan (1)

    "What I mean by being interested in you is I''m interested in knowing what your goals are, and most of all, I''m interested in your strength and want to know how strong you currently are." Said Jonathan.

    "My goals and current strength, huh ?"

    "Yes"

    "Well, you will know about my goalster today, as for how strong I am..." Alex grinned, "...you can find out by yourself right now"

    "That was exactly what I had in mind," replied Jonathan, reciprocating the same grin as Alex.

    Since all was said, the two men didn''t waste time and both shot at each other with deadly speed.

    A split secondter, they stood face to face, each throwing a fist at the other.

    Crack

    The force behind their punches was so immense that the ground beneath them shattered, sending bits of rubble soaring into the air.

    ''Strong''

    That was the evaluation of each man after this first collision.

    Jonathan wasn''t really shocked by feeling Alex''s strength, he had already witnessed it when he fought, however the same couldn''t be said for Alex, who was pretty shocked.

    ''I thought that beside me the strongest physically would be Zo, but it seems I was wrong, he is stronger than Zo - at least when he uses his longsword''

    Alex doubted that Jonathan would be strong, but not this much.

    ''But, I''m still stronger than him, even though it''s not by a wide margin'' thought Alex as both of them took a step back before engaging again.

    This time, Jonathan aimed a swift kick at Alex''s head. However, Alex skillfully blocked it with his arm, then effortlessly countered with the same move in return.

    Jonathan crouched and Alex''s leg missed.

    They both took a step back and reengaged, this pattern repeating, with neither capable of overwhelming the other. To novices, it might seem like they possessed equal strength, but only those unfamiliar with battle would think so, but for the battles forged experts...

    "Alex has the upper hand" said Grace.

    "Yes, it is shocking, but he surpasses Jonathan on all fronts, strength, speed and even...experience?" Analyzed Candace.

    Alex surpassing Jonathan in strength and speed might be eptable, however him surpassing Jonathan in battle experience was a shock.

    ''How could he have more experience than someone that passed more than three decades training and battling, while he just started trainingst year ?'' this was the question in that was in the head of many of them.

    ''It''s not surprising, if he could push Lilia to change her battle style, then I doubt Jonathan is his match in terms of battle experience'' reasoned Ava as she watched Jonathan struggle to evade Alex''s attacks with each passing second.

    Very soon, it became apparent to everyone that Jonathan was actually losing the fight.

    ''Time to step it up,'' thought Jonathan as he moved a few feet back from Alex, then assumed the horse stance.

    Seeing this, Alex''s eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what Jonathan was up to and wanted to charge at him to intervene, but it was toote.

    Before he could react, Jonathan thrust his fist into the air. Alex suddenly felt a powerful impact crashing into his body, hurling him through the air until he crashed into the arena wall.

    Boom

    "Arg..."

    Alex groaned from pain due to the collision of his body against the wall, however he quickly shut his mouth and rolled to his right when he sensed the same pressure as earliering toward him again.

    Boom

    ''Phew, I may have-'' before he could finish his train of thought, another attack at him, and he had to evade it again.

    ''Fuck, this thing is dangerous'' cursed Alex as he ducked to evade another attack.

    ''Now I understand why people nicknamed the old man ''the crusher'', his opponents might have been crushed using this technique''

    Jonathan was currently employing a technique called the ''Lunar Fist,'' created by Alex''s father. This technique involves channeling mana to enhance the power of punches, making them several times stronger than regr ones. The punch projected is proportionally stronger based on the user''s overall strength.

    It might sound simple, but it''s actually quiteplicated because you need to circte your mana in a specific way to achieve it.

    Alex''s father had forced him learn the mana pathway required for the technique activation, but Alex never attempted it. As a result, he only knew the theory, honestly of not because Jonathan had just used it, he might have never remembered this technique.

    ''Should I try it ?'' wondered Alex, he couldn''t deny the fact that keeping in ce and sending punches at your opponent seemed cool.

    ''No scratch that, trying something like that in the midst of a fight would be stupid, I will tryter''

    Meanwhile, Jonathan had to cease sending punches Alex''s way. Aside from the initial one, none had managed tond on Alex, even when Jonathan tried to predict his movements. It was better to stop since this technique is quite voracious in mana.

    Instead, Jonathan created numerous fist-sized fireballs that heunched at Alex.

    Although the fireballs were powerful, theycked speed, so it was easy for Alex to dodge them. However, the situation changed when Jonathan used his wind maniption to boost the fireballs.

    Suddenly, the fireballs became much more powerful and faster. Despite this enhancement, Alex skillfully managed to evade them.

    However, Jonathan anticipated this, which is why the moment Alex dodged the volley of fireballs, Jonathan emerged right in front of him, holding a small dagger in his hand.

    Jonathan swung the dagger at Alex''s throat, but it was blocked by a smoking pipe that suddenly appeared in Alex''s hand.

    Seizing the opportunity, Alex kicked Jonathan in the guts, sending him hurtling towards the arena wall. A secondter, Jonathan crashed against it.

    "Now we are even" said Alex as Jonathan emerged from the cloud of dust created by his collision with the wall while cursing.

    "I''ve urately gauged your strength, so it''s time to finish this battle," dered Jonathan. Fire emerged at the soles of his feet, lifting him into the air, while a swirling and dangerous wind wrapped around his arms.

    "I disagree about you having urately gauged my strength, but I agree with you on the fact that it''s time to end this fight" replied Alex.

    After his reply, Alex took a puff on his pipe, exhaling a gray smoke that coiled around his arms, materializing into gauntlets that ended in sharp ws.

    "Let''s finish this"

 Chapter 116 : Alex vs Jonathan (2)

    Chapter 116 : Alex vs Jonathan (2)

    "Let''s finish this"

    The moment Alex said that, the two men lunged at each other. Due to their overwhelming speed, they closed the gap between them in a split second and attacked.

    Alex swiped his ws toward Jonathan''s head, while thetter tried to hit him on his chin.

    The two hands met in the middle, and a powerful shockwave spread in all directions.

    Jonathan willed the swirl of wind around his arm to attempt to dissipate Alex''s smoke-made ws, but it failed. Alex''s control over his element was so perfect that even the wind couldn''t break down something made of smoke if Alex gave it a solid property.

    Meanwhile, Alex transformed a portion of his gauntlets back into a gaseous form and then shaped this part into needles, thrusting them toward Jonathan''s head.

    Jonathan created a sudden gust of wind, sending the needles back toward Alex with even greater speed than they came with.

    Alex didn''t even attempt to dodge the needles, and why would he? He was immune to the smoke element, so those needles wouldn''t hurt him even if he let them hit him.

    The needles just bounced off his face, surprising Jonathan, who was unaware of Alex''s immunity.

    Seizing the moment when Jonathan became distracted by the failed attack, Alex swiftly pivoted and delivered a round kick to Jonathan''s side.

    Jonathan bore the brunt of Alex''s kick, stumbling backward, an instantter, the same needles that he had sent Alex''s way pierced his right shoulder.

    While the needles didn''t inflict much damage initially, since Jonathan remained within the range where Alex could control smoke, Alex increased the size of the needles until they began drawing blood.

    Witnessing this, Jonathan dispelled the swirling wind from his left arm and attempted to remove the needles with his bare hand.

    "Wrong move" said Alex with a sinister smile.

    The moment Jonathan touched the needles, they turned gaseous, leaving his right shoulder. They then reshaped themselves into needles again and lodged into his other shoulder!

    "Arg...."

    Jonathan groaned in pain as his second shoulder was pierced.

    He should have realized that when Alex erged the needles, he was still within the range where Alex could control smoke. However, he didn''t pay attention, and now he found himself with both arms pierced.

    Even now, he remained in danger, as Alex could inflict more damage. That''s why he increased the intensity of the fire at the sole of his feet and ascended into the air.

    He flew upward until the arena became a tiny dot in his line of sight. Only at this moment did he extract the needles from his shoulder.

    "I can''t use both of my arms"mented Jonathan.

    The rules of thepetition forbade the use of healing or strengthening potion, so he was struck with these wounds till the end of the fight.

    ''I can only count on my abilities now'' sighed Jonathan as he descended from the sky.

    When he descended to a height where he could see what was happening in the arena, his eyes twitched upon seeing Alex sitting leisurely in a chair made of smoke, smoking his pipe while gazing at his descending figure.

    "You finally decided to join us?" asked Alex as Jonathannded on the ground.

    Jonathan didn''t reply; instead, he activated his wind maniption ability and created a tornado of wind.

    He didn''t directlyunch the tornado toward Alex; instead, he added fire to the tornado, transforming it into a fire tornado.

    "Just what I''ve been waiting for!" eximed Alex as he sprang to his feet.

    Before Jonathan could grasp the meaning, Alex took a puff on his pipe, then exhaled green smoke.

    Without waiting a second, Alex expanded the green smoke and swiftly transformed it into a giant spear that he sent hurtling toward the fire tornado.

    Jonathan didn''t know what this green smoke was made of, but his danger rm tingled, prompting him to quickly seek cover.

    Unfortunately, he was too close to the fire tornado, preventing him from getting far before the spear of smoke made contact with it.

    BOOOMMM

    The moment the spear hit the fire tornado, it detonated in arge explosion.

    Fortunately for Jonathan, he was far enough to avoid being burned by the explosion, but close enough to be whipped by the shockwaves resulting from the st.

    He was sent hurling and crashed against the wall of the arena violently.

    The mushroom of smoke created by the explosionsted for about a minute before it began to dissipate.

    "Cough, cough, cough..."

    When Jonathan tried to get up, he coughed blood and copsed on his knees.

    "You should stay down; you are seriously wounded," said a voice.

    Jonathan gazed at the direction from which the voice came from and spotted Alex walking toward him while whistling a happy tone.

    "I guess, cough, cough, I lost" said Jonathan through his coughing.

    "Yep!"

    "What did...you mean...by ''what I''ve been waiting for''?" asked Jonathan as he rolled on the ground toy on his back.

    "You know that smoke users can control different kinds of smoke depending on the thing burned or vaporized?"

    "Yes"

    "You remember that green smoke, right? It was created by vaporizing a liquid called kalnium. The extraordinary thing about this liquid is that it can be vaporized despite exploding when in contact with fire. From the start of our fight, I''ve been pushing you so that you would create something like that fire tornado. That''s why I targeted your shoulders, so you could only rely on either your fire or wind ability."

    "What would you have done if I didn''t use my fire ability and created just a wind tornado" asked Jonathan

    "I don''t know, but I would have a way" said Alex as he shrugged his shoulders.

    In fact, Alex could have ended the fight the moment his smoke needles pierced Jonathan''s right shoulder.

    He could have targeted one of Jonathan''s vital organs instead of his left shoulder when thetter made the mistake of trying to remove the needles with his bare hands.

    However, he didn''t do so for a simple reason: From what Jonathan said, his father had tasked him with helping Alex achieve his goals. So, Alex just wanted to know what the one supposed to help him reach his goals was capable of.

    People hailed Jonathan as a genius, but he wanted to confirm it for himself.

    ''He iscking in terms of control over his abilities; besides that, everything is good,'' thought Alex with a satisfied smile.

    Alex suddenly chuckled.

    "Why are youughing" asked Jonathan.

    "Oh, nothing, don''t mind me".

    What made himugh was the fact that he was judging the strengths and weaknesses of others, while justst week, he was considered a useless weakling by everyone except his close family members.

    ''Life sure has a way ofing around.''

    "Anyway, what is your verdict about my current strength?" Asked Alex.

    "Overwhelming" replied Jonathan as he was certain that even against him, Alex didn''t go all out.

    "d to hear that" replied Alex with a grin.

    A few secondster, Adrian appeared and shouted:

    "The battle ends! Alex wins!"

 Chapter 117 : Alex vs Amelia (1)

    Chapter 117 : Alex vs Amelia (1)

    "The battle ends! Alex wins!"

    "Alex has won against Jonathan" muttered Nox with an incredulous face.

    He wasn''t the only one shocked by this oue; the other members of the branch all had the same expression as him.

    The only ones with calms attitudes were Lilia, Ava and Amelia, beside them, everyone was stunned.

    "Hehe, that''s my grandson! I knew he would win!" Shouted Grace after her surprise had subsided.

    "Tsk, stop lying, from your earlier expression, you definitely didn''t expect him to win" said Victoria.

    "Still, it is astounding to see Alex reach the finals," said Abigail.

    "True, and he reached the final by winning against many candidates for the position of head of the branch," replied Madison.

    "Indeed, he has won against Nox, En, Talia and now Jonathan, that''s quite an achievement "

    "Amelia also defeated some tough opponents like Ector and Zo, now that I think about it, the two of them had defeated all fours of Robert''s sons, how do you feel knowing this?" Asked Madison with a teasing smile as she nced at Robert.

    Robert just grumbled at her, but didn''t say anything.

    "He must be seething" whispered Abigail to Madison.

    "I''m sure that he is, his rival children just defeated his own" whispered back Madison.

    "I can hear you" said Robert with an annoyed tone.

    "We know" replied the two women, continuing to make fun of him.

    "Your attention here" said Adrian to the spectators.

    "We will now start thest fight of thepetition. This fight will determine the one who will be the head of our branch and also the representative of our branch in thepetition that will determine the future head of the entire Eswald family!" eximed Adrian.

    "The ones fighting for the position of the head of the branch are Amelia and Alexandre Eswald!" shouted Adrian as he pointed to the pair of siblings standing in front of each other.

    Spectators pped and started to speak among themselves, wondering who would win the fight.

    Everyone was excited to see who would be their next leader.

    "Woah, old man, I could feel the excitement of people after you just spoke. You have a talent for hyping up people. Maybe you should consider a career change?" Asked Alex in a joking tone.

    "....."

    "Okay, okay, forget what I said," said Alex when Adrian shot him a death re.

    "Well, we will now start the fight, the both of you are ready, right?"

    The nodded and Adrian shouted:

    "Start!"

    "You said I can ask anything of you if I join you in the final, right?" Asked Amelia

    "Yes, you can ask me anything you want. Of course, you can''t ask me to give up," replied Alex.

    "Haha, I didn''t intend to use my wish on something like that. I have something more important to wish for," said Amelia with a smile.

    ''So beautiful'' thought Alex as watched his sister''s bewitching smile.

    ''Hey, snap out of it, she is doing it on purpose!''

    However, while he was gazing at his sister''s beautiful face, Alex didn''t notice her nting the seeds of her nts in the ground.

    He only noticed it when vines started to emerge from the ground.

    Seeing this, Alex quickly extracted his smoking pipe and took a puff; a split secondter, he exhaled a gray smoke.

    Before he could do anything else, robust vines whipped in his direction.

    Alex swiftly evaded them, then spread the gray smoke around the entire arena.

    In just a split second, the entire arena was filled with smoke. However, unlike thest time when he dispersed the smoke throughout the arena, this time the smoke only rose to knee level.

    ''Why just at the knees level?'' wondered Amelia as she controlled the surrounding vines to rotate and generate wind, which blocked the smoke from touching her.

    ''Should I use it ?'' wondered Amelia.

    She wondered if she should use her residual st right now, she was already starting to feel exhausted due to her previous fights but also because of the use of her ability two times today, so she was hesitant if she should use residual st right now or waitter and only use it at the right moment.

    ''No, I should use it now, with each passing minute I''m getting tired, I risk losing consciousness if I use residual st when exhausted''.

    Since she had resolved herself, Amelia didn''t waste a second and started to create her destructive orb.

    ''Shit, she is going to use her ability, what to do?'' wondered Alex.

    The logical thing to do here was to rush toward her and stop her from activating her ability. However, the vines were barring his way; before he dealt with them, the orb would already be formed.

    He then thought about solidifying the smoke to form a protective dome around himself, but immediately scratched that idea.

    ''The dome will copse immediately.''

    Although he could make the smoke take a solid form, there was no way it would resist such an explosion.

    There was always the solution of escaping in the air, but the problem with that is that he couldn''t stay forever in the air, he would have to descend after some time.

    What guaranteed that what awaiting him on the ground wouldn''t be another destructive orb?

    ''Should I take a leap?'' wondered Alex.

    ''Will my reserve of mana even be enough for me to take a leap?''

    Meanwhile, as Alex''s mind raced to find a solution to his predicament, Amelia finished creating her explosive orb made of residual energy.

    The orb she made this time was thergest she had ever made from the start of thispetition, it was at least the size of a basket ball of earth.

    She decided to make it thisrge so that her brother wouldn''t be able to escape it, even if he sticks to the walls of the arena or tried to escape in the air.

    "Does she intend to blow up the whole arena?" wondered Candace, witnessing the "giant" explosive orb hovering in Amelia''s hand.

    Despite being smaller, Amelia''s previous explosive orbs were already too destructive, so what was she intending to do with one so big ?

    Also sensing that the next explosion caused by Amelia will be too big, Grace used her mana to cover not just the spectators lounge but the whole mansion!

    "Can you take this on, brother ?" Asked Amelia, however, she didn''t even take the time to hear Alex''s response and hurled the dangerous orb toward him.

    "F*ck!"

 Chapter 118 : Alex vs Amelia (2)

    Chapter 118 : Alex vs Amelia (2)

    BOOOOOMMMM

    The moment Amelia''s destructive orb went off, the scene that unfolded was one many would find apocalyptic.

    The explosion exhibited various attributes �� smoke, fire, wind, nt, and every element used in battles since thepetition began. This caused the already destructive force of the explosion to multiply tenfold.

    However, the most dangerous aspect of this explosion wasn''t its destructiveness or its attributes, but rather the shockwaves it generated.

    The shockwaves were so powerful that, in an instant, they made the arena walls copse, cut off or uprooted the surrounding trees, and swept away the smoke that Alex had spread around the arena.

    Fortunately for the spectators, Grace had covered the whole mansion with her mana, making it impossible for the explosions or shockwaves to destroy the mansion.

    "What was this mad girl thinking, causing such an explosion?" wondered Grace.

    "There''s no way we wouldn''t attract attention with such a st," sighed Candace.

    Although they didn''t make much effort to conceal their movements, the branch members still preferred to avoid drawing too many eyes. However, with such an explosion, it was impossible not to attract attention.

    "The good thing is, we now know who has the most dangerous and destructive ability in the whole family," chuckled Victoria as she observed therge mushroom created by the explosion.

    The smoke mushroom was at least five timesrger than the one Alex caused bybining the Kalnium smoke with Jonathan''s fire tornado.

    "This ability of hers need to be kept secret, if not, gods only know how many troubles it would bring all of us" said Candace with a somber expression.

    Every member of the older generation nodded in agreement. If such an ability became known to the public, it would be impossible to predict the troubles that coulde knocking on their doors, as this power had the potential to shift entire nations.

    Possessing such an ability could lead to massive losses for one''s enemies, making it a coveted asset for every kingdom or empire.

    "So, who won ?" Wondered Talia as she looked in the now destroyed arena.

    When she asked, everyone else also focused their gazes on the arena.

    Everyone felt that it was impossible for Alex to have the capability to avoid or survive such an explosion, so he was likely saved by Adrian just before the explosion had gone off.

    The moment they focused on what was happening in the arena coincided with the moment Amelia was getting out of the protection of vines she had erected to save herself from the shockwaves.

    It might be her ability, thus her, that caused the explosion, but it didn''t mean that she was immune to it, so she had to protect herself like everyone else.

    ''Did brother-''

    Before her thoughts could fully form, Amelia''s danger rm tingled. However, before she could react, she felt a strong hand rest on her head.

    "Were you trying to kill your man with such an explosion ?" Whispered Alex to Amelia.

    Hearing his voice, Amelia''s heart skipped a beat.

    "H-How ?" Was all she could mutter.

    "I will exin after you answer my question. Were you trying to kill your man with such an explosion?"

    Amelia slightly turned her head to respond to him, but forgot what she wanted to say after witnessing his face.

    "W-Why are you so pale ?"

    Alex''s face was as white as a sheet of paper, he looked like a sick person.

    "Don''t worry, it will be gone in a moment" replied Alex with a reassuring smile.

    Amelia reluctantly nodded her head then whispered to him:

    "To answer your question, no, I obviously didn''t want to kill you, why would I want to kill my lover?"

    "I dunno, maybe you didn''t move the sex as mush as you made it sound and decided to kill me" replied Alex with a chuckle.

    "Don''t be stupid. Even if I didn''t enjoy the sex �C which is definitely not the case �C I wouldn''t want to harm the most important person to me. It actually upsets me to think that you would even consider something like that," said Amelia with a pout.

    "I''m joking, I''m joking. Of course, I know you wouldn''t want to harm me. I apologize for saying that," said Alex as he nted a soft peck on her cheek.

    Since the smoke mushroom caused by the explosion had yet topletely disperse, no one would see his act of kissing her. Even if they used their mana to observe, they would see nothing because all around Alex, there was smoke, and he is invisible when in smoke.

    "Hmph, apology epted, now tell me how you appeared behind me" said Amelia.

    "I used my smoke ability" replied Alex.

    "Huh? I don''t smoke ability user can do something like that" replied Amelia.

    "I think the same as you"

    "Then how did you do it ?"

    ''Ah, I forgot that she doesn''t know about my smoke sovereignty'' remembered Alex, even though knowing that he is a true smoke sovereign wouldn''t exin what he had just done.

    As mentioned earlier, when Alex became a Smoke Sovereign, he gained the ability to determine whether he could or could not use the smoke for a particr task.

    During his training, he wondered if he could use the smoke to boost his movement speed without relying on a smoke created with a substance that enhances speed, and surprisingly, he could!

    Alex then attempted to move using the smoke. In his mind, he expected his movement speed to be affected, but that wasn''t the case. The moment he willed the smoke to enhance his speed, something unexpected happened �C he got teleported!

    At first, he was confused, then he understood what just happened.

    The smoke doesn''t just enhance his movement speed; it literally teleports him anywhere there is smoke, as long as it is within the range he can control with the smoke element.

    At first, he was ted, but then he frowned due to sensing that his mana reserves were halved after just that teleportation.

    He teleported another time, and then his mana reserve ran dry. Not only that, but he suddenly felt exhausted.

    It was at that moment he realized, unfortunately, he couldn''t use the smoke''s teleportation ability more than two times because teleporting consumed too much of his mana.

    If asked why he felt exhausted each time he teleported, Alex''s answer would probably be that his stamina was too low for multiple teleports, and the same applied to his mana �C his reserves were too low.

    However, he couldn''te up with a reasonable answer as to why he can teleport in the first ce.

    Seeing that he was wasting time pondering something that would likely take him a lot of time toprehend, if he could evenprehend it at all, Alex abandoned the quest to find out why he could teleport within smoke and resumed his training.

    This teleportation ability was actually what he used just as Amelia hurled the explosive orb towards him.

    He timed the teleportation to the moment the explosion had gone off so that Amelia wouldn''t notice it if he teleported.

    He teleported a few meters behind Amelia, since her nts had blocked the smoke from reaching her. When the explosion urred, and Amelia used her nts to form a dome for protection against the shockwaves, Alex created his own dome of solidified smoke just behind hers. He waited until she removed her dome and then took action.

    When he exined everything to Amelia, she sighed and said with a smile.

    "It''s my loss I guess"

 Chapter 119 : Make yourselves known

    Chapter 119 : Make yourselves known

    It''s my loss I guess" said Amelia with a smile.

    "Why don''t you seem sad about losing?" asked Alex.

    "Why should I be sad? In the first ce, being the head of the branch doesn''t interest me. Like Grandma, I thought I would rather be the head of the branch than let someone who isn''t you take the position. If someone else was to be the head of the branch, who knew what would happen to you or the girls? However, the moment I learned that you wanted to be the head of the branch, I gave up on the position. Even if I won against you, I was going to reject the position," exined Amelia.

    "Then why fight me in the first ce ?"

    "If I had given up without fighting, there were bound to be many members of the branch that would be dissatisfied, some may even contest you the fact that you be the new head. However, now that you have won against me fair and square, no one can contest your winning. That''s actually why I made the explosion so big, no one would dare say that I threw the fight after seeing meunching such an explosion against you"

    "That''s thoughtful of you, but there''s a w in your reasoning"

    "Which is ?"

    "If I couldn''t survive the explosion and had to be saved by the old man, you would have given up and let me be the head of the branch, then the oue will be the exact opposite of why you created this big explosion to begin with : some people will contest me bing the head of the branch".

    "Well, there would only be a few that wouldin, even if you lost to me, you had still defeated the strongest. Plus, I was pretty sure that I would lose against you"

    "What made you say that ?" Asked Alex with raised brows.

    "With how confident you seemed, I was sure that you had something up your sleeve that would enable toe out of a pinch unscathed" answered Amelia.

    "Smart. Still, don''t you think you went a bit overboard with your explosion?" asked Alex as he raised his head to look up toward the mushroom cloud.

    "Sorry, but in my defense I didn''t know that the explosion would be sorge; I have already made muchrger orb explode, yet none of them caused such arge explosion, it seems that the reason this one was so powerful is that there are residual energy of many elements"

    "Mm, I see"

    ''It''s time to end this wholepetition,'' thought Alex. Using his remaining mana, he cleared away the smoke in the arena bypressing it.

    As the smoke started topress, the spectators'' eyes widened because such a thing only meant one thing: it was Alex''s doing.

    They couldn''t believe it, until the smoke has beenpressed enough to allow them to see what was going on in the arena.

    When they saw Alex standing behind Amelia, his hand resting on her head, their already wide eyes opened even wider due to the shocking scene before them.

    They had been observing what was happening in the smoke from the beginning with their mana, but the only person they could sense was Amelia, who was standing. They never thought that Alex would be standing behind her.

    ''What is he doing there, and how did he manage to get there in the first ce?'' wondered everyone.

    Even Adrian, who was rtively close to the two fighters, didn''t know how Alex got behind Amelia. It couldn''t be helped. Instead of focusing on Alex, everyone concentrated on the orb and the destruction it caused afterward, so how could they see what he did, knowing that he had perfectly timed his teleportation to when the explosion happened.

    Now, with him standing behind her and even resting his hand on her head, everyone understood that it could only mean one thing: the fight had ended, and Alex won!

    "How is he doing it? With each of his fights, he does something incredible. I wonder how many tricks he has up his sleeve," said Victoria in amazement.

    "You are not the only one. At this point, I''m starting to wonder if even now we have seen his full capability," said Candace.

    Meanwhile, Grace started to giggle, softly at first, but as time passed, it became boisterous.

    "AHAHAHA, ALEX WON, YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEAN RIGHT ? HAHAHAH...."

    "You know that he just won against your granddaughter, right ? Aren''t you worried that she might think that you are ying favorite and that you prefer her brother over her?" Asked Victoria with a voice loud enough for even those in the arena to hear.

    "Ahaha- ah....ehh.." Grace came to an abrupt stop, not knowing what to say next.

    She nced towards Amelia, who, in turn, was looking at her with a disbelieving expression.

    "Uhm, Amelia dear, d-don''t look at me like that, uhm you see-"

    "Humph" Amelia turned her head to her stuttering grandmother.

    "N-No, don''t be like that-"

    Grace turned toward Victoria with a furious face.

    "YOU! IT''S ALL-"

    "Cough, Your attention here" said Adrian, cutting off Grace.

    "We will continueter, I''m not done with you!" Said Grace in a whisper  before turning to look towards Adrian, who was speaking.

    "Alex has won the final, thus winning the entirepetition, which means that��" Adrian stopped talking when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

    "I will take it from here, old man," said Alex as he stepped in front of Adrian.

    Adrian didn''t say anything further and just remained still, looking at Alex, much like everyone present.

    ''Hey, system, increase my mana by four soul points''

    [Are you su-]

    ''Do you really fucking need to ask each time? Yes, I''m sure, do it''

    [Starting the process...]

    Under everyone''s gaze, Alex closed his eyes and enjoyed the cool feeling of energy filling up his body, increasing his mana level.

    [Process finished.]

    When the process finished, Alex opened his eyes, but there wasn''t any trace of the pleasure he was feeling just now. Instead, his eyes were sharp.

    He extended an arm, and the smoke that had beenpressed rushed to him, engulfing his whole body.

    A secondter, Alex appeared with full-body armor formed with a multitude of colors, each representing a different element.

    Alex looked towards the members of the branch and eximed:

    "From now on, I''m the head of this branch. Those who are against it..." Alex''s gaze became sharper.

    "...make yourselves known."

 Chapter 120 : Head of branch Alexandre Eswald

    Chapter 120 : Head of branch Alexandre Eswald

    "From now on, I''m the head of this branch. Those who are against it..." Alex''s gaze became sharper.

    "...make yourselves known."

    After Alex''s deration, silence reigned in the arena. As the members of the branch family looked into his sharp eyes, they gulped in apprehension.

    The current Alex didn''t resemble his usual self; some, like his daughters, had never seen him like this. With his slightly pale face, he looked very fierce, not different from a warmander, which he actually was, but they didn''t know about it.

    Alex''s gaze then focused on someone in particr �C none other than his uncle Robert, the very one who had opposed his ascension to the head of the branch years ago, iming that he was weak and useless.

    "Don''t you have anything to say ?" Questioned Alex.

    Instead of answering, Robert jumped from his ce andnded in the arena. When his feet met the ground, there was a booming sound.

    He then started to walk towards Alex. Seeing the way Robert carried himself as he approached Alex, Grace thought about intervening to stop him, but in the end, she just watched like the others.

    A few secondster, Robert came face to face with Alex. He was shorterpared to Alex, but no one thought so due to the towering aura he exuded.

    "Years ago, when I said that you were unqualified for the position of the head of the branch, was I wrong ?" Asked Robert.

    "No, you were right. However, things have changed since then," replied Alex.

    "Have they?"

    "You tell me, am I still ''weak and good-for-nothing''?"

    "No, you seem decent right now," replied Robert.

    "Decent?"

    "Yes, ''decent.'' What did you think I would say, that you are incredible? Boy, stay down-to-earth. There are many other Level 4 individuals stronger than you. Hell, you''re not even close to the strength your father had when he was at Level 4!" eximed Robert.

    Alex''s father was Robert''s rival and greatest obstacle. It was because of that he was the one who knew Theodore the most and respected him. Of course, the rtionship between the two of them wasn''t good, but he still respected his brother.

    "Your current strength is far from your father''s, but at least now, unlike before, you seem willing to be something other than azy bum. So, for now, I will bet on you and ept that you be the head of the branch, on the condition that you promise to take the position of the future heir of the Eswald family," said Robert.

    "You don''t have to worry about that, it was never in my intention to lose in the first ce" replied Alex.

    "Good"

    With that, Robert lowered his head and bowed to Alex, showing that he epted Alex as the new head of the branch.

    Since he was just ascending to the position of the head of the branch, people weren''t required to kneel before him; they could do it, but it wasn''t obligatory.

    After Robert, Adrian, who was just behind the whole time, came forward and also bowed to Alex. Then, Amelia next to him reciprocated.

    After those three, the other members of the branch started to move down to the arena, one by one. Every member of the branch bowed to Alex.

    Before long, everyone in the arena was bowing to Alex.

    ''I quite like this feeling of conquest'' thought Alex as nced at the bowing figures of everyone.

    "Raise your head" said Alex after a few seconds.

    Everyone raised their head and looked towards Alex.

    "I won''t bore you by saying some noble nonsense; I''m not even good at that to start with," said Alex with a chuckle.

    "I won''t also promise to do incredible things or say things like '' with me as the head of the branch, the branch will only prosper, and we will all livefortably'', no, there will be many ups and downs, perhaps even more downs than ups. But I will promise you one thing..." Alex''s gaze became serious.

    "... I will restore this branch to its former glory, reinstating our lineage to its original position as the main branch��a position it should never have lost in the first ce. Not just that, but I will also bolster the whole Eswald family higher than it has ever been. For that..." Alex''s gaze became softer, and he smiled.

    "... I would need your help as I can''t do everything by myself, so, are you willing to help me?"

    "The members of the branch could feel Alex''smitment to restore the branch''s honor and position. This caused them to feel a mix of reverence, acknowledgment, and even anticipation. They could feel their blood boiling at the prospect of regaining everything they had lost. So, they replied to Alex''s call."

    "YES, WE ARE WILLING TO HELP YOU!"

    Be it those of the older or younger generation, they all responded to Alex with determined eyes.

    "Good, I will count on you from now on"

    "With that, it was official; Alex was now the head of his branch of the family, a branch that would, in the future, lead the whole Eswald family once again.

    "I have a lot of things to say to all of you, so we will directly move to the meeting room," ordered Alex.

    Everyone nodded and started walking towards the meeting room, with Lilia leading them.

    "What do I do with this?" wondered Alex as he nced at the armor made of smoke containing many attributes.

    "It would be a waste to just let it dissipate in the air," added Alex as hepressed the smoke into a round ball.

    "Hmm" as he walked behind everyone, Alex kept pondering on what to do with the smoke.

    It contained too many attributes to let it dissipate, and it''s not like he can store it or keep it with him everywhere.

    "Ah, I can try that for the time being, but I still need to find a solution fast" Eximed Alex.

    Alex opened his mouth, then swallowed the ball of smoke!

    He was going to store the smoke in his body, since he was immune to smoke, he had nothing to worry about.

    The problem was that stopping the smoke from dissipating was going to consume his mana, even though it was within his body.

    ''Later, I will ask Lilia about this; she might have a solution, but for now, it''s time for the meeting.''

    As he walked toward the mansion, Alex smiled.

    ''Head of branch Alexandre Eswald, I like how it sounds''

 Chapter 121 : The meeting (1)

    Chapter 121 : The meeting (1)

    Guided by Lilia, the branch members quickly arrived at the meeting room and then entered one by one.

    "Why are you standing here ?" Asked Alex to Anna, who was standing behind the door, not moving.

    In general, during these meetings, only branch members were allowed to participate. However, since Alex had imed that Anna was his partner, she wondered if she could also attend.

    "Of course, you can attend," said Alex, as if he could read her mind.

    Alex wrapped his hands around Anna''s waist from behind.

    "You''re my woman, so you can naturally attend the meeting."

    "Still, I''m just a maid��"

    "Hush, enough with the ''I''m just a maid.'' Maid or not, you''re still my woman. Do you know what this means? You''re the partner of the branch head. I want to see who would dare to oppose the idea of you attending the meeting," Alex said with a grin.

    "Also, I''m considering removing you from your position as head maid," added Alex.

    "What? Why would you do that?"

    "Being a maid means that every member of the branch can order you around. Even if they won''t do it knowing that you are my woman, I still don''t like that the possibility exists," said Alex with a frown.

    "So, you''ll fire me from my position as head maid? Then what will I be doing?"

    "You can do anything you want. If you want, you can spend all your time training or rxing. It''s your call."

    Anna shook her head.

    "I would rather be working than doing nothing"

    "Hmm, in that case, how about you be my personal assistant?"

    "Alex, I''m a maid. How can I be the personal assistant to the head of a branch of a noble family? I''m obviously unqualified��"

    "Nope, you are not unqualified. I know that Mother had trained you in many fields, and management is one of those fields. Plus, aren''t you and Lilia the only ones managing the mansion? I''m sure that you are qualified."

    "Also, if you be my personal assistant, it''s mean that we will be working together, isn''t that a great thing ?"

    "That''s actually what worries me, I doubt there will be much working done if the two of us are the only ones in a room" said Anna.

    "You are not wrong, it will be hard for me to resist doing things like this" as he said this, Alex started to fondle Anna''s breasts.

    "A-Alex, stop-" before she could finish speaking, Alex turned Anna so she would face him and then pinned her to the wall next to the meeting room and started tasting her lips.

    The moment she was pinned against the wall, Anna lost all inhibitions and started kissing Alex back.

    Just as the situation became more heated and the kiss became more passionate, Alex and Anna heard the sound of clearing throats.

    When they nced to the side, they witnessed Lilia and Amelia standing at the entrance of the meeting room, staring at them.

    "Branch head, you''ve kept everyone waiting long enough, don''t you think so?" said Amelia with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes.

    "Yes, branch head, you wouldn''t want them to suspect that you are fooling around while they wait, right?" asked Lilia with a simr smile to Amelia''s.

    "N-No, we areing right away," said Alex, quickly separating himself from Anna.

    "No, you can go alone. We will have a word with Anna. We won''t be long," said Amelia.

    "O-Okay, I will be going then" replied Alex.

    Just as he was about to enter the meeting room, he nced at Anna and noticed a betrayed expression on her face.

    ''I''m sorry,'' mouthed Alex to Anna as Lilia closed the door behind him.

    ''They won''t do anything to her, right ?'' wondered Alex.

    ''No, I''m certain nothing will happen to her. Let''s forget that for now and concentrate on the meeting'' thought Alex as his expression turned back to one of seriousness.

    ''Really, everything has been built too extravagantly in this mansion,'' thought Alex as he looked around the meeting room.

    The meeting room he was standing in was a chamber of opulence, amodating a hundred attendees or more. A petite dais stood at one end, providing a tform for speakers amidst walls adorned in regal, deep crimson tapestries, exuding an aura of timeless elegance.

    The room is bathed in gentle illumination, bright enough to capture every detail, yet maintaining a subdued ambiance.

    Even the seats on which the members of the branch were sitting looked way too luxurious for Alex.

    The instant Alex entered, everyone''s gaze focused on him; unfazed, Alex walked towards the dais and stood on the tform meant for the speaker.

    "Before I say anything, I want all the ones under the age of 18 to leave," said Alex the moment he stood before everyone.

    Hearing his words, those below the age of 18, including Alex''s daughter Violette, grumbled in dissatisfaction but ultimately left the room.

    "As they left the room, Lilia, Amelia, and Anna walked in and took a seat next to each other."

    "Scarlett, activate it," said Alex.

    Scarlett, who was standing next to a device, pressed some keys, and the device activated.

    The moment the device was activated, a space bubble enveloped the room.

    The device Scarlett activated was designed to conceal sounds, ensuring that no one could eavesdrop or spy on them.

    "Before we start, I have another thing that I need to say".

    Alex''s expression became somber and he said:

    "I will say this to anyone who might leak the content of our discussion here: if you do something like that, I will kill you."

    Everyone in the room froze after hearing Alex''s words; when they sensed that he wasn''t joking around, they felt a chill run down their backs.

    "I abhor traitors and would consider discussing what I''m about to say with anyone other than those present right here as a traitorous act. If there are some of you who don''t want to carry the burden of what I''ll be saying or simply can''t keep their mouths shut, please leave. I won''t have mercy for those who betray me or us, I will kill them even if we share the same blood," eximed Alex with a cold-blooded tone.

    The previous Alex and Captain Jack, who have merged their souls, were both individuals who were betrayed and killed. So, it was natural for the being born from the merge of their souls, consciousness, and memories to be someone who absolutely hates betrayers.

    "Some people hesitated; they didn''t know what Alex wanted to discuss. However, if it was something so serious that he threatened to kill those who revealed it to outsiders, then perhaps it was better not to know about it. But ultimately, no one left."

    "I will repeat myself. If someone betrays me, I will kill that person, no matter your strength or the strength of the ones protecting or backing you. I will kill you. So, if there are some people here who know they can''t keep their mouths shut, leave now."

    Despite him repeating his threat, no one left.

    "Since everything is clear, let''s start," said Alex after seeing that no one left.

    "As you all know, our branch''s goal is to ascend to the position of the principal branch within the Eswald family, ultimately leading the entire family. I''ve just made amitment to achieve this, but I also expressed my ambition to elevate the Eswald family to unprecedented heights. The current status of the Eswald family is that of a duke family. However, I have no intention of maintaining this status; rather, I aim to propel it to the next level," exined Alex.

    "I now understand why you warned us not to say anything to outsiders. If the emperor or a member of the royal family were to hear what you just said, your head would be cut off."

 Chapter 122 : The meeting (2)

    Chapter 122 : The meeting (2)

    "I now understand why you warned us not to say anything to outsiders. If the emperor or a member of the imperial family were to hear what you just said, your head would be cut off," someone said.

    When Alex saw who had spoken, he was very surprised. It was because the one who spoke was Richard Eswald, Victoria''s second son, and Alex''s second uncle.

    Richard was the father of Talia, the quietest person Alex had ever seen in his life. Alex was certain he could count on his fingers the number of times he had heard this uncle of his talk.

    In his youth, Alex actually thought that he was mute. Thus, hearing him speak for the first time was one of the greatest shocks for young Alex.

    He almost never speaks. The proof is that, from the start to the end of thepetition, he hadn''t opened his mouth to say even one word, even when his children won or lost their fights.

    Hearing such a man speak, especially at such a moment, was really surprising, and not just for Alex.

    Meanwhile, Richard continued speaking, "Besides the imperial family, the duke''s position is the highest among the nobles. So, when you say you want to elevate the Eswald family beyond the duke position, it''s akin to expressing the desire to transform the Eswald family into an imperial family. However, there already exists the Fiore imperial family. Essentially, you''re suggesting a rebellion against the empire, correct?"

    "Wow, I have never heard you speak so much" eximed Alex.

    "Believe me, you are not the only one," said Talia as she looked at her father as if he were some alien.

    Remembering the question, Alex cleared his throat and replied, "Yes, I n to lead a rebellion against the Fiore imperial family."

    "Interesting," said Richard before shutting his mouth again.

    Richard seemed calm despite hearing what Alex nned, but he was the only one in that state. Everyone else took a sharp breath at Alex''s revtion.

    "Boy, are you conscious of what you are saying?" asked Adrian.

    "Yes."

    "So, you  are conscious that you want to go to war against a whole F*cking empire ?"

    "Yes"

    "Do you have an idea of the strength the Fiore empire ?"

    "No"

    "So you want to go to war while you don''t know anything about your enemy?"

    "It''s not like I intend to go to war right now, I have time to study my enemy"

    "So, when do you intend to go to war ?" Questioned Victoria.

    "In a few years"

    "So, you are nning to take down an empire that has been established and has been strengthening itself for centuries in just a few years?" asked Madison.

    "With ample preparation, even one or two years would be enough," replied Alex.

    "Alex, you know that I will support you in anything, but are you sure you want to go to war against the Fiore Empire?" asked Grace.

    "Yes"

    "Hmm, okay, you can count on us," stated Grace.

    "Speak for yourself," said Victoria with a snort before turning to Alex and asking, "Do you even know what war is and what its consequences are?"

    "Sigh, yes, I know what is war, I know it all too well" said Alex with his voice tinged with mncholy.

    It was strange, but when people saw the expression on his face as he replied, they felt as if he really knew what he was speaking about.

    Alex sighed again, then said, "I know that it mighte as a surprise to you, but I know what war means. I know the pain and suffering it might cause."

    "Still, you are willing to go to war and involve all of us with you," remarked Robert.

    "Yes."

    "I want to know, why do you want to go to war against the royal family so bad?" asked Abigail.

    Alex raised two fingers and replied, "There are two reasons."

    "Which are?"

    "The first one is vengeance. You all are not without knowing that the current position of our branch is due to the current emperor colliding with the current patriarch of the Eswald family to frame and kill my father, the previous duke, and head of the Eswald family."

    Everyone nodded their heads. They didn''t know the details, but they knew that there was a problem between Theodore and the emperor, which is why the emperor had collided with the current patriarch to frame him.

    Till this day, the only one that knows what happened is Ava. Even Alex doesn''t have all the details of what happened.

    After Theodore''s death, Ava fell into a mental breakdown thatsted for years. When she managed to pull herself together, she immersed herself in training and never wanted to speak to anyone.

    Each time Alex and Amelia wanted to ask their mother the full details of what happened, they gave up on the thought when they saw her hollow eyes.

    However, they weren''t kids or stupid. As time passed, they figured out for themselves what happened. When Alex heard the details, he swore that if he ever had the strength, he would avenge his father.

    "The first reason is vengeance, while the second reason is that I simply don''t want to follow the orders of someone else."

    As Jack, he had followed orders of his superiors and fought like a maniac to win the war and protect his country. All of that, and for what? Those same superiors whose orders he had followed for years decided to kill him because he might be troublesome. So in this life, he didn''t want to follow the orders of anyone.

    "Tell me, Alex, you certainly didn''t speak about war without having a n in mind, right?" asked Candace, speaking for the first time.

    "It''s not perfect, but I indeed have a n," replied Alex.

    "Can you share it with us?"

    Alex nodded his head and said:

    "To win a war, we need many things, but the thing our branch needs to obtain the most is...money."

 Chapter 123 : The meeting (3)

    Chapter 123 : The meeting (3)

    "You are right, we indeed need money, especially if we want to oppose the entire Fiore empire, or any other empire for that matter. So, how do you n to get that money?" Candace inquired.

    "There are many ways to earn money; we are a noble family after all. However, it obviously won''t be enough if our goal is to stand against an empire. I''ve thought of ways to earn money, and the first involves utilizing my smoke ability."

    "Your smoke ability, can you exin?" Victoria asked, perplexed.

    "Instead of exining, I''ll show you what I meant," said Alex before taking out his pipe and taking a puff.

    He exhaled a light brown smoke and exined, "This smoke has an attribute that allows it to erode wood. If ites into contact with wood, it will erode it. However, since it''s just smoke, it will take a lot of time to erode even a small piece of wood."

    To demonstrate, Alex directed the brown smoke to touch the wooden tform on which he stood.

    As everyone watched, the wood of the tform started to erode, but it was at such a slow pace that even after a few minutes, not even a small part of the tform had disappeared.

    "As you can see, its eroding power is really low, but if I do this..." Alex increased the eroding attribute of the smoke, turning it into a dark brown.

    Under everyone''s astonished gaze, the brown smoke that struggled to erode the wood until now began to erode it at an incredible speed.

    "Huh?"

    "How is something like that..."

    The only time Alex used this characteristic of his smoke ability was when he fought En. At that time, there was smoke all around the arena, so no one could see what Alex did, which is why they were surprised to witness such a thing.

    Alex cleared his throat to get the attention of people on him and continued:

    "I can increase the attribute of any kind of smoke to a point that the smoke might even be more potent than the thing vaporized or burned. With an ability like that, I can do many things, like enhancing the potency of a potion."

    "This..." Candace and everyone didn''t know what to say because if what Alex was saying was true, then it might indeed be something they can use to make money.

    "Your idea is indeed good. For example, if you can enhance the potency of a healing potion to make it do something it can''t, then it''s indeed a great way to gain money quickly," admitted Candace after her shock subsided.

    "However, your idea is only good on paper. In reality, it will be impossible to make money with something like that," added Candace.

    "Why are you saying that?" asked Alex.

    "How will you prevent the smoke from dissipating? Even if you manage to bottle up smoke, it will still dissipate over time. No one is going to buy a potion that would disappear in a few hours or days, no matter how potent it is.

    "Even if you manage to resolve the problem mentioned earlier, you should consider the fact that once the current main branch learns that we are selling such things with high lucrative revenue, they will try to force us to give them the method of production, while the royal family will surely impose absurd taxes on us to prevent our branch from rising again.

    "There is also the main issue �C you are the only one able to enhance the attributes of potions. If something were to happen to you and we can''tmunicate with you, the business will be closed."

    Alex pondered on what Candace said for a moment before replying to her :

    "Your concerns are valid, but I still think that it''s possible. Firstly, about whether or not I can bottle up smoke, you don''t have to worry about that. I will find a method to bottle up smoke and make itst as long as the container isn''t opened.

    "As for me being the only one supplying the potions or whatever we decide to sell, you don''t need to worry. I can probably make arge supply each time; enhancing the attribute of smoke doesn''t consume a lot of mana. Regarding the issue with the royal family or the main branch pressuring us the moment they know that our branch is selling smoke potions better than liquid potions, it''s simple �C we don''t sell the potions as the Eswald family," said Alex.

    "And we will sell the potion as who?"

    "Arcane Nexus Society."

    "What is that?"

    "Arcane Nexus Society is the secret organization we are going to create."

    The moment Alex said this, everyone facepalmed.

    "Wait, wait, wait, don''t discard my idea before fully hearing it," hurriedly said Alex.

    "So, you want us to create a secret organization, did I hear right?" asked Ava with the same dumbfounded expression as everyone else.

    "Yes, but think about it, it''s the perfect solution for our predicament. With that secret organization, we are going to sell our potion, but not only that, we can establish ties with some of the powers of the continent. Those powers might even help us the moment we wage war against the Fiore empire," exined Alex.

    "His idea is not so bad. With a secret organization, we can indeed sell our goods without the empire or the main branch pressuring us," supported Candace.

    "So, the organization will only be selling smoke potions?" Amelia inquired.

    "No, we will also sell technological devices that have never been seen. It''s those devices that would actually make the big power move. After all, which big organization would allow itself to be left behind in terms of technology?"

    "And how do we acquire those technologies?" asked Talia.

    "Of course, we will create them, or rather, she will create them," said Alex as he pointed to Scarlett.

    "You all are not without knowing that my daughter here has a big brain. I''m certain that even now, she possesses technology that has never been seen on this continent. So she will be the one to create those technologies. She can even-"

    "Hey, old man, why are you bringing my name into all of this? I never gave my-"

    "If you ept, I will give you blueprints of things you have never seen and will also continue to update you about you know what," said Alex.

    "From what I know, you are not an engineer, right? Where would you acquire the blueprints of new technologies?" asked Scarlett, clearly not believing her father.

    "Do you want them or not?"

    "Okay, deal. I will take your offer, but you better not scam me by giving meme blueprints," said Scarlett.

    "You don''t need to worry about that," replied Alex.

    ''Of course, they are going to be good. I will be giving you the blueprints of Earth technologies.''

 Chapter 124 : The meeting (4)

    Chapter 124 : The meeting (4)

    "So, what do you think about my secret organization idea ?" Asked Alex.

    "It soundss like a good idea, albeit dangerous" replied Lilia.

    "Why do you say that ?" Asked Celine(the one who has fought Talia at the first stage of thepetition).

    "It''s a matter of logic. What do all the powers we''ll sell our products to try to do? They''ll attempt to absorb our organization so they can be the exclusive beneficiaries of our potions and technology. However, we don''t want to align with any power. So, what do you think they''ll do when we tell them that? They''ll try to destroy us."

    "Indeed, they''ll believe that if they can''t have us, it''s better to destroy our organization than risk our technology and potions falling into the hands of their enemies," added Candace.

    "That''s why we need to be cautious when dealing with other organizations or powers. That''s also why I suggest that, instead of selling our products directly, it''s better to ce them in an auction house, for now" said Alex.

    "Then, ites at the right moment since the annual auction of the Brazen family is happening in two weeks. Maybe we can try to sell our products there," suggested Talia.

    At her suggestion, Victoria shook her head.

    "The Brazen family auction house is one of the best of the continent and many nobles will attend to their annual auction, so it might be a good ce if we want to make our products known, but the issue is that the Brazen family doesn''t auction off everything indiscriminately, the things that they auction are all valuables things prized by most noble families, I doubt they will ept to put our products on their list"

    "I will take care of convincing them" stated Alex.

    "And how will you do it ?"

    "I don''t have a clue, but I will find a way, somehow"

    "Well, in this case-"

    "Wait, wait, wait, why are you all talking like we aremitting to his nonsense of creating a secret organization ?" Asked En.

    "Don''t forget thatmiting to this secret organization thing means that we are on board with his insane n to go to war against the Fiore empire!" Supported En.

    The intervention of those two reminded the rest of them that the reason Alex was talking about a secret organization was to create a rebellion and go to war against the Fiore Empire!

    When people were reminded of this fact, the room settled into a silence that was only broken when Jonathan raised his hand and dered:

    "I''m on board with your n to wage war against the imperial family."

    "What the hell are you saying? You realize that��"

    "Yes, I know what I''m saying," said Jonathan, cutting off En.

    "Yet, you are willing to go with his n, why?" asked Nox.

    "For a simple reason: they killed my master," said Jonathan in a cold tone.

    "It wasn''t until he said this that the others realized that the murder of Theodore had been painful for Jonathan, like it had been for Alex and the other close family members of Theodore."

    "He has also suffered from the old man''s death," thought Alex with a sympathetic look.

    "Haa, I guess I''m also in," said Adrian with a sigh.

    "Huh? You too ?"

    "Yes, I''m sure my brother will turn in his grave if he learns that not only did I not try to avenge his son, but I also didn''t support his grandson when he tried to avenge his father," stated Adrian.

    "You are right; I would feel ashamed to meet our brother knowing I abandoned his grandson when he needed our help the most," supported Abigail.

    Madison didn''t say anything, but she also nodded in agreement.

    "I am also on board," said Alex''s uncle Richard.

    His support surprised people more than anyone else''s, but seeing how he returned to his silent mode just after saying that, they knew he wouldn''t exin his reasons even if they asked.

    "Haha, you are simr to your father, but also very different, your father wasn''t as insane" said Robert with a chuckle.

    "Anyway, I said that I would bet on you on the condition that you reim our status as the principal branch. So, you have my support as long as you don''tpletely mess up our chance to be the principal branch again," added Robert.

    "We are also on board," said Talia, pointing to herself and her brother.

    "Haa, I''m also on board. With how things are going, I''m going to be impacted by your actions whether I like it or not," said Victoria with a shrug.

    The likes of Lilia, Amelia, Anna, Ava, Grace, Eleanor, Candace, and Alex''s daughters didn''t say anything, but they didn''t need to because Alex knew from the start that he had their support no matter what he was going to do.

    As time passed, more and more people started raising their hands, showing support for Alex. Before long, everyone was supporting Alex, except for the two ck sheep named En and Nox.

    Even Zo, who was En''s twin brother, was supporting Alex!

    ''Sh*t, they are all supporting him!'' practically screamed En in his head.

    "So, what''s it going to be? Are the two of you with us or not?" Alex spoke, "If you''re not with us, then you should leave. But I''ll remind you again, if you leave this room and narrate everything that happened here, then I will track you, and you know what will happen then."

    Both Nox and En gulped in fear when they heard him. Both of them had suffered a crushing defeat followed by a round of humiliation at his hands. So, although they hated him currently, they also feared him.

    They nced at each other and nodded their heads.

    Just as everyone thought they would leave, both of them raised their hands and stated that they would also support Alex, albeit they said it with great difficulty.

    "Good, now that we all are on the same page, let''s continue".

 Chapter 125 : The meeting (5)

    Chapter 125 : The meeting (5)

    "Now that we are all on the same page, let''s continue," said Alex.

    "Where were we again? Ah, yes, we were speaking about the secret organization. As I said, the Arcane Nexus Society will be selling new technologies and potions. Obviously, it won''t be our only source of ie, but for a start, we will concentrate on those two things," exined Alex.

    "Alright, let''s assume that your ''secret organization'' is doing well, and we are able to gain money and connections thanks to it. What''s next?" asked Robert.

    "As I have previously mentioned, money is the thing our branch needs the most, but money alone won''t win a war. We need many other things like human forces. However, if we have enough money, we can buy the services of humans, like adventurers and guild members."

    "But-"

    "I know that we can''t trust those kinds of people. After all, if they are willing to go to war for us because we paid them, then they can also betray us for the right sum. That''s why if there is ever a frontal battle against the enemy, those adventurers will be the ones on the frontlines," exined Alex.

    He took a deep breath and then continued:

    "The adventurers will be on the frontlines, but the troops just behind them would be our own, which brings me to my next point: soldier training.

    "Even though I''m unaware of the regr strength of the empire''s soldiers, I''m sure that they are stronger than regr noble soldiers, and they are also greater in numbers. So, if we want to measure up, it''s better to bet on quality rather than quantity. What I mean is that our soldiers need to be stronger than the empire ones so each one can at least take on two or three of the empire soldiers."

    "And how are we going to do that? Need I remind you that you said you intend to go to war in a few years? You want the soldiers to be stronger than those of the empire who have trained all their lives while only training a few years?" asked Ector.

    "Does one or two years be enough for you to turn apletely normal person into a good warrior?" asked Alex as he nced at Lilia.

    "Hmm, if they have at least a little bit of talent, then even one year should suffice," replied Lilia.

    "Then you have your answer," said Alex to Ector.

    "No offense, but how do you want us to believe the words of your wife? She isn''t even at level 1," replied Ector.

    Aside from Alex''s close ones like Ava, Amelia, Grace, Candace, Eleanor, no one else among the branch members knew that Lilia wasn''t always this weak. Even among those who knew, the likes of Eleanor and Candace, weren''t aware that even now, Lilia was more than able to beat up many in this room.

    However, they would knowter because Alex had no intention of letting them continue looking down on his wife.

    "Since you all visibly don''t trust my choice, then we will do this. In three days, if anyone here manages to beat my wife in a hand-to-hand-only fight, then I''m willing to step down from my position as head of the branch," dered Alex.

    His deration sent a ripple of surprise spreading in the room.

    "Hahaha, it seems that you are already tired of your position as head of the branch. If that''s the case, then I''m willing to take such a burden from you," stated Nox as heughed.

    He wasn''t the only one thinking this way. Everyone who had participated in thepetition''s eyes burned with joy and excitement after hearing his deration. And why wouldn''t they feel excitement? They just needed to defeat a weak woman who wasn''t even at level 1.

    ''Fools,'' thought Alex with a sneer when he saw their excited expressions.

    The only ones who can try to beat Lilia and take his position are the ones that had participated in thepetition since the head of the branch needs to be within those of his generation because of thepetition of the Eswald family. So that means that the only ones who are going to fight Lilia are at level 4.

    None of them can even beat him in a hand-to-hand fight, so there was no way in hell neither of them can win against Lilia, who even Alex can''t imagine winning against.

    ''He is doing it so that people wouldn''t doubt Lilia''s strength, but I''m sure it''s partly, as for the other part...'' Ava nced at the smiling Alex and chuckled ''... I''m sure it''s just so that others would also get beaten ck and blue by Lilia like he himself was beaten by her.''

    As he thought, Alex was currently feeling a dark glee as he imagined the others being beaten by his wife.

    ''They are so going to get their ass handed to them. I''m excited to attend!'' thought Alex as his sneer deepened into a wicked one.

    A few secondster, when the atmosphere calmed down a little, Alex cleared his throat to get everyone''s attention.

    "Until you prove me wrong, Lilia will be the one charged to train the soldiers. Now, let''s continue.

    "As I have said, we need good soldiers, but we also need someone who knows when those soldiers are needed or when a subtle approach is better, someone who can anticipate enemy moves and adapt ordingly, someone who can formteprehensive ns, analyze intelligence, and devise tactical approaches, and most of all, someone who can assess the enemy, exploit its weaknesses while mitigating our own weaknesses.

    "As you have guessed, I''m speaking about a strategist, and fortunately for us, we have one of the best strategists on the whole continent and without a doubt the best in this Empire," said Alex as he pointed to Candace.

    "Haha, you tter me too much" said Candace with a smile.

    "Nope, he is right, you are one of the best in this field" state Grace next to her.

    Everyone nodded to her statement.

    "That''s why you will be the one to guide our army to victory"

    "You can count on me Alex, I will do my best to make us win"

    Alex nodded to her and continued:

    "Now, let''s talk about our enemies".

 Chapter 126 : The meeting (6)

    Chapter 126 : The meeting (6)

    "Now, let''s talk about our enemies"

    "Like I have already said, our main enemy is the Fiore imperial family, but we all know that it won''t just be them that we will be fighting"

    Everyone nodded and Alex continued

    "The moment we start a rebellion, it won''t just be the forces of the Imperial familying after us, but also the forces of other dukedoms and nobles. That''s why we need as much information as possible on not just the imperial family and it''s force but on all the others force that constitutes this empire!" Stated Alex.

    "Not just the forces that constitutes this empire, but also others forces outside the empire, be it allies or enemies of the Empire" Candace added.

    Alex nodded

    "Yes, we need to perfectly know our enemies to be able to deal with him no matter what he throws at us"***

    "And how does he want us to obtain all that information?" asked En to Nox but spoke in a loud voice so that everyone could hear him.

    "Perhaps he wants us to barge into their territories and say, ''Hey, can you give us every piece of information about you? It''s for the greater good!''" replied Nox before the both of them burst intoughter.

    "Haa, I''m starting to think that it was better to let them leave; it''s really a chore to work with idiots," said Alex with a sigh.

    "Hey, you-"

    "You know, those heads of yours are meant to be used. They are not just here to adorn your body," cut Alex with ridicule in his voice.

    Before they could retort, Alex was already speaking:

    "There are many methods to obtain information: rumors from locals, using scouters to observe enemies'' activities, infiltration, kidnapping some of the enemies'' guards to interrogate them, and most of all, buying information. I''m sure there are organizations that sell information, right?"

    "Yes, there are many organizations that specialize in gathering and selling information. The most renowned and reliable amongst them should be the ''Spectre'' organization, but their services are not cheap, and it''s basically a pain in the ass to get in contact with them," replied Candace with an annoyed expression.

    ''From her expression, I guess she had tried and failed to get in contact with this Spectre organization,'' thought Alex.

    "This organization is known among the nobles since you can even buy information about noble families and even on the imperial family, but like I said, their services are not cheap."

    "Hence the importance, as I mentioned, of money" said Alex.

    "But can we really trust such an organization? What guarantees us that they won''t sell information about us, like informing our enemies that we are buying information on them," said Amelia.

    "We don''t necessarily need to trust them," answered Alex.

    "Huh? What do you mean?"

    "I don''t know anything about those organizations, but I''m sure that they wouldn''t exist anymore if they sold information about their contractors to others, am I right?" asked Alex as he nced at Candace.

    "Yes, they don''t sell the information of their contractors. Of course, they won''t sell information about you unless it''s rted to the task you have given them, like selling the information to your enemies that you are buying information on them. But other than that, they will still sell information about you."

    "I understand".

    "If we are going to buy informations, then I suggest that we buy them from Spectre" said Candace.

    "Why?"

    "They might be a pain in the ass to get in contact with, but like I said, they are the most reliable of the organizations that gather and sell informations. Unlike the others organizations, you sign a soul contract with them, if they betray you, they die. Of course it goes both ways" answered Candace.

    "A soul contract huh, interesting" said Alex.

    Alex might not be the most cultivated person here, but even him knew what a soul contract was.

    Basically, it''s a contract that both parties sign while bearing the god of contract guarantees; if either party betrays the other, their soul is confiscated by the god of contracts, which means their death.

    Truth be told, Alex had thought about making the members of the branch sign a soul contract before revealing his ns for war to them, but he ultimately decided against it.

    The reason he decided against it was that the members of the branch might think that he didn''t trust them, and so, they also wouldn''t trust him back, which is bad since they need to be united if they want to win against the empire.

    "We are not obligated to buy information. Like I said, there are many ways to gain information; we will speak about which methods to useter," said Alex.

    Feeling that enough has been said for today, Alex cleared his throat and announced :

    "Let''s summarize what we spoke about, and then each of us can share their thoughts," Alex said. "We will wage war on the Fiore empire in a few years. For that, we need to create a secret organization whose goal would be to sell potions made of smoke that I create and technologies created by Scarlett."

    "We will sell our products in an auction house to avoid attracting unwanted attention. We need strong soldiers for theing war, which is why they will be trained by Lilia."

    "And finally, we need to obtain as much information as possible about our enemies."

    "Although there are still many other things to consider when preparing for war, let''s stop at those preparations, at least until our branch bes the principal branch."

    "In three days, I will inform you if I managed to bottle up smoke or not. At the same time, those of you who doubt thepetencies of my wife will fight her in a hand-to-hand battle. Is that clear?" asked Alex as he descended from the tform.

    Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

    "Good, now if you would excuse me, I need to attend to my husband''s duties."

    As he said this, Alex walked towards Lilia, scooped her up, and left the meeting room.

    "What did he mean by- oh," when she realized what Alex meant, Talia''s face flushed red.

    Not just hers, but the faces of the majority of women in the room suddenly became red.

    "Haaa, this boy really doesn''t know what shame means," sighed Adrian with a wry smile.

 Chapter 127 : Husband’s duties (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 127 : Husband��s duties (1) (R-18)

    "Hey! Let me down! where are you taking me ? And what husband duties were you talking about?" Asked Lilia as she was being carried by Alex in a princess carry.***

    "You know what I meant~" Alex replied with a sultry voice.

    Lilia blushed, realizing her husband''s implication.

    "Did you have to say that? Now everyone will think we''re up to something naughty," scolded Lilia.

    "Well, we are going to do something very naughty~"

    "But they didn''t need to know!"

    "Does it really bother you if they know?"

    "Not really, but our daughters were there!"

    "Stop pretending. Even with our daughters around, you don''t really care if people know that you are going to be-"

    "Hey, don''t say it!" Lilia interrupted, pinching him.

    "Ouch, hey, that hurts!"

    "That''s the point. Now stop speaking about that until we get to our bedroom."

    "Alright, I''ll stop mentioning that we''re going to the bedroom to-"

    "Ouch"

    "Last warning" said Lilia with a re.

    "Okay, I''m shutting It"

    "Humph, why are you even taking ''me'' to the bedroom? I thought you had two other wives," said Lilia.

    "So?"

    "I thought you had forgotten about me. Today, you dered before everyone that Anna was your wife while I was..." Lilia quieted down, and a little sob came from her.

    "Don''t even try that card; I know you''re acting."

    "What gave me away?" asked Lilia reverting back to her usual sweet voice.

    " ''I know my husband is a fair and loving man, so I trust that you wouldn''t cast me aside for another woman. You love me too much to do something like that''... Your words, not mine," said Alex, parroting Lilia''s exact words when he asked if she was fine with him being with other women.

    "Tsk, I hate it when you use my words against me," said Lilia.

    "False, you like it because that means I was paying attention to what you said," replied Alex.

    "I hate that you know me so well," said Lilia with a pout.

    "False, you- ouch!..Hey! I didn''t say anything about- ouch...stop that!" Eximed Alex.

    "Nah, it''s too fun" said Lilia while giggling.

    "Oh, you! You are not the only one who can y this game" said Alex as he proceeded to tightly squeeze Lilia''s soft ass.

    "Hey, wait till we get to the room!" eximed Lilia as she tried to swat away Alex''s hand.

    "Nope, moreover, the room is just around the corner" replied Alex as he started to fondle Lilia butt.

    Lilia face flushed and her breathing became faster.

    "I said wait till-"

    "We have already arrived" said Alex as he opened the door with the hand that was previously fondling Lilia ass.

    "He slipped right through the door and closed it after."

    "So, we are finally in the room, now what?" asked Alex with a yful smirk.

    "Now, you shut up and kiss me," replied Lilia.

    "As you wish, my love." As he said this, Alex lowered his head and brushed his lips against Lilia''s.

    Lilia eagerly responded, deepening the kiss.

    Their bodies pressed together further as the kiss they shared started to be more passionate.

    Quickly, their tongues intertwined and started battling for supremacy.

    Alex smoothly walked towards the bed and carefully ced Lilia down without interrupting the steamy kiss.

    Alex positioned himself above Lilia, maintaining the deep kiss while his hands explored every inch of her body.

    Lilia responded with a moan, her body warming with desire.

    The room echoed with moans of pleasure and sloppy sounds as the kiss intensified.

    After a few moments, the husband and wife separated, their faces flushed, their breathing heavy and a line a saliva still connecting the two of them.

    As Alex gazed at Lilia, he became captivated by her beautiful scarlet eyes. His hand moved and tenderly carressed her face as he expressed, "you are so beautiful".

    Lilia lips curved into a sweet smile hearing her husbandpliment.

    She wrapped her arms around his neck and said while staring into Alex gray eyes:

    "You are not so bad yourself"

    "Just ''not so bad''? I''m handsome, you meant?" he teased

    "Haha,e here, my handsome and narcissistic husband~" Lilia yfully said, using her hands to lower his head.

    "I prefer that" replied Alex as his lips met hers.

    The air was filled with love and passion as the tongues of the two spouses intertwined and swirled around each other.

    Breaking the kiss, Alex trailed kisses down her jawline, savoring the sweet taste of her skin.

    Meanwhile, his hands glided over the curves of her soft thighs, then back up towards her full round breasts that he fondled gently.

    Mmm~

    Just as Lilia''s moans began to intensify, she abruptly halted Alex by gripping his hands.

    "Why are��" he started to ask, but before he could finish, Lilia swiftly flipped him, reversing their positions, with her now on top.

    "This time I will be the one fucking you" said Lilia with a grin.

    ''What sane man would say no to that ?'' thought Alex.

    I don''t have the slightest objection, you can do anything you want to me," said Alex with a grin.

    "I was going to anyway," answered Lilia as she swiftly unbuttoned Alex''s shirt and threw it away, revealing his toned upper body.

    Lilia pressed her lips against Alex''s while her hands caressed her husband''s chest.

    With deliberate movements, one of her hands moved toward Alex''s pants and slipped inside it.

    "You are so hard~" said Lilia while breaking the kiss.

    "It''s all because of you," said Alex with a smirk.

    "Is that so?"

    Alex nodded

    "Then I guess I should take responsibility~"

    As she said this, Lilia lowered herself while still maintaining eyes contact with her husband.

    As she lowered herself, Lilia, with masterful skill, unzips Alex''s pants and throws them away, revealing his long and hot member.

    "Hello, I have missed you big guy~" eximed Lilia in a seductive tone as she came face to face with Alex twitching cock.

    "It has also missed you my love, especially those beautiful lips of yours~"

    "So you want to feel my warm and wet mouth wrapped around you ?" Asked Lilia as she looked at Alex''s cock.

    "Then I guess I mustply~"

    Just after saying that, Lilia immediately wrapped her mouth around Alex cock.

    "Oh, gods...."

 Chapter 128 : Husband’s duties (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 128 : Husband��s duties (2) (R-18)

    "Oh, gods...." Eximed out loud as Lilia took in the head of his cock in her wet mouth.

    An intense wave of pleasure coursed through his body, threatening to make him release his seed right then and there.

    ''It''s just the start'' thought Lilia as she observed her husband''s pleasure filled expression caused by her taking the tip of his penis in her mouth.

    Without waiting for Alex to recover, Lilia moved her head and swallowed his whole member!

    "Oh, fuck, it feels good" moaned Alex as he felt Lilia throat wrapping around his cock.

    Lilia started moving her head back and forth in a slow and deliberate manner, her tongue rubbing against his cock, causing him to feel an incredible sensation.

    Still maintaining the eyes contact with Alex, Lilia increased the speed of her sucking, her head bobbing back and forth, taking Alex''s manhood down her throat before pulling back and repeating the same action again.

    *Slurp*Slurp*Slurp*

    Slurping sounds started to feel the room as Alex''s member became lubricated with Lilia saliva, making the speed at which she moved her head increase with each second.

    "Mmf mmf mmf..." Moaned Lilia as she pleasured her man using her mouth.

    "Continue like that, love" said Alex with a groan as a wave of pleasure coursed through his body each time he felt Lilia''s throat squeeze him.

    Instinctually, Alex grabbed Lilia''s head and thrust forward while moving her head down.

    "Mmmmff..." Lilia moaned in surprise due to Alex''s sudden move but didn''t stop him nheless. Instead, she submitted herself, more specifically her mouth and throat, to Alex''s whim.

    Seeing that she wasn''t stopping him, Alex started fucking Lilia mouth with more force, thrusting forward till his whole cock disappeared in her throat, pulling back before thrusting again with even more strength and speed than thest thrust.

    He was a little bit worried that he might hurt Lilia, but that worry disappeared when she herself started to move her head to meet his movement before he even used his hands. All the while, she moaned even more loudly than before.

    When Alex nced down, he perceived a bulge in her neck.

    ''Fuck, it''s so erotic'' thought Alex as he thrust roughly into Lilia''s throat, not caring a bit about hurting her.

    Alex''s rough fucking of her throat caused Lilia''s eyes to roll to the back of her head, but contrary to what one might think, she wasn''t hurting, no, instead, she was feeling pleasure, which can be proved by her body quivering in delight while her moans became louder.

    Alex groaned, feeling his release approaching, he nced down at Lilia who seemed drunk in pleasure and eximed:

    "I''m going to cum!...make sure to swallow everything!"

    With that, Alex grunted and rammed his cock to the back of Lilia throat and released his seed right into her throat, filling her stomach.

    "Ummmmff~"

    Lilia released a loud moan as Alex emptied his balls into her mouth.

    A secondter, Alex slumped on the bed, his breathing rugged.

    He suddenly chuckled, hearing Lilia coughing, struggling to swallow all his cum.

    However, a secondter, he got worried, hearing no more sounds, so he nced down to see if she was alright.

    "What the... Where are your clothes ?" Asked Alex in surprise, seeing Lilia standing fully nude.

    However, Alex quickly forgot about his surprise as his gazended on Lilia''s tempting silhouette. From her face and voluptuous bosom to her ample and well-defined thighs, Lilia was beautiful, akin to a piece of art from head to toe.

    "A goddess..." Said Alex absentmindedly.

    Due to him admiring her figure, Alex failed to notice the hungry look Lilia was giving him.

    So, before he could snap out of his reverie, Lilia crawled onto the bed and mounted him, positioning his still hard cock right at the entrance of her dripping cunt.

    "You remember that I said that I will be the one fucking you tonight, right?" Asked Lilia with a grin as she rubbed her pussy lips against Alex''s hard cock.

    It wasn''t until she said this that Alex finally focused and noticed her flushed and lust-crazed face, causing him to gulp.

    Before he could even retort, Lilia lowered herself, impaling herself on Alex''s cock, her breasts bouncing as she did so.

    Aann~

    Lilia released a lewd moan as Alex''s penis hit her womb, the instant it invaded her insides.

    "Fuck, you are tight~" cried out Alex as Lilia''s inner muscles clenched against his cock.

    Mmmm~

    Lilia didn''t respond and just kept moaning as she enjoyed the sensation of fullness caused by Alex''s penis. However, that was just for a moment because a secondter she started moving.

    Lilia raised her waist slowly and then lowered herself explosively.

    Ahn~

    She released a lewd moan from Alex''s cock piercing her wet cave again and then repeated the same action again and again and again. Before long Lilia was riding Alex, her breasts bounced in front of him in a mesmerizing way.

    Anh Ahhh Aannnn~

    ''Fuck, she is wild'' thought and as Lilia kept moaning incessantly due to the intense pleasure she felt each time she bounced up and down on his cock.

    Each time their bodies met, there was a sound of flesh hitting against flesh that resounded, followed a split secondter by Lilia''s moans.

    As seconds ticked by, Lilia''s pussy walls started squeezing Alex''s penis further, making him understand that she was about to cum. So, he leaned up and took one of Lilia''s bouncing breasts in his mouth and sucked at it while his other hand kneaded Lilia other breast.

    "Alex.. I''m aan...about toe" eximed Lilia while increasing the speed of her bouncing.

    "Then what are you waiting for, cum for me~" said Alex while nibbling at Lilia''s nipple.

    Lilia tightly hugged Alex while her inner muscles clenched around his cock.

    "ANNHH~~~"

    With a loud moan, Lilia climaxed.

    "I love you," said Lilia as she shifted all her weight onto Alex.

    "I also love you, but.."

    "Hm? But what ?" Asked a puzzled Lilia.

    Alex swiftly flipped Lilia in such a way that she was now lying on the bed with her ass pointed toward him.

    "But you seem to have forgotten something"

    "W-What had I forgotten?" Asked Lilia, feeling a shiver run down her spine.

    "Our bet. I said that I''m going to fuck that big ass of yours if I manage to win all my fights in less than ten minutes, which I did, so right now I''m going to im my reward" said Alex as he rubbed his already lubricated cock against her asshole.

    "W-Wa-"

    Unfortunately for Lilia, before she could plead her cause, Alex slipped his cock in her tight hole.

 Chapter 129 : Husband’s duties (3) (R-18)

    Chapter 129 : Husband��s duties (3) (R-18)

    Before she could plead her cause, Alex slipped his cock in her tight hole.

    "Arg..."

    Lilia moaned from pain when Alex introduced his penis into her anus, but fortunately, he only pushed the tip in, which haf already been lubricated with her pussy juices, so the pain she felt wasn''t too intense.

    Still, it was weird to feel her anal walls stretching as Alex''s cock entered her.

    "W-Wait, at least give me a moment to prepare myself mentally," whimpered Lilia, ncing nervously at Alex behind her.

    Alex nodded his head and didn''t go further into her virgin asshole. He wasn''t going to enter further anyway, knowing that Lilia needed to rx for things to proceed smoothly.

    "You can continue" said Lilia after a moment.

    Once he got the green light, Alex  pressed forward and further inserted his penis into Lilia butt.

    ''Too tight!'' remarked Alex in his head.

    Lilia''s anal walls were squeezing his member with so much force that he couldn''t proceed any further.

    Feeling that it was because Lilia wasn''t too rxed, Alex withdrew his cock from her ass while shoving two fingers in her pussy at the same time.

    "Annh~"

    Lilia released a moan as Alex fingered her dripping pussy.

    ''It should be enough'' thought Alex, withdrawing his now lubricated fingers from Lilia''s pussy.

    He circled one of his fingers around Lilia''s butthole, stimting her, then inserted his two fingers in her asshole and started to fingering her asshole.

    "Mmmmff~"

    Lilia moaned in pleasure as Alex curled his fingers and started massaging her anal walls.

    Lilia''s anal walls squeezed his fingers with excitement as he fingered her ass, making Lilia moan.

    Once he felt that her anal muscles had rxed, Alex took out his fingers and then tried to insert his dick again.

    "Warn me if you are feeling pain" gently whispered Alex.

    Lilia nodded her head and Alex pressed his dick forward, entering her asshole a second time. Contrary to the first time, and dick easily slipped into Lilia ass.

    "S-So big and h-hot~" cried out Lilia as she felt her husband''s cock inside her butt.

    "Finally! I''m fucking your ass" said Alex with a content smile as he enjoyed the feeling of Lilia''s butthole taking in and squeezing his cock. It was as if he was going to melt into it.

    Meanwhile, Lilia was surprised to feel pleasure because she never expected to feel pleasure from having Alex''s big cock fucking her butt, but here she was, moaning like a slut as she enjoyed the sensation of her husband''s cock in her asshole.

    Alex waited for a moment to let Lilia''s anal walls that were tightening around him get used to his cock, and then started to move slowly inside Lilia''s butthole, exploring and stretching it.

    Both spouses felt a jolt of pleasure course through their bodies as Alex increased his movement speed.

    "Mmf...anf...unhhh~"

    Quickly, Lilia moans became louder and lewd than before, her pussy tingling and her sense flooded by pleasure.

    Meanwhile, Alex marveled each time that his cock disappeared in Lilia''s asshole.

    The sight before him coupled with Lilia''s lustful moans increased his arousal, making him thrust faster and more forcefully in Lilia''s butthole.

    *p*p*p*p*

    "Anghh...ahh...unngh~"

    Lewd moans and pping sounds reverberated in the room each time Alex''s waist collided with Lilia''s big ass.

    "Sooo..aaan..goood~" cried out, Lilia with her breasts bouncing each time Alex thrust in her butthole.

    Alex held Lilia by her waist and then started pounding her more fiercely than before, at the same time his cock started to pulsate.

    "I''m going to cum, and I will be doing it inside!" warned Alex.

    A secondter, he rammed his cock balls deep into Lilia''s asshole, grunted, and released his seed.

    Rope after rope of sperm came from his cock as he emptied his balls into Lilia''s ass.

    The sensation of Alex filling her ass with cum quickly brought Lilia over the edge.

    "I-I''m... Also going to annnh...COME~~~"

    Wave after wave of pleasure coursed through Lilia''s body, and with a lewd shout she climaxed and released arge amount of love juice.

    Lilia''s orgasmsted for about half a minute before subsiding, and she copsed on the bed.

    As she fell on the bed, Alex''s cock slipped out of her asshole with a plop sound, and all his released sperm came out of her pussy.

    A content smile graced Alex''s face as he observed the white substance dripping out from Lilia''s asshole and her pussy as it slid down towards her thighs.

    Feeling a sudden fatigue hitting him, Alex slumped on Lilia''s back before rolling around while bringing her body close to his.

    "Was it as dreadful as you thought it would be ?" Asked Alex as Lilia ced her head on his chest.

    "At first, yes, but as time passed, it became pleasurable" replied Lilia with closed eyes.

    "So that''s mean that there will be another time?" Wondered Alex.

    "Damn, you are unbelievable, you just unloaded arge amount of sperm in both of my holes, and you are already asking about the next time ?" Snapped Lilia.

    "Well, I''m a greedy person," answered Alex with a chuckle.

    A moment of silence passed before Lilia spoke again.

    "I am open to doing it atter dates, but not consistently. I don''t want to be in constant pain while sitting."

    "You are the best wife one could wish for"plimented Alex.

    "I know, that''s why you love me" replied Lilia.

    "Yes, I do indeed love you" said Alex in a tender voice while nting a speck on Lilia''s forehead.

    A smile bloomed on Lilia''s face as she replied:

    "I also love you, even if..."

    "Even if ?"

    "...even if you are a big baby," added Lilia as she burst intoughter.

    "...."

    Remembering the reason why she was saying this, Alex quickly got annoyed.

    "You won''t let go of this, am I right?"

    "Never" replied Lilia with a giggle.

    "Then let''s see if you still think of me as a big baby after this" said Alex.

    "What do you-"

    Before she could formte her question, Alex flipped Lilia on her back and a split secondter, his cock prated her pussy.

    "We shall see if you still think of me as a ''big baby'' after tonight," said Alex with a grin.

    "Do your worst, ''my big baby of a husband,''" replied Lilia, grinning herself.

    "Don''teiningter" said Alex as he started plowing Lilia.

 Chapter 130 : Will you accept my help ?

    Chapter 130 : Will you ept my help ?

    ''Hm?''

    As Alex stirred from his sleep, a sense of warmth and softness beneath his head initially confused him. However, this confusion dissipated the moment he realized his head was resting on someone''sp.

    Looking up, he met Lilia''s loving gaze.

    "How long was I asleep for?" asked Alex with a gentle smile.

    "24 hours. You sure sleep a lot, even if you are a big baby," replied Lilia with a teasing smile.

    "I guess I haven''t seeded in making you forget about-"

    "It would take you more than that for you to subdue this empress" cut Lilia.

    "Oh, so now you are an empress? When did that happen?" Asked Alex with an amused expression.

    "Well, you intend to be the next emperor, right? Then what does that mean for me? Wouldn''t I be the empress?" Retorted Lilia.

    "Hmm, you''re not wrong. Actually, it reminds me, tomorrow you''ll have to deal with those brats," Alex remarked.

    A hint of annoyance shed in Lilia''s eyes.

    "Why did you have to involve me?" she asked.

    "Well, the empress needs to do her part, right?" chuckled Alex.

    Lilia snorted but didn''t retort.

    "Also, you need to be them up... badly" said Alex with a grin.

    "Huh? Why?"

    "So they won''t underestimate my wife anymore," replied Alex, revealing only part of the reason.

    "But it''s a not necessarily a bad tthing to be underestimated. It''s even because of that you easily defeated some of your opponents. Not that you wouldn''t have beaten them without them underestimating you, but it''s always less difficult to defeat an opponent who underestimates you than the ones who take you seriously," said Lilia.

    "True, but they are family. You don''t need to consider them as potential enemies," replied Alex.

    Lilia seemed about to say something, but in the end, she just nodded her head.

    "Who among them should I ''beat up badly''?" asked Lilia, not doubting for a second that she could defeat every one of thepetition participants, even Alex.

    "All of them," answered Alex.

    "Even Jonathan or Amelia?"

    "I doubt Amelia would participate knowing your true strength. As for Jonathan, treat him like the others," said Alex with a devilish grin.

    Lilia nodded with a grin of her own.

    ''Let''s see how much points I have now'' thought Alex.

    At the end of thepetition, he had 10 soul points remaining. He wanted to see how many he had earned after spending the entire night banging Lilia and filling all her holes with his cum.

    ''Status''

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 130

    Agility: 80

    Stamina: 160

    Defense: 80

    Mana Points: 75

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke sovereign;

    Soul Points: 70]

    ''hoh, I obtained seventy soul points'' remarked Alex.

    ''Although I''m d to have gained this many points, why is the number of soul points obtained by having sex with Lilia so much more than the first time we did it?'' Alex questioned the system.

    He remembered obtaining only 10 points the first time he had sex with Lilia, but now he has gained a total of 70 points, seven times the number he obtained after fucking her the first time.

    [There are two reasons why. The first one is that you are closer to Lilia Eswald than the first time you had sex with her, while the second reason is for taking her virginity]

    ''What the actual fuck are you spouting? Lilia definitely isn''t a virgin, how-''

    [Her anal virginity]

    ''Oh, I se- wait, do I gain additional points for taking women anal virginity?'' asked a bewildered Alex.

    [Yes]

    ''Hehehe, that''s a good news'' thought Alex with a content smile.

    ''Wait, now that I think about it, I hadn''t gained this many points despite taking Anna''s virginity, why ?'' wondered Alex.

    [The more depraved your sexual act is, the more additional points you obtain, that''s the reason why host gain additional points by having sex with a blood-rted individuals]

    The system answer made Alex froze.

    ''Isn''t this answer basically telling me to go fuck the women of my family in their ass ?'' Wondered Alex.

    If one thinks about it, they might find that Alex was right. He gained a lot more points while having sex with women close to him or blood-rted to him, and he also gained additional points by fucking women in their ass, so, isn''t it indeed suggesting that he should go have anal sex with his close ones?

    "Haa, it''s really fucked up"  eximed Alex.

    "What is?" inquired Lilia curiously, suddenly hearing cursing.

    Hesitating at her question, Alex wondered whether he should tell her or not.

    When he exined to her how he acquired points, he had obviously left out the fact that he obtained additional soul points by having sexual intercourses with those closes to him, so now he was wondering if he should inform her about this fact or not.

    In the end, he decided to tell her about it. She already knew about his rtionship with his sister and didn''t make a fuss, so she might not react as strongly as he initially thought. Indeed, her reaction was different from what Alex expected.

    "So, you gain additional points by having sex with your close ones, did I get it right ?"

    Alex nodded his head.

    "So, having sex with, let''s say, your mother will make it possible for you to earn a great deal of points?" asked Lilia.

    ''Why my mother ?'' wondered Alex.

    She knew he was already in a rtionship with Amelia, so he naturally thought she would ask if he gained more points by having sex with her. However, why was she speaking of his mother?

    Nevertheless, Alex nodded his head in confirmation.

    "If that''s the case, then I will help you be with her" stated Lilia.

    Alex suddenly froze upon hearing Lilia''s words.

    He lifted his head from herp and looked at her with a speechless expression.

    "W-What did you just say ?" Asked Alex for confirmation, thinking that he was the one that might have misunderstood what she said, but it was not the case.

    "I said that I will help you get with her, or you don''t want to get with her?" asked Lilia with a puzzled expression.

    "...."

    For several seconds, Alex didn''t know what to say and just kept staring at Lilia as if she were some alien.

    "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" questioned Lilia.

    "You do realize that you just proposed your husband to help him have a sexual rtionship with his mother, right ?"

    "Yes, so? You are already in a rtionship with your sister anyway," remarked Lilia.

    "It''s not the same-"

    "Pretty simr if you ask me" said Lilia, cutting off Alex.

    "Nope, that''s vastly different, we are talking about my mother here, the one that gave birth to me!" Eximed Alex.

    Lilia rolled her eyes at his words and replied:

    "Oh, please. I have seen you shoot her a few lustful gazes many times over the years, so stop speaking like you are disgusted by the idea of having sex with her."

    "...."

    This time again, Alex didn''t know what to say because she was indeed right. He really wasn''t disgusted by the thought of being with Ava; quite the contrary.

    "We are overlooking the problem here"

    "Which is ?"

    "You, helping your husband be with his mother! Don''t you think that it''s immoral?"

    "Said the one fucking his sister"

    "...."

    "And no, I don''t really think you being with your mother is a great deal. I have already exined to you that where I came from, family members being in a rtionship isn''t that umon."

    "In what kind of f*cked up environment have you grown up ?" Asked Alex.

    "Oh it''s-"

    As she was about to respond, Lilia felt a sudden surge of pain engulf her body.

    "Heok..."

    "Lilia!"

    Alex quickly took hold of her as she was about to fall off the bed.

    "Hey, are you alright?" asked Alex, worried.

    "That''s... okay, I''m feeling... better now," said Lilia through her breathing.

    An instantter, she caught her breath and sighed.

    "Sorry, I can''t answer your question," said Lilia with a bitter smile.

    "Don''t worry, I understand," said Alex with a gentle tone as he took Lilia in his arms.

    It was not the first time that Lilia curled in pain as she tried to share her life before meeting him. One time she had even lost consciousness, so every time something like that happened, he dropped the subject, just like now.

    Alex just held her in his arms and didn''t say anything further.

    After a long moment in silence, Lilia tilted her head to look at him and asked:

    "So, Will you ept my help?"

 Chapter 131 : Now, we wait and see what happens

    Chapter 131 : Now, we wait and see what happens

    "So, Will you ept my help?" Asked Lilia.

    Alex stayed quiet, pondering whether he should agree to her proposal.

    ''Why am I stressing about this? I already wanted to win her over, but I didn''t know how. Maybe with Lilia''s help, I can make it happen''.

    Having made his decision, Alex informed Lilia.

    "I''ll ept your help, but why are you so insistent?"

    "Simple, being with Ava will help you gain points to get stronger quickly, so you can protect yourself and achieve your goal of overthrowing the Fiore empire," replied Lilia.

    "So, you''re only helping me so I would get stronger?"

    "What other reason could there be besides that?" wondered Lilia.

    "Helping you regain your powers, for example."

    "Oh, right, you can do that too. Hovever, focus on boosting your strength for now; it might take time to fully heal me from my ''condition'' after all".

    ''She''s helping me for my benefit alone. I''m really lucky to have her,'' thought Alex with a grateful smile.

    "Hold on for now, I promise to deliver you from your sufferings" said Alex, nting a kiss on Lilia''s forehead.

    Lilia made a soft sound of acknowledgment andid her head on Alex''s chest. After about half an hour of silence in this position, she spoke while still resting on his chest.

    "You n to be have sex with other women in your family to gain extra points, right? What about the girls?"

    Alex suddenly froze.

    While Lilia spoke in a gentle tone, her voice now carried an edge that wasn''t present before. Suddenly, Alex felt an invisible force pressing on him, attempting to suffocate him.

    "O-Of course I won''t do anything with them, they are my daughters, after all!" Eximed Alex.

    Lilia nodded her head, and the pressure Alex was feeling suddenly disappeared.

    "I trust that you won''t do anything with them, but if it were to happen..."

    Alex felt the pressure again and quickly said:

    "I said that nothing will happen!"

    "Mm" acknowledged Lilia.

    ''What the hell was that?'' wondered Alex.

    ''She was just pushing me moments ago to ept her help to seduce my mother, but her attitude changed drastically when it now involves the girls, isn''t it a bit hypocritical?'' thought Alex.

    ''Sigh, I guess it''s understandable, she has always been overprotective of the girls''.

    ''Even if it''s a bit hypocritical, who cares? We''re all hypocrites anyway, and I never intended to be with any of the girls in the first ce.''

    While he would surely obtain many additional points if he slept with the girls, Alex had no intention to do it because even him had limits and his limits were his daughters.****

    ''Although the situation is going to be difficult with that one'' thought Alex thinking about Alice.***,***********

    Alex wasn''t oblivious to the fact that Alice''s behavior hinted at wanting something more than their current rtionship. This was a significant issue, as Alex wasn''t sure if he could control himself.

    From the moment he started using the system, Alex noticed that his lust kept increasing as days passed, and he was worried that it would push him to do something stupid in the future.

    ''I should deal with her before it''s toote,'' thought Alex resolutely.

    "I should go for now," said Lilia, separating herself from Alex.

    "Hm? Where are you going?"

    "Training. You should do the same," chided Lilia.

    "Later. For now, I need to find a way to bottle up smoke," replied Alex.

    "Then see youter," said Lilia as she leaned in and kissed Alex.

    "Don''t miss me too much, wifey~" teased Alex.

    "And don''t miss me too much, my big baby."

    "...."

    "Hahaha..."

    Whileughing at Alex, Lilia exited the bedroom.

    Alex observed her leaving figure and stood up after she had left.

    "I should also get to work."

    He dressed himself and left the bedroom, heading straight to theboratory in the mansion. Since it was located near ''Scarlett bedroom'' (the Library), it didn''t take him long to get there.

    When he entered theboratory, he was surprised to see Amelia there.

    "Why are you here?" asked Alex, walking towards her.

    "He tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away and then pointed towards the direction he came from."

    Alex nced toward the location she was pointing to and found Scarlett sitting on a chair next to the door, looking towards them.

    "U-Um, what is going on here? What are the two of you up to?" Alex tried to change the subject while quickly distancing himself from Amelia.

    "I''m trying to understand how Aunt Amelia''s residual st ability works to see if I can create something with functionality simr to her ability, and the test was going really well. That is until you decided to barge in here and interrupt us," said Scarlett with a deadpan expression.

    "Oh, sorry to have interrupted you."

    "What are you doing here anyway?" questioned Scarlett.

    "I need to find a way to bottle up smoke, so I came here," replied Alex as he walked toward ab bench on which there were ss tubes ced.

    "I have thought about it since you spoke about it, and the answer is quite obvious," stated Scarlett.

    "Huh? What is it, then?" asked Alex excitedly.

    "What will I gain in exchange for telling it to you?"

    "..."

    ''I should never have ustomed her to expecting something in return every time she does something for me,'' thought Alex with a bitter smile.

    "Just be a good girl for once and give me the answer without trying to get me to give you something in return," said Alex.

    "And why should I do this?"

    "Because you love your father?"

    "Love doesn''t fund my research."

    "...."

    "Help him out just this time," said Amelia, interceding for Alex.

    "Sigh, okay, I will help you freely just this time, and it''s because Aunt Amelia asked. The next time, be ready to pay!"

    "Just say it already, what is the solution?"

    "Your mana," answered Scarlett.

    "Care to borate?"

    "Sigh, Mom was right when she said that you need to study, you-"

    "Just answer the question," said Alex with an irritated expression.

    "Alright, alright; as you may know, to use or control our abilities, we need mana. That means our mana carries the property to let us activate and control our abilities. In your case, your mana has the property to let you control your smoke ability. So, if you inject your mana into the bottle, it should be able to stop the smoke from dissipating, at least in theory," exined Scarlett.

    "In theory? You were boasting just a second ago, and now you are saying that it''s just a theory?"

    "You are getting this ''theory'' for free, so don''tin," grumbled Scarlett.

    However, Alex wasn''t listening to her and had resumed walking toward theb bench while muttering, "Humph, she wanted to make me pay for a ''theory'', how shameless."

    "Hey! I heard that!"

    "It was intended."

    "...."

    ''They really look like friends more than they look like a father and daughter,'' thought Amelia with an amused expression, listening to Alex and Scarlett bicker.

    Meanwhile, Alex got to theb bench and snatched one of the ss tubes on it. He then opened his mouth, and a portion of the rainbow-colored smoke resulting from the explosion caused by Amelia in the final emerged.

    He imbued the interior of the ss tube with his mana and then pushed the smoke inside the ss tube.

    "Well, that should be it. Now, we wait and see what happens."

 Chapter 132 : Element-sensing device

    Chapter 132 : Element-sensing device

    "Well, that should be it. Now, we wait and see what happens." Said Alex.

    "That''s it ?" Wondered Amelia.

    "Yes, now I''ll wait to see if the smoke dissipates over time. If it does, I''ll find another method; if not, I''ll start making the potion right away."

    "I understand."

    "Can you go now? I''ll let you knowter if the smoke clears or not. Just leave," Scarlett said.

    "Nope, actually, I''m quite interested in your little experiment. I''ll observe how it unfolds while I wait," replied Alex as he walked toward Scarlett and sat in a nearby chair.

    "So, how''s it going? What have you observed so far?" asked Alex.

    "Old man, leave."

    "Nope, don''t bother asking again. Plus, I''m sure Amelia is okay with me being here, right?"

    Amelia nodded her head to Alex.

    "See? Now, stop being stubborn and fill me in on how things are going and what you''re doing specifically," Alex uttered, leaning on his chair with his feet on the table in front of them.

    "Sigh, you can stay, but you''re dreaming if you think I''ll exin anything to-"

    "Although I''m not an engineer or scientist like you, I know this project of yours will surely cost a fortune �C a fortune you definitely don''t have. I''m willing to fund your research, so start exining already. If not, good luck finding money," Alex voiced with a smirk.

    "..."

    "So?"

    "Okay, I''ll exin. But why do you want to know so bad? And for your information, it''s going to cost more than a ''fortune,'' so be ready to pay arge amount of money."

    "Don''t worry about the money. As for why I want to know so bad, isn''t it obvious? If you manage to create something simr to the residual st, then our chances to win the uing war will increase. Plus, I''m curious about this ability of Amelia."

    "Mm."

    "So?"

    "Sigh, as you surely know, Aunt Amelia''s ability allows her to concentrate residual energy around her and create this destructive orb. What I intend to do here is try to find out if there is a limit to the number of elements from which she can use their residual energy," exined Scarlett.

    "How are you going to measure if there is indeed a limit?"

    "With this," replied Scarlett, pointing to a device on the table.

    "What is ''this''?"

    "It''s a device I created; it can detect the residual energy of the majority of known elements."

    "Hoh," Alex''s eyes brightened. "Can you mass-produce this thing?" he asked.

    "Why?"

    "For selling, of course!"

    "Who would want such a thing? It''s just something I created by modifying one of my previously made devices that can sense which elements are in an environment."

    "You have a device that can sense which elements are in an environment?" asked Alex, his eyes shining even more brightly.

    "Yeah, I created it years ago for an experiment, but since then, I never used it. It was collecting dust in my room. I just modified it a bit so that it would sense the residual energies of the elements instead. I don''t see who would want to buy something like that," replied Scarlett, feeling perplexed by her father''s enthusiasm.

    "..."

    "..."

    "Uhm, why are you both looking at me like that?" asked Scarlett, seeing the kind of gaze she was getting from Alex and Amelia.

    Amelia was looking at her with a shocked expression, while Alex was looking at her like she was a golden goose �C his golden goose.

    "Scarlett dear, you are really intelligent when ites to creating things, but it seems that youck the ability to understand the true value of what you create," expressed Amelia while shaking her head.

    "I am not sure if I should take it as apliment or an insult," replied Scarlett with a puzzled expression.

    "It''s not really a good thing since you could-"

    "It''s a great thing! Don''t listen to her; you being intelligent is the only important thing. Forget about other things; let me handle the rest. I will make the world know how bright you are," said Alex like a sleazy salesman, cutting off Amelia.

    "...be taken advantage of," finished Amelia with a sigh.

    ''Is he really trying to take advantage of his daughter?'' wondered Amelia with a dumbfounded expression, looking at Alex praising Scarlett while asking her if she could mass-produce her device.

    s for him, Scarlett may not really know the value of her creations, as she creates them mostly out of curiosity or to see if she could make them. But, as Alex said, she was intelligent. So, when Alex tried to goad her into mass-producing her device while praising her, she knew that something fishy was going on.

    She turned to Amelia and asked, "How valuable do you think this thing is?"

    "Uhm," seeing Alex strongly shake his head, Amelia hesitated but decided to answer Scarlett''s question.

    ''Sorry, brother,'' she mouthed to Alex.

    "In fact, something like your device already exists; it''s the thing we use to determine the affinity of someone to an element," exined Amelia.

    "I know, that''s actually where the idea to create this device came to me," replied Scarlett.

    "Ah, I see. Anyway, like I was saying, this kind of device already exists. It''s just that this invention of yours is quite groundbreakingpared to the already existing one. With your device, you can achieve many things. For example, let''s say that you are in a desert and need water; having this device may help you find a water source. Another example, if this device''s detection range can cover a vast territory, you can even obtain the distribution of surrounding elements. These are just a few examples; there are still many things that you can achieve with your device."

    "If you manage to make it able to detect areas in which there is arge amount of mana, every major power on this continent would want to have one of these devices, and not just them alone."

    Hearing this, Scarlett understood that this device of hers, which she had thought to be useless, had the potential to make her earn a lot of money��money that would serve to fund her other experiments!

    Without waiting a second, Scarlett got up from the table, snatched her device from Alex''s hand, and exited theboratory while shouting:

    "Aunt Amelia, we will continueter; for now, I need to improve this thing!"

    "Okay, let''s do tha-"

    Amelia''s words got caught up in her throat when she noticed Alex ring at her.

    "Uhh, I-I will also take my leave."

    "...."

    "S-See youter, brother," said Amelia before rushing out of theboratory.

    "Damn it! Now that she knows the true value of this device, she is going to demand arger amount of money than before!" cursed Alex.

    He understood that if before he could have given Scarlett just a little part of the profit, now it was going to be difficult because she is surely going to ask for more.

    ''Sigh, let''s forget about that for now,'' thought Alex, shaking his head.

    Alex stood up and walked towards the ss tube filled with smoke; while the three of them spoke, enough time had passed for the smoke in the ss tube to dissipate if it was going to do so. It was now time to see if the method suggested by Scarlett was right.

    "It seems that she was right after all," said Alex with a smile, seeing that the ss tube was still filled with smoke.

    "Okay, let''s get to work!"

 Chapter 133 : Reconciliation between father and daughter?

    Chapter 133 : Reconciliation between father and daughter?

    "I''m telling you, girls, it''s a bad idea," warned Amelia.

    "Why are you saying that? I think it''s a good opportunity," retorted Celine.

    "I also think the same," said a pretty girl with long ck hair, eyes as dark as night, and a petite body.

    This girl was named Marina Eswald and was one of Alex''s cousins.

    "It''s the only opportunity we have left if we want to be the head of the branch. Why do you keep trying to make us drop out?" asked Talia.

    "It''s just that... sigh, I''m giving up. I already warned you. If you insist on fighting Lilia, then don''teiningter," expressed Amelia.

    She had been trying to convince her three friends since yesterday that fighting Lilia in a hand-to-hand battle was suicide. However, none of them took her warning seriously. It wasn''t that they thought she was lying; it''s just that they couldn''t see what threat a person not even at level 1 could pose to them at level 4. So, despite her warning, all of them decided to fight Lilia.

    If Amelia had straight-out told them that even she or her brother couldn''t take on Lilia in hand-to-handbat, then there might be a chance of them abandoning the idea. However, Amelia didn''t, or rather couldn''t, share this information with them for the simple reason that she was certain that her brother was excited to see the others being beaten ck and blue by Lilia.

    He was already ''mad'' at her for what happened with Scarlett yesterday. She didn''t want to do something that would ruin his fun today. That''s why she just warned the girls about fighting Lilia. But they assumed she was doing it just because she didn''t want one of them to win against Lilia and boot her brother from his position as head of the branch.

    s, they were far from the truth.

    ''I can only hope Lilia won''t be too harsh with them'' sighed Amelia.

    As they talked with each other, the girls arrived at the location where the battles were going to ur.

    Instead of thepetition happening in the arena, the hand-to-hand fights against Lilia were scheduled for the training grounds.

    Pushing the door open, the girls noticed that the training ground was already filled with people, and they were actually thest to arrive.

    Everyone was standing and chatting; the only one sitting was Lilia, who could be found in a meditative position in the center of the arena.

    "Alex isn''t with you?" questioned Madison with a frown when the girls entered.

    "No, he hasn''t arrived yet ?," asked Celine.

    "And here I thought that maybe the new head of the branch would be someone punctual," sighed Abigail.

    "He isn''t Grace''s grandson for nothing," chuckled Victoria.

    "What is that supposed to mean?" Grace asked in irritation.

    "Now, now,dies, don''t get into an argument," said a voiceing from the training ground door.

    Everyone''s eyes twitched, seeing Alex approaching them with a beach shirt, shorts, dark sunsses, and carrying a bowl of snacks with him.

    ''Does he think he is on vacation?'' wondered each one of the people in the training grounds.

    "Fortunately, today is yourst day as the head of the branch. If not, imagine our ''representative''ingte; that would be an embarrassment," sneered Nox.

    Alex smirked at his taunt and replied, "Main characters are alwayste; where''s the fun ining early."

    "You? A main character? Don''t make meugh; at best, you would be a main loser," spat En.

    "Said the one who kneeled in front of me and my woman for forgiveness," retorted Alex.

    En gritted his teeth but refrained from speaking further. Meanwhile, Alex walked towards Lilia and stood above her sitting figure.

    Lilia opened her eyes to find Alex extending a hand toward her; she took it and stood up.

    "Those who want to fight Lilia, step forward!" eximed Alex.

    The instant he said this, all the participants of thepetition beside two stepped forward.

    ''Amelia, I can understand; she knows Lilia''s real strength, but why isn''t this one stepping forward?'' thought Alex with a surprised expression.

    The one who didn''t step forward was none other than Sis, the very one who fought with Amelia in the semi-final. Considering the fact that he even got to the semi-final, many thought that he would try his luck, but it seemed that for some reason, it wasn''t the case.

    "Well, one lesspetitor, I guess," whispered Marina.

    ''Interesting,'' thought Alex before ncing at Lilia.

    "You remember what I said, right?" he asked with an evil grin.

    Lilia nodded her head, "of course."

    "Good," Alex turned to the contestants, "Each one of you will have a fight with Lilia, and as agreed, the one who manages to defeat her bes the new head of the branch. Sort it out among yourselves to decide the order of appearance," said Alex as he started walking towards one corner of the training grounds.

    ''Hm? The girls aren''t here,'' remarked Alex as he scanned the crowd of people present.

    He could understand why Scarlett wouldn''t be here, but the others being absent was surprising.

    ''Ah, my little gem is here!'' thought Alex, spotting Violette walking in the same direction as him.

    ''Why are the others not here, I''m-'' as she was walking and pondering about the fact that none of her sisters were present, Violette felt a presence next to her.

    Before she could react, she found herself being hugged.

    "Why are you alone, my little princess?" asked Alex as he rubbed his cheeks against Violette''s.

    "Hey! You startled me; warn before doing this sort of thing," eximed Violette.

    "It''s just that you seemed so down that I couldn''t resist hugging you, but if you want, I can leave you alone," said Alex with a disappointed voice.

    "I never said that," replied Violette in a soft tone.

    ''Hmm? I was sure that she would try to distance herself,'' thought Alex, surprised.

    In the past few years, Violette had refused any kind of physical or emotional contact with him, so he was certain that she would scream at him to leave her alone before storming off.

    "Are you feeling sick?" asked Alex with a serious expression as he used his hand to touch her forehead.

    "No, why do you ask?" wondered Violette.

    "It''s just that normally, you would have shrugged me off while screaming something along the lines of ''leave me alone, old man,''" replied Alex.

    Violette''s cheeks flushed red, and she lowered her head in embarrassment, muttering softly, "I won''t do that anymore."

    "Wait, did I hear you correctly? Perhaps you are really sic-"

    "I''m not sick! And you heard me correctly!" eximed Violette loudly beforeing to a stop, remembering that they were in public.

    Her face flushed even more, and she lowered her head again.

    ''It seems like she wants to sort of mend our rtionship, why?'' wondered Alex, seeing the way Violette was acting.

    ''I will ask one of the girlster; for now, I''m just going to enjoy the fact that my little princess wants to be close to me again,'' thought Alex with arge smile.

    "Do you want to watch the battle with me?" asked Alex.

    Violette nodded her head.

    "Thene with me," said Alex as he dragged Violette with him.

    When they were far from the training ground center, he materialized a chair of smoke and sat on it.

    "Here,e sit on daddy''sp," said Alex.

    Violette red at him.

    ''Perhaps that was too fast,'' thought Alex with a bitter smile.

    He created another chair of smoke just next to him and told her to sit on it, which she did.

    Alex then nced toward a man who was leaning on the wall of the training grounds and called out, "Hey, Sis,e here!"

 Chapter 134 : It won’t be fun otherwise

    Chapter 134 : It won��t be fun otherwise

    Alex then nced toward a man who was leaning on the wall of the training grounds and called out, "Hey, Sis,e here!"

    "Huh? Me?"

    "Yes, you,e here"

    ''What does he want from me?'' wondered Sis as he made his way towards Alex.

    Sis would rather avoid Alex because he always thought that Alex was trouble, especially now with his attempts to incite rebellion.

    However, it seemed that he had caught his interest anyway.

    "What do you want?" asked Sis, trying to sound polite.

    "Here, sit," proposed Alex as he materialized another chair of smoke next to him.

    Sis gazed at Alex, then at the chair. He did something that made Alex chuckle; he used his hand to confirm if the chair was indeed solid before allowing himself to sit on it.

    ''I guess I have my answer; he is one of those overly cautious people,'' chuckled Alex.

    The reason he had wanted to hold a discussion with Sis was that he was intrigued with thetter refusing to spar with Lilia. Seeing Sis feeling up the chair before sitting, he understood why he isn''t participating.

    However, he still asked, "Why aren''t you participating and trying to be the head by defeating my wife? You participated in thepetition and reached the semi-final, showing that you''re quite resourceful. So, why aren''t you participating?"

    Sis remained for a moment, thinking about his reply, then opened his mouth.

    "Firstly, the one who defeated me, Amelia, isn''t participating. Unlike others who think it''s because she doesn''t want your position, I believe it''s because she knows something we don''t. Secondly, you seemed too confident that you wouldn''t lose your position even when you bet it."

    ''Good analysis; he is smart, or it is the others who are dumb. I can''t decide.''

    "So, do you think Lilia will win against them, or lose during her first fight?" questioned Alex.

    "I don''t urately know your wife''s strength, but I think it''s stupid to measure one''s strength by the amount of mana they possess. If such a measure were correct, then instead of being revered, knights would be at the bottom of the barrel," answered Sis.

    ''He definitely is smart, or at the very least has a cool head on his shoulders,'' thought Alex in appreciation.

    "Curse it, that''s bullshit!"

    As he was about to speak again, Alex''s attention was drawn to the side by the sound of some dissatisfied shouts.

    When he asked Violette what was happening, her answer made him chuckle.

    Apparently, to determine who would fight first against Lilia, the participants had two choices. The first option was to use thepetition ranking, and the second was to draw lots.

    People obviously decided to draw lots since the one who would fight first against Lilia would be Jonathan. No one wanted that because it would mean Lilia would be defeated before they even had a chance. So, they drew lots, but ironically, the one who got the chance to fight first against Lilia was Jonathan, again!

    "I guess that''s what is called fate," chuckled Alex as he observed the others clearing the center of the training grounds with faces that resembled they just ate a pile of shit.

    As Lilia and Jonathan faced each other, thetter bowed slightly and said, "Sorry if I hurt you during the fight."

    "Don''t worry; that won''t happen," replied Lilia with a sweet smile.

    ''I can''t determine if she is just arrogant or if there is a reason why she is so confident,'' thought Jonathan as he took a fighting stance.

    ''Anyway, I''m going to go all out,'' decided Jonathan.

    He wasn''t stupid; he had also determined that Alex wouldn''t bet his position if he wasn''t certain of winning. Still, Jonathan decided to participate because he had faith in his strength and thought that he would win, no matter how strong Lilia truly was.

    "The battle starts in 3... 2... 1... Start-"

    "Let the show begin!" shouted Alex as he chewed on the snacks that he had brought, unbothered that he had just cut off the referee.

    Since he had decided to go all out, the instant the signal was given, Jonathan charged at Lilia with all his might.

    In a split second, he was in front of her. He armed his punch, and-

    p.

    The training grounds suddenly resonated with a loud pping sound. A split secondter, Jonathan''s body could be seen flying back in the direction it came from with an even greater speed than he hade with.

    The spectators didn''t even have time to feel shocked when they heard another p urring. A split secondter, Jonathan''s body could be seen flying in the opposite direction.

    ''W-What the heck is going on?'' wondered Jonathan.

    The feeling of weightlessness in his body, his body feeling like it was floating, and the wind whistling in his ears made Jonathan realize that his body was currently in the air.

    ''What happened?'' wondered Jonathan as he tried to recall what caused him to be in this situation.

    However, due to the pain he was currently feeling, his mind was muddled, and he couldn''t think straight. The only thing he knew was that he needed to stop himself before he crashed into anything.

    If he could observe what was happening in the third person, he would understand that even if he didn''t crash into something, that something would be crashing against him, and that something was Lilia''s palm.

    p p p

    Under the incredulous gaze of the spectators, Jonathan''s body was flung from one side to another of the training grounds in session, from right to left. Lilia was practically ying tennis with Jonathan, with him ying the role of the ball.

    This continued until Lilia felt that she might kill him if she continued. So, with onest p, she sent his body crashing into a wall.

    Boom

    An explosion sound resonated as Jonathan''s body crashed against the wall, raising a cloud of dust.

    "Tsk, it''s already over" remarked Alex with a disappointed tone.

    "��.."

    "....."

    "....."

    The ones near him that heard what he said couldn''t decide what was more absurd: him feeling disappointed that the beating of the ''strongest'' of their branch just a week ago had stopped, or the fact that the one beating such a genius was beaten so soundly by someone everyone thought was normal mere minutes ago.

    "I knew that no one among them could defeat Mom, but I didn''t think the strongest among them would be defeated this easily," remarked Violette.

    "That''s because you really don''t know how scary your mother is," said Alex.

    Even he, with his current stats that were clearly above a normal level 4, doubted that he would fare better than Lilia.

    ''It isn''t just about stats; there is something that sets her apart from us others. Until I find this thing, I doubt I would be able to defeat her,'' thought Alex with a bitter smile.

    ''Forget it; let''s enjoy the spectacle instead,'' thought Alex.

    "Just how?" mumbled a dumbfounded Sis.

    "He wasn''t just Lilia''s match from the start, plus he made a grave mistake from the beginning of the fight," said Alex.

    "What mistake?"

    "Rule N��1: Never charge at Lilia," said Alex with a solemn tone.

    "Never charge at her?"

    "Yes, otherwise, it ends horribly, and I''m speaking from experience," shared Alex.

    "Som-"

    "Forget it, Instead, tell me, do you think others would fight her now just seeing this disy of power?" asked Alex with a smile.

    "I doubt they will try to fight her, seeing that she just-"

    "False," denied Alex, "you see, us humans are masters at finding excuses. Just now, Lilia defeated Jonathan without thetter even being able to defend himself. But it will not discourage the others; they will justify this win by saying something like Jonathan had been surprised, or maybe he lost because he is simply weak when he isn''t using his abilities. Although they know in their hearts that they can''t defeat him even if he doesn''t use his abilities, each one of them will find an excuse to deny the fact that the strongest among them was defeated so easily. And after they find that excuse, they will get on stage and fight it out with Lilia."

    As if to prove his words, Celine started walking towards the center of the training grounds, going to confront Lilia.

    "It''s usually a bad thing..." continued Alex with a grin, "....but for today, I hope they keep finding excuses until everyone of them passes; it won''t be fun otherwise."

 Chapter 135 : A monster

    Chapter 135 : A monster

    "Pfft..hahaha"

    "Hahaha..."

    Alex''s mockingughter rang out in the training grounds as he observed Jonathan, who wasying on the ground. Jonathan had been taken from the center of the training ground to get healed. What made Alexugh so hard was none other than the sheer hrity of Jonathan''s expression.

    His cheeks and entire face were so swollen that he looked like a squirrel. This wasn''t an exaggeration; people could hardly have recognized him if they didn''t already know it was him.

    Seeing him in that state, Jonathan''s close family could only wonder if Lilia had something against him to beat him up in such way.

    "All the while, Alex''sughter continued to grate at their ears, but this wasn''t even the worst part. The worst part was that he wasn''t the only oneughing at Jonathan; no, there was someone else, none other than Grace.

    "Haha, Lilia really did a good job there. Were you the one instructing her?" Grace whispered to Alex, well, it wasn''t really a whisper since everyone could hear her.

    "Of course, who else would it be?" Alex whispered back with a grin.

    "Hehe, I see that you''re as bright as your grandma," Grace said with a proud smile as she patted Alex''s shoulders.

    ''Tsk, as evil as her, rather,'' thought people, hearing Grace''sment."

    ''Haa, and those two are supposed to be the current and past heads of our branch. Does this branch really have a future?'' wondered Candace as she observed the pair of grandmother and grandsonughing so hard that tears escaped their eyes.

    ''Haa, it''s really a shame that there are no cameras in this world. I would have captured the moment,'' sighed Alex in disappointment.

    Despite this world being technologically advanced in some fields, in others, it is still primitive, which is why even now, people use painting.

    ''Hmm, now that I think about it, I can make Scarlett create a camera even better than those on Earth and sell them. But that will have to wait; I doubt she would ept to work on something other than this element-sensing device of hers.''

    "I should probably heal him now," said Amelia, approaching Jonathan''s prone body.

    Alex and Grace had asked her not to heal him the moment he was brought here, which she had done, but she started to feel bad for letting the poor soul continue to suffer just so that Alex and her grandmother could make fun of his condition.

    "Wait, don''t heal hi-"

    "No, he needs to be healed; he is actually losing blood. He might-"

    "Don''t worry, I''m not so cruel to let him suffer any longer. It''s just that I want to test something, and he is the perfect candidate for that," said Alex as he took out a ss vial containing yellow smoke from his spatial ring.

    "Oh, is it-"

    "Yes, it''s a healing potion, or rather, healing smoke," confirmed Alex.

    He tossed the vial towards Jonathan''s head with so much strength that it shattered upon contact.

    "Did you need to throw it with that much strength?" asked Victoria in irritation.

    "No."

    "Then why did you do it?"

    "Just for fun; he is going to be healed in just a moment anyway," answered Alex.

    As he said, the moment the vial broke, Alex controlled the smoke it contained to enter Jonathan''s mouth, and under the astonished gaze of the onlookers, his wound started to heal immediately.

    "It''s really potent," remarked Candace.

    "Much more potent than the original potion it was made from, it will heal him in a matter of seconds," shared Alex.

    "Since you apparently managed to bottle up the smoke, and your smoke potion is even more potent than the normal ones on the market, we can start to-"

    "Later,ter, for now, let me focus on the show," said Alex, cutting off Candace.

    "I- ...sigh, as you want. Let''s speak about itter."

    After that, everyone turned their attention towards Lilia and Celine''s fight.

    ****

    As Alex enjoyed watching his wife beating up the members of his branch one after the other, on the coast of the Fiore Empire, kilometers away from their mansion, an inconspicuous ship docked far from the others.

    A momentter, a handsome young man with brown hair and green eyes got off the boat.

    "So, this is the Fiore Empire capital. Quite disappointing for an empire asrge as this one,"mented the young man.

    "Don''t be quick to judge; I''m sure you would like our capital city if you spend some time in it," said a deep voice.

    "Are you the one supposed to guide me?" asked the young man as he looked at a man in knight armor followed by soldiers.

    "The knight stopped in front of the young man and took off his helmet to reveal a handsome man with short blond hair."

    ''Woah, his blond hair is so shiny. I would love to have hair as beautiful as his,'' thought the young man as he witnessed the knight''s hair.

    "Yes, I am Sir Triskan, and I am the one charged to guide you to the emperor. Are you ready to go?" asked the knight with a smile.

    ''Even his smile is beautiful. Wahh, I want to possess a smile like that,'' thought the young man, although he didn''t let it show on his face and replied to Triskan with aposed expression.

    "Yes, let''s go."

    Knight Triskan and his soldiers guided the young man towards a mboyant cart adorned with colorful banners and intricate embellishments.

    ''Woah, this cart looks so much better than the one I usually ride. I''m getting jealous,'' thought the young man before embarking on the cart.

    Knight Triskan barked some orders to his soldiers, and a secondter, they surrounded the cart while Triskan stood on his horse at the head of the procession. Then, the cart started moving in the direction of the imperial pce, situated in the center of the city.

    "Look! It''s Knight Triskan!" screamed a young woman excitedly to her two friends.

    "Huh? Where?" asked one friend as she looked around.

    "He looks so handsome and strong," said one friend with heart-shaped eyes.

    Seeing the gazes of her two friends, the third one shook her head, ''they are hopeless.''

    ''I wonder who is so important to be escorted by one of the Knight Commandants of the Empire,'' she thought.

    Her ruby eyes glowed, trying to scan the interior of the cart, but the moment she did this, she felt a gaze lock onto her.

    Following this gaze came an immense pressure that made her copse on the ground.

    "Alisha!"

    "Hey, what''s wrong with you?"

    The girlfriends quickly caught her while asking her what was wrong with her, but it was like she couldn''t hear them, blocked in her thoughts.

    "A-A Monster?"

 Chapter 136 : Nothing or no one should be able to stop him from succeeding in his mission

    Chapter 136 : Nothing or no one should be able to stop him from seeding in his mission

    "A-A Monster?" Muttered Alisha.

    "A monster? Here in the middle of the capital, that''s impossible, are you sure everything is alright with-"

    Before her friend could finish, Alisha rushed off without waiting for her toplete her sentence.

    ''I must urgently inform Mother!'' thought Alisha, sprinting as fast as she could, rapidly increasing the distance between her and the cart with each passing second.

    "Hey! Wait for us!" shouted Alisha''s friends as they chased after her.

    Meanwhile, the young man in the cart watched them run.

    ''Should I deal with them?'' he wondered.

    ''No, I just arrived in this empire. I shouldn''t cause a fuss; the boss already warned me. I''ll focus on my mission and leave the moment I finish,'' decided the young man.

    Minutester, the cart stopped, and someone knocked on the door.

    "We are here".

    When the young man stepped down from the cart, a light suddenly pierced his eyes, blinding him.

    He frowned and got on his guard, but feeling no killing intent or danger, he rxed a bit.

    "Dony raise your head; you are blinding the guest with your bald head," said Triskan with a chuckle.

    The young man felt a low grumble before the light piercing his eyes suddenly disappeared. It wasn''t until then that he could see what, or rather who, was in front of him.

    "Wee to the Fiore Imperial Pce. I''m Knight Donald, and I will be the one to take you to the emperor," said a man.

    The man who had just spoken looked like a middle-aged man with a bulky stature. He had ck eyes and a long beard, yet his most striking feature was his bald head, which kept shining as the sun rays reflected on it.

    "Whoa, I have never seen someone as bald as you; your head even shines!"mented the young man with an astonished expression.

    "Pfft..."

    Despite the guest''sment and Triskan''s muffledughter, Donald maintained his calm expression.

    "Thanks for thepliment-"

    "It wasn''t one; the glow of your head is quite annoying."

    "Pfft..."

    This time not just Triskan; even the soldiers around them couldn''t seem to control themselves.

    "As I said, I will guide you to the emperor," said Donald, trying to ignore theughter directed at him.

    "Okay, then lead the way."

    "Let''s go-"

    "Wait, I thought I was the one tasked to guide the guest to-"

    "There''s a change of n; your mission has been changed," said Donald.

    Triskan frowned.

    "Why has my-"

    "Your new mission involves the first princess."

    "Oh, what is it then? I will carry it out sessfully!" said Triskan with a determined face.

    ''Say that you are rather eager to meet the princess,'' thought Donald with a shake of his head.

    "Go see Gant; he will give you the details," informed Donald.

    Without uttering another word, Triskan took off with a wide smile on his face.

    ''Hopeless fool,'' thought Gant as he observed Triskan practically running.

    "Right here," said Donald, guiding the young man towards the throne room. A minuteter, both of them stood in front of the door of the throne room.

    The moment the guards saw Donald inpany with the young man, they opened the door to let them pass; Donald didn''t even need to exin why he was here.

    "I have brought the-"

    "You can retire," said the emperor, interrupting Donald.

    Donald bowed his head and left the throne room.

    Meanwhile, the young man was marveling at the opulence of the throne room.

    ''They sure live well; I wish I could have such fortune,'' thought the young man.

    ''No, it''s not the time for that; focus,'' the young man reminded himself.

    He approached the throne and kneeled; a secondter, he stood up.

    "How dare you stand before the emperor has given his permission!" shouted angrily the guard at the right of the emperor.

    The young man frowned.

    "How dare I stand without the permission of the emperor? Do you think I need your emperor''s permission to stand?" asked the young man with disdain.

    "How dar-"

    "Let''s make something clear right this instant," the young man interrupted. "I only kneeled in the first ce out of courtesy for the emperor, not because I needed to. I have no obligation to kneel in front of your emperor. In fact, the only reason why I''m here is that your emperor asked for the help of my organization. Otherwise, I wouldn''t even be here because your whole empire isn''t worth anything in my eyes."

    "You impertinent-"

    "That''s enough!" said the emperor, cutting off his guards who were ready to pounce on the young man.

    "I apologize for my guards'' rudeness," said the emperor with a smile as he looked at the young man.

    "My liege, you shouldn''t-"

    ''Shut the f*ck up. Do you have any idea of the strength of this kid''s organization? Our whole empire could be razed to the ground if they so desire. So, the next time you say something that might offend this young man, I will be the one to cut your head off,'' telepathically sent the emperor to his two guards.

    The instant they heard the emperor''s words, the guards felt a shiver run down their spines.

    ''From what kind of organization is this kid?'' they wondered.

    Meanwhile, the emperor, still portraying a smile, continued:

    "I am grateful for your organization''s help-"

    "Can you please tell me what I need to do?" said the young man, cutting off the emperor.

    The emperor''s eyes shed with anger when the young man cut him off. Usually, cutting him off was punished by death, but right now, he couldn''t do anything to the young man in front of him. However, it was not because of that that he would let himself be disrespected and say nothing, he had say to his guards to not offend the young man, but it''s not for that that he would let himself be trampled on.

    "Kid, your organization is indeed much stronger than my empire, and it''s true that I was the one to have asked for your help. But it''s not because of that that I would let myself be disrespected in my own pce. Mind your manners," warned the emperor with a cold gaze.

    The young man didn''t say anything and just nodded his head, acknowledging the fact that he was indeed rude towards the emperor.

    "Let''s get straight to the point," said the emperor. "A few days ago, a strange phenomenon urred in my empire. Due to that, the noble familiesposing our empire started causing troubles at the borders with the empires and kingdoms surrounding us. It seems that war is looming, and our empire needs to have its army ready, with all the noble families focused on the matter."

    "I understand, but where do Ie in all of this?" asked the young man.

    "One of the duke families of our empire is going to elect the heir of their family in a few weeks. What I want from you is to go there and ensure that the current patriarch''s son is the one elected as the heir."

    "Is that all?"

    "No, one of our fortresses in the north of the empire was captured by the Gast kingdom. I want you to go there and reconquer the fortress. The knight who has escorted you here will give you the details about the fortress and how the duke family intends to elect their heir."

    "Then I will take my leave," said the young man.

    After he left, the guard to the right of the emperor said:

    "My liege, can we really count on this kid for the matter of the Eswald family? He is only at level 5."

    "Don''t worry. He may just be at level 5, but his power is well above that of a normal level 5. Plus, the ones participating in the Eswald familypetition are just normal kids at level 4. Nothing or no one should be able to stop him from seeding in his mission."

 Chapter 137 : Give up on mana

    Chapter 137 : Give up on mana

    "Come on, Talia, you can do it! Resist, resist!" cheered Alex as a relentless barrage of fists and kicks collided against Talia.

    "You f*cking-"

    "Just as she was about to curse at Alex, Lilia''s fist connected with her jaw, sending her stumbling back.

    Not wanting to give her time to collect herself, Lilia pressed on and resumed her barrage of attacks.

    "Don''t give up, Talia! You can do it; you will beat the record if you continue like that!" cheered Alex, while Grace next to him sputtered intoughter.

    ''I wanted to win, not beat the f*cking record!'' shouted Talia in her head.

    ''I should have listened to Amelia and not fought this woman!'' regretted Talia.

    At this point, Lilia had defeated more than half of the participants, though ''defeated'' didn''t truly capture the state they were in after facing her; it was more urate to say she had utterly destroyed them.

    "One after another, all the participants were falling, and the most absurd thing was that the strongest among them were defeated the fastest. They also came back with the most injuries.

    They couldn''t even resist a few exchanges before falling. It reached the point where a record system, mostly managed by Alex and Grace, was implemented to see which participant wouldst the longest.

    Despite that, the fights barelysted a few minutes at best. Seeing that if it continued like that, the whole minipetition would end in an hour at best, Alex instructed Lilia to make the fightsst longer.

    In his words: "You are mostly defeating them by overpowering them with your physical attributes, or we are here to see if you have the skills necessary to teach our soldiers. Instead of ending them with brute force, show us your skills!"

    At first, the participants agreed with him, thinking he was right. But they quickly realized it was actually better for Lilia to defeat them just by overpowering them with brute force.

    Before, when she defeated them, she targeted specific body parts, like Jonathan''s cheeks, for example. However, now that she fought while showing off her skills, Lilia targeted every part of their bodies. This made the fightsst longer, but it also meant that when the fights ended, Lilia''s opponents'' whole bodies ached.

    Seeing that, some participants decided to give up before the fight even started. But would Alex let them?

    "You all decided to challenge her; no one forced you. So, man up and go on stage. We don''t tolerate cowards in this branch!" said Alex with a serious expression.

    Of course, by this point, they knew it was just a front, and he just wanted to see them wincing in pain after his wife had finished beating them to a pulp.

    ''That was his n all along, what a psycho-''"

    Due to her wandering thoughts, Talia only registered Lilia''s kick approaching from the left of her head at thest moment. She tried to block it with her arm, but unfortunately, it wasn''t enough.

    Lilia''s kick sent Talia hurtling toward the wall of the training ground, colliding with it and causing a cloud of dust to rise.

    "Oh no, she was almost there. I bet you''re d, Ector; she hasn''t managed to beat your record," said Alex, eyeing Ector.

    Ector grumbled but remained silent.

    A few minutester, while limping, Talia managed to leave the center of the training ground and approached Alex.

    "You did��"

    "Just give me the damn potion!" eximed Talia as she extended her hand.

    "So grumpy," chuckled Alex as he handed her a bottle containing the healing smoke.

    Talia snatched the bottle from his hand and went to sit where all the other participants who had lost were, staring daggers at Alex.

    Alex pretended like he couldn''t feel their gazes and concentrated on the next battle.

    "You can use your sword if you want," said Lilia to Zo, who hade to fight her after Talia.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Yes, use it."

    Zo didn''t ask further questions and extracted his longsword from his space ring.

    The instant the signal was given, Zo enhanced his speed and charged at Lilia. A split secondter, he was upon Lilia and swung his sword in a vertical sh.

    Lilia gracefully moved and evaded the sh by taking a step to her right. Surprisingly, she didn''t counterattack, giving Zo enough time to create distance between the two before charging again.

    He thrust his longsword toward Lilia, attempting to stab her, but she dodged.

    Not discouraged, Zo continued to thrust his longsword in a deadly and unpredictable way. Yet, Lilia managed to evade the sword each time with ease.

    Understanding that he wouldn''t be able to get her like that, Zo distanced himself from her and was about to charge again when he heard Lilia suddenly speak.

    "I''m sure you have heard it many times, but you should abandon the sword; it''s not made for you."

    Zo suddenly froze in his ce.

    If Lilia had said those words to him a few hours ago, he wouldn''t even consider her opinion. But after witnessing her skills, he knew that she wasn''t speaking nonsense. Nevertheless, he wasn''t ready, or rather, didn''t want to stop using the sword despite what people said.

    "Don''t be stubborn; your ability doesn''t align with the sword. If you continue like that, you will just be hindering your progress and wasting your potential," said Lilia.

    Lilia knew that Alex needed the strength of the branch members if he wanted to seed in taking down the Fiore empire or any of the organization that would soone after him, so she couldn''t sit tight and watch one of the branch members waste his potential.

    When she learned of Zo''s ability, she thought that it was really good, but upon discovering that he was using the sword, she could only shake her head.

    Zo''s ability didn''t pair well with the sword. It''s not that it couldn''t work with the sword, but the sword couldn''t bring out the full potential of his ability. Zo himself knew this, but he remained stubborn for some reason.

    Seeing that Zo clearly had no intention to listen to her advice, Lilia sighed and said:

    "If you are so serious about the sword, then give up on mana."

 Chapter 138 : Aura

    Chapter 138 : Aura

    "If you are so serious about the sword, then give up on mana," said Lilia with a solemn tone.

    The instant she uttered  this Zo and everyone present froze.

    "Giving up on mana, do you mean that I should..." Zo words trailed off.

    Without Lilia needing to further exin, Zo understood what she meant when she said that he should give up on mana.

    What Lilia meant by "give up on mana if you are serious about the sword" was that he should stop using mana as energy and instead shift to another form of energy more suited for swordsmanship which was : Aura.

    Mana wasn''t the sole energy in this world. There were many other types of energy; some races, like demons, had their own energy that no one besides them could use.

    There were also energies not tied to a specific race; mana, in this case, is the most widespread, most used energy, and probably the most powerful due to its high versatility. Mana is like an all-rounder energy that could be used in literally every field possible.

    However, it''s not because it can be used in every field that it''s the best suited in all of those fields.

    Sometimes, some kinds of energy are better suited for a task than mana; this is the case with ''Aura.''

    Aura is the energy that most people specializing in a weapon use; it''s primarily an energy for weapon users because it synergizes better with them. That''s the reason most knights in the world use Aura as energy.

    Contrary to mana, being able to use Aura isn''t innate for humans or any other race. To not just feel but use Aura, one needs to train for many years. However, it''s not guaranteed that training will awaken Aura. Some people train their entire lives but never manage to awaken to Aura; that''s how the world is��unfair.

    For those who do manage to awaken Aura, it''s often a life-changer because there isn''t a single power or organization that would refuse to take you in, regardless of your background. That''s why those with less talent in mana always try to awaken Aura.

    As Candace has said, in this world, even if you have a ''trash talent,'' as long as you diligently train, you will eventually transcend your talent one day. The existence of energy like Aura proves it and also exins why people thought of Alex aszy.

    Back then, Alex had also considered awakening Aura but ultimately decided against it for a simple reason �C to awaken it, you need to give up on mana. It''s impossible to use both Aura and mana simultaneously.

    If you choose to give up on mana, you would never be able to use it again. That''s why Alex resisted shifting to Aura; awakening Aura was a gamble. Imagine deciding to give up on mana, attempting to awaken Aura, and then failing. You would be someone worse off than even normal people who had never trained in their lives, as at least normal people have a bit of mana in their bodies.

    The worst part and the reason Zo was very reluctant to give up on mana was the fact that the moment you give up on mana, you lose your ability.

    In the case of humans and the majority of races, mana serves as the fuel for their abilities. Switching from mana to another energy means you couldn''t activate your ability any longer because you''re not using the proper fuel. Since you can never use mana again after giving it up, it essentially means losing your ability.

    So choosing to give up on mana means giving up on your ability!

    "If you are serious about the sword, then swap your mana with Aura. In the case that you prefer keeping your ability, stop using the sword. Trying to use swordsmanship while using mana hinders progress in both your swordsmanship and the use of your ability. Don''t be greedy; you need to choose which path to tread," said Lilia.

    After she finished speaking, the training ground fell into silence, with no one speaking, understanding that it was better to keep their mouths shut and let Zo make his decision.

    The tense silence that enveloped the training ground reached its climax when Zo shook his head.

    "I will keep the sword and continue using mana," said Zo confidently.

    Lilia frowned.

    "Didn''t you hear what I said? Continuing like you are now is only going to-"

    "Thanks for your concern, but I made my decision. I will keep using the sword and mana. I will find a way to perfectly synergize my ability with my swordsmanship," said Zo confidently.

    "Then it is settled," said Lilia with a pleased smile.

    "Wait, is that the answer you were hoping for?"

    "Not really, but I feel that your answer is the most fitting one. After all, no great person has seeded by doing exactly the same thing as others or giving up on their dreams because some say it''s a lost cause. If you believe the path you''re on is the best, then continue on it. I just hope you won''t regret your decision."

    "I won''t!" replied Zo with a determined face.

    "Good, now let''s end this whole thing; I have my training to resume," said Lilia as she charged at Zo.

    Half an hourter...

    "Haa, it''s already finished," sighed Alex in disappointment as he stood up.

    "At least it was a good show," replied Grace.

    "It would have been better if thosest ones didn''t just stay in their ces waiting to be eliminated, not even trying to struggle," said Alex while looking disappointedly at Marina, En, and Nox. However, theypletely ignored him, knowing he was just trying to get under their skins.

    "Tsk."

    Alex turned to the other members of the branch.

    "From today onward, Lilia will be in charge of training our soldiers," dered Alex.

    No one objected; they had just witnessed Lilia besting their best generation both in strength and skills, after all.

    "Well, that''s all for today��"

    "Come with me."

    Before Alex could finish speaking, Grace took him by the cor of his shirt and dragged him out of the training ground.

 Chapter 139 : Informing Grace about the artifact

    Chapter 139 : Informing Grace about the artifact

    "Speak," ordered Grace, sitting on a sofa with one leg crossed over the other, observing Alex across from her.

    Grace had dragged him from the training ground to her room where they currently were.

    "Speak? And say what?" asked Alex as he fixed his cor.

    Although he had asked her what she wanted him to speak about, he actually had an idea of what she wanted him to say.

    "How did you manage to be this strong in such a short time?" questioned Grace.

    ''As I thought,'' sighed Alex.

    He wondered for a moment if he should talk to her about the artifact and decided that it was better to tell her.

    Some might think it''s dumb of him to do so, but it''s actually the opposite. It would be foolish not to inform Grace of the artifact for a few reasons.

    Firstly, he was certain he could trust his grandmother. She might be boisterous and sometimes impulsive, but he was sure she only had the best for him and wouldn''t betray him no matter what happens.

    Secondly, Grace was strong, immensely so. She was not only the strongest in their branch but one of the strongest in the entire Fiore empire and even the whole continent.

    Alex didn''t know how much time it would take for the organizations with the other artifacts to start searching for him. Perhaps they were already doing it, and they might knock on his door tomorrow. In the case that theye looking for him in the near future and he doesn''t have enough strength to defend himself, his wives, and daughters, who would save them? Most likely Grace. That''s why he didn''t hesitate and told her everything.

    He exined everything, from his lust artifact to how he gained soul points that he converted into strength. He mentioned the ability to copy the powers of his women and the fact that he gained additional points through sexual interactions with members of his family.

    Well, he mostly shared thest part to gauge her reaction, but contrary to his expectations, Grace remained calm throughout the conversation.

    "Ultimately, you''re saying you be stronger each time you fuck a woman?" Grace crudely asked after Alex finished.

    Alex nodded.

    "You seem awfully calm despite everything I''ve exined," remarked Alex.

    Grace chuckled.

    "Although what you just exined is pretty wild to ept, I''ve seen too many things in my life to be easily shocked. Instead, tell me, you mentioned gaining additional points through intimate activities with your club members, right?"

    Alex nodded.

    "Then how much do you think you would gain by being with me?"

    Cough Cough Cough

    Alex was so caught off guard by Grace''s words that he choked on his spit in disbelief.

    "Hey! How can you ask such a thing out of the blue!?" eximed Alex after he nearly passed out.

    He knew that his grandmother was someone who was blunt and said what she thought without shame, but still!

    "What? You said that the stronger the woman with whom you are is strong, the more points you obtain. And if that woman is in your family, you obtain additional points. So, I''m obviously curious about how many points I can bring you since I''m your grandmother and am pretty strong," replied Grace.

    "Still, it''s inappropriate to ask your grandson something like that!"

    "Please, did you forget who you are talking to? Don''t act like a prude; I know perfectly how perverted you are," said Grace with a grin.

    Alex scratched his head upon hearing her words.

    If he had told some of his secrets to Scarlett, then it was safe to say that Grace knew about all his secrets since she always kept an eye on him, and the fact that the two of them were practically buddies didn''t help him hide things from her.

    ''I really need to stop drinking,'' promised Alex in his heart, certain that if his daughter and grandmother knew his secrets, it was mostly because he revealed them when he was drunk.

    ''Still, I''m also curious about how much I would gain if I were to be with her. If the number of points I gained after having sex with Amelia were to go by, then it would be a lot.''

    ''Hey, how much would I gain if I were to be with my grandma right here?'' asked Alex to the system, but even after waiting for a while, he didn''t get an answer.

    ''I guess it doesn''t know,'' concluded Alex.

    Normally, when he doesn''t get an answer, it means that the system doesn''t know.

    "So? How much would you gain?"

    "I don''t have a clue," said Alex with a shrug.

    "What to find out~" asked Grace in a seductive tone as she gazed at Alex.

    "What? No way!" eximed Alex.

    "Oh,e on, it will be pleasurable, I promis-"

    "No freaking way, I''m getting out of here!" eximed Alex.

    He stood up and quickly exited Grace''s room under her mockingughter.

    After exiting her room, Alex nced down at his crotch that started to harden and frowned.

    ''Nope buddy, don''t even think about it''

    Alex sighed and started to walk back to the training ground.

    On the way, his mind drifted back to Grace and her words, making his penis throb a little. His mind quickly filled with lustful ideas, and he began wondering if he should take her up on her offer.

    ''Hey, snap out of it, that''s grandma we are talking about!'' he thought, chastising himself.

    The current state in which he was was very simr to the one he was in when Alice had teased him that one night in her room. There was one part of him that was logical and thought things through, and another part that only sought to satisfy his dark desires.

    Alex was a pervert, that''s true. He was so even before fusing with the lust artifact, but even he had his limits. Having sexual intercourse with his grandmother was something that he wouldn''t normally even consider, she was his father mother for fuck''s sake!

    However, here he was, having lustful thoughts about her and even getting aroused at those thoughts.

    ''I''m certain this damn artifact is messing with me. It''s true that Grandma is really beautiful, has sensual curves, tender and massive mounds, a very big and silky ass that only ask to be squeeze- fuck I''m getting harder!''

    Feeling that he is getting more aroused and the tent in his pants is only getting more noticeable, Alex began circting his mana in his body in the hope to get his arousal down.

    Fortunately, the moment he started to concentrate on something other than Grace''s body, his mind cooled down and his arousal faded.

    "It''s getting harder and harder to control myself when in that arousal state," sighed Alex.

    "Forget it, let''s go see if Lilia can help me with my mana problem instead."

 Chapter 140 : In search of a way to increase mana

    Chapter 140 : In search of a way to increase mana

    "Everyone already left," noted Alex as he entered the training grounds.

    ''I wonder why she is always meditating,'' thought Alex as he approached Lilia who was sitting in a meditative position with her eyes closed.

    "What did Grace want to talk about?" asked Lilia, opening her eyes when she felt Alex presence.

    "Just wanted to know about the artifact," replied Alex as he sat down across from her.

    "As I expected," nodded Lilia, "so, how much did you tell her?"

    "Pretty much everything."

    "Oh, how did she take the fact that you-"

    "Pretty well, I must say. She even made jokes about it," replied Alex.

    "What kind of jokes?" curiously asked Lilia.

    Alex proceeded to narrate to her what happened, causing Lilia to burst intoughter.

    "Why do you all think it''s something to joke orugh about? It''s not!" eximed Alex.

    "Uh-huh, if you say so," replied Lilia with a chuckle, "so, why didn''t you take her on her offer? It would have been a very convenient way to obtain many soul points."

    Alex became speechless hearing Lilia''s words.

    "Don''t look at me like that, you know I''m right."

    Alex sighed.

    "You do realize that apart from the fact that it was obviously a joke, she is my grandmother!"

    "So? Aren''t you trying to get in the pants of your mother? I don''t see the difference"

    "...."

    ''It''s bing impossible to win a morality argument against her?'' sighed Alex.

    "Concerning the fact that she was joking," Lilia shrugged, "who knows, maybe it wasn''t the case. You should have taken her offer and see what happens."

    "Alright, I didn''t want to askst time, but..." Alex looked Lilia in the eyes, "...do you get off thinking about me having sex with members of my family ?"

    "What kind of nonsense are you spouting now?"

    "It''s just that you seem really invested each time that I bring being in a sexual rtionship with a member of my family," said Alex suspiciously.

    "It''s just in your head," replied Lilia dismissively.

    "Is it though? You practically sent me into the arms of my sister, said that you will be helping me in seducing my mother, and now you are saying that I should have taken my grandmother offer to have a sexual, or whatever she meant, rtionship. So it does make me wonder, perhaps you derive a certain excitement from it."

    "No, I''m just doing it to help you," replied Lilia, unaffected by his words.

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes, now can you tell me why you are here?" questioned Lilia.

    Alex chuckled, understanding that she wanted to change the subject.

    "I wanted to know if you knew about a method that would help me increase the amount of mana I have without breaking through to level 5," he answered.

    "Increasing your amount of mana?"

    Alex nodded.

    "Although making the smoke potion doesn''t cost too much mana, my mana reserves are still not satisfactory. The problem is that if I use the artifact or absorb monsters'' cores to increase my mana points, I risk breaking through to level 5, which I definitely don''t want," exined Alex.

    "Indeed, it''s still not time for you to go to level 5," nodded Lilia.

    From what Lilia had once told Alex when they were training, the first four levels were actually foundational levels. They were the levels at which you build your foundations in preparation for level 5, where the serious stuff actually happened.

    When he learned this fact, he nearly fell into depression, which was pretty understandable. He had spent decades unable to even breakthrough to level 2, and suddenly he learn that the first four levels were just foundational. Not just him, more than half of the people on this continent would fall into depression.

    However, it couldn''t be helped. From Lilia''s words, it seemed that the inhabitants of this continent were rtively weakpared to the wider world. So, for them, reaching level 4 was actually something to be praised, while on other continents, being at level 4 wasn''t even considered noteworthy.

    Anyway, from her exnation, Alex understood that the first levels were foundational, and their importance became clearerter on.

    Apparently, when you breakthrough to level 5, the stronger your foundations, the more potent your strength bes afterward. That''s why Alex wanted to stay at level 4 for as long as he could, carefully amassing strength. There was no merit in rushing to reach level 5 if you were actually weaker than people at level 4 with good foundations.

    "Unfortunately, I can''t help you with this; the only solution actually requires you to breakthrough to level 5," exined Lilia.

    "Can I know what this solution is?"

    "You need to form a core, like monsters do. Unfortunately, it''s not possible before achieving level 5."

    "Why?"

    "Mana control. When you breakthrough to level 5, your mana control takes a qualitative leap, which will help you in this endeavor."

    ''Each time she says such things, I really wonder where shee from and what she was doing before we met,'' thought Alex.

    On the Imperion continent, the continent they were on, people don''t create cores when they reach level 5. In fact, they don''t create cores at all. So hearing Lilia say that you can create a core was actually shocking to him, making him even more curious about her origins.

    Lilia smiled wryly, imagining what her husband must be thinking.

    "I''m sorry, but I can''t-"

    "Don''t worry, I know that you can''t say anything, for now."

    "Mm, anyway, I don''t have a solution, but when you broke through to level 4, Scarlett had said that your body, especially your heart, seemed to be able to absorb mana continuously like it didn''t have a limit. Maybe you should explore in that direction; it could help you find a viable method that would allow you to increase your mana without breaking through."

    "Alright, thanks for your help," said Alex.

    The moment he stood up.

    "Master, mistress, good evening."

    He turned around with a frown, ready to reprimand Anna for still working as a maid despite him firing her from this position, but before he could speak, Anna quickly added:

    "An unidentified man tried to force his way into the mansion."

 Chapter 141 : The unidentified man (1)

    Chapter 141 : The unidentified man (1)

    "An unidentified man attempted to forcibly enter the mansion."

    The expressions of both Alex and Lilia suddenly turned somber.

    They hadn''t forgotten Ava''s warning that someone might try to harm the girls, thus hearing about an attempt to force entry into the mansion made them extremely wary.

    "Where is he now?" asked Lilia, standing up.

    "He is being held in the guards'' barracks," answered Anna.

    "Okay, let''s go."

    With Anna leading the way, the three of them quickly arrived at the guards'' barracks and entered after inquiring about the details of what happened and how the man was apprehended.

    ording to the guards, the man was at level 2. Contrary to Alex and Lilia''s expectations, the man didn''t initially attempt to infiltrate. He approached the guards and inquired if it was where thete Duke Theodore''s son lived.

    Not suspicious of the man who looked rather old, the guards confirmed that the mansion was indeed where Alex and his family resided. The old man then requested to meet Alex but was denied ess, as it was generally forbidden to allow anyone who wasn''t a noble to enter the mansion when the branch members were present.

    Despite the refusal, the old man kept insisting that he needed to meet Alex. Seeing that his attempts to persuade the guards failed, the old man resorted to trying to force his way in.

    Since the guards weren''t expecting such a sudden change in behavior, some of them actually got injured, but it was nothing serious. A few minutester, they managed to apprehend the old man who is currently detained in the guards'' barracks.

    ''What does this man want from me to the point of trying to pass with force?'' wondered Alex. ''Is he from one of the organizations that ha��no, I doubt they would ask permission to enter the mansion if it was really them,'' he reasoned.

    "Then, who is it?" He wondered out loud.

    "I guess we will know in an instant," replied Lilia as Alex pushed open the room in which the man had been detained.

    As they entered the room, Alex, Lilia, and Anna came into view of a man tied to a chair by a rope with a vacant gaze.

    The man had brown hair and a wrinkled face, looking like an elder. Considering the fact that he was at level two and looked so old, then he was probably very old.

    "Did you guys do this to him?" asked Alex, turning to the guard captain who was right behind them.

    "What Alex was referring to was the fact that the old man had a missing eye that seemed to have been caused by a wound that still looked fresh.

    The captain, a man named rk, shook his head. "No, he was already in this state when he came here."

    Hearing their voices, the old man''s vacant gaze cleared, and he looked around in confusion at first. Then, his eyes, or rather his eye,nded on Alex and widened.

    "It''s you! Yes, you are the noble residing here; you need to help me!"

    Alex frowned.

    "Old man, you tried to force your way into my house, wounded some of my guards, and now you''re saying that I need to help you? Are you aware of how ridiculous what you are saying is?" asked Alex with a stern gaze.

    Hearing him, the old man''s eye dimmed a little.

    "I needed to see you, and they refused to let me pass, so..."

    "So you attacked and wounded them?"

    "Sorry," apologized the old man.

    "So, what do you want from me that was so pressing that you needed to enter even if you had to use force?" asked Alex.

    "I want you, no, I need you to save my daughter. She was kidnapped by a group of bandits. Please, I need your help; she is my only child," pleaded the old man.

    Hearing the old man''s words, Alex''s anger subsided, and he calmed down a little. Still, it was not really his ce to save people.

    "I''m sorry for your daughter, old man, but I can''t personally assist you in this. You should have instead reported your daughter''s disappearance to the city guards; they are the ones��"

    "I already did, but those cowards are too scared of those bandits to do anything," spat the old man with anger.

    Alex''s frown returned hearing the old man''s words.

    "Which city or vige do youe from, old man?" asked Alex.

    The reason Alex was asking this to the old man was simple: the instant he became the head of the branch, he also took the position of baron that Grace was upying.

    Since they were one of the four duke families, the Eswald family managed arge territory. In fact, it governed the thirdrgest territory after the Fiore imperial family, followed by the Frost family.

    The Eswald family governed its vast duchy, within which five earldom families managed their respective territories, each overseeing several baronial houses.

    Among the five Earldom, two of them were managed by members of the Eswald while the others were managed by others nobles family.

    After being demoted to a secondary branch, Alex''s branch was supposed to inherit one of the five Earldoms, considering their status as the main branch since the founding of the Eswald family. However, the current patriarch, not wanting to see their branch gain influence after the demotion, only assigned them a bar to oversee. Even this bar was granted to them to avoid making it too obvious that he was suppressing their branch. Without this consideration, they might not have received any bar to manage at all.

    "As if that wasn''t sufficient, the patriarch assigned them a territory at the very edge of the entire duchy. In this remote location, disputes among noble families, each governed by different duchies, were not umon. However, thanks to that this the territory they managed was quite extensive for a baron''s position.

    The only silver lining in all of this, beside having a bigger plot ofnd, is that the territory they received was fertilend, not barren. Because of this, there were many people living in their territory.

    "There were even two cities in their territory, one named ''Tohona'' and the other ''Zindal.'' Tohona was situated in the heart of their territory while Zindal was situated at the extremity of their territory and was the city in which Grace resided, managing the entire bar.

    All of this to say that now, as Alex held the position of a baron, the safety of the people residing in his territory became his responsibility. Thus, when he heard the old man say that the city guards he had contacted refused to help him due to fear of a group of bandits, Alex''s expression darkened.

    The old man shook his head.

    "I''m not from this bar."

    "If that''s the case, then sorry, but I can''t do anything to help you," said Alex as he turned to leave.

    Just as he was about to order rk to free the old man...

    "H-He promised that you would help me," voiced the old man.

    Alex turned back to the man.

    "Who promised you that I will help you?"

    "Your father!"

 Chapter 142 : The unidentified man (2)

    Chapter 142 : The unidentified man (2)

    "Who promised you that I will help you?"

    "Your father!"

    Alex froze upon hearing the old man''s words.

    "I can prove it, look in my left pocket," the old man added.

    Alex approached the old man, crouched down, and reached into the old man''s pocket. His hand touched an object with an oval shape, and he carefully retrieved it.

    Alex''s eyes widened as he examined the object taken from the old man''s pocket. Resting in his palm was a silver oval locket adorned with the initials "ED."

    He immediately recognized that the initials matched his father''s. The ''E'' for thest letter of his name and the ''D'' for the concluding letter in Eswald.

    "The old man''s naming sense is truly poor," chuckled Alex.

    Following his father''s instructions for such situations, Alex infused his mana into the locket, causing it to open and reveal a picture of his father.

    "Yup, it''s the old man, alright," nodded Alex.

    "Anna, bring Amelia here quickly."

    "Alright," replied Anna.

    "Captain rk, why didn''t you or your men search him after apprehending him?" Alex asked as he stood up.

    "We didn''t think he''d be a threat since he''s tied down," replied the captain, scratching his head.

    "What if he had something explosive? What if it harmed me when I entered? Would you still use that excuse?" Alex asked calmly.

    rk stayed silent, realizing their mistake.

    "Lord Alex-"

    "Since he doesn''t have anything dangerous and nothing happened, I''ll let it slide this time. But don''t repeat this mistake. Now, leave us alone," ordered Alex.

    rk bowed apologetically and left them alone.

    Alex untied the man and inquired, "Why didn''t you show the locket earlier? The guards would have let you in or brought me to you at least."

    The old man expression turned dark as he replied:

    The old man''s expression darkened as he exined, "When I signaled my daughter''s disappearance to the city guards, they didn''t outright refuse to help. Instead, they exploited my desperation, extorted money, and then kicked me out. Since then, I''ve been wary of guards, not willing to risk showing the locket and having it snatched."

    "Understandable," Alex nodded.

    Just as he was about to speak again, the room''s door opened and closed momentster.

    "I''m here, why had you called me?" asked Amelia as she entered the room.

    "Can you heal his eye?" Alex asked, pointing to the old man.

    Alex believed that with Amelia''s healing ability, she could restore the old man''s eye. That''s why he had asked Anna to call Amelia, and it turned out as he expected.

    "I can heal his eye, but it will be as or even more painful than when his eye was ripped out," Amelia exined after examining the old man''s eye.

    "Really? You can heal my eye?!" eximed the old man in astonishment.

    Amelia nodded with a smile.

    "Okay, go then, heal him," said Alex as he moved a couple of chairs.

    He ced the chairs in front of the old man''s chair, then gestured to Lilia and Anna.

    "Ladies."

    "Thanks," said Lilia as she took a seat on one of the chairs on the right.

    "I shou-"

    "Sit," ordered Alex before Anna could finish her sentence.

    She nodded meekly and sat down on the chair on the left, while Alex settled on the middle chair.

    Meanwhile, Amelia began healing the wounds on the old man''s body before addressing his eye.

    "It''s going to hurt," warned Amelia.

    "Haha, don''t worry about me youngdy, I''m quite confident about my pain tolerance" assured the old man.***

    "Haha, don''t worry about me, youngdy. I''m quite confident about my pain tolerance," assured the old man.

    Amelia nodded and began the healing process. However, contrary to what the old man imed, the moment Amelia started healing his eyes, he let out an agonizing cry that echoed not just in their room but throughout the entire barracks!

    ''Pain tolerance my ass,'' Alex clicked his tongue, hearing the old man wail.

    He took out his smoking pipe. He took a big puff, releasing smoke that he solidified and wrapped around the old man, preventing him from identally hitting Amelia due to the pain.

    After several minutes of blood-curling screams, the healing process finally ended.

    "That... huff... that... was..."

    "Warned you that it would hurt," shrugged Amelia as she took a seat on one of the chairs.

    Alex waited for the man to catch his breath and asked, "What is your name, old man?"

    "Cedrix," replied the old man, bowing to Amelia in gratitude. "Thanks for healing my eye."

    "Don''t mention it," smiled Amelia.

    "So, how did you obtain this locket?" asked Alex a momentter. Although he confirmed that the locket belonged to his father, it didn''t mean he trusted Cedrix.

    "Your father gave me this locket decades ago for saving and healing one of his men attacked that had been fatally wounded by monsters. Back then, he promised that if I ever needed his help, I could find him. If for whatever reason he was absent, I should show this locket to his son, who would help me," narrated Cedrix.

    ''First Jonathan, now this man. I''m really beginning to think the old man was one of those overly confident parents,'' thought Alex as he heard Cedrix''s history.

    ''Back then, I was justzy and weaker than this man. I couldn''t even save myself if something happened, so why does the old man think I could help someone else?'' wondered Alex.

    "Do you have an idea who kidnapped your daughter?" inquired Lilia.

    At the mention of his daughter''s kidnappers, Cedrix''s face became marred by anger.

    "Yes, I know who they are since those bastards practically boasted about belonging to a group called ''Night,''" said Cedrix in hatred.

    "Are you sure they are from Night?" frowned Amelia.

    "Yes, is there a problem?"

    "Not really. It''s just that saving your daughter is going to be moreplicated than expected," replied Amelia with a solemn tone.

    "Why do you say this?" asked Alex.

    "It''s because the Night group isn''t just a small gang; it''s literally an evil organization created by various bandits. Their main source of iees from kidnapping, and the ones they usually kidnap are...nobles."

 Chapter 143 : Virax race

    Chapter 143 : Virax race

    "The ones the Night group kidnap are in the most case nobles" informed Amelia with a solemn tone.

    "Nobles?!" eximed Alex and Cedrix in surprise.

    "More precisely, they focus on kidnapping noble children. This has been going on for years," she continued.

    "How can it be that a group that focuses on kidnapping nobles has been allowed to exist?" wondered Alex, aware that nobles would normally do anything to raze such a group to the ground.

    "There are two reasons they''ve managed to persist. Firstly, they don''t harm the kidnapped individuals; instead, they demand a ransom from the family. If paid, the child is safely returned. Secondly, their hideouts are nearly impossible to locate. They''re meticulous and leave no traces, exining why, even after a couple of years of doing evil deed, nono one has uncovered their whereabouts," Amelia exined.

    "Umm, I think I can locate them" said Cedrix.

    "How could you manage that?" questioned Amelia, looking skeptical.

    Knowing that many nobles had tried but failed to locate the group, Amelia found it hard to believe that an elderly man at level 2 could aplish it.

    "It''s not the kidnappers I can track, but my daughter. My ability lets me ce a tracker on someone as long as they''re not two levels above me. Since my wife passed away, I''ve kept a tracker on my daughter. Honestly, this ability was always useless for a simple farmer like me living apart from others. However, since my daughter''s kidnapping, it has be my most valuable asset," Cedrix confessed with a sad smile.

    ''This ability of his is really a good one, although I must agree that in the hands of a farmer it''s a useless one'' reasoned Alex.

    "Do you have an idea about the range at which you can sense the one on whom the tracker was ced?" Amelia inquired.

    "Sorry, but I don''t know. The only ones I ced a tracker on are my wife and daughter, and I always try to remain close to them. So, I don''t have an urate range; I only have a rough estimate that lets me know if I''m near or far from my target," Cedrix exined apologetically.

    "No need to feel sorry, old man," assured Amelia with a smile.

    "So, do you feel like your daughter is near here?" Lilia asked.

    Cedrix fell silent for a moment, concentrating on feeling the distance separating him from his tracker. He then shook his head with a dejected face. "She is not near from here," he shared.

    "Don''t take it the wrong way, old man, but how do we even know if she is alive at all?" Alex asked.

    The moment he said this, he felt the three women next to him re at him.

    ''I know my words may sound insensitive, but I need to understand before deciding whether to help him,'' reasoned Alex.

    "She is alive," Cedrix asserted confidently.

    "And how are you so certain?"

    "I can''t track dead people," replied the old man with a firm gaze.

    "Fair enough."

    The room fell into silence as the girls and Cedrix observed Alex, waiting to see his decision on whether to help the man or not.

    After a moment, Alex spoke, "You know, there''s something bothering me in your story."

    "W-What is it, my lord?" stammered Cedrix.

    "Why would your daughter be kidnapped? I don''t mean to say she has no value, but for bandits specializing in kidnapping nobles, I can''t see any reason why they would target the daughter of a farmer."

    Hearing this, Cedrix fell silent, his expression hesitant.

    From Cedrix''s conflicted expression, Alex realized he was onto something. There had to be a reason for kidnapping Cedrix''s daughter, and until he knew that reason, there was no way he would help the old man, despite his father''s promise.

    Seconds passed in silence as Alex and his wives waited for Cedrix to speak. Eventually, Cedrix exhaled a resigned breath.

    "The reason these lowlifes kidnapped my daughter is because she is a Virax, a half-Virax to be precise," revealed Cedrix.

    As the words left Cedrix''s mouth, Alex and his wives'' eyes widened in surprise.

    "Your daughter being a Virax means your wife was one too, right?" Alex inquired.

    Cedrix nodded.

    Alex whistled in astonishment. "How did you manage to catch one of those, old man?" he asked, interested.

    "Haha, I was lucky to stumble upon my wife at a moment when some people of her race were chasing her, and she was wounded. I allowed her to hide in my house and healed her wounds, the rest is history," shared Cedrix with a nostalgic smile.

    "You seem to have a knack for saving others, old man," chuckled Alex. "Anyway, I now understand why they kidnapped your daughter. Being a half Virax, she holds significant value."

    The Virax were a race that looked exactly like humans, the only difference being that their eyes often shone when they felt strong emotions.

    Although they looked like humans physically, the Virax were a race entirely different from humans in terms of power. Simr to the elves, the Virax were closely connected to nature and mana. In fact, their affinity with mana might be even more pronounced than that of elves since they could do something the elves couldn''t��manifest pure mana out of their bodies and manipte it.

    They had the capability to manipte the manifested mana in various ways, using it to enhance the potency of their abilities or even giving it a shape and a solid structure. However, only the strongest among them could achieve such feats.

    Another reason their race was considered dangerous was their staggering mana reserves. They could store a vast amount of mana in their bodies, enabling them to use their abilities many times and for extended durations.

    However, the Virax had a very ring weakness: they had weak bodies.

    Despite their powerful mana and abilities utilization, the Virax possessed bodies so frail that the moment their mana reserves were depleted, they could be even weaker than a normal human being.

    "Still, the Virax or even a half one like your daughter has a lot of value, so her kidnappers would most likely..." Amelia''s words trailed off, not wanting to continue and upset the old man, though everyone present understood the situation.

    ''If his daughter isn''t rescued very soon, she will be sold on the ck market.''

 Chapter 144 : Welcome

    Chapter 144 : Wee

    ''If his daughter isn''t rescued very soon, she will be sold on the ck market.''

    Coming to this conclusion, Alex leaned back in his chair, sighing.

    ''What to do now?'' he wondered.

    Knowing the reality about Cedrix''s daughter''s origins made the already urgent situation seem even more pressing.

    ''If I decide to help him, I would have to set out immediately because with each passing moment, the risk of her being sold increases.''

    Alex and everyone here knew that if Cedrix''s daughter was already sold, then rescuing her would be a significant challenge, as a ve was considered its master''s property, and it was illegal to take someone as a ve by force. Their one chance would then be to buy her from her master. The problem was that Virax ves were highly valued, and their price was exceptionally high. Whoever could buy a Virax ve was undoubtedly wealthier than Alex and his branch; that''s how much Virax ves cost!

    Considering that, the only shot at saving her they had was to rescue her before she was sold, and to do that, they needed to act immediately. However, taking such action would jeopardize all of Alex''s ns.

    He had nned to train during theing days and then set out for the brazen auction house to propose his products to the brazen family. Following that, he would have to travel to the center of the Eswald territory where thepetition to decide the heir of the Eswald family would be held.

    Alex already had his schedule traced, and he greatly disliked unexpected events such as the one happening right now.

    ''It''s not that I don''t want to help him rescue his daughter, quite the contrary, but by doing so...'' thought Alex with a conflicted expression.

    "In which direction does your tracker point you?" asked Lilia.

    Cedrix concentrated for a moment, then pointed in the direction of the north.

    "If it''s the north, then it''s in the same direction as where the brazen auction will be held this year, so you just need to do a little detour," said Lilia to Alex.

    ''Ah that''s right, how did I not think about it?!''

    "It''s in that direction, but from time to time, I feel the distance between us increase," informed Cedrix.

    "They must be moving," reasoned Anna.

    Cedrix nodded.

    The old man suddenly kneeled in front of Alex until his forehead was resting on the floor. The old man''s voice trembled with sadness, tears welling up in his eyes as he pleaded, "Please, Lord Eswald, I implore you and am willing to give you all I have. Please, please, please, Save my daughter."

    "Alright, alright, we will rescue your daughter, just give me time to prepare," said Alex as he stood up from his chair.

    "Really?!" eximed Cedrix joyfully.

    Alex made an acknowledging sound and exited the room followed by the girls.

    "You did good epting to help him," praised Lilia.

    "I just hope doing so wouldn''t be detrimental to us," replied Alex.

    "I''m sure it won''t," added Amelia.

    "We will see, for now let''s just prepare ourselves."

    ****

    Far from Alex''s family manor, in a sparsely frequented vige due to frequent bandit attacks along the way, within the basement of an inconspicuous house resembling its neighbors.

    "You disgusting bastards, RELEASE ME!" screamed a woman with glowing blue eyes as she banged at the door of a cell.

    "Would you f*cking shut up?!" shouted someone at the other side of the cell.

    The sudden outburst of one of the guards that had stayed silent the whole time she screamed and insulted stunned the woman, rendering her silent. However, it was only for a split moment because just after, she started screaming even louder.

    "Oh, f*ck, this b*tch is getting on my nerves,"ined one of the guards with an angry tone.

    "Calm down, you know that we can''t do anything to her. Any wounds or marks on her body will lower her value, and we definitely don''t want that," said the other guard.

    "I know, I know. If it wasn''t for that fact, I would have long stuffed this b*tch''s loud mouth with my c*ck."

    "Just ignore her; she will eventually stop screaming," said the other guard.

    "Hey, one of you know when the boss is going to arrive?" asked a third guard entering the basement.

    "No idea, but he shouldn''t be long. After he arrives, we can continue our journey."

    "Ah, I''m getting excited just thinking about the money we would be winning selling that girl," said the third guard with shining eyes.

    "Me too, brother, me too."

    As the guards continued chatting among themselves, the woman kept furiously banging at the door until both of her arms hurt and her throat became sore from screaming. Only then did she stop.

    "What?!" she eximed in annoyance when she turned around to find the other people held captive in the same cell staring at her like she was mad.

    She ignored their nces and went to sit in a corner of the cell.

    ''Humans are really despicable!'' thought the woman.

    As she thought this, the woman''s eyes glowed with a furious light that seemed to want to burn the whole cell, making the other captives squirm away from her.

    ''They kidnap and sell their own kin like they are pigs, disgusting bastards,'' thought the woman as she nced at the people in the same cell as her.

    The people in the cell were divided into two groups. One group looked well-fed and wore clean,vish clothes, while the second group looked malnourished and wore torn clothes. It didn''t take a genius to understand that the first group was constituted of people from noble families, while the second group was formed of people who lived in the slums.

    Even while all of them were kept in the same cell, the nobles kept their distance from the others and looked at them in disgust.

    And then, there was the woman, Anita, who was ostracized by both groups. No one wanted to associate themselves with her, not even the peopleing from the slums.

    ''Ha, they keep looking at me like I''m different from them. Well, I am indeed different from them, but our fate is mostly the same, being sold like animals,'' sneered Anita.

    ''I wonder how dad is goin-''

    Anita''s thought process was cut through when the door of the cell opened, and three people were tossed inside before the door closed again.

    As Anita observed the neers, one of them wearing what looked like nun''s clothes stood up and banged at the door.

    "Release us, lest the divine fury of the Goddess of Light descend upon you all!" shouted the nun in a cute voice that didn''t go along with the threat she was uttering.

    At the nun ''threat'', Anita chuckled.

    "I doubt those people fear gods," she said, "and I don''t think your Goddess of Light would save you �C otherwise, you wouldn''t even be here in the first ce, right? Anyway..." Anita smiled "...I wish you a warm wee to our modest cell, where all your dreams are crushed... well, if you''re not noble, that is."

 Chapter 145 : Mina the nun

    Chapter 145 : Mina the nun

    "I doubt those people fear gods," she said, "and I don''t think your Goddess of Light would save you �C otherwise, you wouldn''t even be here in the first ce, right? Anyway..." Anita smiled "...I wish you a warm wee to our modest cell, where all your dreams are crushed... well, if you''re not noble, that is."

    Hearing Anita''s words, the nun turned towards her head in her direction, squinting her eyes to get a better look at who had just spoken, but she couldn''t discern Anita clearly due to the dim light; all she could make out was a feminine silhouette.

    The nun shook her head and replied in a devout voice.

    "Us being here is certainly the will of the goddess. I''m sure there is a reason in her act of sending us here, maybe it is to rescue your poor soul that had been kidnapped by those bad people."

    Anita chortled.

    "Yeah, right, that must be it. Maybe she had sent you here to rescue us. So, now that you are here, let''s immediately go. You see, we are kind of in a hurry to leave this ce," said Anita in a cheerful tone.

    The nun and the two other women who were by her side, and didn''t seem to be nuns, remained silent, not knowing what to say.

    "So? I thought you were here to rescue us? What are you waiting for?" Anita said, rushing the trio.

    The nun sighed.

    "Unfortunately, we don''t have the strength to fight those guys outside, or we wouldn''t be here in the first ce, but worry not! I''m certain the goddess has a n!" eximed the nun, trying to sound cheerful.

    However, the only ones who seemed to have been cheered, apart from the nun''s tworades, were the nobles. Anita chuckled at the nun''s naivety, while the onesing from the slums just ignored her. They had been starving in slums their whole lives without a god or goddess trying to help them. It wasn''t now, as they were about to be sold as ves, that a so-called deity would deign to help them.

    "So, since it seems that you three can''t save us, then what are we supposed to do? Calmly wait here while we starve?" inquired Anita with an amused expression.

    "That''s exactly that! We will wait until the goddess rescues us!" eximed the nun as she walked towards Anita.

    ''Why are theying towards me?'' wondered Anita as the nuns and her tworades walked to her, then sat next to her.

    "Hello, I''m Sister Mina, and those two are my friends, Mara and Umra," said the nun as they sat down.

    Anita just made an acknowledging sound but didn''t say anything.

    "What is your name?" inquired Mina.

    "Anita."

    "Do you follow any particr god? If not, may I share with you the wonders of the Goddess of Light and her greatness-"

    "Wait, don''t you know that it''s disrespectful to preach to someone while they are hungry? If you want me to listen to your preach, then feed me," said Anita as she extended a hand.

    "...."

    "...."

    The two friends of Mina looked at Anita with an incredulous gaze. Since when was one supposed to feed the ones they were preaching to?

    "Oh, I didn''t know about that, sorry, here, take it," said Mina as she extended to Anita the only food that was on her.

    "You shouldn''t-" Before Mara could finish her sentence, Anita snatched Mina''s food and started devouring it.

    ''Haa, she is really too naive,'' thought Mina''s friends.

    Meanwhile, Anita was stuffing her stomach with Mina''s food while praising her.

    "You are definitely a good person, Sister Mina."

    "Right, I should let you know that every follower who serves the goddess of light is..." Mira then started preaching the greatness of the goddess of light to Anita, though thetter wasn''t listening and just kept stuffing her stomach with food while sending dangerous res at the starving people in the cell who were gazing at her with an envious look.

    One hourter, the door of the cell was pried open, and a man with an overly muscr body and a cold expression walked in.

    He stared at those in the cells for a second then announced in an icy tone:

    "We will resume our journey in a moment. I don''t want to hear anyone of you speak or make the slightest sound the whole time we will be on the road, otherwise..." He stared at Anita in particr, his gaze bing colder, and his aura bearing down on her. "...I will immediately kill you, and don''t think that I wouldn''t dare do it."

    ''Gulp, I shouldn''t mess with this one,'' thought Anita.

    Without saying anything further, the man turned around and walked out of the cell, not even bothering to close it.

    Thirty minutester, the captives were led out of the basement and loaded into several carriages, the vehicles heading towards an unknown destination.

    ****

    "I think everything is ready; we are set to go," informed Lilia as she tended to the white pegasi to whom a cart was hitched. Since they didn''t have an urate distance separating them from Cedrix''s daughter''s position, not to mention the fact that her kidnappers were moving, it was deemed necessary to travel on pegasi. However, Alex had decided not to bring a coachman with them, so Lilia was the one tasked to take that position. Lilia was also strong, so it was necessary to bring her.

    Beside her, Alex had decided to take both Amelia and Anna with him. With her ability to make herself invisible, Anna was a perfect scout, while Amelia was brought in case the old man''s daughter was wounded and needed treatment. He could have taken more people with him, but Alex deemed that the four of them were enough. In the case it wasn''t enough, he would ask for assistance from the rest of the branch members.

    Alex made an acknowledging sound to Lilia''s words.

    "Anna, could you go fetch Cedrix?" he asked.

    She nodded and went to bring the old man.

    An instantter, she came back with Cedrix following her. When the old man saw the pegasi, his breath was stolen from how beautiful they looked.

    "You have never seen one?" questioned Alex with an amused smile, seeing the old man''s marveling eyes.

    "Where would a mere farmer like me see such magnificent creatures?" Cedrix smiled bitterly. "Can I sit in with the coachman?" he requested an instantter.

    Alex gazed at Lilia, who nodded.

    "You cane sit with me," she said with a smile.

    "Thanks!" replied Cedrix with a beaming smile.

    Lilia sat on the coachman box, then helped the old man sit next to her, then signaled to the other three.

    "Get on; we are leaving."

    Alex opened the carriage door then gestured:

    "Ladies."

    Both Amelia and Anna thanked him and got into the carriage.

    Since the only ones Alex had informed of their departure were Ava, Grace, and Candace, and the three were busy either training, reading, ormitting mischief toe wish them a safe journey.

    Alex got into the carriage just after the girls entered, and the next instant, their carriage took off in the direction at which Cedrix''s daughter was headed.

 Chapter 146 : Traveling fun (1)

    Chapter 146 : Traveling fun (1)

    "So, sis, I''ve noticed you''ve been avoiding metely. Any reason for that?" inquired Alex, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

    Amelia, who had been chatting and smiling with Anna, suddenly froze. She looked nervously at Alex, who was seated across from her.

    "I haven''t been avoiding you; it''s just that... um, I''ve been busy, yes, busy."

    "Is that so?"

    Amelia frantically nodded.

    "Then I must have imagined you thwarting my ns in theboratory," remarked Alex.

    "Yes, it was... Sigh, okay, I admit, I might have caused your ns to fail. Sorry," apologized Amelia.

    Alex smiled.

    "d you admit your wrongdoings-"

    "I didn''t do anything wrong; it was you trying to do something bad there," muttered Amelia.

    "What was that?"

    "N-Nothing, continue."

    "As I was saying, it''s good that you recognized your wrongdoings and apologized, but it''s not enough. To earn your pardon, there are two conditions. Firstly, it will be your responsibility to convince Scarlett to give me��or rather, the branch��arger share of the proceeds from selling her invention. Secondly, you will need to surrender your monthly allowance."

    Before they left, when he went to inform Candace that he was leaving, she had proposed increasing the allowance for all those who had participated in thepetition and ranked high. She also suggested continuing to provide them with the same sum each month, aiming to motivate other participants who had ranked lower to strive for improvement.

    Alex had obviously refused at first, stating that they needed to make money in theing months, not spend it. But Candace was too good at convincing people, so in the end, he finally epted Candace''s proposition, albeit reluctantly.

    Upon hearing his words, Amelia pouted, "I can understand convincing Scarlett, but why do I have to give you my allowance?"

    "I''m not forcing you to do it, but you know what will happen if you don''t. You won''t be able to get those perfect lips of mine," said Alex with a smirk.

    However, an instantter, he remembered they weren''t alone. Anna was with them, and he hadn''t told her about his rtionship with Amelia. He had the intention to do it, of course; it''s just that he never had the time to do so. However, from the look on her face, she didn''t seem too shocked; no, it seemed like she was already aware of their rtionship.

    "You know about..."

    "About what? That the man I''m in love with is screwing his sister who also happen to be my friend? If you are talking about that, then yes I know, I learned about this the day of the meeting"

    "Oh, that''s why you looked strange when you entered the meeting room that day," Alex recalled, noting Anna''s disturbed face.

    Anna nodded, "Yes, and I have to say that I was pretty shocked. I had to spend long hours thinking about it," she confessed.

    "And what conclusion did youe to?" inquired Alex, even though he knew the answer.

    "Like I have said previously, I won''t try to stop you if you want to have another woman, even if that woman is from your family."

    "Hehe, what an understanding wife I have. Here, you deserve a kiss," said Alex, swiftly pulling Anna towards him without making the carriage sway.

    He ced Anna on hisps and nted a gentle peck on her delicate lips.

    When they separated, a smile bloomed on Anna''s face, and forgetting where they were, she leaned closer, and this time she was the one who kissed Alex.

    The two lovers shared a tender kiss at first, but as seconds ticked by, the kiss became more passionate. Their tongues met and interlocked, their saliva mixing.

    Anna body began heating up, moans starting to emerge from and a drizzle of a glistening liquid dripped down her inner thigh.

    Alex, on the other hand, was getting aroused, his pants suddenly bing tight as his member was trying to free itself. He ced his hand on Anna''s soft thigh, caressing it gently at times and squeezing it at others.

    "I haven''t said it earlier, but you look especially beautiful today,"plimented Alex when the two separated, their foreheads touching and their eyes locking on one another.

    The flushness of Anna''s cheeks increased, and a shy smile graced her face. "You also look very handsome today," sheplimented back.

    They leaned closer again and kissed once more, the temperature inside the carriage increasing as the two lovers shared a passionate kiss.

    Alex''s left hand, which had been ying with her thigh, trailed up her body and cupped Anna''s right breast. Her body shuddered slightly from his touch, and she moaned in his mouth.

    Alex''s hand began to gently massage her breast through the clothes. At the same time, his other hand took hold of Anna''s waist, pulling her closer to him and deepening the kiss they were sharing.

    As all of this was happening, Amelia, who was on the side, had a speechless expression on her face as she observed her brother and friend, who had all but forgotten about her presence.

    ''I thought he was supposed to just give her a kiss, so why are they full-blown making out?''

    She felt like a third wheel and didn''t like the feeling one bit.

    She coughed to get their attention, but the two lovers were in their own world and couldn''t even hear her, so she had to cough harder.

    "What is it, sis?" asked Alex, breaking the kiss with Anna.

    "Did you forget that Cedrix and Lilia are nearby? They can hear you, you know," said Amelia with a flushed face.

    "Are you sure it''s just because Lilia and Cedrix could hear us that you''re stopping us, or is there another reason?" wondered Alex with a smirk.

    He knew his sister perfectly well and understood how she thought, so there was no way he wouldn''t know the true reason why she was stopping them. Seeing her cheeks flush in embarrassment, he knew he was right.

    "You know, you can join us if you want."

 Chapter 147 : Traveling fun (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 147 : Traveling fun (2) (R-18)

    "You know, you can join us if you want." Invited Alex.***

    He said it half-jokingly, but it appeared he underestimated how much his sister disliked being left out. Just as he finished speaking, she jumped up from her seat and sat beside him. Without wasting a second, she sealed her lips with Alex''s in an aggressive manner.

    Alex''s eyes widened a bit at the sudden kiss, but after a moment, he responded with equal passion and aggressiveness. Their lips and tongues intertwined in a fervent dance filled with desire.

    Meanwhile, Anna, still sitting on Alex''sps, observed with rapt attention the pair of brother and sister engaging in their forbidden kiss.

    Since all her concentration was on Alex and Amelia, Anna failed to notice that Alex''s hand, which was holding her waist, slipped into the skirt of her two-piece dress and directed itself toward her pink nub.

    Alex''s fingers circled around her sensitive area before making contact with it and gently massaged it.

    Anh~

    Anna released a muffled moan, feeling a sudden jolt of electricity run down her spine. Her attention shifted from Alex and Amelia to look down at her skirt, noticing that Alex''s hand was inside it.

    ''When did he��''

    Anna stopped her train of thought and used her hands to muffle her voice when she felt his fingers pinch her clit.

    At the same time, Alex''s hand that was fondling Anna''s breast moved and circled around Amelia''s waist, bringing her closer to him before slithering towards her plump ass, to which he gave a light squeeze.

    Amelia moaned in his mouth as Alex''s hand kneaded her tender butt. Meanwhile, his other hand was also busy massaging Anna''s clitoris.

    Despite their best efforts to muffle their voices, the girls moans began resounding in the whole carriage and it was doubtful if it didn''t go beyond the carriage

    Alex, on the other hand, felt his pants quickly bing tight as his stiff member seemed to try and tear it apart, and Anna, sitting on hisps, felt it, so she scurried off hisps and seated herself next to him all the while trying to muffle her moans since Alex didn''t stop rubbing her clit even while she moved.

    The instant Anna got off Alex''sps, Amelia ced her hand on the bulge on Alex pants, tracing her fingers along the length of Alex still imprisoned penis.****

    With a swift movement, she unzipped his pants and freed his cock, which popped up, pointing at the sky the moment it escaped from its suffocating prison.

    Amelia finally broke the kiss with Alex and focused her attention on his penis, just in time to see Anna wrap her hand around it.

    The two girls nced at each other, a hint of irritation shing in their eyes, and then Amelia also wrapped her hand around Alex''s hot member. However, she didn''t do it as gently as usual; instead, she held it firmly!

    Without saying a word, she pulled Alex''s arm dick her. However, Anna didn''t intend to let her do as she pleased, so she tightened her grip on Alex''s dick and pulled in the opposite direction.

    The girls red at each other and were about to speak when...

    "Stop!" Eximed Alex with a stern expression.

    The moment Amelia joined them, he had been dreaming of a hot threesome with her and Anna, but if things continued like that, the only thing he would end up with is an injured penis, and he didn''t want that!

    The moment he spoke, both girls froze in their actions.

    Alex nced at them in session and ordered with his still stern expression, "On your knees."

    Without wasting a second, the girlsplied. Fortunately, the carriage they were in wasrge enough to allow them to kneel in front of him without feeling cramped.

    Without a change of expression, Alex pointed at his manhood that was throbbing in anticipation and ordered, "Lick it. both of you."

    ''He wants the two of us to lick his penis, at the same time?'' wondered Amelia with a surprised expression.

    Anna on the other hand didn''t waste time thinking, the moment Alex ordered, she obeyed with fully red cheeks showcasing her intense arousal.

    ''Does she get off being ordered?'' wondered Amelia.

    As  she observed, Anna struck out her tongues and sensually traced it along the length of Alex cock.

    She took the head of his penis in her warm mouth and immediately moaned with a lust filled expression.

    She took hold of his cock with her hand then pressed it against her cheek to the point her cheek took the shape of Alex''s cock all the while maintaining her eyes on Alex.

    Keeping eyes contact while doing something so lewd was so erotic that his cock throbbed, threatening to explode and release his seed down her throat, but he refrained from doing so.

    Amelia, who was on the side, had a shocked expression as she observed her friend''s actions. Never did she think that she would see her usually reserved friend wearing such a blissful expression while sucking on a cock. ncing up, she could see her brother''s stern expression change into one of pleasure. Their eyes met, and he asked:

    "Aren''t you going to join her?"

    Hearing his words, Amelia remembered that she was supposed to pleasure her brother along Anna, not being a spectator!

    As Amelia advanced, Alex patted Amelia on her head, "Anna dear, make room for her".

    Anna''s eyes shed with unwillingness, but she obeyed nheless. She withdrew her mouth from Alex''s cock, causing a *PLOP* sound to emerge.

    As Alex ordered, Anna made room for Amelia. However, the instant thetter approached, they felt the carriage tilt.

    "We are going tond soon, so I suggest that the two of you get to work this instant," remarked Alex with a smile.

    He didn''t need to tell the girls, as they had already guessed, which is why they leaned towards Alex''s cock before he even finished speaking.

    Anna sensually licked one side of Alex''s hand, while Amelia did the same thing for the other side.

    "Just beautiful!" marveled Alex at the sight in front of him.

    The view of his sister and Anna diligently servicing him by licking his fingers was the most erotic and arousing thing Alex had ever seen.

    As he gazed at the girls, both of them continued trailing their tongues along the length of his cock, asionally one of them sucking on the head of his cock.

    Feeling that they wouldn''t be able to make him cum beforending if the continued like that, the girls decided to do something different. Amelia inserted Alex throbbing cock in her mouth and began bobbing her head up and down with her tongues circling around his manhood each time she moved.

    "Your sucking skiils have improvedpared to thest time, did you train?" Wondered Alex.

    Instead of replying, Amelia began sucking his cock harder, making slurping sounds.

    Meanwhile, Anna lowered herself and took one of Alex''s balls in her mouth, sucking on it.

    "Ah, it feels good~" eximed Alex enjoying the sensation of sister blowing him while Anna sucked on his testicles.

    Before long, his cock started to pulse wildly, indicating that he was on the verge of climax.

    Feeling this, the girls increased their suction force, bringing him closer and closer to the edge.

    "On your knees in front of me!!!" Eximed Alex as he felt that he was going to burst soon.

    The girls did as he ordered and got on their knees in front of him while began stroking his cock while pointing it at the girls.

    "Give it to us brother~" teased Amelia in a charming voice.

    "Do it, release it on us~" added Anna who seemed like she was on the verge of orgasming.

    The girls lewd request to release his seed on them brought Alex over the edge, and with onest final stroke, he threw his head back and ejacted directly on the girls'' faces.

    *Spurt*Spurt*Spurt*

    Rope after rope of semen wereing from Alex as he emptied his balls on the girls, his cumnding on their foreheads, eyes, nose, mouths, he even got it on their hairs. He quite literally made a mess out them and not just them as he even got his semen on the seats of the carriage.

    Annnnh~~~

    As Alex was enjoying thest vestiges of his ejaction, Anna on the other hand released an uncontrolled loud moan and orgasmed.

    At that moment, the three of them, or rather Alex and Amelia, felt the carriage finally touch the ground as Lilia and Cedrix got off the coachman''s box.

    "You two were awesome" said Alex while kissing the girls on their head, of course he kissed them on the spots devoid of cum.

    "Tidy up before joining us" he said as he fixed his pants.

    ''Ahh, what a wonderful feeling that was, definitely need to do it another time, perhaps I can even get Lilia to participate'' he thought As he exited the the carriage.

 Chapter 148 : By humans

    Chapter 148 : By humans

    As Alex stepped out of the carriage, he was greeted by the spectacle of the sun gracefully vanishing behind the distant mountain peaks, casting a warm orange glow that bathed the world in a tranquil, ethereal light.

    Observing his surroundings, Alex remarked that it appeared as though they hadnded in the middle of nowhere. The area where the carriage touched down was the only patch devoid of wild grass; yet, all around it, lush greenery, with grass tall enough to reach his knees, sprawled, and amidst the grass, you could see some tall trees scattered around.

    "Why did we stop?" he asked Lilia and Cedrix.

    "Um, I''ll go find wood to make a fire," said the old man, looking embarrassed.

    Alex raised an eyebrow. "Why does it seem like he''s avoiding my gaze?" he wondered.

    Lilia shot him an irritated nce. "Probably because he heard people moaning inside the carriages while we were flying."

    "Oh, so you heard us," Alex chuckled, not too bothered about being caught.

    "Seriously, couldn''t you have waited until wended and done it privately? The old man was so startled when the first moan resounded that he almost fell," Lilia shared with amusement.

    Alex chuckled. "It must have been really shocking for him."

    "As for waiting to do it privately, it''s not my fault if those two couldn''t resist my handsomeness and assaulted me. I merely went along with their lustful acts!" He eximed with a wronged expression.

    Lilia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I''m certain they were the ones that couldn''t keep their hands away from you."

    "That''s exactly it!"

    As he spoke, he heard two snortsing from inside the carriage, making him smile wryly.

    "Anyway, why did we stop-"

    Alex came to a stop, feeling a slight tremor running through the ground.

    He looked towards the source of the tremor just in time to see a towering creature, at least five meters tall, with green skin and sharp teeth, charging. The creature held a massive wooden club and was heading straight for the unsuspecting Cedrix, who was crouching on the ground, picking wood.

    Without a moment''s hesitation, Alex sprinted towards the old man at his fastest speed. In an instant, he stood in front of Cedrix, extending his hand forward.

    A split secondter, the ogre was upon them, his wooden club descending like a relentless hammer.

    Crack

    The ground beneath Alex cracked into countless webs due to the sheer force of the creature''s attack.

    "Urg..."

    He groaned, veins bulging in his forehead and arms as he gripped the wooden club.

    The shockwave released by the creature''s attack was so violent that Cedrix, who was crouching behind Alex, was sent flying towards one of the rare trees in their location.

    Fortunately for the old man, Lilia managed to reach him just in time before he collided with the tree.

    Meanwhile, Alex was still struggling to free himself from the creature.

    ''Insane, how does it have so much strength?'' wondered Alex as his feet sank into the ground.

    The reason he decided to block the iing attack instead of just pushing Cedrix out of the club''s trajectory was that he was certain this creature, who at first nce looked like an ogre, had a much lower level than him, probably around 1 or 2 levels lower. Yet, this creature was exerting significant pressure on him in terms of pure physical might, despite Alex''s strength that was clearly above the normal level 4 strength.

    ''Really, the human race is weak'' he mused with a bitter smile.

    ''However, its strength still has a long way to gopared to mine,'' Alex grinned.

    In a swift and decisive move, he pushed back the wooden club, creating distance between himself and the ogre, and retreated to the carriage.

    ncing back, he noticed Cedrix lying on his back with his eyes tightly shut.

    "How is he doing?" Alex inquired about Cedrix''s condition, turning his head to observe the ogre, wary of a potential attack.

    "He just lost consciousness due to the shock; he should be fine once he awakens," replied Lilia, also keeping her eyes on the ogre.

    Alex nodded in understanding.

    Meanwhile, the ogre seemed oblivious to them, still fixated on its wooden club and arms, as if surprised by its failure to defeat the two seemingly insignificant creatures.

    "Do you need help taking care of him?" wondered Lilia.

    "Nope, its appearance is actually a good thing. I''ve been wondering for a while now about my strength, and this is the perfect opportunity to find out," Alex grin came back.

    Lilia nodded in understanding.

    Simultaneously, the ogre appeared to realize it had failed to kill Alex and Cedrix, and even worse, it was pushed back by Alex. Its eyes sparked with fury, and with a savage roar, it charged at Alex, wielding its wooden club.

    However, before it could cover half the distance, Alex appeared in front of its face, his fist raised. In a heartbeat, his punch connected with the ogre''s nose, a resounding impact echoing through the air. The ogre staggered backward, momentarily stunned, as Alex''s strike disrupted its menacing advance.

    Although his punch had been powerful, it only caused the ogre to stagger, drawing a little blood.

    Not wanting to give the ogre a chance to recover, Alex leapt towards it the instant hended on the ground.

    However, just as he was about to deliver another punch to the monster''s stomach, Alex suddenly blocked to his right side. In an instant, he could be seen flying through the air before crashing near the carriage.

    Lilia nced at the hole he had made when he collided with the ground and chuckled.

    "Still don''t need help?"

    "No, I was just taken off guard. I didn''t think it would recover so quickly, that''s all. I can deal with him alone," assured Alex as he dusted off his clothes.

    "You can deal with what alone?" wondered Amelia with a curious expression, exiting the carriage.

    After Amelia exited, Anna''s head bobbed out of the carriage, portraying the same curious expression as her friend.

    "This guy here," Alex pointed at the ogre.

    "Oh, an ogre," Amelia observed the approaching creature, "It looks bigger than a normal one, and it appears to be wounded. Were you the one to wound it?"

    Alex shook his head. "No, I didn''t even notice it was wounded until you mentioned it. Anyway, don''t do anything. I will take care of him alone," Alex cracked his fingers.

    A split second after speaking, he lunged at the ogre. He exhaled the multicolored smoke, which had been in his body since his fight against Amelia, wrapping a small part around his body and expanding the rest in their surroundings while still running.

    When the two of them were near each other, the ogre brandished his wooden club with one arm and executed a vertical strike!

    Alex easily evaded the club by sidestepping, then shot towards the ogre''s face. He appeared in front of its eyes even before the club touched the ground, his hand balled into a fist.

    Alex''s fist struck the ogre''s eye, prating it with force and unleashing a geyser of vibrant blue blood.

    Due to the sudden, intense pain that jolted his entire body, the ogre staggered and released a guttural scream. Simultaneously, it wildly swung its wooden club, attempting to smash Alex or, at the very least, keep Alex away from it.

    It had seeded, and Alex couldn''t attack its front, but that wasn''t the case for its back.

    Utilizing his smoke ability, Alex blinked right behind the ogre that was moving backward and punched, this time targeting the creature''s spine.

    To enhance the possibility of his fist passing through the ogre''s thick skin, Alex concentrated a good part of his mana in his fist until he felt that he might wound himself if he continued to concentrate mana in it, then punched.

    *Crack*

    A cracking sound reverberated in the air as Alex''s blow snapped the ogre''s spine in two and even managed to cause the ogre''s feet to detach from the ground as it was sent flying in the air, passing over the carriage.

    The ogre''s body collided with the ground in a loud boom, twitched a little, then grew limp.

    Meanwhile, Alexnded gracefully on the ground and walked towards the girls, shing them a smile.

    "Told you I can take care of it alon-"

    Alex suddenly stopped speaking and swept his senses in the carriage surroundings, his expression changing to a serious one.

    "We are surrounded," he announced.

    "By ogres?" wondered Anna.

    "No, by humans."

 Chapter 149 : For their own good

    Chapter 149 : For their own good

    "we are surrounded," announced Alex.

    "By ogres?"

    "No, by humans," Alex''s expression became even more serious.

    ording to the presences he could sense, they were surrounded on all sides. Fortunately, it seemed that the ones who had surrounded them weren''t numerous. However, he didn''t rx nheless; who knew, maybe there were some of them that had means to erase their presence like Anna.

    As they waited in tense silence, the girls prepared themselves for a fight.

    Amelia took out and nted seeds in the ground.

    Anna took out two sharp daggers that she held firmly.

    Lilia, on the other hand, simply straightened herself, her attentive gaze sweeping her surroundings.

    An instantter, silhouettes of men d in leather armor and holding various weapons appeared around the carriage.

    Like Alex''s group, the neers also had wary expressions as they observed them.

    The moment Alex and the girls were about to act and attack the group...

    "Wait, we mean you no harm." Two men detached from the group, their hands raised in the air.

    "Then why are you surrounding us?" wondered Alex with a sneer, clearly not believing them.

    "Ah, sorry about that. Guys,e here." One of the two men gestured for the others to stand behind them.

    As the group moved away from Alex''s carriage, one of the two men who had approached earlier, a rather young and handsome individual with ck hair and eyes, stepped forward and smiled.

    "Hello, my name is Starx, and I''m an adventurer. We all are adventurers," shared the young man as he pointed to hisrades.

    "And what brings you here?" questioned Alex.

    "There was a dungeon break not far from the city where we reside. The monsters that were released were mostly ogres; they attacked the town, and us adventurers had to deal with them. But their leader managed to escape us; we chased it to kill it so it wouldn''t harm people, and its track led us to you. Sorry again if we startled you; it''s just that we weren''t certain if the ogre was dead or not," exined Starx with a charming smile.

    Alex and the girls rxed a bit, hearing his exnation.

    The young man''s words before them seemed logical. If a dungeon break had indeed urred nearby, it would exin the appearance of ogres here, as ogres weren''t known to inhabit this kind of environment.

    A dungeon break is a phenomenon that urs when the number of monsters in a dungeon exceeds its capacity. To prevent dungeon breaks, adventurers'' guilds, soldiers, and other entities responsible for people''s security often conduct periodic extermination expeditions inside dungeons.

    "This dungeon was a new one that hadn''t been discovered in time, causing a dungeon break to happen. Fortunately, no one was harmed; we were worried we wouldn''t be able to stop the ogre''s leader before it attacked people, and it was the case. Thanks to the gods, the ones it met were able to kill it," Starx sighed in relief.

    Alex nodded his head.

    "Since it seems the ogre is dealt with, we will retir-"

    Cough

    Just as Starx was finishing speaking, the other man who had stepped forward with him, a burly man with a bald head and tattoos all over his body and face, coughed.

    Alex wasn''t certain, but it seemed that Starx''s body shuddered a little when he heard the man cough.

    Alex frowned, noticing this, but his frown quickly disappeared. His gaze focused on Starx, who was now fidgeting in his ce.

    "Um, yes, I almost forgot, we w-will take with us the corpse of the ogre," stammered Starx.

    Alex''s frown returned.

    "Why? We were the ones that killed the ogre, so its corpse belongs to us."

    "Y-Yes, I mean n-no...." Starx stammered again, seemingly having lost his previous eloquence.

    He turned to stare at hisrade, who shot him a smile, then turned to stare at Alex with pleading eyes. However, Alex''s gaze remained firm.

    The things one could do with a monster body are numerous, all the more so with a monster like an ogre.

    Without even mentioning the ogre core, its thick skin could be transformed into leather armor. Its sharp teeth and some of its organs could be sold to a witch for a hefty price. Even its seemingly useless wooden club was worth a good sum, and there were many other things that could be done with an ogre corpse.

    With all of this exined, it bes clear that this group of adventurers'' request to give up on the ogre corpse was quite absurd. That''s why Alex didn''t even take time to think about what Starx said before refusing.

    Just as he was about to make it clear that he had no intention to let them take the ogre corpse...

    "Just give the corpse to the kid; he looks too pitiful. Plus, none of us has a spatial ring big enough to amodate the corpse, and we don''t have time to butcher the corpse," whispered Lilia in Alex''s ear.

    ''Haa, I can''t deny anything to my wife, and she is indeed right'' Alex sighed ''I don''t have the time nor the will to butcher this ogre.''

    "Take it and leave us alone," Alex waved his hands.

    "R-Really? You are giving us the corpse?" eximed Starx with an incredulous expression.

    Even the adventurers behind him seemed surprised by Alex''s decision to give them the corpse.

    "Take it and scram before I change my mind!"

    "Thanks!" eximed Starx.

    "Guys, take care of it!" he shouted to hisrades.

    They snorted but still executed.

    ''How are they going to take the corpse, carry it?'' wondered Alex with an amused expression.

    To his shock, the group of adventurers really intended to carry the ogre corpse!

    ''Wait, seriously?''

    As Alex observed, seven people among the group of adventurers lifted the ogre corpse with great difficulty and began walking in the direction they came from.

    Alex, who was observing them, was really dumbfounded that they would carry the ogre on their body, but it couldn''t be helped. Normal people weren''t able to afford things such as a spatial ring. Furthermore, a spatial ring with enough space to amodate such a big corpse.

    Starx bowed to Alex onest time and took off with the others.

    However, before leaving, the tattooed man took his time observing Alex, the carriage, the pegasi, and most of all, the girls.

    When his gazended on them, a peculiar light shed in his eyes.

    Having witnessed the man''s gaze on his wives, Alex red at the man coldly.

    The man lowered his gaze under Alex''s re, turned around, and left, not before ncing at them onest time.

    "Something is peculiar about those people," remarked Amelia after the group of adventurers left.

    "And it seemed like the young man, Starx, has a rtionship with the others of their group that is not as it seems," added Anna.

    "Yeah, it was like he was-"

    "Frightened by that man," stated Lilia.

    Both of them nodded.

    "Should we do something about-"

    "No, it doesn''t concern us. We are here just for the night; at sunrise, we depart," stated Alex.

    He also remarked that something peculiar was going on between Starx and the tattooed man. However, as he said, it didn''t concern them, and he had no intention to pry into someone else''s affairs.

    ''I just hope for their own good that nothing will happen tonight.''

 Chapter 150 : Knowledge is power!

    Chapter 150 : Knowledge is power!

    "Check on him to see how he''s doing," Alex pointed to Cedrix, who was still unconscious.

    Amelia nodded and went to check on the old man''s condition.

    "He just needs some rest; he''ll probably wake up in the morning."

    Alex nodded. "Good, let''s set up camp. It''s going to be night soon."

    A few minutester, the sunpletely disappeared, leaving the world cloaked in darkness. However, this posed no problem for Alex''s group as they had sessfully lit a fire. Gathered around its warm glow, they sat, the flickering mes casting dancing shadows on their faces.

    Alex leaned against the carriage wheel, a fond smile on his lips as he watched his wives chatting among themselves.

    ''I need to protect them, no matter what! Not just them, I need to protect my whole family, and for that, I need to be stronger,'' his hands balled into fists.

    Until now, all the people he had fought were weaker than him, but he knew that it wouldn''t be the case eternally. There would definitelye a day when he wouldn''t be able to easily defeat his opponents, as he has been doing since he obtained his system. He needed to prepare himself for that day!

    ''Which reminds me.''

    "Does any of you have a textbook about the different races and their characteristics?"

    "Is there a reason you''re asking so suddenly?" wondered Amelia.

    "Nothing in particr, just for preparation. Who knows who or what race I might face in the future? Learning about their strengths and weaknesses will probably be a good thing," he answered.

    Lilia nodded approvingly, then pulled out from her storage ring what could only be called a mountain of books.

    "what the..."

    Both Alex, Amelia, and Anna were surprised by the sheer number of books she took out.

    ''Does she carry a library with herself?'' they wondered, their eyes alternating from the smiling Lilia to the mountain of books.

    "Eh, babe, what is that?" he questioned, feeling dread at the thought of going through all those books.

    Lilia''s smile widened, "those are the books that you asked for!"

    "There can''t be so many races, right?"

    "Of course not, at least on this continent."

    "Then what are those books for?"

    "It''s as I said, they are about what you asked. They exin the different races on this continent, from sentient ones to monsters, their characteristics, their lifestyle...."

    A momentter

    "...And their cultures. Those books will teach you everything that is known about other races!"

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "Lilia, I just want to know about the characteristics of the other races, not everything," said Alex.

    "Nuh-uh, just knowing about their characteristics won''t do. You need to know everything. Remember, knowledge is power!" eximed Lilia.

    "That actually reminds me," Lilia then proceeded to take out three other mountains of books.

    "These books are about mana, the different uses of mana, theories regarding mana, etc..." exined Lilia, pointing to one pile of books.

    Next, she pointed to another pile.

    "This one is about abilities, the different kinds of abilities there are, how abilities are ranked, etc..."

    "And thisst one is about elements, the different elements known, how they are used, what they can and can''t do, etc..."

    "That should be all- ah, I almost forgot."

    Under the shocked gaze of Alex, Anna, and Amelia, Lilia proceeded to take out more and more books until there were only books around the carriage.

    ''She really does carry a library with her.''

    Alex and the two girls stared at each other, then back at Lilia, who finally seemed to have finished taking out books.

    "Haa, I have forgotten the other books," Lilia sighed in disappointment.

    "Woman, do you want my head to explode? These books are already too much!" eximed Alex.

    Lilia snorted.

    "Too much? Hmph, it doesn''t even represent ten percent of all the books I have read, yet my head hasn''t exploded. I''m sure yours would be fine!"

    ''Not even ten percent of what she''s read?'' Alex''s eyes widened.

    ''Okay, now I''m certain, the girls'' characters were inherited from their mother.''

    ''Viviane is a battle maniac as much as Lilia, Alice is mischievous like her, Violette as fierce as her, and with what I''m witnessing currently, Scarlett loves reading and is smart like her. They are literally mini versions of her,'' thought Alex with a contemtive gaze.

    On one side, he was d that the girls resembled their mother, but on the other side, he was wondering.

    ''What have they inherited from me?''

    Viviane, Alice, and Scarlett weren''t his daughters by blood, but he was the one who had raised them since they were children, and he was the only person they had ever referred to as father, so they should have picked up some of his traits, right?

    ''I''m certain they have inherited something from me!'' shouted Alex internally.

    ''Let''s forget it for now,'' he thought.

    "Thanks for the books, I guess," he said, storing them in his space ring.

    "You''re wee!"

    "Now that everything is sorted, let''s go to bed; it''s gettingte," said Amelia while stretching her arms.

    With that, the girls prepared themselves to go to sleep.

    "What about you?" Lilia wondered, seeing that Alex was still seated.

    "I don''t feel tired, and with all the books you gave me, I have something to upy myself."

    "Well then..." Lilia leaned and kissed him on his forehead, "...good night, don''t miss me too much."

    "You know I will," Alex smiled.

    "You must endure"

    After that, Lilia entered the carriage where they would be sleeping.

    Having witnessed her action, the other two also decided to give Alex a good night kiss.

    Anna was the first; she leaned and gave him a peck on his lips.

    "Good night, Master~"

    "Good night, beautiful"

    After that, she also retired inside the carriage.

    "Won''t you also be kissing me good night?" wondered Alex with a smile.

    "Of course, I''m going to!"

    However, contrary to the other two, Amelia got on her knees and kissed him on his lips. Unlike Anna, she gave him a deep kiss, even introducing her tongue into his mouth.

    ''I knew she wouldn''t settle for just a peck like the others,'' chuckled Alex internally while reciprocating the kiss, his tongue twirling around hers.

    Much like each time those two got together, the situation quickly evolved. From what was supposed to be just a good night kiss, moaning and touching got involved.

    Before long, Amelia was seated on Alex''sps, her legs wrapped around his waist, and her arms holding his head.

    Meanwhile, Alex''s hands were fondling her beautiful breasts.

    His cock getting hard, pushing against his pants and lodging itself between his sister ass cheeks.

    "Take it out... I want to feel you inside me~" said Amelia in a sultry voice.

    Cough, cough.

    Just as he was about to respond, Alex heard two people coughing inside the carriage, making him chuckle.

    "I think we should just stop here; Cedrix is sleeping right here. Imagine if he wakes up when we are at it," Alex chuckled. "Don''t want to cause the old man a heart attack."

    "Not fair!" Amelia pouted.

    "Haha, don''t worry, we will be doing it another time, and at that time..." He squeezed her soft ass, "...I will be rocking your world."

    "Mmm, you are getting me hot, are you certain we can''t-"

    Before she could finish, Amelia heard Anna and Lilia cough again.

    "Tsk, okay, we will continueter."

    She gave Alex onest kiss then stood up and entered the carriage.

    The instant she got inside the carriage, Alex heard:

    "You two are really a pain in the ass, couldn''t you peacefully sleep and leave me be?!"

    "It''s actually because we wouldn''t be able to sleep if we let you two be that we interrupted you," retorted Anna.

    "We would have been quiet!" rebutted Amelia.

    "Doubt it, I still remember thest time you two went at it; I had to forbid everyone from getting near your room. Your moaning was so loud that I''m certain even a deaf person could have heard you," added Lilia.

    "Still-"

    "Shush, you horny girl; some of us are trying to sleep," interrupted Anna.

    "Well said" supported lilia.

    Amelia grumbled, but ultimately went to sleep.

    Alex chuckled, hearing their little argument. ''Good that they are getting along.''

    He took a book then read it''s title:

    {Everything on the Virax race}

    ''How convenient, we are exactly on our way to save a Virax, knowing about them mighte in handy''

    With the light of the fire illuminating the area, Alex began reading,pletely focusing on the task and not paying any attention to his surroundings.

    However, a few hourster, deep in the night, he tore his gaze from the book and sighed.

    ''Looks like they came back.''

 Chapter 151 : The bandits’ attack

    Chapter 151 : The bandits�� attack

    <i>Rustle Rustle</i>

    "I know you are here,e out!" said Alex aloud, not bothering to look up from his book.

    A regr person might think he had lost it, talking to himself, but someone with sharp senses would understand he was addressing the people surrounding their carriages.

    ''There are many more thanst time,'' remarked Alex.

    If the first group of "adventurers" numbered around 20-30, now it easily doubled, and their average level was higher!

    ''Four at level 4, eight at level 3, and all the others between levels 1 and 2; they sure came prepared,'' chuckled Alex as he made his own preparations.

    Some might wonder how he was certain it was the adventurers from a few hours ago, but for Alex and anyone with a brain, it was evident. Who else could it have been? They were the only ones who knew of their presence here.

    "I noticed it the first time, but you''ve got sharp senses," said a deep and masculine voice.

    Without ncing at the person who spoke, Alex recognized the voice as that of the tattooed man. He chuckled, "You weren''t exactly trying to conceal your presence, were you?"

    "True" sneered the man.

    "Like I thought, you guys aren''t adventurers but mere bandits," Alex stated matter-of-factly.

    "Oh, we are indeed adventurers; however, being one does not prevent being the other," shrugged the tattooed man.

    Pointing the broadsword in his hand at Alex, the tattooed man said in a threatening voice, "Give us all your valuables, and we might consider sparing your life. Just so you know, those beautiful white-winged horses of yours are among the valuable items I''m referring to."

    Faced with the man "threat", Alex burst intoughter. "You guys really take me for a fool huh?"

    "A fool? Nah, not a fool. Rather a noble fool," the man sneered.

    Then, Alex closed the book in his hand, and for the first time since they appeared, he looked towards the tattooed man.

    "I will only say it this time, leave while you still can," he said with a smile.

    The tattooed man suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Unconsciously, he took a step back, trying to increase the distance between him and Alex.

    ''What''s with him? He brought us here and is getting cold feet just because of a few words and a gaze? Pathetic.''

    The other level 4 individuals that the tattooed man had brought snorted at his disy of cowardice.

    Seemingly realizing his mistake, the tattooed manposed himself and stepped forward, his eyes red with fury.

    One could only wonder if he was mad because he felt fear the instant his gaze met Alex''s or because of the embarrassment he was currently feeling.

    "We don''t have time to waste. Give everything you have!" he bellowed.

    Alex plugged his ears.

    "No need to yell, I heard you the first time"

    "Then what are you waiting for? Also-"

    Before the tattooed man could finish speaking, another level 4 stepped forward and interrupted him.

    "Stop speaking already; you are starting to sound like a broken record."

    The man that had stepped forward had his face entirely covered by a mask, with the only visible features being his jet-ck eyes.

    The man pointed at Alex, "You heard what he said, give everything. We will also be taking the girls that are in the carriage with u-"

    *Slice, Slice*

    Before he could finish his words, the man sensed something slicing through the air anding towards him with great speed.

    He tried to evade, but he was too slow. A split secondter, something collided with his neck.

    "Arg..."

    The masked man groaned in pain as he stumbled back several feet.

    ''Fortunately, I activated my ability just in time,'' he thought while pressing his hand on his bleeding neck.

    The masked man''s ability allowed him to toughen his body until it was as hard as iron. If not for that, he might have well died just now.

    Turning around, he asked, "Is everyone alr-"

    The masked man''s words choked in his throat as the horrifying scenery that greeted him seemed to have been ripped straight from the darkest corners of a nightmare.

    Here, in front of him, the bodies of the people he calledrades stood just as they had before, the only macabre difference being that their heads were missing; no, not missing, they had been severed from their bodies like flowers ruthlessly plucked from a once-vibrant garden.

    The man nced down at the ground, only to see their heads strewn about like discarded pieces of a gruesome puzzle, each face frozen in a silent scream that echoed the horror of the nightmarish tableau.

    Dread took hold of the masked man''s heart, and without a second of hesitation, he started running away.

    The instant he witnessed hisrades'' decapitated bodies, he understood that he wasn''t a match for Alex.

    Beside himself, there were three other level 4 individuals, yet he was the only one alive while all the others had been killed in less than a second. He would be a fool to think that he could handle Alex alone.

    ''This guy is a monster, I need to escape, fast!!''

    Without caring for his stamina or the fact that he was currently huffing, the masked man kept increasing his speed.

    ''After I escape, I will-''

    "Where do you think you are going?"

    The masked man''s heart skipped a beat when he heard a voice sound just behind him. In fact, the person to whom the voice belonged was so close that he could even feel his breath against his ear like the icy touch of a malevolent spirit, sending shivers down his spine.

    However, despite the fear he was feeling, the masked man was still a warrior, so he stopped his course, spun, and sent a powerful kick!

    The strength and speed of his kick were so remarkable that, in just a split second, itnded precisely where the voice whispering to him had been, showcasing a swiftness that seemed almost instinctive.

    Yet, all that met his kick was empty air.

    The man''s eyes, the only visible thing on his face, widened in surprise.

    ''Impossible, he was just here-''

    "Where are you looking? I''m here," said a voice behind him.

    Hearing the voice that was behind him again, the masked man spun, this time throwing a punch towards his opponent.

    Fortunately, contrary to thest time, his fistnded on something. Unfortunately, itnded on his enemy''s palm, and by the wide smile on his face, it was evident that he wasn''t feeling pain, or at the very least, he was really good at hiding it.

    "Like I previously asked, where do you think you are going?"

    The masked man didn''t even take the time to listen to what Alex said because he was busy trying to get his fist free from Alex''s grip. Unfortunately for him, Alex''s grip on his fist was like a vice; he couldn''t free his hand despite using all his strength.

    "D-Don''t do something you might regret; you don''t have an idea for whom I wor-"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Alex''s palm covered his mask. An instantter, the back of the man''s head smashed against the hard ground.

    The impact of the man''s head against the ground caused countless cracks to emerge on the surface.

    The man immediately lost consciousness. At the same time, the mask he was wearing came off.

    "Ooof, I don''t understand why he wore a mask. With a face like that, I would have also worn a mask," sneered Alex.

    Although his face below the mask wasn''t as ugly as Alex made it sound, it''s just thatpared to himself, he felt that the man was no different from a pig.

    He took the man''s mask, then lifted his body with his smoke.

    "Let''s return; I need to deal with the other one."

 Chapter 152 : Smoke knight

    Chapter 152 : Smoke knight

    "Let''s go back; I need to handle the other one," said Alex while carrying the now unmasked man.

    Contrary to thetter''s assumption, Alex didn''t eliminate every one of the bandits. The tattooed man and Starx still remained. However, the masked man, overwhelmed by fear upon witnessing the carnage, neglected to carefully assess his surroundings. Even if he knew Starx and the tattooed man were still around, his fear would probably make him decide the same way.

    ".... f*cking...."

    As Alex approached, he heard cursing and yelling, which made him sneer.

    The one cursing was obviously the tattooed man, frustrated because thick smoke hindered his escape each time he tried.

    Since Alex didn''t want to kill the man, he simply used the smoke to stop him from escaping while he moved to catch the masked man.

    ''Hmm, I''m getting an idea,'' thought Alex, hand on his chin.

    With a thought, he controlled the smoke that had been hindering the tattooed man.

    "Atst!"

    Finally free, the tattooed man didn''t waste a second before trying to escape.

    However, he came to a halt when the smoke that had been obstructing his path came back.

    Yet, this time, the smoke wasn''t in a gaseous state but shaped like a knight wielding a spear of at least 3 meters.

    ''It''s a bit crude, but it will do,'' thought Alex while making the smoke knight walk towards the tattooed man who forgot that he needed to escape, witnessing the incredible scene before him.

    ''It''s actually a bit difficult to make it walk,'' remarked Alex.

    When the smoke was in a gaseous form, it was easy for him to control it, but it wasn''t the same in a solid form, though it wasn''t really difficult either.

    The problem here was that he was trying to make the smoke mimic how a person acted, trying to make it walk and do things like that, which he had never done nor tried.

    The few times he gave the smoke a solid shape, he shaped it into something that he himself could wield or use, like a chair or a spear. Here it was different; he was required to control each of the movements of the smoke while in a solid form, which is the reason why the movements of the smoke knight were awkward.

    However, Alex wasn''t a smoke sovereign just for show; he quickly got the hang of it, and his smoke knight''s stride became a bit more refined while losing some of its awkwardness.

    The smoke knight tapped the butt of its spear on the ground, then rushed towards the tattooed man, who still had a disbelieving expression.

    Since the knight was made of smoke, it didn''t weigh much to begin with, so the speed it disyed was astonishing.

    A fraction of a secondter, the knight closed in on the tattooed man and swung its spear at him.

    Surprised by the smoke knight''s swift moves, the tattooed man barely managed to swing his great sword to counter, but surprisingly, the sword passed right through the smoke knight, destroying it.

    Both Alex and the tattooed man frowned at this.

    The tattooed man frowned because he thought that the smoke knight would pose him some resistance; Alex frowned because he was struggling to use the smoke knight.

    ''Since I was too focused on the movements of the knight, I forgot to make it more solid,'' Alex analyzed.

    However, soon, his smile returned.

    ''I may have made a mistake, but thanks to it, I now have an example of a battle style.''

    The instant he had this thought, he shaped the smoke that had returned to its gaseous state into the knight again, this time behind the tattooed man.

    The knight thrust his spear at the unsuspecting man the instant it was formed.

    However, the tattooed man was still a level 4; such a sneak attack wouldn''t work on him.

    Just as the spear was about to pierce the man''s head, he spun and shed at the knight.

    The knight''s arm that was wielding the spear got cut off, causing the man to grin.

    However, what he seemed to have forgotten was that the knight was a mere construct of smoke that Alex had made. He might have easily cut off its arm, but Alex could easily reform it back, which he did.

    Both the cut-off arm and the spear that had be gaseous shaped back, and with a precise and swift attack, the spear shed at the man''s right eye.

    "Arrrggg..."

    The tattooed man groaned in pain and quickly retreated with his palm pressed against his eye to prevent the blood from gushing out.

    ''Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, I lost my eye!!!'' hemented.

    His remaining eye became bloodshot once he spotted Alex, who had returned and was about to drop the masked man''s body on the ground.

    "Everything is your fault!!!!"

    Forgetting that the reason he was fighting the smoke knight was to escape from Alex, the man lunged at Alex with his fastest speed.

    "I will f*cking kill you!" he shouted.

    However, he couldn''t get to Alex before the smoke knight appeared in front of him again.

    The tattooed man shed at the smoke construct, obliterating it in an instant.

    "Scram!"

    Before the smoke could shape back into the knight again, the man was already near Alex, swinging his sword wildly toward Alex''s head.

    ''Huh? What-''

    Just as his sword was about to cut off Alex''s head, he briefly noticed a sh, and a split secondter, a fist that weighed like a falling anvil crashed against him, sending him hurling away.

    With a resounding thud, the man crashed against the ground.

    Cough Cough

    He coughed blood, weakly and steadily stood up, but his legs wobbled, and he copsed on his knees.

    His vision was blurry, the wound of his missing eye more painful than ever, each breathbored and painful, his spine seemed like it was on its way to snap in two; although Alex''s fist only touched his face, it was like his whole body had taken the full brunt of the attack.

    Step Step

    The tattooed man felt someone approaching him and looked up.

    He gazed at the man standing over him and felt like he was a mere ant in front of him.

    ''Ha, I''m indeed pathetic,'' he painfully sighed.

    "You are...amazing," the man said with a ragged breath.

    ''Huh? Did he lose it?'' wondered Alex, hearing his enemy suddenly praising him.

    "Thanks, I guess," he replied.

    "You are...amazing, but you...are not the only one amazing person in...the world!"

    As he said this, the man shed Alex a bloody smile.

    An instantter, the tattoos on the man''s body started glowing an intense red color!

    ''What is happening?'' wondered Alex, observing the situation with interest.

    The man suddenly began to convulse, thrashing on the ground while pained screams escaped his mouth.

    "Kill him! Now!" shouted Starx, who had been silent the whole time.

    Feeling the urgency in the young man''s voice, Alex sprang into action. He didn''t know why the young man seemed afraid of what was happening right now, but he didn''t need to understand that the situation was fishy.

    However, it seemed that Alex took too much time before deciding to act.

    "What the...."

 Chapter 153 : Chimera

    Chapter 153 : Chimera

    "Kill him! Now!" Shouted Starx to Alex.

    Alex sprung into action, ready to confront the tattooed man whose tattoos were glowing red, and whose body convulsed.

    He was already near the man, so in a moment, he was upon him, his fist about to strike, yet in that instant, he explosively retreated back.

    A split second after his retreat, something violently crashed to the ground exactly where he had been standing.

    Due to the force of the impact, a cloud of dust appeared.

    "What the...."

    Alex''s eyes widened, spotting movement within the cloud of dust.

    ''What the hell is that?'' he wondered.

    He didn''t have to wait long to find out.

    His eyes widened even more as he observed a ck serpentine tail slithering from left to right, seemingly guarding its owner, whose body continued to convulse.

    ''A tail? Was he not huma-''

    Alex didn''t finish his thought as the convulsing body stopped moving. However, judging by the glowing tattoos, Alex suspected otherwise, and he was right.

    A secondter, the man''s body convulsed again, and he was thrown sideways, the tail following suit. Another secondter, he was flung the other way.

    Then, two bulges appeared on each side of the man''s body.

    Alex looked on, his face showing horror, disgust, and a peculiar fascination. Despite the repulsion, he couldn''t tear his gaze away, almost mesmerized by the unsettling and bizarre scene unfolding before him.

    The bulges intensified, seemingly intent on tearing apart the skin on both sides of the body, and they seeded.

    In a fountain of blood and gore, two thin yet toned arms emerged from the man''s body, each terminating with razor sharp ws.

    Simultaneously, the pre-existing arms slimmed down to match the size of the new pair, also acquiring ws of their own.

    Following that, the creature came to a halt, motionless.

    Just as Alex believed the transformation had concluded, he was astonished to witness the human skin enveloping the creature begin to peel off. During this process, it continued shrinking until it was half of its original height.

    Beneath the human skin, Alex discerned pitch-ck skin adorned with scales.

    ''What the hell is that creature?'' Alex''s expression turned wary.

    Although Alex wasn''t well-versed in other races, it didn''t mean he was entirely clueless. He was certain the creature before him belonged to no recorded race.

    Meanwhile, the human skin of the creaturepletely peeled off.

    It raised its head and stared back at Alex with slitted eyes, then released a screech particrly grating to the ears.

    ''A serpentine tail, serpent''s eyes, ck scaled skin, four arms... this thing looks more like a chimera than anything else.''

    Screech

    The creature screeched onest time and lunged at Alex, moving on both its four arms and legs!

    ''Fast!''

    Due to its short stature and six limbs, the creature''s speed when it ran was significantly superior to its previous speed when it was still human, thus, it quickly covered the distance separating it from Alex.

    With a powerful swipe of its ws, the creature wildly shed at Alex, attempting to sever his head.

    However, Alex swiftly evaded the attack.

    With a practiced move, he sidestepped and punched at the opening that revealed itself when the creature attacked.

    Unfortunately, his fist was blocked by the creature''s tail, yet it wasn''t the end.

    Taking advantage of its light weight and the brief moment when Alex''s fist made contact with its tail, the creature used the impact as a springboard and propelled itself over Alex''s head while spinning!

    ''what-''

    Alex''s instinct shouted at him to duck if he still wanted to live, and he did exactly that, sessfully evading the tail that tried to pierce his head.

    However, the creature still hadn''t finished its attack. The instant itnded on the ground, it propelled itself at Alex, who was still crouched, his back against it.

    With a savage grin, the creature used all of its four ws to sh at his back, but at that moment, a wall of smoke appeared behind Alex, protecting him.

    The sight of the wall, especially the smoke that constituted it, made the creature''s eyes burn with madness.

    Apparently, even though it had lost its humanity, the man''s hatred for the smoke element remained.

    Its sharp ws easily tore through the wall of smoke, and the creature''s mad grin grew even madder.

    However, its grin soon disappeared, its eyes full of malicious intent widening and scanning the area where its prey had just been.

    Before it couldprehend what happened, its ears picked up on a sounding from above its head.

    The creature raised its four arms above its head to shield itself.

    A split secondter, Alex''s leg descended on the creature, crashing down on it with formidable strength!

    Crack!

    Both the creature''s arms and the ground underneath it cracked under Alex''s formidable strength.

    The creature''s physique was primarily designed for speed, agility, and ughter, so it didn''t have high defenses. Coupled with Alex''s strength, it became understandable that the creature was currently under a lot of pressure, with its arms on the verge of giving way.

    The creature''s tail shot toward Alex''s leg, attempting to swat it away, yet before it couldnd on Alex''s leg, it stopped, or rather, it was stopped.

    "You won''t be getting me two times with that tail of yours," smirked Alex.

    He lifted his leg, causing the creature to fear another blow, but that blow never came. Instead, the creature felt Alex''s hold on its tail bing firmer.

    The smile on Alex''s face became wider as he lifted the creature using its tail.

    As he lifted it, the creature''s arms and legs began iling in the air, but Alex paid them no mind.

    With a savage grin, he whipped the creature against the ground.

    BOOM!

    Like it wasn''t enough, Alex lifted the creature again and whipped it against the ground again and again and again.

    "...."

    Starx, who had been worried sick the moment the tattooed man began transforming into the creature, a monster of immense power that he dreaded, could only look with a bewildered expression at the one-sided beatdown of the creature.

    ''Of the two, I think he is the one who is a monster,'' he thought with an awed expression.

    Meanwhile, Alex continued whipping the creature using its tail until he became bored with it.

    He lifted it in the air onest time and whipped it against the ground with much more strength than usual.

    CRACK!

    With a resounding crack, the bones in the creature''s arms snapped the moment it touched the ground.

    However, it was still alive, albeit badly battered, with blood oozing out of it from the different wounds it suffered at Alex''s hands.

    Although he knew that it was still alive, Alex didn''t make a move to kill; before that, he needed to understand what this creature was.

    Turning around to stare at Starx, he questioned, "what is this thing?"

    "Huh? Ah, umm, I don''t know," answered Starx with an embarrassed expression.

    Alex''s brows furrowed into a frown.

    "Kid, don''t take me for a fool. You warned me to kill it before it could fully transform, so you obviously know what this thing is. I suggest you start speaking and don''t even think about bullshitting your way out."

    Seeing Alex''s stern expression, Starx began sweating profusely.

    "I-I''m not lying, Sir. I really don''t know what this is. I have only seen a creature like that even once, and even then��Sir!"

    Starx suddenly shouted mid-sentence while pointing behind Alex.

    Following Starx''s finger, Alex nced behind him only to see the creature running away on its legs.

    At first, Alex wasn''t very worried about the creature running away; its body was so battered that he could catch it before it could get far.

    "T-The old man!"

    It wasn''t until Starx mentioned Cedrix that Alex remembered that Cedrix was sleeping near the carriage.

    ''Sh*t, I forgot about him!''

    Alex turned back, and as he feared, the creature was running towards the unsuspecting old man''s body.

    The instant it was upon the old man, the creature''s tail whipped in the direction of Cedrix''s head!

    Just as the creature''s tail was about to hit Cedrix, and Alex was about to blink in front of it to stop it,rge vines emerged from the ground and wrapped around the creature''s body, preventing it from moving even a finger.

    An instantter, the carriage door opened, and the girls walked out of it.

    Alex sighed in relief and smiled at Amelia.

    "Thanks for the help."

 Chapter 154 : Starx’s request

    Chapter 154 : Starx��s request

    "You were too reckless!" scolded Lilia, her brow furrowed into a frown. "What would you have done if something happened to Cedrix?" she added.

    "Calm down, I could have blinked and appeared before the creature, stopping it before��"

    "Still! You shouldn''t divert your attention from your enemy!" eximed Lilia.

    "Okay, okay, you are right, but you truly don''t have to worry, I had the situation in control!"

    Alex approached Lilia and, with his fingers, gently lifted the corners of her mouth into a smile. "Don''t frown too much; otherwise, you might get wrinkles before your time."

    She pped his hand away. "Be serious."

    Although she said this, the corners of her mouth were still raised into a smile.

    Meanwhile, Amelia and Anna approached the once-masked man whose bodyy on the ground with blood oozing out of his mouth.

    They crouched next to him and observed his face.

    "He is really ugly,"mented Amelia while poking the man''s face with a stick.

    Anna nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he looks more like a pig than a human."

    ''Bitches!'' shouted the man in his head.

    Contrary to what they thought, the man was actually awake and aware of everything happening around him.

    He had awakened a few minutes ago and had been biding his time, waiting for the right moment to escape. That right moment hade when the creature was about to kill the old man, and Alex''s attention was on it.

    However, just as he was about to stand up and run, those women had toe out of the carriage and save the old man! This action had spoiled all his ns. They had spoiled all his ns, and like it wasn''t enough, they were now calling him ugly?

    ''Bitches, I will get back at you!'' he vowed in his heart.

    Noticing something weird, Anna tilted her head until she came face to face with the man.

    "Hey, you. You''re awake, right?"

    The man''s back and forehead immediately got covered in cold sweat.

    ''How did she know?!'' he wondered, his back quickly bing drenched.

    However, he still pretended to be unconscious.

    ''I''m certain she is just bluffi��''

    "Hey, guys, this one is awake!" shouted Anna to Alex and Lilia.

    ''The bitch!''

    Having no choice, the man decided that it was better to stop feigning unconsciousness and act to escape.

    ''I will be taking her as a hostage. She is mere level 3 anyway��''

    Before he could even finish his thought process, vines appeared from the ground, coiling around the man like serpents seeking to im their prey.

    ''Sh*t.''

    The instant the vines wrapped around his body, the man became aware that he waspletely and utterly screwed.

    "Oh, is he awake?"

    The instant he heard that voice that seemed like the devil''s, the man''s body began involuntarily shaking from fright.

    "From how you are shaking, it''s clear that you are awake. Open your eyes!"manded Alex.

    Against his better judgment, the man refused toply. He knew that he should obey since it was already clear that he had awakened, but the thought ofing eye to eye with Alex flooded him with dread. The least one could say is that Alex has traumatized him.

    "If you don''t open your eyes within the next three seconds, I''ll pierce them, ensuring they never open again."

    "One, two��"

    "Wait, wait, wait, please have mercy!" eximed the man, his eyes fully opened.

    "You see, when you want to, it wasn''t that difficult," Alex smiled in satisfaction.

    Encountering those gray eyes sent a shiver down the man''s spine.

    "Name?" inquired Alex, his expression turning stern.

    "Bogre."

    "So, Bogre, do you know what that thing is?" Alex pointed to the creature that the tattooed man has be. "Don''t try to lie; I would know," he added.

    Bogre carefully observed the creature, then shook his head. "I don''t know. The only time I have seen something simr was when one of the five heads turned into one."

    "Five heads? Who are they?"

    "It refers to the five people who lead the underworld," answered Bogre.

    "What happened then?"

    "I''m not sure. The five heads were in a meeting when suddenly one of them burst out from the meeting room, and an instantter, he began transforming into something simr to that thing."

    "Hmm, what is your link with the five heads? I mean, what were you doing in a meeting of the ruler of the underworld? You don''t seem like someone that useful,"mented Alex.

    Bogre gritted his teeth and responded, "Contrary to what you might be thinking, I have a good standing since I am one of the third head guards."

    "Is that so?"

    "Absolutely, which is why you need to think twice before you do anything to me. You might-"

    Alex smacked Bogre on the head.

    Alex smacked Bogre on the head.

    "Shut it, I''m thinking."

    As Alex pondered how to capitalize on his newfound knowledge, he caught sight of Starx approaching the creature with a sword in hand from the corner of his eye.

    "What do you think you are doing, kid?"

    Starx flinched.

    "Uh, I-I''m..." he stammered, not knowing what to say.

    Alex''s brows furrowed into a frown, having a strange suspicion.

    ''Don''t tell me he is trying to erase the evidence.''

    Was he wrong about the young man?

    Just as Alex started wondering this, Starx, understanding what Alex was thinking, waved his hands in denial.

    "It''s not what you think," he said with a bitter smile.

    "Then why are you trying to kill him?"

    The young man fell silent, seemingly thinking about something.

    Alex didn''t rush him and instead turned towards Bogre and asked him a few questions.

    A momentter, Starx sighed.

    "He sold my mother and sister," he said, his face contorted in rage.

    "Hmm?" Alex turned and stared at the young man.

    "One year ago, my vige was attacked by a group of bandits. A group of bandits led by this bastard!" Starx pointed at the creature, his face filled with hatred.

    "Since there were no warriors among the vigers, it didn''t take them long topletely loot our vige. We thought that they would leave after that, but instead, those bastards decided to turn our vige into their base."

    "During that time, they started persecuting the vigers, and before long, they began selling the vigers as ves. Among those they decided to sell were my mother and sister." At that point, Starx''s eyes were practically red from anger, his hands balled into fists.

    "When I thought everything was over, this bastard approached me, saying that if I ept working for them for a year or two, they would release my mother and sister. Obviously, I epted his offer and began working for them. Each time we encountered a group like yours, I was charged to present them as adventurers because, as they said, ''people are more receptive when the one speaking to them is handsome/beautiful.''"

    "The entire time I was working for them, we were traveling, so I didn''t know the situation of my family. But since I had a deal with them, I wasn''t worried about their safety." Starx''s fists were clenched so tightly that they began drawing blood.

    "I worked for them for a year before learning that these sons of b*ches haven''t kept their end of the bargain. They sold my mother and sister the same day we made the deal!"

    Starx suddenly dropped to his knees in front of Alex, his forehead touching the ground.

    "Please, don''t stop from killing this bastard!" he pleaded.

    Looking at the kneeling young man, Alex didn''t know what to do. The reason he didn''t kill the creature in the first ce was that he was certain Scarlett would want to study it, and he was also curious about the creature.

    ''But can I deny the kid his revenge because of that?'' he wondered.

    He wasn''t sure what to do, so he looked toward the person to whom he always turned when he wasn''t certain what to do.

    Lilia nodded at him, "allow the kid his revenge. Plus, we can''t carry this thing with us if it''s alive anyway."

    Alex sighed.

    "You can do whatever you want with it," he said to the young man.

    Curiously, despite him allowing Starx his request, the young man didn''t make a move and was still in his position.

    "Didn''t you hear me? I said that you can do what you want with it," repeated Alex.

    "I heard you, sir. It''s just that I have another request."

    Alex suddenly felt a headacheing his way, but he still asked Starx what his second request was.

    "BECOME MY MASTER!"

 Chapter 155 : Stubborn

    Chapter 155 : Stubborn

    "Be my master" shouted Starx in a prostrated position.

    "No," answered Alex.

    He dismissed Starx''s request without a second thought, the reason behind it crystal clear.

    ''How would I be someone else''s master while I''m weak and am also trying to be strong?''

    In Alex''s point of view, there were a lot of things he needed to learn, to study, to practice. He didn''t feel like with his current strength he could perfectly protect himself or his family, so how could he endorse the role of a master? Hecked experience, and quite frankly, in the grand scheme of things, his current self may even be perceived as weak.

    However, for Starx, it was the opposite. In his eyes, Alex was the strongest man he knew beside the four heads of the underworld, and even then, he wasn''t certain if they were stronger than Alex. The sole time he saw them fighting, they were ganging up on the fifth head who had be a chimera.

    For someone who has lived in a small vige and then spent all his time traveling with individuals of level 2-3, with barely some of them reaching level 4, Alex, who could kill an ogre by himself ande out unscathed, who killed more than a dozen of level 2-3''s and 4 level 4''s in the blink of an eye, was like a god!

    ''There''s no one better than him to be my master,'' he told himself.

    Thus, his heart nearly broke when Alex rejected his request to be his master without a second thought.

    "Is it because Ick talent?" he asked.

    "No, I just don''t want to," replied Alex.

    Starx finally raised his head, understanding that Alex had no intention of bing his master.

    Just then, he remembered that each time he asked something from Alex, whether for the ogre''s corpse or permission to kill the creature, his wife would plead in his favor.

    ''Perhaps if I convince her, she might, in turn, convince him to be my master,'' he thought.

    s, when he looked at Lilia, she shook her head.

    ''You need to convince him yourself, little one,'' thought Lilia.

    Although she knew that if she asked Alex to take in Starx as a disciple, he would surely ept since he rarely denied her something, she didn''t want to be the one to force him into a master-disciple rtionship.

    She knew all too well the weight of such a rtionship. To convince her husband to be someone''s master while he clearly didn''t want to, plus, it was doubtful if he currently had the capabilities to be one.

    Understanding he wouldn''t get help from Lilia, Starx nced at Anna and Amelia, hoping that maybe those two would support him, only to see them shake their heads at him.

    Those two refusing to help him convince Alex made it clear to Starx that he could only count on himself to persuade Alex. Judging by thetter''s expression, it seemed that he wouldn''t change his decision no matter what Starx did or said. Yet, Starx had no intention to give up.

    ''I will convince him, no matter what!'' he vowed, his eyes filled with determination.

    "No, you won''t be able to convince me," Alex told him, as if he could read his mind.

    Starx leaned further until his forehead touched the ground and stated, "Please ept to be my master. I won''t move from this position until you ept to be my master!"

    "Suit yourself."

    Alex turned around and addressed the girls, "Prepare yourselves; we will leave once Cedrix wakes up."

    The girls shot a pitying gaze at Starx and went to prepare themselves. There wasn''t much to prepare anyway, so in just a few minutes, they were ready to go.

    However, they couldn''t leave until Cedrix woke up. He was the only one who knew the direction they should go, as he possessed tracking abilities.

    Since they had to wait for the old man to wake up, each girl went to do her own thing: Lilia began meditating, Anna cooked breakfast, and Amelia was crossbreeding nts using her Cell Master ability.

    Meanwhile, Alex was grilling Bogre for more information about the underworld.

    ''Hmm, it might be a good idea to have an influence in the underworld,'' thought Alex after Bogre had finished sharing with him how the "mafia" in the Fiore Empire worked.

    Although Bogre didn''t know everything about the mafia, he knew enough to make Alex understand that the "mafia" could be either a menace or an opportunity for his ns regarding the Fiore Empire.

    When he sat down to contemte what he had learned, Amelia approached and sat next to him.

    "What is your decision regarding the kid?" she wondered while leaning her head on his shoulders.

    "I already gave him my answer; if he wants to be stubborn, then it''s his choice," Alex shrugged.

    Amelia remained silent for a moment then chuckled.

    "What are you making youugh?"

    "Nothing, I was just thinking that he does resemble you."

    "You are joking, right?"

    "Nuh-uh, think about it. For one, he is handsome, of course not as much as you��"

    "Obviously."

    "��and he is also stubborn like you."

    "What are you talking about? I''m not stubborn; at least I know when to give up when there are no chances of me seeding," Alex countered.

    "Is that so?"

    "Of course��"

    "Then what about the time you were courting Lilia?"

    Alex immediately got silent, making Amelia giggle.

    "Okay, I admit I may have been a little stubborn at that tim��"

    "A little? Did you forget that you got��"

    "Alright, I may have been stubborn at that time, but at least it was because I was certain that I would seed in conquering her heart, which I did, by the way."

    Alex nced at Starx and sighed, "However, this kid is being stubborn for nothing; he barely knows me, yet he is adamant on me being his master. Now that I think about it, this kid may have a few screws loose."

    Amelia giggled again.

    "Just think about it; perhaps taking him as a disciple might benefit you in some wa��"

    Before she could finish her sentence, Amelia spotted Cedrix finally showing signs of waking.

    "Think about it," she said while standing.

    "Mm."

    While Amelia was walking towards him, Cedrix woke up and observed around him, a hint of disorientation and confusion shing in them, but then he remembered that they hadnded in the middle of nowhere for the night and calmed down.

    *Growl*

    Cedrix suddenly heard a low growl next to him and turned his head to look in the direction the sound wasing from, and what he saw nearly caused him to have a heart attack.

    "OH GOD!!!" The old man yelped and quickly got up, about to run away.

    "Cedrix, calm down; he can''t do anything to you!" reassured Amelia.

    Hearing her voice, Cedrix turned towards Amelia.

    Seeing that the young womaning towards him was calm and didn''t seem afraid of the hideous thing he had just witnessed, the old man calmed down a little, however there was still a hint of dread in his eyes.

    Meanwhile, Alex wasughing off the old man''s reaction so much that tears could be seen at the corners of his eyes.

    A long whileter, when the old man hadpletely calmed and had his breakfast, Alex''s group was finally ready to depart.

    ''What to do with these two?'' he wondered, observing Starx and Bogre.

    His initial n concerning Bogre was to kill him after he obtained all the information from him, but he decided against it when he understood that he could use him as a spy or, better yet, a link to the underworld. The problem was that he couldn''t bring him with them since Bogre needed to return before the night; otherwise, it might arouse some suspicion around him. Still, Alex didn''t have nearly enough trust in him to let him go.

    As for Starx, deciding what to do with this stubborn young man proved challenging. It had been at least two hours since he dered that he wouldn''t budge from his position unless Alex epted him as a disciple. The young man kept his word, not moving an inch during this time, and it seemed like he genuinely had no intention of moving unless Alex agreed to ept him as a disciple.

    ''This kid is really too stubborn,'' he sighed.

    After a moment of thinking, Alex got an idea.

    He approached the prostrating Starx and stated, "I ept taking you as my disciple if you fulfill these two conditions."

 Chapter 156 : The two conditions

    Chapter 156 : The two conditions

    "I ept taking you as my disciple if you fulfill these two conditions," Alex uttered.

    The instant Alex spoke, Starx, who had been prostrating on the ground, quickly stood up, and in the blink of an eye, both of his hands were wrapped around Alex tightly.

    "Really? Do you ept to be my master?" Starx''s eyes were practically glowing, resembling a young boy whose father finally agreed to buy him the game he had been asking for.

    Seeing such enthusiasm, Alex sighed again. "I said that I would ept to be your master if you fulfill my two conditions. It''s not yet set in stone that I will be your master."

    "Yes, yes, I will do anything you want!" replied Starx with an overjoyed tone.

    "Begin by releasing my hand."

    "Oh, sorry about that." Starx released Alex''s hand and stepped back to give him more room. He tried to calm down but was too excited, so his eyes kept shining in delight.

    Alex''s expression became serious, and raising a finger, he stated, "The first condition is that you find your family."

    "Huh?" Starx got surprised hearing Alex''s first condition; he never thought that it would be tied to his family.

    ''Master cares even about my family; that proves that he is such a good person!'' he thought, his respect and admiration for Alex shooting to new heights.

    Starx furiously nodded his head. "I was going to find them even if you didn''t say, but I''m d that master is concerned about my family."

    "Don''t call me that ye."

    Starx nodded again, although from his smiling face, it was clear to Alex that he already considered him as his master.

    Watching Starx smiling like a fool, the corner of Alex''s mouth crept up into a smirk for a split second. ''Let''s see if you will be so happy after hearing my second condition.''

    His expression bing serious again, Alex raised another finger. "My second condition is that... you be one of the heads of the underworld."

    The smiling Starx suddenly stiffened, his eyes widening and studying Alex''s face to see if thetter was joking. s, Alex was dead serious; his second condition was really that Starx be one of the heads of the underworld.

    Quite frankly, he didn''t believe that the kid could achieve that second condition of his. Starx didn''t have the strength nor the guts to pull it off.

    However, there was still a chance for Starx to pull it off, a slim one but a chance nheless. In that case, Alex would dly ept to be Starx''s master. After all, bing the master of a young man able enough to rise from a nobody to one of the leaders of the underworld in the Fiore empire wasn''t such a bad thing, and the icing on the cake would be that Alex would have an influence on the underworld through Starx.

    Of course, there was the possibility of Starx not wanting to be his disciple after bing a head of the underworld, but it was doubtful if he could be one of the leaders in the mafia in the first ce.

    However, if that were to happen, then Alex just needs to make him remember the awe he felt today watching him ughter the bandits.

    Starx observed Alex''s face for a long moment, and when it sank in that Alex was really serious, his heart plummeted into the deepest part of his being.

    ''Me? Bing one of the heads of the underworld?!''

    The more he thought about it, the more Starx found the notion of him bing a head of the Mafia absurd. How could he achieve something like that when he was barely at the peak of level 1?

    ''Did master do this so that he wouldn''t be my master?'' It was the only usible reason for why Alex would impose such a condition on him.

    ''No, there is another reason!'' Starx''s eyes, which had dimmed after hearing Alex''s condition, shined again, this time much brighter than before.

    ''It''s because the master has faith in me that he entrusted me with such an important task like this one.'' Starxpletely forgot that bing a head of the mafia wasn''t a mission but a requirement to be Alex''s disciple.

    Starx suddenly dropped to one knee, and with a firm and determined expression, he stated, "I will aplish the mission the master has entrusted to me and return as one of the heads of the underworld."

    ''Mission? What the hell is this kid talking about?'' Alex wondered.

    However, he didn''t want to question Starx about it, seeing the expression thetter had.

    "Wait here; I''ming," ordered Alex.

    He returned to the carriage that was already prepared to depart and demanded a few things from Lilia. After that, he came back, but instead of going towards Starx, Alex went to Bogre.

    "Amelia, release this one."

    The instant he said this, the vines wrapping around Bogre''s body disappeared into the ground.

    As Bogre was rubbing his wrist, Alex retrieved a white paper and began scribbling something on it. After he was done writing, he manipted his smoke to make a small cut on his finger and let a few drops of his blood flow onto the paper.

    Following that, Alex tossed the paper to Bogre.

    "Sign this and drip a bit of your blood onto the paper," he coldly ordered.

    Bogre took the paper and read what was written on it. A momentter, he shouted in indignation, "There is no way I''m signing this!"

    "This thing is no different from a ve contract, no, it''s even worse than a ve contract!" He added.

    Bogre''s eyes became red as he reread the document Alex had just tossed to him.

    ''This guy is evil!'' he shouted internally.

    The piece of paper Alex had just given him was a soul contract, stating that Bogre would be in Alex''s service for the next thirty years. During this time, he couldn''t disobey any of Alex''s order and should he even entertain the thought of betraying Alex, he would lose his life.

    The worst thing was that he couldn''t terminate the contract by himself, and if there was ever a breach in the contract, he would always be the only one to bear the consequences. This means that no matter what breach urs in the contract, he would die. Alex had structured the contract in such a way that Bogre not being able to be ordered around is also considered a breach! So, for example, if Alex were to die, Bogre would also follow in his footsteps and die for the simple reason that he can''t be ordered around anymore!

    ''At least a ve wouldn''t die after their master kicks the bucket.''

    "Sign it," Alex repeated.

    "No wa-"

    "Either you sign this contract, or I kill you right this instant." The instant Alex uttered this, smoke began circling around Bogre, only waiting for Alex''s order to kill the man.

    "I will sign, I will sign!" Bogre immediately signed the contract and dropped a bit of his blood on the contract.

    The instant his blood touched the contract, it shimmered with a red light, and an instantter, Bogre felt a hand seize a part of him, a part that was the most important of him.

    ''My soul!''

    Bogre could only cry bloody tears because from this moment and for the forting thirty years, his soul and life weren''t his anymore.

    ''Still, it is better than dying,'' heforted himself.

    On the other hand, Alex felt nothing. Since it was stated in the contract that Bogre would be the only one suffering if there is ever a problem, the god of the contract didn''t do anything to his soul.

    "Get up," Alex ordered.

    The instant he ordered, Bogre stood up, fearful that even a dy of a second before executing Alex''s order might be considered an act of disobedience.

    "Starx,e here."

    "Yes!"

    Without waiting a second, Starx rushed towards Alex and stood in face of him and next to Bogre.

    "From this instant, Bogre here would be your bodyguard, you can make him do anything you want," Alex stated.

    Both Starx and Bogre''s eyes widened. They turned to stare at each other, then back at Alex, their faces portraying shock.

    "Bogre, from this instant, you will be his bodyguard. Disobeying any of Starx''s orders means disobeying mine, and you know what will happen in this case." Alex shed Bogre a cold smirk, making thetter shiver.

    Normally something like that wasn''t possible, but since Alex has made a use in which he states that he could assign Bogre to whomever he wants as a subordinate, and thetter couldn''t refuse, Bogre has no choice but toply.

    The two didn''t even get over their shock when Alex tossed a ring to Starx, turned around, and walked to the carriage.

    Just as he was about to climb on the carriage, he heard:

    "May I know master''s name?!" Shouted Starx on his knee.

    "Alexandre Eswald."

    "Disciple Starx Rimkass bids farewell to the master, until we meet again!"

    Alex nodded his head once, and a few secondster, the carriage departed.

 Chapter 157 : Starx Rimkass

    Chapter 157 : Starx Rimkass

    "A space ring filled with enough monster cores to allow him to be a level 3 and a level 4 bodyguard. For someone who didn''t want to take him as a disciple, you sure have given that kid a lot of gifts," Lilia cast a sidelong nce at her husband sitting next to her.

    Since Cedrix was still weak, it was decided that the old man would remain in the carriage while Alex took his ce in the coachman''s box to keep his wifepany.

    Raising his head from his book, Alex lingered for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, I judged that I should at least give him something to increase his strength if I want him to seed."

    "Are you sure it''s not because the kid resembles you?" Lilia teased.

    "No, and he doesn''t resemble me. Stop saying that!"

    "Yeah, sure," as she giggled, Lilia''s gaze got drawn toward the book in Alex''s hand. "What is it about?"

    "About the Virax race," Alex replied.

    Lilia hummed in acknowledgment. "Well, I''ll leave you to it," she said after a moment.

    Alex nodded and opened his book, but his mind was still on Starx. ''I hope the kid won''t get himself killed,'' he thought, shaking his head. He then concentrated on the book, erasing anything rted to Starx or their stop from his mind.

    ****

    On the ground, Starx kept waving his hands until the carriage hadpletely disappeared from the horizon. He lowered his gaze to observe the ring in his hand, then sent his mind into it. ''Whoa, so many cores!'' he eximed in his mind in surprise. Even when he traveled with bandits that raided viges and killed plenty of monsters, Starx has never seen so many cores. ''Master is such a good person!'' he thought, overjoyed that his master cared so much about him.

    "So, what do we do now?" asked Bogre while cing his mask on.

    "First of all..." Starx lowered himself and took his sword. Without uttering anything further, Starx approached the creature.

    As he drew near, the creature kept growling ferociously at the young man, but there was no fear in the eyes of thetter.

    Standing defiantly before the monster, Starx gripped his sword tightly. The gleam in his eyes no longer reflected the admiration he showed when looking at Alex; instead, they burned with a fiery mixture of hatred and rage.

    The intensity of his re was so intimidating that the creature''s mad growl ceased, its eyes that once looked at Starx as if he was prey now looking at him like he was the predator instead.

    Starx raised his sword, and by instinct, the creature closed its eyes, feeling that its life was about to end. However, the next instant, it felt its legs that were constrained by the vines touch the ground.

    Slice Slice Slice

    "What the f*ck are you doing?!" Shouted Bogre, an incredulous expression on his face while watching Starx cut down the vines wrapped around the creature''s body.

    "Are you insane!? Why are you releasing it?"

    Although the bones in both of the creature''s arms were shattered and its body was battered, the difference between the creature''s physical attributes and Starx''s was as vast as a chasm.

    ''This kid is going to get himself killed!'' thought Bogre, readying to intervene and save Starx since the death of thetter would cause his own death.

    Meanwhile, the creature''s eyes opened wide the instant they opened, clearly surprised that it was still alive.

    However, its surprise was only for a moment, the instant it realized that it was free, its serpentine tail shot toward Starx.

    The tail''s speed was so fast that the only thing Starx could perceive was a ck bluring towards him, but he didn''t panic, he has already anticipated that the creature would act like that, so he lowered his body before the tail moved, sessfully evading an attack that would have surely killed him.

    Knowing that he couldn''t remain in this position for more than a second, Starx stepped to his right, just in time to evade another attack.

    His eyes quickly scanned the creature''s body, looking for spots in which its scales were broken or missing, and he quickly found them.

    Due to Alex''s heavy blows to the creature, there were many of its scales missing and even more of them broken. The parts devoid of scales were mostly the creature''s arms, chest, and belly, so Starx targeted those spots.

    Starx thrust his sword, intending to pierce the creature''s chest, but thetter quickly managed to step back.

    However, since the creature''s body was pretty battered with broken arms, its speed was considerably lowpared to before, so although it managed to evade Starx''s sword, it still pierced it a little.

    The wound caused by Starx enraged the creature, and with a furious growl, its tail lunged at Starx.

    Despite the fact that his eyes couldn''t track the tail because of its speed, Starx anticipated its direction and moved ordingly.

    Starx knew that just a blow from the creature was enough to kill him, so he heightened his concentration to the peak, erasing anything that wasn''t rted to this fight from his head.

    The world seemed to slow down and shift, filtering and erasing everything that wasn''t rted to this fight. In this world, there was only him and his enemy, nothing else.

    Starx leapt backward to dodge an attack aimed at his head, then lunged at the creature, his sword shing at its chest.

    Unfortunately, this time again, he only barely managed to cause it a tiny wound, but it didn''t discourage Starx.

    He retreated back to evade the creature''s kick, sidestepped to dodge the tail, and lunged again, this time causing just a little wound.

    Under the incredulous gaze of Bogre, who thought that Starx would die after one exchange, Starx kept evading the creature''s attacks, wounding it, retreating, then lunging again to inflict another wound.

    Little by little, exchange after exchange, the wounds on the creature''s body increased. On the other hand, after each exchange, Starx gained momentum, his shes, cuts, and pierces sinking deeper and deeper into the creature, his dodges bing more refined.

    With each wound he inflicted on the creature, he became even more adept at using his sword, and with each dodge, his eyes became sharper.

    As the wounds increased on its already battered body, the creature''s speed became slower and slower until its attacks became visible for Starx. Following that, the fight became pretty much one-sided, with Starx unleashing his hatred and rage on the creature.

    Before long, the creature''s legs buckled, and it fell on its knees, blood seeping out of its countless wounds.

    "Pant, pant, pant...."

    Starx panted as he finally came to a stop, witnessing that his opponent couldn''t continue anymore. His breath was ragged, his clothes clung to his body,pletely wet from his sweat. Despite that, there wasn''t a single wound on Starx''s body.

    Fearing that his enemy might recover if he left him enough time, Starx held his sword with both arms and walked towards his enemy.

    The creature, on its knees, weakly raised its head and stared at Starx, eyes full of fear and a hint of recognition. It seemed like the human buried in it was resurging now that it was on the verge of death.

    Starx noticed this, but he didn''t really care. Whether it be in this form or its human form, Starx loathed with all his heart the creature, the man before him, so even if he was about to revert back to human, then what? It wasn''t that that''s going to stop him from exacting his vengeance.

    Starx''s lips parted, and he muttered, "Try not to be an asshole in your next life. Although, I doubt a bastard like you will have a next life."

    Starx raised his sword, then shed down with all the remaining strength in his body exactly at the spot where Alex''s leg hadnded on the creature''s head.

    The sword encountered no resistance and effortlessly cleaved the creature''s head in two.

    The dead creature''s body slumped down, and a secondter, Starx followed, falling on his butt.

    He was sweating, his whole body ached due to the strain this fight put on him. Despite that, a huge smile was stered on his face. He finally got his revenge on the man who had tormented him and had sold his family.

    "And now? What do we do?" asked Bogre, standing above the young man.

    Starx didn''t respond and remained on the ground for what felt like ten minutes, then stood up with shaky legs.

    "Will we go search for your family?" Bogre wondered.

    "No," answered Starx while dusting off his pants.

    "No? Then what are you nning to do now?"

    Starx retrieved his sword and ced it in his newly acquired space ring. "I will go search for my familyter. For now, I need to establish a footing in the underworld!"

    With that, Starx, followed by Bogre, walked back toward the vige the bandits were residing in.

    This day was the beginning of the adventures of Starx Rimkass, the man who flipped the whole underworld on its head!

 Chapter 158 : Arrival

    Chapter 158 : Arrival

    "Get inside and don''t make a noise!" ordered a muscr man to Anita''s group of kidnappees.

    ''Were the chains truly necessary? It''s not as if we''ll attempt an escape, Anita grumbled in a low voice, aware that if she made too much noise, the man before them might very well beat her up; he had already done so to one of the nobles who kept talking nonsense.

    Still, the chains around her wrists and ankles were hurting her. Moreover, those chains were heavy! Couldn''t those bastards see that she had a delicate body!?

    ''And here I thought I was a top-tier abductee,'' she chuckled, earning her a re from the muscr man.

    "Don''t make too much noise," whispered the nun next to her.

    ''But you''re making more noise than me!'' Anita nced towards the muscr man, worried that Mina''s speaking might attract his attention.

    However, even after a few seconds, the man didn''t say anything to Mina or so much as nce in her direction!

    ''How is that fair? I just chuckled, and he res at me. She''s literally speaking, and nothing. Bunch of racists!'' Anita grumbled before turning to walk towards the door the muscr man was pointing to, her chains rattling as she walked.

    "....!"

    The moment Anita and the other abductees stepped into the designated cell, they halted, struck by the incredible sight before them.

    Enormous. That was the only word capable of describing the interior of their new ''cell''. The dim light emanating from a litany of holes revealed rough, uneven walls that seemed to stretch endlessly into darkness. It was so vast that Anita was convinced it spanned for many kilometers, making her wonder their current location.

    The carriages in which Anita and the other abductees rode were covered, obscuring most of the road from their view. As a result, they had no clue about their current location; it was even doubtful if they were still in the Fiore Empire.

    "What the...." Anita''s words trailed off in shock when her gazended on what was inside the cell.

    If the vast interior of the cell was shocking, the number of people inside was even more surprising.

    Hundreds upon hundreds of humans could be seen inside the cell, and from their clothing, it was certain that these people came from every echelon of society��nobles, merchants, normal citizens, slum rats!

    ''Those people are...'' Anita couldn''t even think of an insult suitable for the ones who had kidnapped them, there was only one

    ''We''re screwed!''

    ****

    "Oh, interesting!" eximed Alex while reading.

    "What is?" inquired Lilia with a bored face.

    It had been two days since they separated from Starx and Bogre, and they were still flying in the direction of Cedrix''s daughter''s location.

    During thosest two days, barely anything interesting happened. The only slightly interesting event urred when a pack of level 3 monsters with fox-like appearances attacked the group on the first night.

    However, before the girls could alleviate their boredom by ying the monsters, Alex killed the creatures in a split second, thus leaving them in their state of boredom.

    This was why the moment Alex eximed that he found something interesting, Lilia''s ears perked up, and she nced at him, wanting to know what this interesting thing was.

    "I just stumbled upon something about the Virax bodies that could be a lead to how to solve my mana reserves problem," Alex answered his wife.

    Finally finding something to alleviate her boredom, Lilia concentrated on Alex.

    "I just read that the Virax''s insane reserves and control over mana result from them possessing a particr nd," Alex said.

    "I remember having read about this, but I don''t see how this would help you solve your problems," Lilia replied with a puzzled expression.

    "Did you forget what you told me thest time we talked about this?"

    "What I told you? I don''t- Ah, you mean your heart!" Lilia eximed.

    When Alex had asked Lilia if she knew a way to increase the mana in the body without having to level up, she answered that besides forming a core, she didn''t know. However, she had also shared with him something that Scarlett had said when Alex went from level 1 to level 4.

    From what Scarlett analyzed, the reason Alex could keep absorbing mana was because his organs, particrly his heart, could keep absorbing mana without exploding. When Lilia shared this with Alex, she had instructed him to look more into it; perhaps this fact could be used to solve his problems.

    "I see, you want to use your heart like the nd of the Virax to store mana, but there is-"

    "Hey, hold the reins!" eximed Alex.

    From habit, Lilia always held her chin with one hand while the other was under her breasts when she thought. However, they were currently in the air, and she was the one holding the reins attached to the pegasi. So, the instant she released her grip over the reins, the pegasi began descending towards the ground!

    "Oops, sorry," said Lilia while taking hold of the reins.

    "As I was saying, you can''t use the method you have in mind. What you want to do consists of transforming your heart into a mana tank, right?" Lilia asked while redirecting the pegasi upward.

    Alex nodded.

    "It''s a good idea, but there''s a problem. You don''t have enough control over your body to stop your heart from absorbing mana," Lilia exined.

    "True," nodded Alex, his brow furrowing into a frown.

    Truth be told, Alex has never been in a situation in which he desperately needed mana, and his reserves were depleted, so there was really no reason for him to keep looking for a way to increase his mana reserve. However, he thought differently. He was certain that a day woulde when he might be forced into a corner due to ack of mana, and even if this situation never urred, there was another reason for him wanting to have more mana, and this reason was none other than his ability to blink from one ce to another.

    One of the restrictions to why he can''t use this ability as he wants is that there should be smoke in the ce he wants to blink to, and the other restriction is the mana consumption. Each time he blinked, half of his mana was used. Hence, the need for him to increase his mana reserves.

    Beforeing to find Lilia, he had already thought of many ways, one of them being absorbing mana while using it. On Earth, he had read novels in which such a thing was possible, so he obviously tried to replicate this feat here. That''s the moment he realized that such a thing was impossible, insane even.

    Absorbing and using mana simultaneously was equivalent to inhaling and exhaling simultaneously! Something like that was absolutely impossible unless you have two independent respiratory systems!

    Beside this method, Alex has thought of many others but discarded them, like this one. However, this piece of information he learned about the Virax race gave him another idea that just might be the solution to his predicament, but it seemed that even with this new idea, there was a problem.

    Alex wasmenting this fact when suddenly his eyes widened in delight, having found a solution.

    "Cell master!" he eximed.

    "Hm?" Lilia nced at her husband curiously.

    "Amelia''s ability, cell master. With this ability, she might be able to help me transform my heart into a mana tank!" he exined excitedly.

    Lilia thought about his idea for a moment before shaking her head, "It might work, but it''s not set in stone. Plus, something like that might be dangerous; one wrong move could cause your heart to lose some of its functions."

    Lilia''s words toned down Alex''s excitement, but he wasn''t discouraged nheless. "I''m certain this might work, and I''m even more certain that sis could do it!"

    "Well then, talk to her about itter."

    Just as Alex was nodding, a knock from inside the carriage was heard.

    "Is there something wrong?" Lilia wondered.

    "No, it''s quite the contrary. Cedrix said that we are actually just above the location of his daughter," announced Anna.

    "Oh, good...." Alex''s words trailed off, his brows furrowing into a frown.

    He nced at Lilia and remarked that she was also frowning.

    "Ask Cedrix if he is certain we are at the right ce."

    A few seconds passed by before Anna spoke again.

    "He said that he is a hundred percent certain. His daughter is just below us. Is there a problem?"

    "Yeah, there just may be a problem."

    "Oh, what is it then?"

    "Two armies are battling just below us."

 Chapter 159 : Illusion

    Chapter 159 : Illusion

    "So... What do we do now?" questioned Amelia while observing the ongoing battle from afar.

    Since they didn''t want to get entangled in whatever battle was happening there, theynded on a small mountaintop a few kilometers away from the battlefield and have been observing the battle.

    One army wore armors adorned with the Fiore Imperial family emblem, while the soldiers on the other side donned the insignia of the Arianna royal family. Each army was led by four generals.

    "I don''t have a clue," answered Anna.

    "What I''m wondering about is howe there is such a big battle happening here in the territory of one of our neighbors, yet we didn''t know about it," said Lilia, incredulous.

    The battle unfolding below wasn''t a minor skirmish; it sprawled across several kilometers. It''s surprising that no one told Grace about it, especially since there''s just one territory between the one the battle was happening and their territories. Alex''snds might be directly affected, so why didn''t they know about it?

    As the girls chatted amongst themselves toprehend what was going on, and Cedrix was clutching his head in despair, thinking that he might never see his daughter again if she is indeed there, Alex was sitting silently on the ground, observing the battlefield with a frown on his face.

    Several minutester, he suddenly chuckled. Before the girls could ask him why he wasughing in this situation, he disappeared.

    Lilia, Amelia, and Anna looked at each other in confusion, all of them wondering where the hell did Alex go.

    However, they didn''t have to wonder for long because barely a minute after he disappeared, Alex reappeared with a smile on his face.

    "Where did you go?" the girls asked at the same time.

    "There," Alex pointed to the battlefield. Before they could chastise him about how reckless his action was, Alex chuckled and said, "it''s just an illusion."

    "Huh? What is an illusion?" wondered Anna.

    "This whole battlefield is an illusion," Alex stated with a wide smile on his face.

    Both the girls and Cedrix stiffened in their ce, their gazes following Alex''s finger until itnded on the battlefield where the two armies were still engaging in a furious battle.

    Cedrix, his face full of skepticism, was the first to react to Alex''s statement, "Not to doubt my lord''s words, but are you certain about what you''re talking about? Because this battle looks pretty real to me."

    Amelia and Anna nodded their heads in agreement with the old man''s words; they also thought that the battle happening just a few kilometers from them looked too real to be an illusion.

    Lilia was the sole person among them who didn''t directly contest Alex''s words. Instead, she focused on the battlefield, a frown gracing her delicate face, and a few secondster, her eyes widened in realization.

    "He is right... that''s an illusion," she confirmed Alex''s insane statement.

    Amelia and Anna nced at each other, then at Alex and Lilia, not knowing what to say. It''s not that they thought that Alex or Lilia would lie to them, but the idea that thisrge battlefield spanning for kilometers could be an illusion was dreadful.

    However, with how seriously Lilia and Alex stated that this was an illusion, the two women had no reason not to believe them.

    "What makes you say this is an illusion?" questioned Anna.

    While pointing at the battlefield, Alex disclosed, "If you carefully observe the people down there who are supposed to be in a ''battle,'' you will notice that they keep repeating the same actions."

    To confirm his words, Alex pointed to one of the generals of the Fiore Empire who had been suddenly shot down with an arrow made of fire by one of the generals of the Arianna kingdom.

    "This is the third time this same man has died since we arrived here, and in each of his deaths, he is always taken down by an arrow."

    As Alex exined, Amelia, Anna, and Cedrix could see the same general who had been killed just a few seconds earliering back to life. The peculiar thing was that he didn''t reappear at the same spot he was earlier, but hundreds of meters further. However, he wasn''t the only one whose spot had changed. The position of the general of the Arianna kingdom who had killed him in the first ce had also changed, and much like thest time, he shot a fire arrow that killed the general that had juste back to life. Just like that, the same scene kept repeating itself, but at various ces on the battlefield.

    "It''s the same for all the other fighters. The same action keeps repeating itself but at different ces. Yet, it takes one to be incredibly focused to notice it. I don''t know the level of the ones who made this illusion, but they are good, really good, and extremely dangerous," Alex stated.

    Alex had to hand it to the ones who created this illusion; they were the best illusionists he had ever seen. That was quite thepliment, considering how highly he thought of Iris'' skills.

    Iris was none other than the wife, or rather ex-wife, of Alex''s friend who had killed the previous, Felix.

    She was the very one who had given birth to four of Alex''s children. Yet, her husband, or his family, never had doubts about the fact that the children weren''t his. He never even doubted that she was in a rtionship with Alex.

    Considering that Felix''s own family was a noble family with a good standing in the Fiore Empire, it became obvious that it was nearly impossible to hide such a ring secret from them. Yet, no one found out until a few months ago. Such a thing was only possible due to Iris''s illusion ability.

    She was able to make their daughters look exactly like Felix, and even when thetter''s family used other ways besides physical resemnces to determine if the girls were Felix''s, nothing was found. Hell, the woman was so good at using her illusion ability that her husband never had an idea about the fact that he has never had sex with her!

    Each time the poor man thought he was with his wife, he was, in fact, having sex with an illusory version of her. Meanwhile, it was Alex who was railing her!

    Even though some of her talent could be exined by the fact that she was a half-elf, one couldn''t deny that the woman was also very smart in how she used her ability.

    ''Now that I''ve thought about it, I have to go save them, quick,'' Alex thought. However, although he thought this, Alex wasn''t really hurried.

    He was certain that even now he couldn''t defeat that woman in a fight, so there was no need to hurry to go save them. If there was a danger that she couldn''t get rid of, then that means that even if Alex, with his current strength, went to save her, he wouldn''t be able to change much in her situation.

    All of that to say that Alex has a very high opinion of Iris when ites to her illusion abilities. That''s why he never thought that he would find someone with much better skills than her.

    Iris cast an illusion on her daughters for years, which was quite incredible, but the battlefield in front of Alex spans for kilometers, and only gods know for how long this illusion has been here.

    "I''m actually wondering, howe the Imperial family or the nobles in charge of this territory never noticed this? I can understand them not knowing that it''s an illusion, but they should at least notice that there''s a battle happening here ande investigate, right?!" said Anna with a puzzled face.

    "Forget it, it''s not our ce to think about such things. We are here to save Cedrix''s daughter, that''s all. The rest doesn''t concern us. If the noble ruling thisnd is ipetent enough to not notice this, then it''s his/her problem, not ours," said Alex.

    Although he said this, Alex felt that it wasn''t so simple. There was surely something preventing others from noticing this battlefield/illusion, which posed the question: howe that his group could notice it?

    However, Alex didn''t linger on it. He didn''t have nearly enough information to deduce anything, so he would just aplish the mission for which he came and get the f*ck out after doing so.

    "But how do we break the illusi-"

    Amelia didn''t even finish her sentence when the scenery of the battlefield shifted into something else��a forest.

    "No matter how powerful an illusion is, its weakness won''t ever change. As long as you know that an illusion is there, then it ceases to exist."

 Chapter 160 : Waves

    Chapter 160 : Waves

    "Okay, now I''m convinced that there''s something wrong with the ruler of thesends," expressed Alex as he observed the green and verdant forest that was beyond the illusion.

    The forest was simply too vast, yet the entirety of it had disappeared after the illusion was cast on it, and the noble ruling thosends wasn''t aware?

    "It''s impossible to be ipetent enough to not notice that a whole forest that is situated in yournds has disappeared, so he is either in cahoots with whatever is happening here, or he is manipted, I can''t see another possibility," added Amelia.

    "We will think about itter; for now, let''s focus on the reason why we came here," Lilia stated. "Cedrix''s daughter should be in that forest, so let''s go."

    After that, the group descended from the mountaintop and walked towards the forest. They left the carriage and the pegasi on the top of the mountain because it was considered the safest ce in this region.

    Even though they proceeded by foot, it barely took them ten minutes to cross the few kilometers that separated them from the forest.

    "Be silent. Don''t talk unless it''s necessary. We could be attacked at any moment, so be careful and alert the others as soon as you notice anything unusual," Alex instructed the girls before turning to Cedrix, "In which direction should we go?"

    "The signales from this direction, my lord," answered Cedrix.

    Alex nced at the direction the old man was pointing to and nodded, then made a gesture to the girls to get in formation.

    On the way to the forest, it was already decided in which formation the group would move into the forest, so it didn''t take time for everyone to take their positions.

    Alex stood at the front of the group, with Cedrix behind him. Amelia and Anna nked the old man on either side, and Lilia was at the end of the formation. Their formation was a formation created to protect Cedrix since he was not a fighter and was their guide.

    Before entering, Anna drew two blue twin daggers, while Alex expelled the smoke that was in his body and used some of it to create a gaseous barrier around them.

    Amelia and Lilia, on the other hand, didn''t take out or do anything. Lilia didn''t deem it necessary right now, and there was no need to in Amelia''s case. After all, there was no better ce for a nt user to fight than in a forest.

    After everyone was ready, the group began their march inside the forest.

    The moment they entered the forest, Alex began feeling uneasy. There was something strange in this forest.

    ''It''s too quiet,'' he remarked.

    Besides the sounds of their footsteps, he could barely make out any other sounds, which was odd for such arge forest in the middle of the day.

    The further they advanced, the stronger the feeling of uneasiness grew until he suddenly felt a strange ripple in their surroundings. Then, the forest, which he found too quiet, suddenly erupted with all sorts of sounds!

    From roars and howls to buzzing, etc., the forest seemed to have suddenlye back to life. For Alex, who thought the forest was too quiet, hearing those sounds should have reassured him. However, the opposite happened; now, he was certain that something was wrong!

    He was proven right when he felt a tremor running through the ground, and secondster, various monsters, wild animals, and mindless beasts appeared, each running towards their group.

    "That''s quite the weing party," Amelia chuckled.

    "Indeed" Alex nodded with a smirk.

    He quickly used his senses to gauge the levels of the monstersing towards them and realized that almost all of them were just level 3.

    Seeing that they were low-level monsters, he rxed a bit, but remained cautious.

    As the groups of monsters further approached, the tremor in the ground became more intense, and the sounds produced by the monsters became frenzied. One could feel in their gazes that they were eager to sink their sharp teeth into the flesh of the tender humans before them.

    ''Heh,e,e, let''s y together,'' Alex grinned.

    The instant Alex thought this, he expanded the smoke around him before shaping it into several figures.

    The constructs of smoke were obviously Alex''s smoke knights. During the past few days, he has trained himself to be more efficient in controlling those knights, which means that now, contrary to before, the level of control he has over the smoke knights allowed him to control up to five at the same time. Also, his smoke knights now don''t have legs.

    During his training, he understood that trying to make the smoke knights stand and walk like humans was useless since it didn''t allow them as much mobility as when their lower parts are still gaseous.

    Without wasting a single second, the newly created smoke knights charged at the monstersing towards Alex''s group. One of them brandished the sword in its hands and pierced the head of a deer-like creature with sharp fangs and antlers.

    Two other knights, one with an axe and the other with a spear, attempted to y a jaguar with jet-ck fur and three horns on its head. However, just as their des were upon the beast, it dissolved into the shadows before reappearing behind the knights and tearing them apart.

    However, before the jaguar had time to turn and search for a new prey, a spear pierced its belly, and following that, an axe descended on the beast''s head, brutally severing it.

    Simr scenes unfolded all around the ce. While the beasts managed to destroy the knights, thetter reformed just behind them, attacking from their blind side. In this manner, Alex''s five knights slowed down the beasts'' pace and even brought them to a halt.

    The smoke knights were effective in slowing down the beasts, but their numbers were overwhelming. Some managed to bypass the knights and charge at Alex''s group. However, they never reached their target. The branches of the trees in the surroundings suddenly elongated, wrapped around the beasts'' bodies, and crushed them until they exploded into a fountain of blood and gore.

    In a matter of minutes, ny-nine percent of the attacking beasts were killed, either by Amelia or Alex''s knights.

    "Fortunately, they were just a bunch of level 3," Alex sighed in relief.

    However, the instant he finished his sentence, he felt another tremor running through the ground. This time, contrary to the first, the tremor was more intense, and soon, another wave of beasts was running towards them. The beasts in this wave were clearly of a higher level than those in thest wave.

    "Way to go, brother. You just had to jinx it," Amelia red at Alex.

    "Sorry, I guess..." Alex scratched his head while chuckling.

    "Prepare yourselves this time, I might not be able to stop them all," advised Amelia to Lilia and Anna.

    They just had time to nod before the wave of beasts was upon them.

    Alex immediately sent his five knights forward, but contrary to thest time, the knights were easily destroyed. Even when they reappeared behind the beasts, they couldn''t y them because before they had time, another beast would destroy them.

    The beasts quickly bypassed the knights and directly attacked Alex''s group.

    Understanding that his knights were useless, Alex dismissed them and instead shaped the smoke into different kinds of weapons that he used to attack the beastsing towards them. Despite that, some of the beasts managed to approach them. For those that managed to do so, Alex didn''t use his smoke element to attack them, but his fists.

    Since he didn''t bother to hold back some of his strength, each punch, kick, or blow from Alex instantly killed the beasts. He was already strong enough to snap the spine of an ogre with one punch anyway, so those beasts didn''t pose much threat to him to begin with.

    Behind him, Amelia skillfully utilized the trees nearby, either swatting the beasts to death, wrapping branches around them to grind them into paste, or transforming the branches into sharp des to skewer the creatures. She was by far the one that caused the most damage to the horde of beasts. Yet, she didn''t stop there; she created a protective cocoon made of vines to shield Cedrix, thus allowing Anna and Lilia to fight without having to constantly pay attention to Cedrix''s safety.

    The instant Cedrix''s safety was guaranteed, Anna and Lilia could finally wholeheartedly concentrate on the battle ahead.

    Lilia decided to join Alex on the front; Anna, on the other hand, remained to protect the cocoon. She activated her ability and instantly disappeared. It was as if she was never there in the first ce �C invisible, with no sight, scent, or sound revealing her presence.

    The only thing that proved she was still there was the dropping corpses of the beasts that attempted to attack the cocoon.

    As the saying goes, ''Unknown threats are often the most perilous.'' With every monster corpse that fell, Anna continued to affirm the truth behind those words.

    On the other side, the moment Lilia joined Alex, she noticed a beast trying to sneak up on him. She swiftly pulled out a light sword from her space ring and cleanly severed the beast''s head. Lilia didn''t possess as much strength as Alex to kill level 4 beasts with just a punch, so she relied on a weapon to either kill or fatally wound her enemies.

    "Thanks," said Alex, delivering a sidekick to another beast, smashing its head.

    "Don''t mention it," Lilia shed him a smile before charging at the beasts.

    Unlike Alex, who focused on killing the beasts that attacked him, Lilia chose to charge at them.

    "And she says I''m too reckless,"mented Alex, watching his wife forcing her way into the monsters'' ranks.

    Alex grabbed a wolf''s paw attacking him from behind, threw it on the ground, and crushed its head with the sole of his foot. The animal''s blood sttering on his clothes.

    He looked up just in time to see Lilia''s sword about to sh with another wolf''s ws.

    At the very moment when Lilia''s sword and the wolf''s ws were about to make contact, she swiftly sidestepped and severed the wolf''s neck. Then, she spun around to evade the next attack, which came from a jaguar. She stabbed her sword into the jaguar''s side, gripped its leg with her other hand, and hurled the jaguar against three wolves that were pouncing on her.

    The jaguar''s body crashed into the three wolves, halting them in their tracks. Even before they couldnd on the ground, Lilia''s sword shed three times, piercing the heads of the three wolves.

    As the wolf''s corpse finallynded on the ground, Lilia was already severing the head of another beast. There were no unnecessary moves in Lilia''s attacks; she always sought the most efficient way to kill her enemies without wasting too much energy. She masterfully evaded the beasts'' attacks, counterattacked, and killed her enemies, making her way deeper into the tide of monsters. Yet, it seemed that none of them could even touch her, let alone wound her.

    To Alex, who was observing her in between the attacks of the monsters, she seemed like she was a dancer, albeit a dangerous and extremely deadly one. Each time Lilia''s sword shed, one or many lives crumbled away like a fragile sandcastle sumbing to the relentless waves of her deadly strikes. On the other hand, with each beast she killed, her lips curved up a little into a smile, her eyes gaining a glint that wasn''t there before.

    As the battle progressed, Lilia''s killing speed only increased, her battle style shifting from a graceful dance to a brutal onught, leaving a trail of fallen monsters in her wake.

    Meanwhile, the smile on her face distorted, bing manic, with a hint of ecstasy appearing in the depths of her scarlet eyes. She kept killing, killing, and killing until there was no life to reap anymore.

    Lilia finally came to a stop, the blood on her sword dripping on the ground. All around her, a litany of corpsesy on the ground like a macabre tapestry.

    Observing the carnage she had caused, Lilia sighed, closing her eyes. When she opened them again, the hint of dark glee that was in them had been reced by her usual calm demeanor.

    She turned around only to be met by wide eyes staring at her as if she were an alien, making Lilia sigh again.

    "What...the heck was that?" Questioned Alex with a dazed expression.

    At first, he had admired Lilia''s beautiful battle style, but as the battle progressed, he was left with wide, surprised eyes as he witnessed Lilia butchering level 4 monsters like they were merembs. She seemed to have entered a weird state in which the only thing that mattered to her was to kill, and by the distorted smile on her face, it seemed that she was greatly enjoying what she was doing. It was to the point that she didn''t even notice that she had drawn the aggro of all the beasts in the surroundings to herself.

    ''I''m beginning to feel like I really don''t know my wife,'' thought Alex with a bitter smile. However, the bitterness quickly disappeared from his face, reced by arge teasing one.

    "Hoho, it seems that-"

    Before he could even finish the joke he was about to say, Alex felt another tremor running through the ground.

    "Gods, not again!" grumbled Amelia.

    Once more, the ground trembled beneath them as another wave of monsters and beasts approached. Though fewer in number than the previous waves, the creatures in this wave were significantly more dangerous, posing a greater threat than all the previous wavesbined.

    "Level 5...." Anna muttered with a nk expression.

    Alex, who was near her, heard what she said and patted her on the head while smiling at her, "Don''t worry, I will take care of them. I was precisely wondering how I would fare against a level 5 being, and a bunch of them just appear before me. It''s the perfect opportunity to test out-"

    "No, we aren''t going to fight them," Lilia dered.

    Now that she had regained herposure, she remembered what they came here for, and it certainly wasn''t to fight waves after waves of monsters, plus...

    "We will lose if we fight more than three level 5 at once," she added.

    Seeing Alex raise an eyebrow in question, she quickly exined, "Much like humans, monsters get an insane boost during their ascension from level 4 to level 5. If it were only that, it would still be doable to kill many of them, but there is another thing. Once a monster reaches level 5, they start to acquire intelligence, and it is much more difficult to fight an intelligent foe than a mindless one."

    What Lilia exined wasn''t all there was to the boost a monster gained when they attained level 5, but it was enough to make Alex understand that trying to fight a bunch of level 5 creatures currently wasn''t a good idea.

    "Okay, let''s get out of here," Alex stated before turning to Cedrix, "did you manage to precisely locate where your daughter is?"

    The old man nodded his head and pointed to thergest mountain in the forest, "there."

    "Okay, then let''s go!"

 Chapter 161 : Pursuit

    Chapter 161 : Pursuit

    "Okay, let''s go!" dered Alex, lifting Cedrix and cing him on his shoulder.

    "M-My lord?!"

    "I''d prefer that over you slowing us down," replied Alex.

    Although he was talking about Cedrix slowing them down, Alex didn''t take off immediately.

    Before leaving, he infused his smoke into the corpses of the fallen monsters until it reached the cores, then began extracting the cores from the bodies.

    "What are you doing?! Let''s go," urged Anna.

    "Go ahead without me; I will catch up," Alex answered.

    "Don''t be greedy!" chided Amelia.

    "I said I will catch up with you, so go."

    "Humph!"

    The girls harrumphed and departed, leaping from branch to branch.

    Alex, on the other hand, was busy collecting the monsters'' cores. What he was doing might be considered greedy, but there was no way he would abandon so many monsters'' cores!

    ''They should be worth a fortune!'' he thought with shining eyes while extracting the monsters'' cores.

    For Alex, who was determined to gain money at all costs, there was no way he would abandon such a fortune and run away. He had to at least take some of the cores with him.

    Cedrix on his shoulder just stared wide-eyed as the tide of monsters was nearing, while Alex was busy collecting monsters'' cores.

    "M-My lord, they are upon us!" shouted Cedrix in panic.

    Alex nced behind his back and clicked his tongue, seeing that the old man was right. The monsters were hundreds of meters from them, but with their levels, covering such a distance wouldn''t take long.

    Alex nced at the monsters'' corpses with a dejected face and turned to leave. If he had time, he would have taken both the corpses and cores, but s...

    He stored the cores he managed to extract inside his space ring and set out to leave. Before departing, he expanded the smoke for fifty meters around him and made it as thick as possible. All around him, there was nothing but a dense, multicolored smoke.

    The beasts charging towards him all came to a stop as their sight was obstructed by the smoke.

    Taking advantage of their brief inaction, Alex left, moving at his fastest speed, knowing that the monsters wouldn''t remain inactive for long. Such a trick could onlyst a few seconds because the instant the creatures understood they couldn''t see with their eyes, they would shift to using mana to locate his position. Alex knew that, but he did it anyway to give himself a head start.

    As he jumped from tree to tree while following the trail of the girls, he felt a slight pang of regret for having taken Cedrix with him. If he hadn''t, the monsters wouldn''t have been able to locate his position at all since he can''t be detected in a smokey environment, and they also couldn''t locate his position by using their sense of smell because of the smoke.

    Alex could have passed the old man to one of the girls to carry him and had all the time he wanted to harvest the cores. However, he decided against it for two reasons. First, the one tasked to carry the old man would be slower than the others, which would slow the pace of the whole group. Cedrix may be old, but he was still very heavy.

    The second reason, on the other hand, was simple: he just didn''t want another man so close to his wives. Yeah, it was a little...

    But he didn''t care! As long as there was another way, he would rather take it than allow another man to be close to his wives.

    Was he a bit too possessive? Hell yes! Would he change that about himself? Hell no!

    Anyway, as he thought, it didn''t take even a minute for the monsters to realize that trying to locate their prey using eyes or smell was futile. They chose to locate Alex through mana.

    It didn''t take them long to find his position since he wasn''t very far. The instant they got his position, they began tracking him. A few momentster, the monsters emerged from the thick smoke, spotted Alex jumping from tree to tree, and immediately gave chase.

    Alex nced behind him only to see the monsters quickly closing the gap.

    "Sh*t! They are fast," he cursed under his breath.

    ''Status,'' he called in his mind, and a secondter, the usual transparent blue screen appeared before his eyes.

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 130

    Agility: 80

    Stamina: 160

    Defense: 80

    Mana Points: 75

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke Sovereign;

    Soul Points: 120]

    Witnessing the number of soul points he had, Alex whistled in appreciation.

    Alex rarely summoned the system interface to check his status, only doing it when he was about to enhance one of his stats, which he didn''t do for a while.

    ''Thest time I had seventy points, which means that there is an increase of fifty points, cool,'' Alex smiled.

    Besides the time he spent with both Amelia and Anna in the carriage, Alex didn''t manage to do anything naughty with either of his wives thest two days. That means the fifth point increase came from the double blowjob he got from Anna and Amelia.

    ''Now I''m certain, I definitely need to bring Lilia next time,'' Alex decided.

    The prospect of having his three wives at the same time and the potential points he might gain due to that was enough to make Alex salivate, but he quicklyposed himself. ''It''s neither the time nor the moment to think about that, focus,'' he told himself.

    ''Raise my agility until it equals my strength,'' Alex addressed the system.

    [Are you-]

    ''Yes.''

    [Starting the process...]

    The instant the enhancement process began, Alex felt the usual cool energy rush inside his body, but today he couldn''t waste time enjoying it while a horde of frenzied beasts was chasing him.

    [Process finished]

    Alex nodded in appreciation, feeling that he could run faster than his current speed. He nced behind him to see that the beasts were swiftly closing the gap between them.

    Alex thought of something, then suddenly took a sharp turn to his right, deviating from his direction. The creatures behind him also did the same to continue chasing him. ''Good, keep following me,'' he sneered.

    Instead of running in the same direction as the girls and risk catching up to them while the monsters were still behind him, he judged that it would be better to make a detour, lose the monsters before rejoining with them.

    Alex increased the speed at which he jumped from tree to tree. Despite that, the monsters kept up with him, but Alex was counting on it. He wanted to take them as far as possible from the path Lilia and the other two had taken before losing them. It was also done to give him time to get adjusted to his new speed.

    ''That should be enough.'' Alex stopped for a second. "Old man, grit your teeth," he warned Cedrix.

    "Wha-"

    Before Cedrix could respond, Alex crouched down and catapulted himself off the tree branch with such force that it shattered into splinters!

    Cedrix, perched on his shoulder, could only see a blur as the surroundings swiftly passed by.

    Alex himself was no different from a blur as his speed was so astonishingly fast, it seemed as if the surroundings struggled to keep pace with his movements.

    It wasn''t just the surroundings that struggled to keep up with his speed; the monsters behind him were also left eating dust, and it didn''t get better with time. In fact, it was the contrary; with each passing second, the distance between Alex and the horde of monsters kept increasing.

    However, three monsters managed to keep up with him. There was a monkey who possessed four long arms that it used to swing itself from branch to branch, a wild boar with a back covered in spines, making it resemble a porcupine, and a white fox with three yellow tails.

    Despite Alex going at the top of his speed, these three managed to keep up with him, while all the other monsterspletely disappeared from sight.

    ''Let''s see how you are going to catch up now.'' With this thought, Alex briefly stopped, exhaled smoke, expanded it, and ordered the smoke to be stic, simr to the time he battled Talia. The smoke wrapped around him, and then a tentacle-like extension detached and shot to attach itself to the branch of the next tree. Using his speed and the smoky tentacle as a link, Alex began to swing from branch to branch.

    The way Alex kept bncing from branch to branch was very simr to how a superhero of Earthic books moved, the difference being that Alex used smoke instead of webs.

    Thanks to that and his insane strength and speed, Alex began widening the gap between himself and his pursuers.

    After some time, Alex finally stopped to look behind him and noticed that none of the monsters were behind him anymore.

    "Finally," he sighed in relief.

    "I should rejoi-"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Alex frowned in dissatisfaction.

    "What an annoying bastard"

 Chapter 162 : Monkey-like monster (1)

    Chapter 162 : Monkey-like monster (1)

    "What an annoying bastard," Cursed Alex while observing the rapidly approaching four-armed monkey-like monster.

    Firmly holding Cedrix on his shoulder, Alex turned around and continued leaping from branch to branch to evade the persistent monkey. After about ten minutes, he stopped, looked back, and didn''t see the monkey anymore.

    However, to his dismay, the monkey reappeared, leaping from branch to branch using its arms.

    ''What a persistent bastard'' Alex clicked his tongue. The monkey who refused to drop the chase like the others had, was beginning to really, really annoy Alex, he could even swear that he could observe a hint of smile on the lips of the bastard each time it caught up with him.

    Remembering Lilia''s words about level 5 monsters, Alex suppressed the increasing need to beat the crap out of the monkey he was feeling and instructed the system to raise his agility by four more soul points, bringing his agility to 150, then turned around and attempted to escape the monkey again.

    However, even with the increase to his speed, the monkey managed to catch up with him again, approaching Alex with a smile that looked like a mocking one to Alex.

    Deciding that he has had enough, Alexpletely stopped and descended from the branch he was on.

    ''If you want to die so much, I''ll be happy to oblige,'' he thought while cing Cedrix on the ground.

    As soon as the old man was set down, he dropped to his knees and started vomiting everything in his stomach.

    "That... was... the worst... feeling ever!" muttered Cedrix as he wiped his mouth.

    "Why did we-" Before he could finish his sentence, Cedrix spotted the monster swiftly approaching them, and his soul nearly left his body.

    "M-M-My lord...." He just pointed to the monster, unable to finish his sentence.

    "You should step back if you don''t want to get caught up in the fight," Alex warned.

    "B-But thedy said-"

    "I know what she said, but since this bastard doesn''t want to let us leave in peace, I don''t have a choice," Alex replied.

    Obviously, what he said was a lie. He could easily instruct the system to increase his agility to the point where the monkey couldn''t keep pace anymore, given the number of points he had. However, there was something about this monkey that fueled his desire to seriously beat the crap out of it. Perhaps it was the mocking smile on its face or something else; all he knew was that his hand was itching to give it a proper thrashing.

    ''Plus, I would have an idea of the strength of a level 5, and in the worst-case scenario, I can always escape.''

    While Cedrix scrambled to his feet and distanced himself from Alex, the monkey-like monster finally caught up.

    It stared at Alex for a moment with a smirk on its face, and in the next instant, the monster measuring at least five meters lunged at Alex from above the branch it was standing on, its two right arms balled into fists.

    Crack

    The branch on which the monster was standing shattered into splinters of wood due to the sheer intensity of its movement.

    In a split second, the monster was already in front of Alex, its two fists aiming for his head!

    Alex''s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting such speed. Fortunately, he did anticipate an attack like that, which was why he wrapped his smoke around the nearby trees.

    Just when it seemed that the fists wouldnd on him, the smoke linking him to a nearby tree swiftly pulled him away from harm''s way.

    Boom

    The monkey''s fists missed Alex by a hair''s breadth, continuing until theynded on the ground, causing a resounding explosion that raised a cloud of dust and created countless cracks in the earth.

    ''It was a close call,'' Alex thought with apprehension.

    When the dust cleared up a bit, and Alex could see the destruction the monkey''s fists caused, he took a cold breath, thankful that he managed to evade such a blow.

    The monkey''s attack had created a small crater exactly where he stood. Had he not moved in time, only the gods know in what state he might be right now.

    Now Alex realized the true danger the monkey represented, but he had no intention of giving up. It seemed the monkey had the same idea.

    After its failed attack, the monkey quickly found Alex''s new location and charged at him. Again, its speed stunned Alex. Before he had time to think of a counterattack, the fists were already in front of him, leaving him no choice but to evade.

    Boom

    Two holes the size of Alex''s head were carved into the tree just behind him!

    However, it wasn''t the end. Before he could reach the tree to which the smoke was linked, the monster was already on his tail, swinging its arms again.

    Alex urgently changed his course, aiming for a different tree. However, before he could reach it, the monster appeared before him again, its fists shooting toward Alex.

    Alex had to change direction once again, and each time, the monster appeared before him. This back-and-forth game continued for a long time, with the monster''s fists getting closer and closer tonding on Alex.

    ''This can''t go on!'' Alex thought as he narrowly dodged another punch that came perilously close to his face. It was so close that for a moment he thought, "it''s going to connect."

    These few exchanges allowed Alex to understand something: the monkey-like monster was fast, extremely so, faster than he was!

    However, Alex had no intention to enhance his ability; he had more than his physical might to rely on anyway.

    With a thought, Alex expanded the smoke in the surrounding fifty meters and made it as thick as he could.

    The sudden loss of its sight caused the monster to stiffen, but it quickly overcame its surprise. It had already been blinded by Alex''s smoke, so it knew that it just needed to look through mana instead of its eyes, which it did. However, there was a problem.

    It couldn''t sense Alex anymore!

    The monster stood still, a frown etched on its bestial face as it kept trying to sense Alex''s presence, but it couldn''t. How could it? Alex was indistinguishable from smoke. The only reason they managed to sense his location was due to Cedric, who was on his shoulder, but it wasn''t the case anymore.

    The monster couldn''t see him, but it wasn''t the case for Alex; he could perfectly see it.

    "You have been enjoying yourself ying with me until now, right? Now it''s my turn!"

    Before the monster could deduce the general direction Alex''s voice came from, it felt something violently crash into its side!

    ''It''s defense stats might be high,'' Alex concluded after the punch he had delivered to the monster''s side. He had used almost all his strength, yet it barely staggered!

    ''But it''s a good thing; it wouldn''t be fun otherwise,'' he smirked coldly.

    Since there was smoke all around him, Alex didn''t need the trees anymore. He could just solidify one part of it and use it to pull himself in that specific direction. Thus, he could move in every direction that he wanted and he made good use of it.

    Moving swiftly, Alex appeared behind the monster and delivered a devastating punch directly to its spine.

    A cry of pain escaped the monster''s mouth as it staggered forward.

    It quickly turned around in case Alex would try to hit it again. Unfortunately, before it could turn around, another punch collided with its face.

    It released another cry of pain, its arms iling in the air to try and stop Alex from attacking it again. It seeded, but only for a very short time because a momentter, it got punched at the back of its head.

    This scenario continued for a long time, with Alex relishing each time he felt the monster''s ribs and bones crack under his punch. With each blow he delivered, a strange, dark glee surged within him,pelling him to strike it again, with even greater force than the previous punch.

    The monster''s body was battered, blood oozing from countless wounds on various parts, but it couldn''t do anything about it. It tried to escape the cursed smoke, but even that wasn''t possible. Unable to see or sense where Alex was, it sometimes ran straight at him each time it attempted to escape, and it never ended well for it, so it had to give up on trying to escape and find another method toe out alive from this hell.

    Meanwhile, Alex, who kept hitting the monster with ever-increasing ferocity, suddenly came to a stop. His eyes widened as he observed the monster''s body.

    ''Why is its body bing shorter?''

 Chapter 163 : Monkey-like monster (2)

    Chapter 163 : Monkey-like monster (2)

    ''Why is its body getting smaller?'' Alex wondered, pausing the barrage of punches and kicks.

    He noticed the monkey''s body shrinking earlier, but dismissed it as his imagination. Now, he couldn''t deny it anymore, the monkey which initially seemed to be at least four meters tall, appeared to be just four meters currently, which was puzzling.

    Considering the monster''s peculiar behavior and itsck of attempts to escape, Alex became wary. However, he couldn''t afford to hesitate just because something strange was happening. Time was of the essence, plus it was certain that their battles from earlier and this one might have alerted the members of the night group, so it was better not to waste time.

    Pushing his wariness aside, Alex resumed the onught of attacks, causing the already bruised and battered body of the monkey to deteriorate further.

    Alex had to give it to the monkey, its body was pretty solid. Despite all the attacks it had received, it was still standing in one piece. However, as time passed and the flurry of attacks Alex was delivering increased, the monkey began to show signs of wear and tear. The once resilient creature started to falter, indicating that it was reaching its limits.

    In addition to nearing its limit, the monkey''s body continued to shrink until it was only three meters tall. This, in a sense, increased the frequency of attacks on its body, as Alex felt morefortable hitting it now that its size wasn''t that far off from his own.

    However, the wariness Alex felt also increased, so he decided that he has had enough fun hitting this guy, it was better to end the fight right now.

    Alex appeared behind the monkey and swung his fist violently towards the monkey''s spine, intending to shatter it. However, before his fist could connect with the monkey''s body, something strange and quite frightening urred.

    All of a sudden, something moved under the skin of the monkey, and arge eye emerged right in the center of the monkey''s back. The eerie transformation continued as two additional arms emerged from its body, bringing the total count to a staggering six!

    The two additional arms, unlike the others, extended in the opposite direction �C the direction from which Alex was approaching.

    "What the...."

    The sudden emergence of other parts on the monkey''s body distracted Alex just for a split second, but it was enough time for the newly appeared arms to block Alex''s attack and then wrap themselves around his body.

    The two arms held Alex in a vice-like grip and brought his body closer to the monkey''s.

    As if the scene unfolding before him wasn''t enough to make anyone wonder if they were in a nightmare, the monkey''s head suddenly twisted and came face to face with Alex, a wide, creepy smile stered on its face.

    Alex has seen many troubling things, both on Earth and in this world, but the sight before him was the creepiest one he has ever seen!

    This creepiness intensified as the four additional arms twisted in different directions, apanied by audible sounds of bones cracking and popping. Despite the unnatural position of its arms, the monkey retained control and skillfully wrapped them around Alex, all the while the creepy smile on the monkey''s face persisted.

    ''Gods, what kind of creature is this? Is it even alive?'' Alex wondered as he struggled to escape.

    He could potentially blink away, but the issue was that his mana reserves weren''t very high at the moment. He could only blink once, and after that, his mana reserves might deplete.

    "You...are...fun!" The monkey uttered with a sinister tone.

    The moment the creature''s words reached Alex''s ears, his mind went nk for a moment.

    The fact that the monkey could manifest new appendages was creepy enough, but its ability to speak, akin to a human, took the level of creepiness to another dimension. At this point, Alex felt a sense of dread, pondering on the potential capabilities of this peculiar monkey.

    ''Yeah, I definitely don''t want to know,'' Alex thought as he regained hisposure.

    Without further hesitation, he blinked out of the monkey''s embrace and reappeared fifty meters away from it.

    ''Thankfully, I''m alone,'' Alex sighed in relief. He had been concerned that the monkey might follow him when he teleported, given their proximity, but fortunately, that didn''t happen.

    ''Sh*t, my reserves are dwindling'' Alex remarked.

    The constant use of mana since they entered the forest, coupled with that one blink, naturally caused Alex''s mana reserves to considerably weaken.

    ''Let''s finish this whole thing before I run out of mana.''

    ''Increase my strength and agility to 200 each,'' Alex instructed the system.

    Before the system could even ask its usual question if he was sure, Alex was already on the move.

    [Are-]

    ''Yes,'' he confirmed while running in a circle around the monkey.

    [Starting the process...]

    Meanwhile, the monkey stood frozen in its initial position, wearing a dumbfounded expression. It had endured blow after blow, patiently waiting for the moment to catch Alex off guard, and it had seeded.

    The creature felt a surge of joy, anticipating the chance to retaliate and give Alex a taste of its own medicine and beat the living daylights out of him. However, just when Alex seemed most vulnerable since the start of the fight, he vanished into thin air, Just like that. The monkey couldn''tprehend what had just happened, so it remained in a hugging position, utterly bewildered.

    Meanwhile...

    [Process finished]

    Without even needing the system to tell him, Alex knew that the enhancement had ended, judging by the raw strength he could feel in his muscles.

    Just now, had he not expected his strength and agility to increase, there was a chance that he would have stumbled and fallen on his face or run straight into a tree due to the sudden shift in gear.

    One of the good things he had discovered about this new body of his was that, as long as the increase in his attributes wasn''t dramatically high, he could quickly get adjusted to his new attributes. So, just after a few minutes of running, he got ustomed to his speed. As for his strength, he was going to test it on the monkey.

    Boom

    When he moved, the ground under Alex''s feet caved in, and a fraction of a secondter, he found himself in front of the monkey��or rather, in front of where the monkey''s face used to be.

    Crack

    The instant Alex''s fist connected, a sickening crack echoed through the surroundings. In the blink of an eye, the monkey''s body was sent hurtling toward a tree.

    Yet, before it could reach the tree, Alex appeared, concentrating all his remaining mana in his fist, and delivering a powerful punch.

    The moment Alex''s fist collided with the monkey''s face, it was sent hurtling with more than double the speed it came with!

    The monster''s body tore through the smoke at such a swift pace that it scattered the surrounding smoke in its wake.

    Its body mmed into a tree, piercing right through it, then continued its trajectory to collide with another tree, which it also pierced. It finally came to a halt when itnded on the third tree.

    Boom

    "...."

    Cedrix, anxiously observing the cloud of smoke, felt his heart almost leap out of his chest when something crashed against a tree thirty meters to his right. With a shaky gaze, he looked to see what had crashed against the tree, only for his eyes to widen.

    ''What is that?'' he wondered.

    Against his better judgment, the old man walked towards the tree and stopped only when he was in front of it.

    "What the actual fuck is that?"

    Startled by the voice that sounded just behind him, Cedrix jumped from fright before realizing that it was Alex. cing a hand on his chest, the old man sighed, "you scared me there, Lord Alex."

    "Mm."

    Alex just made an acknowledging sound before he crouched down and observed the monkey-like monster.

    ''Just what the fuck is this thing?'' he wondered as he reached out to take what could only be an infant monkey.

    The level 5 monster with four arms was no more; instead, what was in front of Alex looked exactly like a normal monkey. If it weren''t for the battered state in which the monkey was, Alex would seriously wonder if it was the monster he had just fought.

    Lifting the monkey''s battered body by its arms, Alex checked its condition.

    "Hmm, judging by the...subtle rhythm of the chest...I guess it''s alive," Alex muttered before noticing something that made him raise an eyebrow in surprise. The monkey, which was at level 5 from the start to the end of their fights, was currently only at level 1.

    "Is it that monster from earlier?" Cedrix asked, to which Alex nodded.

    "But, how did it be like that?" The old man wondered with a confused expression.

    "Don''t ask me, I don''t have a clue," answered Alex.

    Alex shook the monkey''s body to see if there would be a reaction, but the little guy was out cold, and judging by its wounds, if it wasn''t treated immediately, it might sumb.

    Alex quickly took a smoke potion out of his space ring and healed the little guy. He was really curious about the monkey, so it would be a shame to let it die. However, just in case, Alex toned down the healing priorities of the smoke in such a way that it saved the monkey from death, but the majority of its wounds remained nheless. This way, should the little guy try to cause any ruckuster on, he could easily be dealt with.

    Alex took out a rope and attached the monkey with it, being careful not to aggravate the monkey''s wounds, then stood up.

    "Let''s rejoin with the girls," Alex told the old man.

    ''It''s time to end this whole rescue mission.''

 Chapter 164 : Rescue mission (1)

    Chapter 164 : Rescue mission (1)

    "I don''t see anyone. Maybe they''re inside?" Amelia wondered while looking at the entrance of thergest mountain in the forest.

    The entrance to the mountain was so huge that it made them question if it was natural or man-made. However, with no one guarding it, the girls wondered if they were in the right location.

    The girls were currently on a tree branch, far enough not to be spotted but close enough to observe anything happening near the entrance of the mountain, although nothing was happening at all.

    "Even if there are guards inside, there should also be a guard on the outside. Perhaps it''s a trap?" Anna said with a cautious look on her face.

    "Not necessarily," Lilia said with her eyes closed in meditation. "Think about it. With an illusion covering this whole forest, there isn''t really a need to guard the entrance of their base."

    "When you put it that way, it makes sense," Amelia nodded.

    Anna also nodded her head. What Lilia said was true; why waste time guarding the entrance of your home when there''s an illusion making it invisible, even though the goal of the illusion cast on the forest wasn''t to make it invisible.

    Opening her eyes for a brief moment to observe the entrance, Lilia said, "I think that most, if not all, of the guards are absent."

    "What makes you say so?" Anna inquired.

    "The fact that no one attacked or at least tracked us down during or after our battle against the horde of monsters. I doubt the continuous waves of monsters attacking us the moment we entered this forest are a coincidence. It''s probably a safety measure to kill or at least slow down invaders until the Night members get to their locations," Lilia exined.

    "So there''s no one here?" Anna wondered.

    Lilia shook her head. "Unless they areplete idiots, there are probably some people left. But then again, it''s not like they could predict that someone would break the illusion, enter the forest, and manage to survive the waves of monsters. So there might actually be no guards left."

    "Still, I think there should be some guards left; otherwise, who will keep an eye on the abductees?" said Amelia with a shake of her head.

    "They could always-"

    Before she could finish, Anna felt a presence approaching from behind. Swiftly turning to observe in that direction, her daggers appeared in her hands. After a moment, she sighed in relief upon realizing that the approaching figure was Alex.

    Leaping from another branch, Alexnded on the girls'' branch and carefully set Cedrix down before anything else. The moment the old man touched the ground, he crouched down and began vomiting once again.

    Turning to look at the girls, Alex raised his hand in greeting, but before he could say anything...

    "What took you so long?" Lilia questioned.

    Alex raised his hand and revealed the sleeping monkey, saying, "This is what took me so long."

    "Oh, it''s cute,"mented Amelia while taking the monkey from Alex''s hand.

    Anna bent a little to observe the monkey, then nodded her head, "I also find it cute."

    "No, this bastard is anything but cute," Alex snorted.

    "What happened?" Lilia wondered.

    "Well, after you left...." Alex narrated everything that happened, from the chase to his battle against the monkey.

    "None of it would have happened if you hadn''t been greedy," Liliamented with a serious expression.

    "I know, I know, but there was no way I would leave all those cores without trying to get some of them," Alex sighed as he leaned against the tree''s trunk.

    "What do you intend to do with it?" Lilia wondered, pointing to the monkey.

    "I haven''t decided yet, maybe leave it in the hands of Scarlett; she might discover something-"

    "Absolutely not!" Amelia eximed. "I won''t let you pass this cutie to Scarlett! That girl is capable of dissecting it or running weird tests on it."

    Alex''s lips twitched hearing Amelia''s words, "this ''cutie,'' as you say, is a dangerous level 5 monster; it''s not a pet."

    "Still, I won''t allow you!" Amelia hugged the monkey protectively and stared at Alex with a fierce expression.

    "I��sigh, we will settle itter." Alex turned to Cedrix, who seemed to be regaining his bearings after emptying his stomach for the second time today. "Your daughter is here?!"

    Cedrix nodded, "Yes, I can feel her presence emanating from this mountain."

    "So, how do we solve this, the frontal way or-"

    "I''d rather us find another way. We just came out of a battle and aren''t at our peak form. We should think of a way to save Cedrix''s daughter without fighting," Lilia stated.

    "So, an extraction mission?" Anna demanded confirmation.

    "Yeah, that would be better," Lilia nodded.

    "Then I will be the one going" Anna volunteered with a determined expression.

    "No, I will go, I-" Before Alex could finish his sentence, Anna raised her hand to stop him.

    "I will go. My ability is more suited for this kind of mission than yours," Anna dered in a tone that left no room for argument.

    Looking into her firm eyes, Alex sighed. Truth be told, he also knew that Anna''s ability was better suited than his own for this kind of mission. Even if the factor of ''ability'' wasn''t taken into ount, she was still better suited than him; she had been trained for this kind of mission, after all.

    ''Hell, even her clothes are more fitting for this mission than mine,'' Alex chuckled internally as he observed Anna''s jet-ck attire that seemed to be made of sleek, durable fabric designed for stealth and agility.

    In their group, there was no one better than her for this, but he still hesitated about letting her be the one to infiltrate the Night group base.

    Just from the illusion, Alex understood that the Night group wasn''t as simple as it seemed, and he didn''t want to send one of his wives into their clutches, especially since Anna was the weakest among them in terms of level.

    However, being a former soldier, Alex understood that sometimes it was better to set aside one''s emotions and make the logical decision. In this case, sending Anna to retrieve Cedrix''s daughter was the most logical decision. That''s why he didn''t try to convince her not to go anymore. Instead, he walked to her, took her hands, and ced something in them.

    "If there is anything weird going on there, let us know, and we will immediatelye," he said with a solemn tone.

    Anna nced at what he ced in her hands and witnessed a white paper that exuded a mystical aura with some symbols written on it in something that looked like blood.

    Her eyes widened a little, "Is it..."

    "Yes, it''s a talisman, specifically amunication one," Alex confirmed, addressing the thoughts swirling in Anna''s mind.

    "How did you manage to get your hands on something like that?" Anna wondered in disbelief.

    Talismans were crafted by witches, and much like anything created by those money-sucking beings, they cost an arm and a leg just to obtain one.

    There are various types of talismans depending on the purpose, and the cost depends on the kind you desire. Inparison, amunication talisman, like the one Alex had given to Anna, wasn''t excessively costly, but it still exceeded Alex''s current pay grade. That''s why not only Anna but all the girls were stunned when Alex pulled out such an item.

    "Hehe, your husband is amazing, right?" Alex smiled proudly.

    Anna nodded in agreement, her eyes glowing in awe as she stared at Alex. Meanwhile, Lilia and Amelia snorted, certain that someone had gifted it to him, and they were right; Grace had given it to Alex when he went to inform her that they were leaving.

    Ignoring the two bummers, Alex spoke to Anna, " as I said, if there is anything weird going on, let us know"

    "Okay, I will do so," Anna said with a serious expression.

    Alex kissed her on her forehead and took her in his arms in a tight hug. He didn''t say anything, and neither did Anna. They

    just stayed in that position for a while before Anna finally stepped back.

    "I will be going now, wish me luck."

 Chapter 165 : Rescue mission (2)

    Chapter 165 : Rescue mission (2)

    "I will be going now; wish me luck," Anna said as she prepared herself to jump from the tree.

    "Good luck," Lilia said with a small smile.

    "You got it!" Amelia eximed, raising her fist in the air.

    "Good luck, and from the bottom of my heart, thanks, Lady Annaline," Cedrix said as he bowed his head to Anna.

    "Don''t thank me yet; wait until I bring her to you," Anna smiled.

    "Still, thanks for taking the risk to go save my daughter."

    Anna nodded her head, and an instantter, she leapt from the branch they stood upon. Before she could evennd on the ground, she had already disappeared from the eyes of everyone.

    ''Good luck,'' Alex said in his heart then walked to sit next to Lilia.

    As he sat down, he nced over at her and remarked that her eyes were already closed in meditation, so he didn''t bother her anymore. Instead, he also arranged himself in a meditation position and closed his eyes.

    The constant fight since they entered the forest has drained him, and since he didn''t know what would happenter, it was better to replenish his mana. So he actively concentrated on drawing mana from the surroundings.

    Just behind him, Amelia was trying to get a reaction out of the monkey. She had healed its wounds, yet despite her efforts, it seemed that the monkey wouldn''t wake up, which made her frustrated. But she kept trying anyway, telling herself, ''I''m sure it''s even cuter when awake.''

    Cedrix, on the other hand, took out a monster''s core that Alex had given him and began absorbing the mana inside it. His goal was to reach level 3, but it was going to take a long time. After all, he wasn''t like Alex, who could keep absorbing monster cores without feeling the strain of it.

    Meanwhile, the moment Annanded on the ground, she started sprinting at her fastest speed. She didn''t know how long it would take to infiltrate the base, find Cedrix''s daughter, and save her. So, it was better to be fast before her mana ran out and causing her ability to be deactivated.

    Since Anna''s stats leaned more towards agility, her speed was incredible. In just a few seconds, she stood at the entrance of the mountain.

    She stopped running and observed the surroundings of the entrance with a cautious expression. Although it seemed that there was no one or nothing at the entrance, it was better to be sure than to rush into the mountain and walk into a trap.

    ''It''s really massive,'' Annamented internally at the sheer size of the entrance. Seen up close, it looked even more immense than from afar.

    The entrance was so vast that Anna felt five carriages the size of the one in which they rode could walk inside the mountain side by side, and there would still be space left!

    Anna observed the entrance for a moment, and fortunately, after careful observation, she didn''t spot anything unusual. So, she proceeded to enter the mountain, but she didn''t rush this time; instead, her stride was cautious as she walked inside.

    Entering the mountain, she observed the rough interior. Seeing that there was nothing remotely dangerous or unusual, her speed picked up, and she began running again.

    "I''m telling you... because... I would be fucking... Bitch!"

    Anna came to a stop when she heard a voice, a masculine one shouting.

    She slowed down her pace and walked in the direction the voice wasing from.

    "... told you... shouting."

    ''Two of them?'' Anna wondered when she heard a second voice.

    Hearing the voices, Anna slowed her pace. Cautiously proceeding deeper into the mountain until she could spot two silhouettes, both masculine. One silhouette belonged to a man with a big belly, and the other was that of a skinny one.

    "I''m telling you, man, that Virax is hot," the fat man eximed.

    "Tell me about it. If the boss didn''t forbid touching that woman, she would have been moaning beneath me right now," the skinny one replied.

    The fat man snorted, "What moans are you talking about? The only sound that woulde out of her mouth if she were to be with a sadistic bastard like you would be cries of pain."

    "True," the skinny man chuckled, then added, "but you are hardly better than me."

    "What are you talking about? I''m ady killer; they all want nothing more than to be with me," the fat man sneered, his belly rippling as heughed.

    "Yeah, a truedy killer. I still remember that one girl whose corpse we had to dispose of because you used too much of your dy killer'' talent on her," the skinny man said with a sarcastic smirk.

    "Hey, hey, that one doesn''t count; she tried to cut my balls, that''s unforgivable!" the fat man eximed.

    "Are you sure it''s not that she couldn''t resist your weight and died? Because I still remember��"

    "I''m telling you it''s because she tried to cut my balls, and you know that I value my testicles!"

    "Like all men" the skinny man chuckled.

    Thinking about something, the skinny man asked, "Hey, do you-"

    Tchui

    The skinny man suddenly came to a grinding halt, his eyes widening in horror, and his mouth hanging open as he stared in disbelief at a daggering out of the forehead of his friend.

    Before he could react or say anything, he felt something sharp pressing against his throat, and all of a sudden, a woman with a cold expression appeared before him, seemingly from thin air!

    "Don''t move. The instant you do, you will be joining your friend in hell. If it''s clear, nod your head," the woman said in a cold tone.

    The skinny man gulped in fear. He could feel that this woman wasn''t joking around. The instant he tried something, she would kill him. Thus, he had no choice but to nod. Truth be told, it''s not like he could do anything in the first ce.

    "Where are we?" Anna asked.

    Although she already knew the answer, Anna still asked to test if the man would attempt to lie.

    Hearing Anna''s question, the skinny man smiled internally, "We are at the Night''s group base. Girl, you don''t know who you are messing with. If I were you, I would-"

    "Shut it," Anna pressed the dagger against the skinny man''s throat until it drew a small cut on his neck.

    "Hiiiek..." The skinny man, who was acting arrogant just an instant ago, shrieked in fear and shut his mouth.

    "How many guards are present?" Anna asked.

    "J-Just the two of us!" The man answered.

    Anna raised a brow internally, ''it might be easier than we thought,'' but she still remained cautious.

    "So you are the only guards present?" Anna asked for confirmation.

    "Y-Yes, I swear!"

    "Are there anyone from the Night''s group beside you two guards?"

    The skinny man became silent, seemingly thinking about something.

    "Answer," Anna said as she pressed the dagger further against the man''s skin until blood began to leak out.

    "I-I don''t know!" Cried out the skinny man.*****

    "You don''t know, huh?" Anna smiled coldly.

    "I-I swear I d-don''t know. We are just guards; we are not aware of anything happening behind this door!" The skinny man eximed while pointing one of his fingers behind him.

    ''Door?'' Anna became confused; she didn''t notice any door behind the man.

    ''Don''t tell me-'' before she could finish her thought process, arge metallic door resembling the doors of Earth''s bank vaults appeared as if by magic.

    Witnessing the stunned expression on Anna''s face, the skinny man immediately knew that he made a mistake, ''Oh...fuck.''

    A few secondster, Anna''s stunned expression was reced by her usual cold expression. "How do you open this door?" she questioned.

    Pointing to his dead friend, the man said with a solemn expression, "the door can only be opened if the two of us are together, but you just killed him."

 Chapter 166 : Rescue mission (3)

    Chapter 166 : Rescue mission (3)

    "The door can only be opened if the two of us are together, but you just killed him," the skinny man said with a solemn tone.

    Anna looked at the corpse of the fat man, then at the door, before her gaze returned to the skinny man, a cold sneer appearing on her face.

    "Didn''t I warn you not to lie?"

    "What do- AAAAAHHHH-"

    The skinny man screamed at the top of his lungs when he felt something pierce his right thigh. Looking down, he saw a delicate hand firmly holding a dagger that was embedded in his thigh. He cried out in horror, but there was no one to hear him because the instant Anna touched him, she expanded her invisibility to cover the man.

    "The next time you try to lie, it will be your eye that I''ll be piercing," Anna said as she twisted the dagger in the man''s thigh, causing even more blood to flow out of the wound.

    "Y-Yes...." The man said, tears and snot streaking down his face.

    "I will ask again, can you open this door?"

    The man nodded his head in earnest.

    "What is behind the door?" Anna questioned.

    The skinny man hesitated before replying, "captives?"

    "Why does it sound like you are unsure? You''re not hiding anything, right?" Anna twisted the dagger again.

    The man groaned in pain and shook his head, "N-No, it''s just that sometimes we hear screamsing out of there, but I don''t know what causes them. I swear I''m not lying."

    "You mentioned the Virax earlier, is she in there?" Anna asked the most important question, although she already knew the answer.

    "Yes."

    "Good," she nodded in satisfaction.

    Just as she was about to ask the man to open the door, she remembered something she was curious about, "don''t you have safety measures in case someone invades the forest?"

    She wasn''t sure if the skinny man would know, judging that he was at the bottom of the hierarchy and seemed to not have a lot of information, but surprisingly, he nodded his head.

    "There is a safety measure."

    "Is it about monsters attacking the invaders?"

    "How do you��"

    "Just answer the questions."

    "Yes, the monsters in the forest have been ordered to attack anyone who enters the forest if they don''t have this." The man pointed to a round pendant hanging on his neck.

    Ripping the pendant from the man''s neck, Anna scrutinized it, yet she didn''t notice any distinctive features that would imply its uniqueness. It  appeared to be an ordinary, unremarkable pendant.

    ''The fact that the monsters don''t attack anyone who wears this implies they are controlled, and whoever made these is the one controlling them,'' Anna concluded after pondering the skinny man''s words. Turning to him, she inquired:

    "Who made these?"

    "I don''t know; they were gifted to us the moment we joined the group," the man responded honestly.

    "Is this the only safety measure?" Anna inquired.

    "No, there is also a team supposed to be dispatched to deal with invaders."

    "Then why was there no team dispatched this time around?"

    "It surely has to do with the fact that the majority of the group members went to deal with an emergency."

    "What emergency?"

    "I don''t know."

    "Last question, is there something like a monitoring room?"

    "Yes, but the guys charged to monitor everything happening apanied the ones sent to deal with the emergency."

    ''What kind of emergency would force them to the point that most of their men would be sent out?'' Anna wondered but quickly dismissed that thought.

    ''Doesn''t matter what they had to deal with, the important thing is that there are probably not many people present, which is perfect for us.''

    Taking her dagger out of the man''s thigh, she ordered, "open the door."

    The man groaned in pain as he stood up from his chair, blooding out of his wound and soaking his pants as he did so, but he persevered, limping toward the door. Meanwhile, Anna walked just behind him, making sure to keep him close in case he tried something at thest minute.

    Standing in front of the door, he took some of the blood running down his leg and used it to write characters on the door.

    ''What are these?'' Anna wondered, not recognizing the characters, yet she made an effort to memorize them anyway.

    Just as he finished writing the characters, they glowed with an intense dark red color before the door slowly opened.

    "Are those characters the same as the ones that open the door from the other side?" Anna asked before the door could fully open.

    "Yes. Now that I have fulfilled your-"

    Just as he was speaking, the skinny man suddenly felt his vision tilting to the side. Soon, he caught sight of his body falling to the ground.

    ''Why-''

    Thud

    The skinny man''s head fell to the ground.

    Taking hold of the decapitated head, she collected some of the man''s blood in a vial from her space ring, just in case it was needed to open the door, then she observed the expression of confusion on the face of the severed head before discarding the head as if it were trash.

    She wasn''t naive enough to let a potential danger survive just because heplied with her demands. Besides, he was a bandit who killed and kidnapped people, so she had done a favor to society by killing him.

    As the door was about to fully open, she stood to the side, waiting to see if someone would step out. After what felt like a minute with no one emerging, she decided to enter.

    As soon as she entered the room and the door closed behind her, Anna''s face mirrored the same stunned expression as everyone when they first entered this chamber, witnessing the sheer vastness of it.

    Then, like the others, her gazended on the hundreds of captives, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

    ''How are there so many of them? Didn''t the Night''s group kidnap only nobles?'' she wondered.

    She nced at the faces of the captives and noticed that they all kept their eyes on the ground. Even when the door opened, none of them dared to nce towards it. Some looked down with a sense of resignation, while the majority disyed faces filled with fear.

    ''Why do they look so scared?'' Anna wondered, but she quickly got the answer when--

    AAAAAAHHHHH

    A blood-curdling scream, so harrowing that its piercing echoes sent shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it, momentarily paralyzing them with dread.

    The captives shivered, and small gasps of fear left their lips. Even Anna, who could be said to have better mental fortitude, was frozen for a moment hearing the scream.

    Slowly, she turned her head to her right, the side from which the scream came, and witnessed another door situated there. Contrary to thest door, there were no guards for this door.

    Just as she wondered what was going on, the scream suddenly stopped, and then came a creepy and wild growling sound instead.

    ''Just what kind of things are going on here?'' Anna thought with cold sweat.

    Her curiosity piqued, Anna wondered if she should go check out what was happening inside that room. Perhaps the characters she had memorized could open that--

    ''Nope, bad idea. Let''s just do what I came here for and get out of here,'' thought Anna. Then she began observing the faces of the captives, searching for Cedrix''s daughter.

    ''Blue hair so pale that they appear white and blue eyes,'' remembering the characteristics of Cedrix''s daughter, Anna looked for her among the hundreds of captives.

    Fortunately, it didn''t take her much time to find her, mostly because she was the only person sitting alone. All the other captives formed small groups, perhaps tofort themselves or for other reasons. Either way, Anna didn''t care enough to think about it. The moment she spotted the one she hade searching for, she approached her.

    As she drew near the woman and fully made out the features of her face, Anna pace slowed.

    ''Those two didn''t lie; she is indeed very beautiful,'' Anna thought, feeling a bit jealous.

    Even with her disheveled hair, distressed expression, and modest clothes that were shredded in some parts, Anna had to admit, her beauty might even beparable to Lady Lilia and this was considered high praiseing from Anna, given how beautiful she thought Lilia was.

    ''I wonder how Master would feel when he sees her,'' Anna thought with a small smile as she crouched next to her.

    Expanding the area of invisibility of her ability to cover both herself and Anita, Anna gently touched her shoulder to get her attention.

    The moment she felt someone touch her, Anita was startled and let out a surprised yelp.

    "Who the hell are you?"

 Chapter 167: Rescue mission (4)

    Chapter 167: Rescue mission (4)

    "Who the hell are you?" eximed Anita with a startled expression. Fortunately, no one could hear her due to Anna''s ability.

    "Calm down-"

    "Calm down. You suddenly appear out of nowhere and ask me to calm down? Answer me! Who are you and what do you want with me?" Anita asked with narrowed eyes as she stared at Anna.

    "I''m here to rescue you, so calm down," Anna said with her eye twitching in irritation due to Anita''s scream.

    "Huh? Rescue me?"

    "Yes, I''m here with your father," Anna disclosed.

    "What? My dad is here? Where?" Anita asked with widened eyes, more in worry than tion.

    "He is outside. Come with me; I will lead you to him," Anna said with a small smile.

    The instant she heard that Anna was here to rescue her, the hope that had disappeared from Anita''s eyes when she had given up on her life reappeared brighter than ever. However, it was just for a moment because due to her skeptical personality, there was no way she would believe what Anna said just like that. It might be a n drafted by those assholes of kidnappers. She might not know what the goal was in all of this, but she would certainly find it out!

    "My father can''t afford your services," she said after she thought things through.

    "No, he definitely can''t," Anna agreed.

    "So, there''s no way that he could have sent you to rescue me," Anita stated with a cautious look on her face.

    "I never said he was the one that sent me here," Anna rified.

    "Huh? But you just said-"

    "I said that I''m here to rescue you and that your father is waiting for us outside. I never said that he was the one who ordered me toe save you."

    "Then who sent you?"

    "Alexander Eswald, my...master," Anna answered.

    "Eswald, hmm, where did I hear this name?" Anita ced her finger on her chin as she thought.

    "He is-"

    "Ah, I now remember!" Anita eximed, then added, "Eswald, that''s the family name of the noble who promised my father that he would help him if he ever had a problem."

    From the moment she could think, Anita had been hearing the story of the noble that had promised her father to help him should he have a problem. This story was one that Cedrix always used as an example to show his daughter that good deeds were never lost and encouraged her to help others.

    Even though she always felt that her father''s thought process was naive, she still listened to him. So, the name ''Eswald'' rang a bell in her head the instant she heard it.

    Anna nodded in confirmation, "Yes, my master is the son of the man who made the promise to your father."

    Anita nodded in understanding.

    "Now that you understand, let''s go. We shouldn''t waste time here."

    "How would we escape? There are guards�� in fact, how did you enter in the first ce?" Anita wondered.

    "Later. For now, we should really go," Anna urged her.

    Anita nodded, then immediately shook her head, "Sorry, but I can''t go alone and abandon my friend."

    Anna raised a brow in surprise; she wasn''t aware that Anita got kidnapped with a friend.

    Anita, noticing the confusion in Anna''s gaze, exined, "she''s a nun I encountered here, and she''s been great to me since we met. I can''t just escape and leave her."

    Hearing her exnation, Anna fell silent, thinking about what she should do. In the end, she sighed and nodded, "alright, we''ll take her with us. Where is she?"

    "Umm... about that..." Anita scratched her head awkwardly.

    "What is it?" Anna asked with furrowed brows.

    "Well, a few days ago, she and her two acolytes were taken to that chamber," Anita pointed behind Anna.

    Following the direction she was pointing to, Anna saw the room she was talking about, which was the same room she had heard the screaming from.

    "Sorry, but we can''t do anything for her," Anna said in a serious tone as she looked back at Anita.

    "But��"

    "No, I was willing to help your friend because you asked me to help her, but I won''t go out of my way to risk my life and my mission to help her," said with her usual cold expression.

    "Then I won''te with you!" Anita stated.

    Of course, she was just bluffing. Even though she had be friends with Mina and liked the adorable nun, she wouldn''t risk her freedom, or in the worst-case scenario, her life, just to save someone else. She wasn''t that foolish. The problem was that Anna didn''t know this.

    For Anna, Anita was one of those people with a heroplex, someone willing to risk her life for others. Understanding that individuals with such traits were typically stubborn, Anna believed no amount of convincing would sway Anita. Thus, instead of wasting time, Anna decided to take drastic measures.

    Raising her hand, prepared to knock Anita unconscious, Anna suddenly froze. A split secondter, she raised her head, staring into the boundless darkness visible in the mountain.

    Step Step

    Anna''s gaze turned wary as she heard footsteps approaching from that direction. Retrieving her daggers, she tensely followed the approaching sounds.

    Two men soon emerged from the darkness.

    One man had a taut body and was d in a white tank top paired with long ck pants. He sported a bald head and a serious expression, but thebination with hisrge eyes gave him a moreical appearance than a stern one.

    The other man, however, had a lithe body, with fiery orange locks cascading down, and ck eyes. Unlike the man walking next to him, who was dressed like a thug, this one was finely attired in luxurious orange and ck garments. His tunic carried a regal orange hue adorned with intricate ck embroidery,plemented by a pair of well-fitted trousers blending both colors seamlessly. In any case, he looked like a noble who wasn''t supposed to be here.

    As the two men approached, just a few meters from the captives who still looked downward despite hearing someone approaching, Anna noticed an unconscious woman''s body on the bald man''s shoulders. The woman had the same fiery hair color as the finely dressed man.

    ''Isn''t it-'' Anna halted abruptly when the man with orange hair suddenly stopped walking and nced in their direction with a frown on his face.

    "Don''t worry, he can''t see us," Anna reassured Anita, who had tensed up when the man nced in their direction.

    Feeling that his friend had stopped, the bald man also halted and nced at him. "What is it? Something wrong?"

    "Huh? Ah, no, it''s just that I feel like someone is staring at me."

    Following his gaze, the bald man stared directly in Anna''s direction.

    Anita tensed up again under the bald man''s stare, her heart beating wildly and beads of sweat forming on her forehead, but Anna remained calm. She knew they couldn''t see her; after all, those two men were either at level 3 or 4, and there''s no way they could see through her ability to hide herself.

    As she expected, after several seconds of staring in their direction, the bald man shrugged and turned to his friend. "There''s no one there; it''s in your head."

    "Yeah... it must be that," the man with orange hair nodded and then resumed walking.

    ''Scary,'' Anita thought as she released a breath she didn''t know she was holding.

    Meanwhile, Anna was observing the unconscious girl on the bald man''s shoulder with furrowed brows, ''it''s her, right?''

    The men passed the rows of captives and walked to the door where the scream kepting from. Just as the bald man was about to open the door, the noble man stopped again and looked back.

    He swept his gaze all over the captives and then asked, "Wasn''t there supposed to be a Virax?"

 Chapter 168 : Rescue mission (5)

    Chapter 168 : Rescue mission (5)

    He swept his gaze all over the captives and then asked, "Wasn''t there supposed to be a Virax?"

    The instant the nobleman said this, Anita, whose heart had calmed down, felt it nearly stop beating. With distress in her eyes, she turned toward Anna, seemingly asking what to do.

    "Calm down," Anna reassured her.

    She wasn''t overly concerned about the fact that the man had noticed Anita''s absence. In the worst-case scenario, they might attempt to find her, but could they really seed? It was unlikely unless a level 5 were to search for them.

    Anna''s ability allowed her to hide from the world, and even those a level above her couldn''t spot her. However, like anything in the world, her ability also had its limitations. She couldn''t fool the senses of someone two levels higher than her own. Thus, a level 5 could spot her the instant he looked towards her.

    However, remembering the words of the skinny man about the fact that due to an emergency the majority of their group had left, she was pretty certain that there isn''t a level 5 currently. And if there is one, then she could always try to drag things out while waiting for Alex. That''s why the instant the noble man spoke about Anita missing, she took out the talisman that Alex had given her and was readying herself to call him.

    "Hmm?" The bald man turned his head and scanned the crowd of captives. He also noticed that Anita was missing, but since he wasn''t someone suspicious like his friend, he just shrugged it off and said, "Perhaps the others took her with them when they set out."

    "Why would they bring her with them when they are going to fight that monster?" The noble man questioned while his gaze was still scrutinizing the group of captives.

    "Perhaps they will meet the client on their way back?" The man proposed.

    "But why not wait until they are back? I don''t think we need money so much that they would risk getting her killed just to sell her on their way back," the noble man continued.

    "Ahh, don''t ask me. Why are you so suspicious anyway? It''s not like someone can infiltrate our base," the bald man said.

    Hearing what he said, the nobleman remembered all the safety measures meant to secure their base and sighed, "Yeah, you are right. It''s just that I am on edge because of her," he pointed to the woman on the bald man''s shoulder.

    After a short pause, he added:

    "Her disappearance is going to cause many troubles to arise, and there''s even a chance that I might be discovered. That''s actually what is stressing me."

    "Haha, don''t worry. No one will link her disappearance to you. After all, you are ''a man who would never hurt a fly''," the bald man erupted inughter when he said that.

    "Humph, you don''t know that woman as well as I do. She is not easily fooled, but you are right. Even she would find it difficult to link her daughter''s disappearance to me," the noble man smirked evilly.

    The bald man nodded, then pulled out a small knife hidden at the side of his waist and made a small cut on his finger. Using the blood, he wrote the same characters that the skinny man had written on the door. The characters glowed with a blood-red color, and then the door began to open.

    "I wonder how those two idiots are doing; perhaps we should pay them a visit?" The bald man said.

    Understanding whom he was speaking about, the noble man shook his head, "There is no way I''m going to get mixed up with such lowlives."

    "So why are you putting up with me?" The bald man nced back at his friend, "After all, I''m also a ''lowlife.''"

    "You know you are different, and even if I wanted to get mixed up with the members of the group, which I don''t want to, I would still avoid those two. Each time I speak with them, I feel like my IQ is decreasing," the noble man said with disdain.

    "You exaggerate, they aren''t so bad," the bald man chuckled.

    "No, and you know it. Those guys are aplete waste of human genes," the noble added.

    "It''s not like you value human genes that much anyway," the bald one shrugged.

    "True," the nobleman chuckled, "still, I would rather avoid those vulgar idiots."

    "Alright, alright, let''s just��" Just as the bald man was speaking.

    AAAAAHHHHH...

    "Here we go again," the bald man sighed.

    "That freak is at it again, huh?" The noble man spoke with disgust in his voice.

    "Well, that''s his job. Anyway, let''s go see him. Perhaps he will be able to transform your niece into a perfect creature~" the bald man teased.

    "You mean a monster?" The noble man''s eye twitched.

    "Hey, hey, we don''t know, perhaps she has great potential."

    "Let''s just go," the noble man said, pushing his friend into the room.

    However, before going in, he cast a nce in Anna''s direction again, then turned around and stepped inside the room, closing the door behind him.

    "Haa, they finally left," Anita sighed in relief.

    "Still sure you want to go save your friend?" Anna said with a cold smile.

    "Umm, yes-no... I don''t know," Anita said.

    Anna sighed, and her thoughts drifted back to the unconscious woman the bald man was carrying, ''With what that other man said, I''m now certain that it''s her.''

    ''Her presence here might be a boon to us; either way, Alex needs to know,'' Anna decided.

    Infusing mana into the talisman that Alex gave her, Anna waited for a little moment for the contact to be made.

    Communication talismans were very simr to Earth cellphones; the difference here lies in the fact that you need to infuse mana into the talisman instead of using batteries in a cellphone.

    "What are you doing?" inquired Anita with a curious expression on her face.

    "Calling my master."

    ****

    "Hmm?" Alex felt a slight warmth emanating from the talisman in his hand and took it.

    "It seems that Anna has encountered some problems," he informed everyone.

    Immediately after he spoke, everyone abandoned what they were doing and gathered around Alex.

    Injecting his own mana into the talisman, Alex brought it to his forehead and pressed it against it. ''Can you hear me?''

    The moment Alex affixed the talisman to his forehead, he heard Anna''s voice directly in his head!

    This was howmunication talismans functioned; upon contact, you could hear everything the other person was thinking. Of course, this was true for basicmunication talismans. There were upgraded versions that allowed you to shield your thoughts, letting the other person hear only what you wanted them to hear. However, Alex and Anna were using the basic version of themunication talisman.

    "Yes, I can hear you. Is there a problem?" he asked with a serious expression.

    "Not quite. I did find Cedrix''s daughter, and we are currently together," Anna shared.

    "What is it? Can''t you return?" Alex inquired.

    "No, we can return. It''s just that I thought you needed to know about this," Anna exined.

    "Go on, what is it?" Alex prompted.

    "The heiress of the Drazen family is here; she has also been kidnapped," Anna shared with Alex.

    "....!"

    Alex stiffened for a moment upon hearing Anna''s words, but his expression quickly turned into a wide smile.

    "What is it? Why are you smiling like that?" Amelia wondered.

    With the same grin on his face, Alex shared the information Anna had just provided.

    Aside from Cedrix, who didn''t understand why Alex seemed happy upon hearing about someone''s daughter being kidnapped, and thus maintained a confused expression, the others immediately grasped the reason behind Alex''s joy.

    "Hmm, I guess we have good luck," Lilia smiled, "if we save their heiress, then the Drazens would most definitely grant us the right to disy our products at their auction."

    Amelia and Alex nodded in unison.

    The Drazen family auction was where Alex had the intention to showcase his smoke potions, but he didn''t know how to convince them to disy his potions during their annual auction. He was just going there, hoping that he would find something to convince them, but ironically, it was that "something," or rather, someone who had found him.

    ''Can you save her?'' Alex asked.

    ''This...'' Anna exined to Alex what was going on inside the mountain and why she couldn''t save the Drazen heiress, at least alone.

    ''Hmm, I see,'' Alex thought for a moment, then he replied, ''we areing to-''

    "AMELIA!" Alex suddenly shouted as he sprang to his feet.

    Taking Lilia in his arms, he leapt off the branch they were sitting on.

    Amelia, reciprocating his actions took the old man and leapt off the branch.

    A split second after they jumped off the branch, the whole tree exploded.

    Boom

 Chapter 169 : Rescue mission (6)

    Chapter 169 : Rescue mission (6)

    "Damn, this corridor is too narrow!"ined the bald man as he stepped through the door.

    The corridor they entered was so narrow that he and the nobleman couldn''t walk side by side, forcing the nobleman to walk behind him.

    "Considering who lives here, it doesn''t even surprise me," snorted the nobleman.

    AAAAAHHHH.....

    Slowing his pace, the bald man sighed, "I really dislike this ce."

    "No one likes the ce."

    "Yeah, you are right," the bald one nodded and resumed his walk.

    Soon, they passed by the narrow corridor and emerged in an immense circr chamber.

    All over the chamber, there were several jails, each containing one or several monsters.

    On the opposite side of the corridor, both men spotted a man sitting on a chair, his back turned to the neers and draped in an ominous ck robe.

    Despite the sounds of their footsteps, the man didn''t bother to nce in their direction, his gaze focused on the bodies of three women who were tied up on tables in front of him.

    Clearing his throat, the bald man inquired, "I see that you are still at it, huh, Rangyl?"

    "Huh?" The robed man, Rangyl, turned around and observed the neers with his green eyes. A wide smile crossed his face as he greeted them, "Oh, Eric, Stanis, it''s you guys. Wee, wee."

    The two men stared at Rangyl for an instant, and then the nobleman, Stanis, asked, "What was that scream a few minutes ago?"

    "Oh, it''s that failure," Rangyl pointed to one of the several jails in the chamber.

    ncing into the jail Rangyl was pointing to, the two of them spotted a creature so revolting that they immediately turned away. The sight was so disturbing that they felt if they stared at it for too long, they might puke out their breakfast.

    "Still creating disgusting things, I see," Stanis spoke with disdain.

    "What can I say, I love doing my work," Rangyl shrugged while turning back to observe the women on the tables.

    The two men observed his back for a moment before approaching and standing just over his shoulder.

    They observed the women tied to the tables for a moment before the bald man, Eric, spoke in surprise, "Are you trying to turn followers of the goddess of light? Are you crazy?"

    Rangyl nced at him with a dark expression, then sighed and replied, "I was trying to turn them, but it won''t work anyway. It seems that their goddess is really protecting them."

    "At least their blind trust in their goddess is rewarded. Unlike some others here," Stanis snorted.

    "What did you say?" Rangyl red at Stanis with a somber expression and killing intent in his eyes.

    "You perfectly heard me. What are you goin-"

    "Alright, alright, that''s enough you two," Eric interjected between the two men.

    Rangyl and Stanis looked at Eric before both of them harrumphed at the same time.

    "Why are you here anyway?" Rangyl inquired.

    "We came to see the boss," Eric answered as he ced down the unconscious woman.

    "Why do you want to see him?"

    "Because of her," Eric pointed to the woman on the ground and asked, "how much time until hees back?"

    Rangyl smiled at Eric, "well, you are in luck; he just came back."

    ****

    Boom

    "Amelia?" Alex scanned his surroundings afternding on the ground, still holding Lilia in his arms.

    "It''s okay, I managed to get away," Amelia replied as shended just a few meters behind Alex, Cedrix in her arms.

    ''What was that?'' Anna asked.

    She couldn''t see what was going on, but due to the internal curse Alex muttered before taking Lilia and jumping from the branch, she understood that something was wrong.

    ''We have just been attacked,'' Alex answered her.

    ''By who?'' Anna inquired.

    ''I don''t know yet, but the fact that I couldn''t sense the one that attacked us until thest minute proves that its level is higher than mine. Thus, I guess it should be a being of a level superior to 4.''

    "You can put me down," Lilia said as she tugged the sleeve of Alex''s shirt.

    "Oh, right," Alex ced Lilia down.

    "Thanks," Lilia said as she stretched her arms, "do you know what attacked us?"

    "No, I barely had enough time to jump, didn''t have enough time to see what it was," Alex replied, then turned to Amelia, "did you see what it was?"

    Amelia simply shook her head.

    "I guess we will know in about a second," Alex said as he felt that the being that had attacked them was approaching.

    As the being approached further, Alex remarked that it had a humanoid shape.

    ''Human?'' he wondered.

    ''Is it a human that attacked you?'' Anna, who could read what he was thinking, asked.

    ''It seems so,'' Alex replied.

    Just as he thought about it, a short woman came out of the dust and walked towards them. She had ck hair and was wearing tight leather armor.

    ''As expected,'' Alex thought when he felt the level of the woman.

    ''What is it?''

    ''The one who attacked us is at level 5.''

    ''Ah, do you need help?''

    ''Don''t be silly, there''s only one of her, and we are-'' Alex''s expression suddenly hardened when he felt two other presences swiftly approaching them, and just like the woman, those two were also at level 5.

    Just like him, the expression of Lilia and Amelia became solemn the instant they felt that two others level 5 were appearing.

    ''Okay, now things are gettingplicated,'' Alex thought as he pondered how to get themselves out of this situation.

    One level 5 was manageable; she would have been difficult to fight but still manageable. Three of them, however, that was going to be a problem��a big problem.

    If the level 5 individuals approaching them were monsters, Alex wouldn''t feel as threatened as he currently did. Even though monsters theoretically possess stronger raw power than humans at the same level, humans at level 5 could defeat monsters at level 5. Why was that? Simple. The winner of a fight isn''t solely determined by the level of strength of the enemy; various factors may allow someone weaker to ovee someone stronger. For instance, Alex''s control over smoke granted him the ability to teleport out of a monkey-like monster''s tight grip during their fights. Taking advantage of its shock, he could thenunch counterattacks.

    The factors determining the oue of a fight are numerous, but the most significant factor enabling humans to defeat their monster counterparts is the shrewdness of human minds. While monsters begin gaining intelligence at level 5, in the majority of cases, it can''t bepared to human intelligence. Additionally, humans don''t usually fight alone, making it possible to y monsters at a level above their own.

    This means that even though level 5 monsters might have more potential raw power than level 5 humans, it''s much harder to kill a human than a monster.

    ''Also, the fact that I couldn''t detect this one before she was already upon us means she is faster than the monkey,'' assessed Alex.

    "Alex...." Lilia nced at him and drew her light sword.

    "I understand. We need to deal with her before the others arrive," Alex nodded, puffing out smoke and making it to swirl around the upper part of his body.

    "Amelia, try to immobilize her," Alex ordered.

    Before Amelia could nod in understanding, he had already moved, streaking toward the woman at his fastest speed, with Lilia following just behind him.

    The woman raised a brow, surprised that a level 4 was this fast, but she showed no panic nor attempted to defend herself. Instead, she pointed her finger at the charging Alex, and immediately, wind began gathering around her finger, forming what looked like an arrow.

    When Alex was just two meters from the woman, the arrow of wind wasunched toward him, aiming right at his heart!

    Due to how close he was to the woman, the moment the arrow wasunched, it was already in front of Alex, mere inches from piercing his chest and reaching his heart.

    Utilizing the swirling smoke around him, Alex quickly dodged the arrow, positioning himself to the right side of the woman.

    The arrow that Alex dodged was headed straight for Lilia, yet she made no attempt to avoid it.

    Swinging her sword to deflect the wind arrow, Lilia crouched slightly, using the motion to propel herself towards the woman. Simultaneously, Alex who was positioned at the woman''s right side,unched a punch aimed at her ribs. The coordinated attack aimed to catch the woman off guard from two different angles.

    However, just as the two attacks were about tond, the woman explosively retreated, sessfully evading them. Yet, before she could even sigh in relief, the branches of the tree behind her outstretched and whipped her body aside.

    The woman''s body was sent flying in the air towards another tree.

    nting her feet firmly on the ground, she managed to halt herself just before colliding with the tree. Raising her head, the woman saw Alex and Lilia charging at her at their fastest speed, and smiled at them.

    "You were too slow."

    As the words barely left her mouth, the couple explosively retreated, narrowly avoiding attacks from above.

    Boom Boom

 Chapter 170 : Rescue mission (7)

    Chapter 170 : Rescue mission (7)

    ''Sh*t, they arrived before we could kill her,'' Alex cursed in his mind.

    ''Who came?'' Anna asked when she heard his curse.

    ''The two other level 5.''

    Anna fell silent, understanding the seriousness of the situation.

    ''I''ming, I might��''

    ''No, your mission is to rescue the heiress of the Drazen and Cedrix''s daughter,'' Alex denied her.

    ''I can''t rescue the heiress by myself. I''m sorry,'' Anna apologized.

    ''You don''t need to apologize,'' Alex replied as he and Lilia regrouped with Amelia and Cedrix.

    "Things are gettingplicated," Liliamented as she observed the cloud of dust that arose when the two level 5 appeared.

    "Yeah, I know," Alex nodded with a grim expression.

    A bitter, the dust settled, showing two men �C one standing and the other crouching.

    The standing man was the same muscr guy who had led Anita''s group.

    The other man, on the other hand, was a short guy with dirty blond hair and appeared a bit chubby.

    Observing the two men, Alex raised an eyebrow when he noticed that both of them were in bad shape. They looked battered, with torn clothes, and remnants of dried blood were visible on their garments.

    Just then, Alex remembered what Anna had said about the Night group members being absent due to dealing with an emergency.

    ''So they have fought beforeing here. Great to know,'' he thought.

    Despite being observed by Alex''s group, the two men ignored them and turned to look at the woman. "See, Niya, I told you shouldn''t have gone alone," the chubby man said.

    "Shut up, Todd. I could have dealt with them alone," the woman snorted at him.

    Plopping on the ground, Todd nced at Niya and said in a teasing voice, "Are you sure? Because it seemed like you were the one on the losing end."

    Niya red at him, making Todd shiver a little.

    "Don''t take it like that, my love," Todd said in the same teasing voice.

    "Who are you calling your love? You-"

    "Enough, you two!" The muscr man interrupted them, then focused on Alex''s group.

    "You are not from our group. Who are you guys, and what are you doing here?" He asked coldly.

    "Would knowing us or our motives change your decision to fight us?" Alex asked indifferently.

    "No."

    "Then shut the fuck up and let''s just fight already," Alex eximed.

    Although I''m saying this, I don''t have a way to deal with them,'' Alex thought.

    ''On one hand, we need to save the heiress of the Drazen family before something happens to her. On the other, we also need to fight three level 5. Fortunately, two of them are already in bad shape. Hmmm.''

    Anna, who could actually read everything he thought about, remained silent not to disturb him but ultimately had to when an insane idea popped up inside his head.

    ''Master, it''s not a good idea!''

    ''Hm? Why did you revert to calling me master again?''

    ''Huh? Oh, don''t distract me! Your idea is dangerous to you and Lady Lilia!''

    Alex smiled faintly, ''Thanks for worrying about us, but did you forget who your husband was? Stop worrying and concentrate on your mission. I will send Amelia to help you.''

    ''Okay....'' Anna replied reluctantly.

    ''Good,'' Alex nodded, and ncing at Amelia, who was at his right, he whispered, "At my signal, take Cedrix with you and go inside their base. From there, you will help Anna rescue the heiress of the Drazen family."

    "Then what about you and Lilia?" Amelia whispered back while keeping eye contact on their enemies who, judging by how they didn''t seem to be in a hurry to attack them and were slightly panting, were probably recuperating.

    "We can take on those three, right?" Alex turned to Lilia.

    Lilia lingered for a bit, then nodded her head in agreement.

    "See? You don''t need to worry about us," Alex reassured.

    Amelia still wanted to argue that it was still dangerous, but remembering who those two were, she sighed and nodded her head, "just don''t die."

    "Of course that won''t happen," Alex shed her a smile for an instant before his expression became serious again.

    "I will take on those two; you can manage that woman, right?" Alex nced again at Lilia.

    Lilia nodded her head again.

    ''She is not very talkative today,'' Alex remarked.

    Throwing that at the back of his head, he concentrated on his control of his smoke, and in a split second, before their enemies could understand what was happening, Alex erged the smoke in the surroundings, making it as thick as he could.

    "Now!"

    The instant he gave the signal, Amelia picked up Cedrix and ran in the direction of the Night''s group base.

    "Why is she running towards our base?" Niya wondered.

    From the beginning of the fight, she was not only using her eyes to see, but also through mana, so the sudden emergence of the smoke didn''t really disturb her that much. It was the same for the other two next to her.

    "I''m also wondering that." Todd scratched his head while still sitting on the ground.

    From Todd and Niya''sid expression, it was certain that they weren''t going to do anything to stop Amelia. Why bother? There was no way she could open that door unless she had the help of those two idiot guards. Plus, staying here and fighting them would just lead to a less gruesome death than what awaited her inside. So, for those two, there wasn''t really a need to stop her. Only the muscr man seemed a bit concerned.

    ''I have a bad feeling about all of this,'' he thought, although he also wasn''t moving to stop Amelia.

    That was a decision that was going to cost them a lot.

    "Hm? Where is that other woman going?," Todd wondered when he sensed Lilia going in a random direction.

    "Now that you mention it-"

    Before Niya could finish what she was saying, a fist appeared before her.

    Crack

    A cracking sound resonated in the surroundings as Niya was sent hurtling far outside from the smoke, in the same direction Lilia was running.

    "NIYA!" Todd eximed, swiftly standing on his feet, intent on flying to her rescue. Before he could move, he felt something quickly approaching his face.

    Raising his hands to protect his head, Todd blocked a kicking straight for his face.

    ''Tsk,'' Alex clicked his tongue when he saw that his surprise attack failed and, using his smoke, retreated.

    ''It seems that even if they can''t sense my presence when I''m far, it''s not the case when I''m near,'' Alex remarked.

    It was the same as the monkey-like monster he had fought a few hours prior. Although it couldn''t see Alex when he was far, the instant he approached it, it managed to take him by surprise and even blocked his attacks. Such a thing was possible due to the sharp sense every level 5 had.

    ''Then it''s not necessary to maintain the smoke screen; it''s eating too much of my mana anyway.''

    Using his control over the smoke, Alex made it thin again and wrapped it around himself in a sort of haze.

    When the smoke cleared, and they saw Alex, both men smirked.

    "Fool, do you really think that woman can defeat Niya?" The muscr man sneered.

    They could perfectly sense Lilia running towards Niya, but they didn''t care to stop her nheless. What could someone who isn''t even at level 1 do to a level 5 anyway?

    "You guys are quite arrogant for mere bandits," Alex scoffed.

    He hadplete faith in Lilia''s capabilities. Despite not having a specific level like others, she could easily handle level 4 opponents without them even touching a strand of hair on her head. Even though level 5 beings were powerful, she could still hold her own in a fight against one. In the worst-case scenario, she could prolong the fight until Alex finished dealing with those two.

    "Arrogant? It''s rather you who are overestimating your strength. But even then,e on, you seriously think you have a shot at defeating the two of us?" Todd looked at Alex as if he were some idiot.

    "We will find out soon enough."

 Chapter 171 : Battle Against the Night group (1)

    Chapter 171 : Battle Against the Night group (1)

    "Is it really safe to leave them alone against these three?" Cedrix wondered just as Amelia entered inside the mountain.

    Amelia remained quiet for a moment, then shed a smile at the old man. "I''m sure they will manage to beat them."

    "But those three are strong," he said, not convinced by Amelia''s words.

    "So are Alex and Lilia," Amelia responded with the same smile on her face.

    After this exchange, Cedrix remained silent and didn''t bother her anymore.

    ''I have to say, it''s much nicer being carried by Lady Amelia than Lord Alex.'' Although Amelia wasn''t running slowly, she was still considerate of him to not go overboard. Meanwhile, Alex moved at his full speed, which greatly disoriented the old man.

    As they approached the door where the captives were, Amelia slowed her pace when she sensed the scent of blood, a small frown gracing her beautiful face, but her expression quickly eased up when she advanced further and spotted two women standing just before arge door.

    With a slight smile, Amelia approached Anna and Anita,ing to a stop just in front of them.

    As soon as she ced Cedrix on the ground, Anita, who was close to Anna, had her eyes shimmer with a bright, joyful blue light. She rushed towards her father and embraced him before he could regain his bearings, causing both of them to tumble down.

    "Dad!" Anita tightly hugged Cedrix, tears streaming down her face.

    "Huh?"

    At first, Cedrix was surprised by the unexpected attack, but when his mind registered the words of his assaulter and understood that the one in his arms was his daughter, a mix of joy and relief rushed through his whole body and before he knew it, tears began streaming from his eyes like a flooded dam.

    "My dear child, I''m so happy to see you again," Cedrix said with a big smile on his face as he hugged back his daughter.

    "I thought I would never... see you again." Anita clutched her father''s shirt as she cried.

    "There, there, everything is going to be fine now." Cedrix stroked her hair with a loving smile on his face while tears still streaked from his eyes.

    ''Thssa, our daughter is safe now,'' Cedrix thought with a wistful expression on his face.

    Meanwhile, Amelia observed the heartwarming reunion of the father and daughter with a smile on their faces, and even Anna''s typically cold expression was reced by a warm smile.

    After spending a few days in thepany of the old man, they hade to know that Cedrix deeply loved and cared for his daughter. The proof of that was, despite being wounded and having lost one of his eyes, the man didn''t try to heal himself. Instead, he kept asking for help to save his daughter, even going as far as taking the risk to attack the guards of a noble house just so that he could get the help he needed!

    Cedrix and his daughter kept hugging and crying in each other''s arms for several minutes before finally letting go, but even then, tears still lingered at the corners of their eyes.

    Rising from the ground, Anita faced Amelia and Anna, "Sorry to have shown you such an unsightly scene."

    ''Hoh, she is beautiful. Brother would surely find her to his liking,'' thought Amelia when she finally got a good glimpse of Anita''s face.

    Waving her hand, Amelia replied, "don''t mention it. We are d for you and your father."

    Anita nodded and then deeply bowed her head to Anna and Amelia, "Thanks for rescuing me and allowing me to reunite with my father. For that, I will be eternally grateful to you," she stated, her eyes glowing with a steadfast, unwavering blue light.

    ''Anita...'' Cedrix was surprised when he saw his daughter bow to someone with her eyes shimmering with that kind of light.

    "We are not the ones you should thank," Anna told Anita.

    "Then who?" She asked, briefly raising her head.

    "My brother. He is the one leading this mission. Without him epting your father''s request, we wouldn''t even be here," Amelia exined.

    "I see. I will thank himter when I see him, but still, I want to also thank you," she said, then nced at Anna, "especially you. From the bottom of my heart, thanks for rescuing me."

    "Don''t sweat it," Anna smiled at Anita.

    "I don''t want to be the party pooper, but we need to go on, Anna. We have another mission to aplish," Amelia said while peering inside the door to observe the other captives.

    "Yes, we need to go. Stay here and don''t go outside; it''s dangerous," Anna advised as she turned around and walked inside the door, followed by Amelia a secondter.

    As Amelia entered the chamber, she heard Anita asking excitedly, "Who is this brother the otherdy was speaking about, and how did you manage to convince him?"

    "Hehe, let me narrate everything that happened after you were kidnapped. Firstly..."

    Hearing the sound of the door opening, Amelia observed to her right just to see another door opening.

    "They are inside, let''s go" Anna nced at Amelia and spoke.

    Amelia nodded, but before she went inside, her gaze swept over the captives, and she remarked that none of them were looking at her or even the door to their "cell" that was wide open!

    Even the nobles, who were usually arrogant, just kept staring at the ground as if the most precious treasurey there.

    ''Humph, a bunch of cowards,'' Amelia snorted as she stepped inside the chamber behind the second door.

    ****

    "Arg..." Alex winced in pain as he extricated himself from the tree he had been embedded into.

    He swept with his arm to wipe away the blood trickling from his forehead.

    ''These guys are tough'' he thought while observing his two adversaries who were in front of him. ''Especially him,'' he added as he observed the chubby man, Todd.

    Despite the fact that this guy possessed a body that proved he wasn''t even slightly fit, the speed at which he could move was simply mind-numbing; he was much faster than the monkey-like monster,rgely so.

    If Alex could still perceive the monkey when it moved, against Todd, it''s simply impossible to do so. That''s the reason Alex couldn''t even evade his attacks and kept blocking; even then, he could barely block half of them.

    Witnessing this guy''s speed, he hade to wonder if the level 5 monsters he had encountered were truly level 5, since he had easily escaped their pursuit. Considering the fact that the monkey-like monster of level 5 had transformed into a normal monkey of level 1, Alex felt that his theory about these monsters not being true level 5 was right.

    ''Still, this guy''s speed is abnormal,'' Alex thought in suspicion.

    The only saving grace about his fight against Todd was that the guy trulycked strength. Although Alex couldn''t block most of his attacks, the truth was that even those that managed tond on him didn''t do too much damage, even though they still hurt.

    Toddcking strength was a good thing for Alex, but that''s only the case if the chubby man was fighting alone, which he wasn''t. The muscr man, whose name Alex had learned to be Tobias, was the perfect opposite of Todd.

    Tobias wasn''t nearly as fast as neither Todd nor Alex, but god damn, this guy''s strength was monstrous. As if that wasn''t enough, the guy fought with a hammer asrge as Alex''s head.

    Each time his hammer fell on Alex, thetter felt like his bones were slightly cracking, and an instantter, he found himself flying through the air before violently crashing into something.

    Although fighting either one of those two alone would beplicated, it was at least doable, but fighting them together was a total nightmare for Alex because those guys practicallyplemented each other. Todd engaged him first, captivating all of Alex''s attention, and before he knew it, Tobias was upon him, striking Alex with his hammer and sending him hurtling in the air.

    "You''ve got the zeal to be thinking about something in the midst of a battle against us," a mocking voice sounded behind Alex.

    ''Sh*t,'' Alex cursed internally and attempted to turn to block the impending blowing behind him, but before he could even move, the attack alreadynded.

    Todd''s fist connected with Alex''s back and sent him careening forward.

    As Alex tried to get his footing, he felt someone step just in front of him. A split secondter, he heard the air shatter, and then something crashed against his ribcage.

    Crack

    Cracking sounds could be heard as Alex''s body curved in a U shape and was sent hurtling towards a tree, yet again.

    Boom

    He crashed against a tree and felt like all the bones in his body broke.

    ''It hurts like hell.''

    Alex winced in pain as he tentatively attempted to get out of the tree he was encased in.

    However, before he could even move, Todd appeared in front of him and struck him in the chest again.

    The force of the blow caused Alex''s body to pierce through the tree''s trunk he was encased in and sent him flying towards another tree again. Yet, before Alex''s body reached the tree, Tobias appeared in front of him, swinging his hammer vertically.

    "Enough!" Alex eximed and teleported.

    A split secondter, Tobias'' hammer crashed against the ground.

    Boom

    "What the- where is he?" wondered Todd with a puzzled expression when Alex suddenly disappeared.

    cing his hammer on his shoulder, Tobias replied, "I don''t know how he managed to disappear, but seeing that it happened, it means that he can''t use whatever trick he used often, and I also bet that he isn''t far from here. Your senses are sharper than mine; try to find him."

    Todd nodded his head and began scanning their surroundings with his senses, quickly finding out Alex''s new location around sixty meters from them.

    "Found him, I''m going ahead; try to follow," said Todd before rushing towards Alex.

    Meanwhile, the instant Alex teleported, he didn''t waste time and called out in his mind:

    ''Status.''

 Chapter 172 : Battle Against the Night group (2)

    Chapter 172 : Battle Against the Night group (2)

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 200

    Agility: 200

    Stamina: 160

    Defense: 80

    Mana Points: 75

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke sovereign;

    Soul Points: 92]

    Alex quickly observed his status and made a decision.

    ''Enhance my strength, agility, defense, and stamina by 20 soul points each, and allocate  two points to enhance my mana reserves,'' he instructed the system.

    [Are you certain?]

    Alex sighed and nodded, ''Yes, do it.''

    Quite frankly, he had no intention to enhance his stats this soon after thest enhancement. In fact, he had no intention to enhance them even without taking into ount thest enhancement, and for a simple reason:

    He wanted to copy a new ability.

    The smoke ability was good, and with him being a sovereign, it became even greater. In fact, Alex could feel that even now, he had a long way to go before mastering the smoke element. And that was actually where the problemy; he didn''t have much time.

    Alex needed another ability that was made for fighting. Although the smoke element could do so, the strength disyed wasn''t satisfactory, or rather, the strength that Alex could disy wasn''t satisfactory. It was clear to him that should he further train with the smoke element, the strength he could disy could be damning. Even the smoke spirit had said so before they parted.

    But as was exined, he didn''t have much time. Thepetition to determine the heir of the Eswald family was approaching. Though Alex felt that there aren''t many who could fight him currently, something was telling him that he should try to be the strongest possible before presenting himself at thepetition.

    He had been conserving his soul points to copy a new ability, but given the current state of the fight, he had no choice. His smoke wasn''t causing as much damage as he anticipated, mainly because his enemies had tough skin, so, he had to rely on his physical attributes.

    ''Well, augmenting my physical attributes is a good thing, too,'' he thought.

    [Starting the process...]

    As the system''s words registered in his mind, Alex suddenly staggered forward, feeling a rush of energy course through his entire body. Usually, when he enhanced one of his attributes, he experienced a cool energy, but this sensation was different. The usual cool feeling was...overwhelming.

    Straightening his back, a frown appeared on Alex''s face. ''Is it because the level of enhancement is superior to the usual one?'' he wondered.

    Alex usually enhanced one or two attributes simultaneously, which made the cool sensation pleasurable. However, in this instance, he was enhancing all five attributes simultaneously, with four of them receiving a 20 soul point boost, tranting to an enhancement of 100 for each. It was understandable that the sensation of energy passing through him wasn''t as enjoyable as the previous enhancements.

    "I can''t even move properly; it''s annoying," Alex clicked his tongue.

    Right then, Alex picked up the sounds of approaching footsteps. Raising his head, he spotted Todd maneuvering around the trees, swiftly closing the distance between them. A few meters behind the chubby man, he could see Tobias running towards him with hisrge hammer on his shoulder.

    ''Shit, I need to move'' he thought in dread.

    If he was caught right now by the two of them �C no, even if just Todd caught up with him, then it was pretty much over for him.

    ''Hey! How long until the enhancement is terminated?'' Alex asked the system.

    However, the system ignored him. Meanwhile, Todd had practically covered the distance separating them and was standing just ten meters from Alex.

    "Why are you not moving? Well, whatever, let''s finish this whole masquerade," Todd said as he swiftly attacked Alex.

    Ignoring the fist that wasing toward him, Alex addressed the system again, ''hey, cancel the enhancement process!'' At least if it is canceled, he could move again, but the system ignored him once again.

    Just as Todd''s attack was mere inches from his head...

    [Process finished]

    Boom.

    Alex''s body was flung to the side with such force that it pierced through several trees and collided against the side of the mountain, just a few meters from the entrance.

    Tobias, who arrived just as Todd''s fistnded on Alex''s head, whistled in amazement.

    "That was a good one. I didn''t think you had this much strength," he praised his colleague.

    However, Todd didn''t respond. He didn''t even nce at Tobias; his gaze was focused on his fist.

    After a moment, he lifted his head and observed the trail of destruction caused by Alex colliding with the trees, then murmured absentmindedly, "I didn''t touch him?"

    "Huh, what are you saying now, I saw your fist connecting with his head," Tobias eximed in confusion.

    Todd shook his head, "No, he moved before I could even graze him."

    "So that means..."

    Tobias followed Todd''s gaze and observed the hole Alex had made when he collided with the mountain. Just in time to witness Alex extricate himself from it while cursing.

    "Damn, it''s ruined," Alex cursed, ncing down at his torn shirt, "I liked that one."

    He sighed and pushed the thought aside, realizing there were more pressing matters to address, like the fact that he can''t control his body!

    Removing his shredded clothes, he sighed once again. ''As I thought, if I enhance my attributes too much at once, I have difficulty adapting.''

    Todd was right; he didn''t touch him. The enhancement ended just as Todd''s fist was about to connect. With his newfound physical might, Alex attempted to sidestep the chubby man''s fist, but the speed at which he moved had taken him off guard, and he couldn''t control himself anymore.

    ''Surprisingly, I''m not hurt. In fact, my previous wound has disappeared, and I''m even more in shape than before,'' Alex remarked with a wide, satisfied smile.

    As he marveled at how his already well-defined six-pack and muscles now appeared even firmer, Alex picked up on the approaching sounds of footsteps.

    He lifted his head and quickly spotted his two foes getting close to him again.

    "Time for round two," Alex cracked his knuckles.

    Slightly crouching, Alex lunged at them.

    "....!"

    The two members of Night only saw him crouch, and a split secondter, he appeared in front of Tobias.

    Tobias'' eyes widened in shock, and before he could react by swinging his hammer, he felt something crash against his body.

    An instantter, Tobias'' muscr body was sent back with even greater force than it hade with.

    ''What the-'' Todd, who was next to him, suddenly froze in his ce, his mind struggling toprehend the sudden turn of events.

    Seeing his dazed expression, Alex didn''t hesitate and kicked at Todd, but surprisingly, the chubby man swiftly dodged the attack by jumping backward.

    Toddnded on all fours and released a low growl.

    "You are growli-" Alex was about to make fun of him when his words caught in his throat.

    Under his astonished gaze, vibrant crimson tattoos began manifesting all over Todd''s body.

    "Those tattoos..." Alex muttered, recognizing the ominous symbols on Todd''s body.

    Although slightly different, Alex was certain that the shimmering tattoos on Todd''s body were the same as those on the man who had attacked their carriage a few days ago.

    As if to confirm Alex''s words, Todd''s body began to convulse wildly, and soon, a cheetah''s tail and ears sprouted from him.

    ''Yeah, there''s no way I''m letting you finish your little transformation,'' he had already witnessed firsthand how dangerous these creatures were after transformation. It would be dumb of him to let one transform in front of him and do nothing.

    Appearing in front of the convulsing Todd, Alex delivered a swift and powerful kick directly to his face.

    Todd''s body rolled on itself many times before colliding with a nearby tree.

    Alex moved, and a split secondter, he stood before Todd''s unconscious body.

    ''I''m finally getting adapted to my body''s strength,'' Alex thought, seeing that he didn''t m into a tree or something.

    Lowering his gaze, the unconscious body of Todd came into his sight, "as I thought, losing consciousness stops the process of transformation."

    "I wonder if-"

    Feeling slight tremors running through the ground, Alex turned his head just in time to see a creature half-human, half-bull charging at him.

    "I guess I have my answer"

 Chapter 173 : Battle Against the Night group (3)

    Chapter 173 : Battle Against the Night group (3)

    "Hahaha, it''s hrious. Did you really think you could defeat me? Hahaha..." Niyaughed madly while staring at a panting Lilia.

    Lilia red at Niya, but she couldn''t deny the truth in her words. She was struggling to keep up with her opponent. Her breath was ragged, and her clothes were torn in ces, revealing her smooth white skin.

    Objectively speaking, she wasn''t in terrible condition, but her state was far from optimal.

    One could argue that Alex had miscalcted when he chose to let Lilia face Niya alone; after all, thetter was at level 5, while Lilia didn''t even possess a level.

    He had clearly overestimated the capabilities of his dear wife, though, one can hardly me him for doing so.

    Alex had many reasons to have a blind trust in Lilia when it came to fights and among those reasons, two prime over the others.

    The first one was the fact that just a few hours prior now, he had witnessed her ughtering level 4 monsters like they were merembs and a few weeks ago he had also seen her battling all the level 4 of the branch in a one-on-one fight.

    What he had forgotten to take into ount was that during those fights, Lilia''s opponents had to restrain themselves to just fighting hand to hand; they didn''t use their abilities. Meanwhile, there was no way Niya wouldn''t do so.

    The second reason Alex didn''t doubt Lilia''s battle power, however, was because of a certain memory��the memory of their first meeting.

    Back then, Lilia still had some of her powers, and the overwhelming presence she had at that time had etched itself in his mind. That''s why, despite the fact that she doesn''t hold as much power as back then, Alex still has a very high opinion of Lilia regarding her strength. There was also the fact that he had been thoroughly beaten by her, weeks ago.

    However, as mentioned earlier, he had overestimated her strength, and she was currently paying the price for it. Yet, Lilia wasn''t ming him; she also believed that she could take on Niya, but it seemed she had bitten off more than she could chew.

    ''More than I can chew, huh? I must have really fallen low if I consider someone like that as more than I can chew,'' Lilia chuckled in a self-deprecating manner.

    ''Still, I can''t disappoint my husband, now can I?'' Lilia thought as she firmly gripped her sword.

    Lilia took a deep breath and lunged at Niya, moving much faster than a normal person.

    However, Niya easily noticed her swift movements.

    Pointing a finger at Lilia, Niya shot a wind arrow at her.

    A split secondter, the arrow reached Lilia, but she skillfully dodged it and kept running toward Niya.

    "Haha, let''s see how many you can dodge before one hits you," Niyaughed maniacally as she shot arrow after arrow at Lilia.

    However, none of the arrows hit Lilia. Her evasive maneuvers resembled a dance, a graceful disy as she slipped away from each arrow.

    Barely a secondter after the rain of arrow started, Lilia stood in front of Niya, swinging her light sword.

    However, Lilia was too slowpared to Niya.

    She easily dodged the sword and delivered a quick kick to Lilia''s stomach.

    Sidestepping, Lilia skillfully evaded the attack, then swung her sword again at Niya''s neck.

    However, Lilia''s sword found only empty air as Niya swiftly crouched to dodge it.

    Sensing an iing attack, Lilia swiftly retreated, and in the blink of an eye, a wind arrow shot towards the spot she had just vacated.

    ''I have to say, I''m quite lucky that her ability is only an Elemental Derivation of wind,'' Lilia mused.

    Abilities that were deemed as Elemental Derivatives are those powers linked with one element but don''t allow the maniption of such element.

    In Niya''s case, her ability allowed her to create wind arrows, but she couldn''t control them after she hadunched them because she didn''t have the wind maniption like Jonathan, for example.

    Many people are like Niya and only have abilities that are Elemental Derivatives, for example, it''s the same for Talia.

    Talia had two abilities; one allowed her to control water, while the other permitted her to turn anything she touched into water. Her second ability was a derivative of water, meaning she couldn''t normally control the water that emerged after transforming something. However, Talia was fortunate to possess a second ability that granted her the power to manipte water. Thus, the issue of her derivative ability was resolved, but it wasn''t the case for everyone with a derivative ability.

    People like Niya didn''t have an additional ability that granted them maniption over their element, from which their derivative ability resulted.

    However, it wasn''t to say that those with a derivative ability were weak; no, in some cases, there were people born with a derivative ability that allowed them to do something that someone with the ability to manipte the same element could never achieve throughout their whole lives.

    In a sense, it all depended on luck. You could gain a derivative ability that was incredibly advantageous, or you could end up with one that wasn''t as impressive.

    In Niya''s case, she had drawn the short end of the stick, since everyone with wind maniption, regardless of their talent, could at least create an arrow made of wind.

    For her, it was a curse, while for Lilia, it was a blessing. She was already struggling to battle it out with Niya currently; imagine if the girl could manipte wind like Jonathan!

    ''Well, despite that she is still dangerous, so I need to be on guard,'' Lilia thought with a serious expression on her face.

    Gripping her sword tighter, Lilia lunged at Niya once again, but she instantly felt that something was strange when the usual rain of arrows wasn''t there to greet her.

    Wary, Lilia slowed down her pace a little but still charged at the petite woman.

    When she was near Niya, Lilia''s instincts screamed at her to retreat, which she did, but before she could do so, Niya, who had been motionless for a moment, lunged at her.

    "Hmm?" Lilia''s brow rose in surprise when she came eye to eye with Niya. It was because Niya''s pupils had transformed into slits, while her nails had elongated to look like sharp ws.

    Niya swiftly closed the gap with Lilia and wildly swung her ws at her.

    With a practiced move, Lilia sidestepped and shed at Niya''s head, only for her sword to be blocked by Niya''s arm that was covered in scales.

    ''Scales now?'' Lilia took a step back and tried to create distance between herself and her enemy.

    However, she had underestimated Niya''s strength and agility.

    Before Lilia could take a step backwards, Niya appeared before her and swung her ws at her once again.

    Even caught off guard, Lilia swiftly raised her sword to counter Niya''s ws.

    ng

    A metallic sh echoed in the corners of the forest as Lilia''s light sword collided with Niya''s ws.

    ''Unbelievable,'' Lilia''s eyes widened in shock as small cracks formed along the de of her sword.

    Just as Lilia considered retreating to preserve her sword, Niya''s ws shattered it, and her ws shed at Lilia''s chest.

    ''Not good!'' Lilia quickly discarded her shattered sword, took a small step to her left, gripped Niya''s right shoulder, and tossed her against the ground!

    Crack

    Niya''s body forcefully collided with the ground, creating countless cracks.

    Instead of taking advantage of the situation, Lilia swiftly retreated.

    The moment she created enough distance from Niya, Lilia suddenly staggered backwards, her vision bing blurry.

    ''Poison?'' Lilia nced down and noticed a purple liquid oozing from a slight wound on her upper chest.

    ''I must have been touched during thest attack,'' she concluded.

    Without hesitation, she retrieved a bottle emitting green smoke.

    The green smoke held a potent antidote, enhanced by Alex''s transformation, now in an even more effective form as vapor.

    Lilia swiftly inhaled the smoke from the bottle, anticipating the magic of the antidote. However, even after several seconds, nothing changed. Her vision remained blurry, and she could feel her strength rapidly draining from her body.

    A sudden and violent headache gripped Lilia, an intense pain that felt like her head was being crushed. Blood began oozing out of her nose and ears, her knees buckled, and soon, she fell on all fours, gasping for breath with each heavy pant.

    Amidst the agony, Lilia heard aughter resembling a serpent''s hiss, "It seems that my poison is finally acting, kekeke."

    If Lilia could see her opponent right now, she would witness that only the upper part of Niya''s body was human, the lower part being a long serpentine tail.

    "I don''t know what that thing you inhaled was, but it certainly won''t counter my poison, that I can assure you," Niya said, the words escaping her slithering tongue in a subtle, serpentine melody.

    Niya turned around, gliding on her serpentine tail as she distanced herself from Lilia''s kneeling figure. She eventually stopped and settled on the ground.

    "I''m going to stay here as a spectator. Don''t mind my presence; you can die peacefully. Well, I doubt it will be peaceful, but let''s not get carried away with mere details," Niya hissed with a wicked smile on her face.

    She rarely assumed that form because she despised her appearance. In the rare instances when she did however, she refrained from an immediate kill. Instead, she preferred to poison her opponent, watching them writhe on the ground before sumbing to death. All the while, she observed the scene, deriving sadistic pleasure from it.

    Cough cough cough

    As Niya observed with a sadistic smile stered on her face, Lilia began coughing up blood. Simultaneously, her eyelids swelled, and ck discolorations appeared under her eyes.

    Lilia''s mind was in turmoil, yet it wasn''t because of the poison or even her impending death, but because of the reappearance of a certain hateful voice she would rather never hear from again.

    "What a disgrace, the proud and mighty queen of battlefields, harbinger of death, Liliana Bloodheart, sumbing to mere poisoning."

    ****

    Here''s the discord link for those that have questions or suggestions about the novel:

    /invite/nWJTyACfyQ

    Also, I would be grateful if you could leave a review of the novel��mentioning what you like and don''t like (try not to butcher the story though; nah, I''m kidding, just be honest!). Don''t forget to rate the novel as well, preferably 5 stars, but then again, just be honest and give it the rating you think it merits.

    That''s all from me.

 Chapter 174 : Battle Against the Night group (4)

    Chapter 174 : Battle Against the Night group (4)

    "What a disgrace, the mighty queen of the battlefield, harbinger of death, Liliana Bloodheart, dying from mere poison," a voiceced with pride resounded in Lilia''s mind.

    ''Lilia Eswald, that''s my name,'' Lilia corrected the voice as she continued to cough up blood.

    ''Hmph, that name is not yours, it''s just the name of your worthless husb-''

    ''Don''t you dare insult my husband!'' Lilia warned the voice.

    ''Or what? You are not even in a state to suppress me, you haven''t been for a long time now,'' the voice responded.

    ''Sigh, can''t you just leave me alone?'' the strength in Lilia''s arms left her, and she slumped on the ground, ck blood leaking out of her mouth.

    ''Whether you like it or not, we are stuck together from the moment you decided to forge me,'' the voice responded haughtily.

    ''And I regret doing so; you have practically be a curse now. I now understand why he insisted that I forge you at that time in my life,'' Lilia tried to sigh, but instead of air, it was blood that came out of her mouth.

    There was a moment of silence before the voice spoke again, ''Look at you, on the verge of death because of a simple poison. You could have spared yourself, spared us, from all of that. All it took from you was to train a little more seriously, but instead, you''ve been wasting your time ying the act of a good housewife and mother.''

    ''And? I like taking care of my husband and daughters.''

    ''That''s exactly where the problem lies. You are not supposed to like taking care of others; you are supposed to kill others!'' the voice eximed. ''With your talent, breaking the curse ced on you wouldn''t have taken so much time. One or two years of intense training would have been enough. Instead, you''ve been chasing after a chimera for eighteen years, eighteen! What is wrong with you!? You-''

    ''Shut up!'' Lilia snapped, causing the voice to suddenly go quiet. ''Don''t forget who you are talking to,'' she warned.

    ''You know more than anyone that one or two years wouldn''t be enough to erase that curse or regain my powers, and you are wrong; I have been training that whole time!'' Lilia said.

    ''Here we go again, what training are you talking about? You speak of that nonsense you have read in that cursed book. Gods, Liliana, you are not that naive.''

    ''You know very well that it''s not nonsense,'' Lilia responded.

    ''It took you eighteen years just to see a glimpse of that power. How long will it take for you to master it? Fifty? One hundred years? If you have that much time, you know perfectly well that it''s not the case for her.''

    Lilia remained silent. Although the voice was annoying and kept talking nonsense, on that front, it might be right.

    Despite that, Lilia wasn''t willing to give up on obtaining this power now more than ever.

    As exined earlier, when Lilia came to the Eswald for the first time, she still had some of her powers. However, as time passed, she gradually lost them. At that time, she fell into a depression, and if not for Alex, maybe she would still be in that state. It was during that period that Alex managed to get close to her, but that''s not the focus here.

    The important thing here is that, due to her not wanting to lose her powers, Lilia spent all her time in the Eswald''s family library, trying to find a method that would allow her to do exactly that. At that time, Alex''s father, one of the four dukes of the empire, was still alive, so the quantity of information they had ess to was enormous.

    Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, but Lilia couldn''t figure out how to get her powers back. She read every book that touched upon mana, whether explicitly or indirectly, but found no clues in getting out of her predicament.

    However, she didn''t get discouraged and continued searching. Eventually, she even began reading books in other sections.

    One day, while searching in the history section of the Libra, she stumbled upon a ck book that seemed hidden in a corner. The book immediately attracted her attention, and she started reading it, but the first sentence of the book nearly made her want to throw it in a trash can.

    "The human race, the best race to have ever walked on Wadata."

    The bold statement of the author of the book was nothing short of ridiculous.

    The human race, the best race? That was utter nonsense!

    Although Lilia wouldn''t say that the human race was at the bottom of the barrel, after all, humans had a decent position in most regions they inhabited, they were still far from the upper part of the social ranking.

    Even their current ranking was mostly due to the fact that humans outnumbered most races; if not, only gods know how far down the social ranking they would be. So, saying that the human race was the best wasn''t only ridiculous, it was outright outrageous!

    Still, Lilia was desperate enough to continue reading the book even though it was absurd.

    However, the more she read, the more her eyes shone with hope and excitement.

    The book recounted the history of a time when the Fiore Empire didn''t exist; in fact, none of the current powers of Imperion existed.

    At that time, there was only one power, or rather, a family that ruled over the entire continent.

    This family name was "Drakonel".

    ording to the book, the members of this family were able to destroy mountains with their fists, reshapendscapes with a mere touch, move at speeds that blurred the line between motion and stillness. They were depicted as beings of immense strength and unparalleled powers.

    But despite hearing all of that, Lilia wasn''t impressed and read with a bored expression.

    "Destroy mountains with their fists, reshapendscapes with a mere touch?" She knew people capable of doing things like that.

    However, her boredom was quickly reced by a dumbfounded expression when she learned that the members of the Drakonel family did all of those things without mana, treasures, artifacts, or things like that. In fact, they didn''t use any kind of energy.

    Lilia knew people who could perform the feats described earlier, but those individuals couldn''t achieve such things with their physical strength alone. They required external energies to aplish those feats. This intrigued her even more, prompting her to continue reading.

    As she progressed further, Lilia learned that, contrary to her initial assumption, the members of the Drakonel family did use an energy; it just wasn''t an "external" one like mana and the like.

    The energy they used was called "Zid," and ording to the author, this energy was internal and present in most races.

    Zid was an energy that determined the physical proprieties of a being.

    There were several physical attributes a being could possess, but the Drakonels distilled them into four: Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Defense.

    The better one controlled Zid, the more enhanced these physical attributes became.

    Considering the fact that Lilia, or anyone she knew, was aware of this energy, it was easy to imagine that being able to control or even sense that energy was something extremely difficult to do, something evethe author of the book emphasized.

    However, there was a method to control that energy, and luckily for Lilia, some steps of the method were exined in the book she was reading.

    The first step consisted ofpletely purging your body of mana. This step was more or less the same as when one transitioned from mana to aura, for example, but here, it was pushed to the limits.

    When you transition from mana to aura, you need to give up on mana; however, there are still some small, insignificant particles of mana inside your body. Thankfully, those particles won''t hinder your path forward, and you could use aura without feeling any unease due to those particles.

    However, when you start training to control Zid, then you need topletely purge your body from any sort of external energy, even those tiny and insignificant particles need to be dealt with, which usually takes one year to aplish.

    Reading that part, Lilia wondered if this step was really necessary or if it was just the author of the book''s hatred for external energies speaking. From the way the one who wrote this book spoke of external energy as if they were...parasites, Lilia hade to understand that this person particrly hated anything that wasn''t tied to Zid.

    Nevertheless, Lilia wasn''t overly concerned about this step. Having lost all her powers and the ability to use mana, her body was already devoid of any trace of mana, making the first step irrelevant in her case��an ironic twist of fate.

    The second step involves undergoing intense physical training, including exercises to make the body stronger, more resilient, improve stamina etc...

    Then only, after constant and perpetual training of your body, would you be able to sense Zid.

    Unfortunately for Lilia, the book ended exactly at that point; there was no information on what to do after you start feeling Zid.

    There was only one sentence exining why the author of the book had stated at the beginning of the book why the human race was the best among all races. This sentence was:

    "Of all the races in the world, humans alone are not bound to a single one of the four principles."

    After that sentence, there was nothing. There wasn''t a method on what to do with Zid after sensing it, how to control it, nothing! Worse, there wasn''t a sequel to the book, neither in the Eswald family library nor in the imperial library that Lilia managed to visit after Alex''s father asked permission to the emperor.

    It was as though the author of the book, whom she suspected to be a Drakonel, only wrote this sole book��an introduction to Zid, ording to Lilia. Despite theck of information, Lilia decided that she would begin training to control Zid.

    Two reasons drove her decision. Firstly, she didn''t want to lose one of her abilities. There was always the possibility that she could heal her condition and recover her powers; thus, there was no way she would give up on mana and opt for Aura. While there was a risk of losing her abilities when using Zid, simr to switching to Aura, she didn''t believe such a thing would happen, as the book''s author didn''t mention it.

    From Lilia''s point of view, with how much disdain and hatred the author spoke of external energies, if Zid couldn''tbine with other energies, he would have definitely said so. One could argue about the fact that the first step required purging the body from mana or other energies, suggesting that you could never use mana again.

    However, Lilia understood that this step was just there to prevent distraction from any external energy, thus, she was perplexed when it was said that you needed to purge your body from even the tiniest particle of mana; nheless, she was still certain that you wouldn''t lose your mana even if you used Zid.

    The second reason she wanted to master Zid was precisely because of this annoying voice that was pestering her even now as she endured harrowing pain.

    ''There''s no proof that this "Zid" exists, yet you wasted your time trying to master it, and here we are eighteen yearster with you on the verge of death and nowhere near mastering it,'' the voice said disdainfully.

    Lilia coughed up a mouthful of ck blood again and tried to sit up, but failed as there was practically no more strength in her body.

    ''You are wrong; I did manage to-''

    ''Yeah okay, you can sense Zid, but so what? You still can''t use it!'' the voice interrupted.

    Lilia fell silent, acknowledging that what the voice said was true. A few months ago, she had finally managed to sense Zid, and this day was perhaps one of the happiest in her life because just the fact that she managed to sense it caused her strength to soar by leaps and bounds.

    However, since the book she had read didn''t have more information on how to proceed next, she had been stuck for quite a while until thosest few weeks during which she felt that she was on the verge of a breakthrough. That was actually why she spent all her time meditating.

    She was confident that if she had just a few more days, no, hours, she would definitely seed.

    ''Well, that''s not going to happen now. The only thing your current pathetic self is on the edge of aplishing is death,'' the voice said with a chuckle.

    ''You do realize that if I die, you would also die, right?''

    ''I think death is better than continuing to watch you lose everything we have achieved so far,'' the voice said nonchntly.

    ''You mean the things I  achieved; you were just a tool, don''t forget it!'' Lilia replied, ''and you don''t need to worry. I don''t intend on dying here. I have too many unresolved matters, plus, I can''t leave my husband and daughter behind.''

    ''And how would you manage to survive? For information, your heartbeats are slowing down,'' the voice said calmly, as if its own death wasn''t nearing.

    ''By controlling Zid, that''s how.''

    The voice remained quiet for an instant before bursting intoughter, ''hahaha...that''s the Liliana I know, arrogant, proud, and confident in herself. However, I don''t think you can pull it off thi-'' Before the voice could finish speaking, Lilia used thest bits of mental strength she had and shut it off, leaving only the sound of her own thoughts echoing in her head.

    ''Much better,'' she sighed, or attempted to because the only thing that came out of her mouth was blood, but Lilia didn''t pay it much attention and dove into a state of meditation, ignoring the excruciating pain she was feeling.

    ''What is Zid?'' she contemted.

    After several months of training and attempting to control Zid, Lilia hade to understand that what she wascking wasn''t something like a method that would allow her to control Zid; no, what shecked wasprehension. There was something about Zid that she needed to grasp before being able to control or manipte it.

    In those few seconds in which the fate of Lilia was hanging on a delicate thread, she reviewed everything she knew about Zid, yet, she couldn''t find thatst piece of the puzzle.

    As frustration began creeping in, she refused to give up and focused all her attention on the deepest recesses of her being, where she could sense Zid, always shimmering like a guiding me.

    However, contrary to the usual, where that me shimmered intensely, it seemed to be flickering in and out, as if her impending death was causing the me to die out.

    It was then that everything clicked in Lilia''s head, all herprehension of Ziding together and forming a cohesive whole.

    Exactly at that moment, her breathing stopped, and her body wentpletely limp.

    "Did she finally die?" Niya wondered as she stood up.

    "This person was quite boring; she didn''t scream in pain like the usual ones," Niya hissed in disappointment and turned to leave.

    "The person is finally dead; that''s all tha-"

    Niya''s words suddenly got caught up in her throat when she felt an oppressive pressure bear on her.

    Turning to stare at the spot Lilia was lying a moment ago, Niya''s eyes constricted into pinholes.

    "I-Impossible."

    On Alex''s side,

    "W-Wait-"

    Boom

    Tobias, who was trying to speak, had his head bashed against the ground.

    "Hm? What were you trying to say?" Alex asked Tobias as he pulled his head out of the ground.

    "I-I was-"

    Boom

    Before Tobias could speak again, his head got bashed against the ground another time.

    "I can''t hear you, mind speaking again?" Alex asked again with an evil smile on his face.

    He pulled out Tobias'' head from the ground and was about to bash it against the ground another time when he suddenly stiffened, feeling a formidable pressure descending upon him.

    Turning his head to the direction the pressure wasing from, he remarked that it wasing from the exact same spot Lilia''s fight was happening.

    He suddenly felt a pang of worry for his wife''s safety, but itsted only for a brief moment. An instantter, a wide grin crossed his face.

    "I guess she is having fun," he murmured before turning back to Tobias.

    "W-Wait-"

    Boom

 Chapter 175 : Battle Against the Night group (5)

    Chapter 175 : Battle Against the Night group (5)

    "I-Impossible!" Niya eximed with eyes wide in disbelief.

    "S-She is supposed to be dead...." Muttered Niya absentmindedly as she stared at the standing figure of Lilia.

    Niya was certain that a second ago Lilia was dead; her body had even stopped moving! Yet, here she was, on her feet.

    If it was just that Lilia had somehow survived and was standing, Niya wouldn''t be as shaken as she was right now. What was disturbing her was the sudden pressure that Lilia was emitting, a pressure that wasn''t there before.

    Before Lilia''s current presence, it was as though the very fabric of reality was holding its breath. The trees all around her became motionless, from the branches to the leaves attached to them.

    The wind seemed to have stopped, as if nature itself held its breath in anticipation of the unfolding events.

    ''It''s like something is slowly suffocating me,'' Niya remarked in distress.

    The wild, almost bestial pressureing from Lilia was such that, like most of the surroundings, Niya also couldn''t move.

    ''What the heck is happening here!?'' Niya wondered as fear began taking hold of her.

    Meanwhile, Lilia waspletely ignoring Niya''s presence. In fact, judged by the unfocused expression on her face, there was a chance that she hadpletely forgotten about Niya.

    All that upied Lilia''s mind was the delightful sensation coursing through her body, leaving her in a state of astonishment.

    The cool sensation that spread through her body as Zid ran through it was perhaps the best feeling she had ever experienced, apart from when she had sex with her husband, that is.

    However, in terms of surprise, that enjoyable feeling was nothingpared to the profound changes she sensed urring in her body as Zid flowed within her.

    Firstly, the poison that had pushed her to the brink of death was being expelled from her system. No, not expelled, rather, it was being incinerated. Everywhere Zid flowed, the poison that had contaminated her blood was being burned, and in a matter of seconds, the poison hadpletely disappeared from her body.

    Despite not being sure it was possible, Lilia hoped Zid would heal her, and luckily, it did.

    However, these weren''t the only changes urring in her body. Another transformation, even more noticeable than the eradication of poison, was the newfound strength coursing through Lilia''s veins.

    Although she couldn''t be entirely certain as she hadn''t tested it, Lilia was fairly sure that her current strength had reached apletely different level than just a few minutes ago. Yet, the most shocking aspect was that even now, her strength was still increasing!

    Lilia''s brows suddenly furrowed, ''I need to use it!''

    Lilia didn''t know if it was normal for the first time one manages to control Zid, but the Zid within her body was beginning to overwhelm her.

    The pleasurable sensation of coolness she was feeling was quickly reced by a sensation akin to fullness. She felt that if she didn''t do something to expend it right now, there was a high chance that something bad might happen.

    Fortunately, expending the excess of Zid inside her body wasn''t going to beplicated. Like most energy, one just needed to use it to deplete its quantity, and Lilia had the perfect target on whom to use it.

    Raising her head, Lilia finally focused on Niya, who was staring at her with wariness.

    "Why aren''t youughing anymore? Didn''t you say that you find this situation hrious?" Lilia addressed Niya with a cold smile.

    Niya gritted her teeth but didn''t retort back. She had indeed said that Lilia thinking she could beat her was hrious. However, at that time, she was confident in defeating Lilia no matter what cards thetter had up her sleeves. In a way, she was correct; she did manage to defeat Lilia.

    However, with the current aura emanating from Lilia, she was quite certain that defeating her would be a significant struggle.

    ''I should have killed her when I had the opportunity,'' Niya almost facepalmed at her own stupidity. She could have delivered the coup de grace when Lilia was writhing on the ground. Instead, she indulged herself in her perverse hobby, giving her opponent time to do... whatever it was that she had done to heal herself.

    ''But it''s no big deal; I can still take care of her,'' Niya thought to herself.

    Ignoring her serpentine instincts screaming at her to get the hell out of her, Niya extended her ws and lunged at Lilia!

    Even with a serpent tail instead of legs, it seemed that her speed didn''t diminish. In fact, it was the contrary; Niya''s current speed was well above her previous speed.

    However, in Lilia''s eyes, she might as well be crawling; Lilia could perfectly follow each movement of Niya as thetter approached her.

    ''Let''s test if the Drakonel''s words were true.''

    Lilia crouched low, drew her arm back, retreating it behind her body, then concentrated all the Zid inside her body in that fist, waiting for Niya to get closer.

    The moment Niya closed the gap to ten meters, Lilia punched out!

    Lilia''s strike created pressure in the air, and before Niya could react, it collided with her.

    BOOOOM!

    Lilia''s strike was so destructive that, not only Niya, but everything within a 3 km radius in the direction of Lilia''s attack was obliterated!

    "....!"

    Lilia, the perpetrator of the destruction, stood with her eyes and mouth wide open in disbelief, taking in the sight of what just one strike of hers had caused.

    "This...," she didn''t have words to describe what she was feeling, actually.

    After what she had read in the book, she was expecting her punch to cause destruction, but not on such a massive scale!

    Everywhere the air pressure from her punch swept through, rocks were shattered into fragments, trees violently uprooted, and the very earth trembled beneath the overwhelming force, leaving a path of destruction in the dense forest.

    After taking this attack head-on, Lilia didn''t doubt that Niya was actually dead. In fact, she felt that it would be a miracle if even Niya''s corpse remained. So, Lilia turned her attention towards other things.

    "I feel like the Drakonel was actually modest..." Lilia muttered to herself.

    Witnessing such destructiveness, Lilia felt that she had actually underestimated the power of Zid.

    "Zid is-"

    Before she could finish speaking, Lilia suddenly copsed on the ground, cold out.

    ''Pathetic,'' the voice Lilia was conversing with earlier said after seeing her lose consciousness just after giving a punch.

    ''But at least she managed to control her "Zid", and it appears to be more powerful than I thought, hmm, perhaps all hope isn''t lost,'' the voice said before disappearing.

    *****

    BOOOM

    "Hmm?" Alex, who was about to bash Tobias'' head against the ground once again, came to an abrupt halt when he heard an explosioning from Lilia''s location.

    ''I should go see what is happening there,'' he decided.

    Turning the muscr man to stare at him, Alex asked, "hey, answer my question."

    However, Tobias didn''t respond; it was like he couldn''t hear Alex''s voice, which was understandable given his battered state.

    Before their fight, Tobias'' body was already beaten up, but now he waspletely disfigured to the point that, without a doubt, even his mother wouldn''t recognize him.

    Alex didn''t want to kill him yet and intended to ask him for information. Therefore, there wasn''t really a need to beat the guy so much, but during their fight, Alex realized that Tobias was strangely very tough. If Alex had to guess, he would say that Tobias had a very high "defense" stat, allowing him to withstand many of Alex''s attacks without copsing.

    This actually annoyed Alex to the point that even after he practically won the fight, he was still hitting the man''s head against the ground.

    Gripping Tobias by the cor, Alex pped him and threatened, "If you don''t want me to resume pounding your head, start talking!"

    The "unconscious" Tobias suddenly yelped and waved his hands, "W-wait, I will talk."

    Alex took on a serious expression and went straight for the most important questions, "Howe the Night group is so powerful, aren''t you supposed to be a bunch of bandits? What was the emergency you needed to deal with? What is that weird transformation ability you have, and most importantly, what the heck are those tattoos?"

    Tobias listened to his questions, but didn''t immediately respond, seemingly hesitating if he should answer, but another heavy p from Alex made it easy for him to decide.

    Tobias sighed resolutely and began speaking, "The Night group is not as it seems; we are tied to-"

    Those words barely left Tobias'' mouth when the tattoos on his body started glowing brilliantly.

    "W-What is happen-AAAHH..."

    Immediately understanding the situation, Alex gripped Tobias'' arm and flung him in one direction. He quickly turned around and started running in the opposite direction.

    An instantter...

    Boom

 Chapter 176 : Battle Against the Night group (6)

    Chapter 176 : Battle Against the Night group (6)

    Boom!

    Just a split second after Alex had sent him flying, a bomb seemed to go off inside Tobias'' body, and he exploded!

    Although less destructive than Lilia''s punch, the explosion caused by Tobias'' detonating was enough to uproot the few trees in the surroundings and leave a deep crater on the ground.

    Alex, who had been observing the explosion from afar, sighed. "I had expected that there would be something to stop him from speaking, but I didn''t think it would actually cause him to explode. The ones who drew those tattoos are total psychos!"

    Killing them would be enough; there was no need to cause their bodies to explode. Although, if you think about it, it''s a good way to both prevent someone from selling informations about you and also kill the one trying to obtain information from you. And apparently, the one who would explode didn''t even know about this fact; otherwise, Tobias wouldn''t try to reveal information about the Night group, no matter how much time Alex pped him.

    "Well, what to do now?" Alex nced at the entrance to the mountain and then in the direction of where Lilia''s fight happened.

    "Let''s go see how my lovely wife is doing on her own," Alex decided. But before going, he walked to the unconscious Todd, whose body was still leaning against a tree.

    Not wanting to waste more time than he should, Alex raised his foot and stepped on Todd''s leg until he felt the sound of his leg breaking, then did the same for the other leg. Even after what happened with Tobias, Alex still wanted to have more information on the Night group.

    With everything he had witnessed, those guys could be a huge variable in his ns of rebellion against the empire, and Todd could very well be the one to give him informations about them. So, he needed to make sure the chubby man didn''t run away, or worse, enter the mountain before Alex came back and attack  Amelia, Anna or the pair of father and daughter.

    "Well, this is dealt with, let''s go."

    Leaping on the branch of a tree, Alex made his way towards Lilia. With his speed, it didn''t take more than a few minutes for him to arrive at the scene of the fight.

    "What the...." Alex nearly tumbled off the branch he was on when he was greeted with the sight of arge trench of at least 3 Km. Just as he was wondering what was going on here, Alex spotted the unconscious body of Lilia.

    "Lilia!" Leaping from his branch, he swiftly approached the body of his wife with a face filled with horror.

    Fortunately, when he took her in his arms, he noticed her chest rising up and down.

    Sighing in relief, Alex took out a bottle of healing smoke and introduced the healing gas inside her body through her mouth, watching as her wounds got healed.

    However, even after all her wounds were healed, Lilia remained unconscious.

    ''She must be tired from her fight,'' he sighed. ''Now that I''m thinking about it, where''s her opponent?'' Alex wondered, his gazending on the three-kilometer trench before him.

    He observed the trench, then turned to stare at Lilia, then back at the trench again.

    "Don''t tell me she is the one that caused this," Alex murmured in a shocked tone, but after a moment, he closed his eyes and sighed.

    ''She is the only one present here, and all the hints point at her, so it can only be her, obviously'' Alex opened his eyes and stared at the destruction once more, ''how did she manage to do that?''

    Even the current Alex wasn''t confident in causing so much destruction with a single attack, yet Lilia had done so when she wasn''t even at level 1!

    ''What a monster,'' Alex thought with a wry smile.

    Since the days she was training him, Alex felt that there was something special about Lilia that went above just physical capabilities; maybe that was it.

    ''Wait, if she can cause this much destruction while I can''t, then it means that her strength is above mine, right?'' Alex felt a cold shiver running down his spine.

    ''She was already undefeatable even when I was stronger than her, now though..'' Alex sighed.

    ''Hey, show me Lilia''s status'' Alex addressed the system.

    A secondter, a blue translucent screen appeared before him.

    [Name: Lilia Eswald

    Age: 64

    Strength (sealed): 150

    Agility (sealed): 150

    Stamina (sealed): 150

    Defense (sealed): 150

    Mana points (sealed): 0

    Abilities: Space (sealed), Fire (sealed), Earth (sealed), Water (sealed), Lightning (sealed)...

    Nicknames: Battlefield Queen, Blessed by the Gods, Incredible Talent, Harbinger of Death....]

    "....!"

    The instant he saw Lilia''s stats, Alex''s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets due to shock.

    ''Each of her stats is 150, how is that possible?''

    Thest time Alex had checked, all of Lilia''s stats were at 50 each, but now, all of them have tripled, just like that?!

    ''Now her stats are almost double of Amelia''s,'' Alex remarked.

    Even though Amelia wasn''t someone whose fighting style was close range, thus her physical attributes were low, it was still surprising, shocking even, to see that Lilia''s stats were almost double of Amelia''s.

    ''But, there is still a problem.'' Alex nced at the trench with a confused expression. ''Even with her strength at 150, she shouldn''t be able to cause such destruction. After all, I have 300 in strength, yet I''m not confident in pulling it off.''

    Lilia had never spoken of Zid with Alex, and even if she had done so, he wouldn''t link the current scene before him with it.

    Alex spent a few minutes pondering before finally giving up. ''I will ask her about itter.''

    Standing up, he took Lilia in a princess carry. But as he was about to turn around to leave, he had a thought and turned back, following the trench left by Lilia''s attack.

    A few minutester, Alex stood upon the unconscious body of Niya. Surprisingly, the woman was still alive. Well, she was still breathing, but judging by her current battered state, she didn''t have much time to live.

    Niya''s serpentine tail was cut in half, the scales on her body shattered, and her face smeared with blood. Yet, despite all of those deadly wounds, she was still clinging to life.

    ''Her resolve to live is quite strong,'' Alex remarked, ''however, she wouldn''t survive if left like that.''

    His smoke potions couldn''t mend such grievous wounds. For that, something like Amelia''s ability was required, but he could at least slow down the process of dying.

    Taking out a healing smoke bottle, Alex tossed it towards Niya, witnessing as it mended some of her wounds. However, the most severe injuries persisted.

    Much like Todd, he had ns to obtain information from Niya. Even in the case he couldn''t extract information from her, he would still heal her because he could always transform her into a ve, much like he had done with Bogre.

    Even though a part of him originated from Earth where envement had been abolished for a long time, Alex had no qualms about transforming someone else into his ve. Furthermore, the individuals he was turning into ves were criminals in the first ce, so he considered it a service to society while simultaneously gaining level 5 ves��a win-win for everyone, except for those two, that is.

    ''If she is still alive after we are done in the mountain, I will ask Amelia to heal her,'' Alex decided before turning away to leave.

    ****

    At the same time Alex made his way to the mountain, inside of it, in the chamber where the heiress of the Drazen family had been taken.

    "Why?"

    A voice filled with curiosity, disbelief, and a hint of madness resonated in the partially destroyed chamber.

    Amelia and Anna nced at each other, then at the person who had just spoken, confusion in their gazes.

    "Howe, why?" The owner of the voice, Rangyl, asked again while pulling at his hair like a demented person.

    Although the ones he was speaking to were just before him, Rangyl wasn''t sparing them a nce, lost in his own thoughts.

    Just as the girls had enough of the madman and were about to attack him, he said something that made them stop in their tracks.

    "You have a formidable power, the most potent of them, so why, why, why, WHY ARE YOU SO WEAK?"

 Chapter 177 : Battle Against the Night group (7)

    Chapter 177 : Battle Against the Night group (7)

    "You have a formidable power, the most potent of them, so why, why, why, WHY ARE YOU SO WEAK?" Rangyl shouted.

    At the same time as his outburst, a suffocating aura emanated from him and struck the girls head-on, causing them to drop to their knees.

    Amelia and Anna nced at each other, confusion still clouding their eyes as to what was happening.

    A few minutes earlier...

    ''Hmm, it''s not solid ground,'' Amelia remarked with a frown on her delicate face as she stepped inside the chamber.

    Contrary to the previous rooms, the ground and walls in this new chamber were covered in ayer of gleaming metal, reflecting the dim light that flickered from the ceiling.

    This kind of environment was challenging for a nt user, as the seeds couldn''t pierce the metal or prate the ground. However, it wasn''t a problem for Amelia.

    With her Cell Master ability, she had managed to create nts that only needed mana to grow, although she would still prefer a more earthy ground.

    ''''Another problem is that this ce is too narrow; I can''t use my residual st ability,'' her frown deepened.

    "This ce is too narrow," Anna, who had just closed the door, remarked.

    "Let''s hope that the end of this corridor isn''t as narrow," Amelia replied and began walking.

    "How long are you going to carry it with you?" Anna inquired.

    "Hm?" Amelia turned to stare at her friend, "what are you- Ah, I forgot about it."

    Raising her hand, Amelia stared at the little monkey slumbering in her hand. With everything that was happening, she forgot that she was still carrying the little guy with her.

    "I suggest you leave it here," Anna suggested as she crouched to gaze at the little monkey, a small smile gracing her face.

    "Mm," Amelia nodded and ced the monkey on the ground with its back leaning against the wall of the corridor.

    "Rest well, little guy. I wille back to pick you up in a few minutes," Amelia patted the monkey with a gentle smile on her face.

    Standing, she nodded at Anna, who reciprocated, and the two women began walking towards the end of the corridor, ensuring not to make too much noise.

    Soon, the two of them could see the end of the corridor.

    "I''m going to use my ability," Anna informed.

    On the way, they had decided that Anna would activate her invisibility ability as they exited the corridor.

    Since Anna had been using her invisibility ability from the instant they stepped into the forest, her mana reserves were currently very low. If she went and made the two of them invisible, it wouldn''t be long before her mana waspletely depleted, so it was decided that she would use her ability only on herself.

    Amelia nced back at Anna, nodded, and in an instant, the brown-haired beauty vanished from her sight.

    ''Well, let''s go.'' With a determined gaze, Amelia turned back and stepped out of the corridor, entering a vast circr chamber.

    ''Fortunately, it isn''t narrow,'' Amelia released a sigh of relief, but an instantter, her gaze became guarded when she felt someone staring at her.

    Focusing her gaze on the center of the chamber, she saw three men staring at her. Two of those men were ying cards, while the third was sitting in a corner.

    "Who is that? Is it a new recruit?" A bald man, Eric, spoke. "I have to say, the boss is beginning to raise his standards in terms of female members; just look at her, she is absolutely gorgeous," Eric licked his lips.

    "And with such curves, she is just perfect. I need to speak with the boss; I want this one. She will be perfect for breeding," he added with lust apparent in his eyes as he scanned Amelia''s body.

    Hearing Eric''s vulgar words, Amelia snorted in disgust and retorted, "There is only one person allowed to ''breed'' me, and he''s definitely not you idiot."

    "Huh, you are taken? By whom? Don''t tell me it''s the boss!" Eric eximed with a sad expression.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    Whether it was Amelia, Stanis, or Rangyl with whom Eric was ying cards, all of them looked at Eric like he was the dumbest man to ever exist, making the bald man cough in embarrassment.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked in a sheepish voice.

    "It must be a joke, right?" Rangyl stared at Eric with a skeptical expression, causing the man to cough again.

    Stanis, who was sitting in the corner, sighed. "You can be really dumb sometimes."

    "Hey-"

    "Forget it, just shut up; it will make you look less foolish," Stanis waved at Eric and concentrated on Amelia. "You are not a member of Night. What are you doing here?"

    Amelia merely nced at him without responding, her gaze sweeping across the room until she spotted the one she hade for lying on a table.

    "Ah, I see, you were sent by that witch," Stanis nodded in understanding, noticing Amelia''s gaze fixated on the heiress of the Drazen.

    "I will take care of her," he said as he stood up.

    "Wait!" Rangyl suddenly eximed.

    "What is it?" Stanis nced at him in irritation.

    "Let me take care of it, or rather, let them take care of it," Rangyl shed Stanis a grin.

    He swiftly stood up, approached one of the tables, and pressed a remote attached to its surface.

    The instant he pressed the remote, the doors of the multiple cells in the vast chamber were pushed open, and from them, harrowing and grotesque creatures came out.

    ''What are these?'' both Amelia and Anna stiffened upon witnessing the creatures.

    "Kill her-"

    "Wait, don''t kill her, I still want her!" Eric interrupted Rangyl.

    Rangyl nced at the bald man for a moment before sighing and changing his order, "capture her."

    The instant Rangyl spoke, crimson tattoos appeared on the creatures'' bodies, and a split secondter, every one of them lunged at Amelia.

    Casting a nce over the creatures charging at her, at least thirty, Amelia took out three seeds from her spatial ring.

    After imbuing the seeds with mana, she tossed them in the air.

    Before they could evennd on the ground, the seeds sprouted and grew rapidly into small nts, then into petite-sized trees. However, instead of stopping there, their branches continued to grow and intertwine, bing more robust and thicker.

    The thick branches extended swiftly and coiled around the lunging monsters, immobilizing them.

    Following an unspoken order from Amelia, the branches acted likepressors, squeezing the bodies of the monsters in their clutches until they exploded in a rain of blood and gore.

    "Witnessing this scene, Rangyl clicked his tongue, ''bunch of trash.''

    Wearing a mocking smile, Stanis asked the cursing Rangyl, "Can I go now?"

    "Do what you want; I don''t care anyway," Rangyl grumbled and returned to sitting.

    Stanisughed for a few seconds, observing the frustrated expression on Rangyl''s face, then strode towards Amelia.

    However, he barely took a few steps before the branches lunged at him with their sharp tips, intending to pierce him, yet, the orange-haired noble didn''t even flinch.

    With a grin on his face, Stanis snapped his fingers.

    The instant he made this gesture, several balls of mes appeared. These balls of mes surged from behind him and met the branches attacking him.

    A blinding light erupted as the attacks collided, and in an instant, the mes began consuming the branches.

    In the blink of an eye, the fire hadpletely devoured Amelia''s trees.

    ''He has a fire ability, it''s going to beplicated,'' Amelia clicked her tongue, aware that Stanis'' fire ability was the perfect counter to her nt ability.

    ''Well, it would have, if I were alone,'' Amelia smiled coldly. Smirking arrogantly, Stanis began to speak, "Is that all you can-"

    Before he could finish speaking, he felt something cold pressing against his throat.

    A split secondter, Stanis''s throat had been sliced, blood surging out of it.

    "W-What..." Stanis tried to speak, but only gurgling sounds could be heard.

    Thud

    His body slumped on the ground with a dull sound, and a secondter, he breathed hisst.

    "...."

    "...."

    Rangyl and Eric could only stare with wide, disbelieving eyes as theirrade died without even knowing what killed him.

    Stanis had been able to sense Anna staring at him when thetter went to save Anita, but at that time, he was focusing on his surroundings. Just a few seconds before, all his focus was on Amelia, causing him not to feel Anna approaching him.

    "That''s what you get when you are too arrogant," Rangyl shrugged his shoulders. He was never a fan of Stanis and even disliked the guy, so his death didn''t trouble him, quite the contrary.

    On the other hand, Eric, who was friends with Stanis, was livid.

    "WHO HAS DONE THIS?"

    Just as if it were the dark machinations of a higher being, the instant Eric shouted, Anna''s mana reserves depleted, canceling her invisibility.

    "YOU!" Eric''s voice echoed, a thunderous shout as he red at Anna, standing above Stanis'' lifeless form.

    "I''M GOING TO KILL YOU!!"

    As he said this, crimson tattoos appeared on Eric''s body, and he transformed into an ape.

    With eyes filled with rage, Eric��now an ape��charged at Anna with a mad roar.

 Chapter 178 : Battle Against the Night group (8)

    Chapter 178 : Battle Against the Night group (8)

    With eyes filled with rage, Eric��now an ape��charged at Anna with a mad roar.

    Due to his towering height of at least three meters and considerable weight, every step Eric took caused the ground to quake and fissure in his wake.

    In what felt like the blink of an eye, he was in front of Anna, his right fist descending upon her with such force that the air seemed to ripple in its wake.

    But as he swung at Anna, branches wrapped around his arm, halting the attack and giving Anna a chance to move away from the menacing creature.

    Eric nced at the branches holding his arm in irritation and, using his other hand, tore through them as though they were mere nuisances.

    Freed from the branches, he charged again at Anna who was distancing herself from him. Just as he was about to hit her again, branches appeared to block his path, forming a kind of shield.

    His fist tore through the shield, but Anna wasn''t there anymore.

    Eric''s gaze swept across the room, and the instant he spotted Anna, he began charging at her again.

    "Tsk, what a fool," Rangyl, who was observing the fight, clicked his tongue in disdain.

    Being the one who inscribed the tattoos on each member of this Night group branch, he knew very well how they functioned.

    ''There are two transformations, the half transformation and the full transformation. Not everyone can achieve the half transformation, but this idiot can, so why the fuck would he go for the full one?!'' Rangyl facepalmed.

    As the name implies, the half transformation is when an individual transforms partially, gaining the capabilities of monsters or beasts.

    The full transformation, however, is when an individualpletely transforms into a monster or a beast. Although in this form, people are physically stronger or faster than in the half transformation mode, the downside is that they also inherit the low intelligence of a monster or beast.

    Exined like this, it is evident that the half-transformation mode is better, since you still retain your intelligence. Knowing the role intelligence ys in a fight, someone who has fully transformed is actually less dangerous than someone with half-transformation.

    Theck of intelligence is the actual reason why Eric is constantly trying to hit Anna but keeps failing due to Amelia''s interference. Yet, he is still charging at Anna instead of trying to get rid of Amelia first.

    ''Plus, they can''t regain their human form until they are either dead, exhausted, or unconscious. So even if he kills those two, he will still continue to rampage. Either that or I stop him,'' Rangyl sighed with an annoyed expression. ''What a chore.''

    Although he was thinking this, for Rangyl, stopping Eric was the easiest thing to do; after all, he just needed to order the ape to regain its original form. He was the one who drew those tattoos, so he was technically the master of all those who bore those tattoos.

    ''But if I use my control over them, my god might scold me,'' Rangyl red at the ape who failed to hit Anna again, and his face contorted in anger. ''All of that because this idiot couldn''t think before acting. In a sense, he was as dumb as a beast even before transforming into one.''

    Meanwhile, through multiple evasive maneuvers, Anna managed to regroup with Amelia.

    "What do we do now?" Anna inquired with abored breath.

    "You aren''t in a good state to fight, so just rest and try to recuperate a little. I will take care of him," Amelia answered.

    Anna stared at her for a moment, then nodded her head and said, "okay. Though, you should be cautious. His fur is thick, as you have seen, my daggers couldn''t even scratch him. I''m not certain that your nts could pierce him."

    Even though she was trying to evade the ape, Anna had sometimes tried to deal damage, but had to stop when her daggers threatened to break.

    "Good thing I don''t need to pierce him; a simple contact would be enough," replied Amelia with a smile.

    "Just a contact, what do you mean?" Anna inquired, but Amelia wasn''t focused on her anymore to hear what she said.

    reserves, Amelia erged the branches of her nts and sent them towards Eric, who was charging at them. As they traveled towards their target, the multiple branches fused and formed into one cohesivence with a sharp tip.

    In a split second, the sharp tips of the branches were upon the ape, ready to skewer it.

    With a mad roar, the ape extended its arm and punched out in an attempt to defend itself. Yet, just as the two attacks were about to meet, the branches forming thence separated again, and the ape''s fist met empty air.

    Before it could react, the branches coiled around the ape and immobilized it. However, due to its thick fur and strength, the branches couldn''tpress it like the other creatures a few minutes ago. Worse, multiple cracks began appearing as the ape struggled to get free.

    Seizing the opportunity, Amelia dashed towards the ape. Before it could escape from its botanical confinement, she was already in front of it.

    After a powerful leap into the air, Amelia extended her arm and pressed her palm against the ape''s face, murmuring under her breath:

    "Cell Destruction"

    After that, she used the ape''s face as a trampoline, bouncing off it and swiftly flipping backward.

    Crack!!!

    An instantter, the ape broke free from its prison, sting the branches to splinters.

    It attempted to chase after Amelia but suddenly staggered and came to a halt. A deep guttural growl escaped its throat as it clutched its chest, its eyes reflecting pain and confusion before copsing on the ground.

    A small patch on the ape''s nk began to ripple, its form undting as if caught in a surreal dance with an invisible force.

    As seconds passed, the distortion intensified. The ape''s thick fur seemed to dissolve into an unseen void.

    Gradually, the ape''s body appeared to vanish into the very air, leaving behind an ephemeral trace of what once was, like an elusive wisp dissipating into the air.

    "...."

    "...."

    Under the astonished and shocked gaze of Anna and Rangyl, the vanishing act extended, the dissolution continued its insidious journey, progressing relentlessly from one extremity to another.

    A few secondster, the ape, Eric, hadpletely disappeared from the face of the world, not even a nail remaining in the ce he had just been.

    Meanwhile, the one who had caused this, Amelia, calmly walked back and rejoined with Anna, who had her mouth wide open from shock, her usual coldness nowhere to be seen.

    "What in the name of the gods was that?!" Anna stuttered.

    "Just another use of my Cell Master ability," Amelia shrugged like it was nothing.

    Amelia''s ability allowed her to heal herself or others by ordering the cells to multiply, but in the same manner, she can order the cells of someone to destroy themselves. For that to happen, she only had to touch the person and inject her mana into the person''s body, exactly like what she does when healing people.

    The only difference here is that, contrary to the healing aspect, she couldn''t control the destruction aspect, so once she ordered the cells to destroy themselves, it''s over, no one, not even herself, could stop the process.

    Another point would also be the fact that the destruction aspect of her ability consumed too much mana on her part, so she avoided using it carelessly.

    "Another use of your ability? What does that- sigh, we will talk about itter," in the end, Anna decided that it was better to forget about her questions for now. After all, there was still another enemy standing.

    Amelia nodded her head, then focused on Rangyl, who was muttering something under his breath.

    "This power, it''s the...no, it can''t be, but everything points at the fact that it''s it....still..."

    Rangyl kept mumbling incoherent things, affirming something, then contradicting himself, as if he didn''t want to ept what he saw for what it was. However, he eventually recognized and epted that only one power could achieve the thing he had just witnessed. A power their entire organization, from the lowest-level member to even their gods, was searching for.

    ''Yet, this power is in the hands of a brat, especially such a weak one. How can she be so feeble with such a gift?!'' Rangyl began pulling at his hair in disbelief.

    Staring at the girls, especially at Amelia, he said:

    "You have a formidable power, the most potent of them all, so why, why, why, WHY ARE YOU SO WEAK?"

    The words that hadmenced as a murmur transformed into a shout at the end as Rangyl couldn''t control his emotions anymore.

    A suffocating aura wafted from his body and crashed onto the girls, causing them to copse on their knees while coughing blood.

    As the pressure emitting from his body kept increasing and was slowly but surely driving the two women into the ground, a profound transformation seemed to ur inside Rangyl''s body.

    His skin ckened to the point one would think that he was pulled straight from the depths of a lightless abyss, then ck, lusterless scales appeared around his arms, and if the girls could see under his robe, they would witness that those scales covered his whole body.

    As the transformation continued and a bulge appeared at the back of his tail, suggesting that a tail was about to appear, Rangyl heard the voice of someone ringing in his head.

    ''You fucking idiot, what are you doing ?!!''

 Chapter 179 : Too lustful

    Chapter 179 : Too lustful

    ''Rangyl, you idiot, what the fuck are you doing?!''

    The moment this voice echoed in Rangyl''s head, he stiffened, his transformation processing to a halt.

    In a matter of seconds, his scales disappeared, the tail that was about to emerge retracted into his body, and his ck skin receded, returning to its usual white color��or rather, his face appeared even paler than usual.

    ''M-My go-''

    ''Can you exin what you were about to do?'' the voice interrupted Rangyl.

    Rangyl got silent, not knowing what to say. Their god had made it clear to him and others that, under no circumstances, should they take their true forms, as it would attract too much attention��an oue they needed to avoid at all costs. Unfortunately, in the heat of his emotions, he forgot about that order and nearly transformed.

    Just then, Rangyl remembered why he was about to transform, and all his worries disappeared. If he used the excuse that he transformed because he was about to gain that power, then surely his god wouldn''t scold him too much, or not at all.

    s, the moment Rangyl wanted to exin himself...

    ''Come back right this instant!'' the god ordered.

    ''But I have-''

    ''Are you discussing my orders now?'' the voice asked threateningly.

    Rangyl fell silent. If given a few seconds, he could exin the current situation to his god, but he knew his god; should he not obey immediately and meet his god right this instant, then he would definitely be punished.

    Rangyl is already going to be punished for the transformation blunder; he would rather avoid another one.

    Rangyl stared at Amelia for a few seconds, burning her appearance into his mind, then vanished out of thin air.

    The girls immediately went on high alert, fearing that Rangyl would appear out of nowhere to attack them. However, after several seconds, nothing happened, and they couldn''t sense Rangyl''s presence anymore.

    "Uhh, did he leave?" Amelia wondered with a puzzled expression.

    Anna lingered for a moment, then nodded her head hesitantly, "it seems so."

    "But why?" Amelia confusedly observed their surroundings.

    From the girls'' perspective, Rangyl, who had been sitting leisurely on his chair while his colleagues were killed, suddenly stood up after witnessing Amelia''s ability. He mumbled some nonsense, then exerted immense pressure on them, giving the impression that he intended to engage in a battle. Then, he vanished without a trace.

    It didn''t make any sense!

    Suspicious, the two women remained on high alert for a few minutes, anticipating Rangyl''s potential reappearance and attack. However, as time passed, they came to the realization that he had indeed departed.

    "I don''t know what is going on, but we should just take the girl and get out of here before hees back," Anna proposed.

    "Good idea, that guy looked dangerous," Amelia nodded.

    The duo approached the table where the Drazen heiress was bound. Just as Anna prepared to release her, she sensed a warmth emanating from the talisman given to her by Alex.

    Feeling the warmth, Anna breathed a sigh of relief, ''If he has time to use the talisman, that means they are safe,'' she deduces.

    Retrieving the talisman, she handed it to Amelia, saying, "Answer him; I don''t have enough mana to do it."

    Seeing the talisman, Amelia also breathed a sigh of relief, then took it to her forehead.

    The instant she imbued mana into the talisman, Alex''s voice echoed in her mind, ''Anna, are you alright?''

    ''That''s Amelia, and yes, everything is alright. We are just about to rescue the Drazen heiress. How is it going on your end?''

    ''Sigh,'' Alex mentally exhaled upon hearing that they were safe. ''We have defeated our opponents, and I''m currently entering the mountain,'' Alex reported.

    ''Okay, let''s meet at the door of the first chamber,'' Amelia said and was about to take off the talisman when Alex spoke again.

    ''Wait, leave the heiress there, don''t free her yet.''

    Amelia was puzzled when she heard him. Weren''t they supposed to free her? Why is he asking that they leave her here?

    Thinking that he might have something nned, Amelia nodded. ''Okay.''

    "You know, you don''t need to nod your head since he can already hear your thoughts," Anna said after Amelia had removed the talisman.

    "...."

    "So, how are they doing?" Anna inquired after an awkward silence.

    "They defeated their opponents and are entering the mountain."

    Anna nodded, then turned her attention to the ropes binding the Heiress. Just as she was about to cut them off, Amelia informed her:

    "Alex said to leave her here."

    Anna stopped in her tracks, nced at Amelia, and nodded.

    "Understood."

    She turned around, walked to the tables where the three other women were bound, and freed them.

    "Why are you freeing them?" Amelia inquired while approaching her.

    "Well, why would we leave them here? They are captives after all, plus..." Anna pointed to one of the women, "...I think this woman is the friend Cedrix''s daughter asked me to save earlier."

    "Mm," Amelia nodded and teased with a smile, "you are a very kind person, although one wouldn''t think so with the constant cold expression you wear. And when you do decide to smile, it''s either a polite one, a cold one, or a creepy one��never a genuine one. Apparently, the only one to witness your genuine smile is my brother-"

    "And that will stay that way," Anna cut her off.

    She lifted the three unconscious women, threw them over her shoulders, and began walking towards the corridor.

    "Hey, wait for me!" Amelia eximed while chasing after her.

    *****

    ''Thankfully, they are safe,'' Alex sighed in relief as he removed the talisman from his forehead.

    Now that he heard that the two women were safe and they had aplished their missions, he finally allowed himself to slow down his pace.

    As he slowed down his pace, and the sound of the air no longer filled his ears, Alex heard Lilia, whom he had strapped to his back using his torn shirt so that he could retrieve the talisman, mumble something in her sleep.

    "You can go....harder..."

    Alex nearly tripped when he heard what she said.

    Sending a nce over his shoulder, he saw a slight blush on Lilia''s cheeks and chuckled in amusement.

    ''What is this woman dreaming about now?''

    Shaking his head, he resumed his course while the unconscious Lilia continued mumbling obscene words.

    Soon, Alex spotted two silhouettes sitting on the ground.

    ''Let''s hope Lilia won''t be saying any words about sex, or else, she is going to be so embarrassed,'' Alexughed internally.

    Just as he approached them, therge metallic door behind the two silhouettes opened, and Anna and Amelia walked out while carrying three unconscious women.

    ''Who are they?'' Alex wondered as he walked past Cedrix and his daughter seated on the ground, heading straight to meet his two wives.

    "I hope it wasn''t too difficult to rescue them," Alex said with a small smile on his face as he approached the two women.

    "It was fine," Anna answered him with a smile of her own.

    ''Is he that Lord Alex dad had been talking about?'' Anita wondered as she stared at Alex''s back, ''who is that woman? And why is he shirtless? Don''t tell me he is an exhibitionist.''

    ''Even though, I have to say, he is quite in shape,'' Anitamented internally.

    As Anita scrutinized Alex from behind, Anna walked next to her and ced down the two unconscious women that she was carrying.

    The instant Anita noticed that the women Anna was cing down were Mina and the nun, she sprang up from her sitting position.

    "Mina!"

    Anita crouched before the nun with a worried expression.

    "Don''t worry, she is fine, she had just been drugged, that''s all," Amelia reassured her while cing a hand on her shoulder.

    "I see..." Anita sighed in relief.

    Meanwhile, Cedrix stood up and greeted Alex, "Lord Alex, thanks to the gods, you are safe."

    "Mm," Alex made an acknowledging sound, nced over the old man''s shoulder to the crouching figure of Anita, and smiled, "I see that you have reunited with your daughter; that''s good."

    Cedrix nodded his head with a grateful smile on his face, "it''s all thanks to you."

    "Not necessarily, if you hadn''te looking for my help, she wouldn''t have been rescued," Alex replied as he untied Lilia from his back.

    Crouching, he gently set her down, leaning her against the wall.

    "Is Lady Lilia..."

    "Nah, she''s alright... I think so," Alex replied while carefully brushing away the few strands of hair that covered Lilia''s face.

    "You think so?" Amelia asked from behind him.

    Alex nced back at his sister, then shrugged, "Well, I''m not a healer."

    "I''m going to check on her," Amelia said, pushing him aside.

    Alex nodded and stood up, just in time to hear, "Thanks for rescuing me!"

    ''Hm?'' Alex lowered his gaze and saw a woman, Cedrix''s daughter, bowing at him.

    "Don''t mind it, I just did..." Alex''s words trailed off when the bowing woman raised her head to stare at him.

    ''What a beauty,'' he thought in a daze.

    As Anita''s eyes met the face of the man she had been staring at from behind, her mind seemed to glitch, just like his did moments ago.

    Unbeknownst to her, Anita''s eyes began sparkling with a peculiar blue light the instant her gaze locked with Alex''s.

    Completely forgetting their surroundings, the two of them kept staring at each other, neither of them in a rush to avert their gaze. In fact, it was doubtful if they even wanted to tear their sight from each other.

    ''What is going on here?'' Cedrix, who was observing the scene of his daughter and Alex staring at each other, frowned.

    ''Why is she looking at him like that? That brilliance... it reminds me of... no, no, no,'' Cedrix suddenly felt a foreboding sense of unease.

    Cedrix knew what the brilliance in his daughter''s eyes meant since it was the same brilliance the eyes of his wife emitted each time she looked at him.

    ''No, no, no, not Lord Alex,'' the old man''s eyes reddened in distress.

    In a strict sense, Cedrix liked and respected Alex. He was grateful for everything the young nobleman had done for him, from healing his wounds to saving his daughter. From his point of view, Alex is a kind and benevolent person.

    Knowing this, his daughter''s interest in Alex should have ddened him. Yet, he felt a sense of dread as he could see attraction budding in his daughter''s eyes.

    The reason for that dread was simple:

    ''Lord Alex is too lustful''

    Just as he had this thought, Alex started licking his lips, a predatory glint in his eyes as if he had just identified his next prey.

    ''No,'' Cedrix''s expression sank.

 Chapter 180 : Marriage proposal?

    Chapter 180 : Marriage proposal?

    ''No,'' Cedrix''s expression sank, ''he won''t corrupt my little girl, right?''

    Even though he knew that his ''little girl'' wasn''t that little anymore and wasn''t the innocent, sweet child he had raised, Cedrix still felt thatpared to Alex, she was an angel.

    During the few days they had traveled together, he hade to understand a bit about Alex''s personality, and what stood out the most was the man''s lust.

    Except for the first day of their journey, nothing happened between Alex and his wives, much to his disappointment. But it''s not because he didn''t try.

    During the days of their journey, Cedrix also came to understand the true nature of the rtionship between Alex and Amelia, and what he discovered shocked him, reinforcing his belief that Alex was truly too lustful.

    ''If he is promiscuous enough to be intimate with his sister, then there''s no way he had settled down with just three women.''

    That was Cedrix''s thought back then, and judged by the way Alex was gazing at his daughter, he knew that he was right.

    He didn''t wish that kind of life for his daughter, a life where she''d have to share her husband with other women.

    No father would wish something like that for his daughter, and Cedrix was different.

    Cedrix reached out in the direction of his daughter, intent on shaking her out of her reverie, but right at this moment, someone held his hand to stop him from touching her.

    He nced at the one who had just stopped him and noticed that it was Anna.

    She was gazing at him with a peculiar smile that, if he didn''t know better, Cedrix would swear looked quite creepy.

    "What''s the matter, Cedrix? Is something wrong?" she asked, smiling.

    ''Why is she asking me that, and why is she holding my hand?'' the old man wondered. "Ah, nothing is wrong; you don''t have to worry about me," he replied after a few seconds.

    Although Anna had intercepted him, preventing him from shaking Anita awake, the sound of his voice still roused her.

    "Um, what wa- ah, a-as I was saying, thank you for rescuing me. I-I will be grateful for that my whole life, and if you have anything you want from me, you c-can ask," Anita blurted out with difficulty.

    ''Why am I stuttering?!'' she screamed in her head. ''And was I staring at him so intently? Now he is going to think that I''m some mentally challenged woman!''

    "I can ask anything, you say?" Alex asked as he himself snapped out of his daze. But contrary to Anita, he still maintained his calm.

    "Yes, you can ask me anything, and I will do my best toply," Anita nodded, avoiding Alex''s gaze, fearful that she might lose herself again if she stared into his captivating gray eyes.

    "What is your name?" Alex inquired in a soft tone.

    "Anita."

    "So, Anita, you said that I can ask anything I want, and you willply, right?"

    Anita nodded firmly, still avoiding his gaze.

    "Then what if I said that the thing I want is for you to be my wife?" Alex voiced in a light, yful tone.

    What he said was just a joke to lighten the mood as he could see that Anita was quite tense; however, his words had the opposite effect on Anita.

    Anita froze, her brain failing toprehend Alex''s words for several seconds. But when she did understand them, it was like an explosion had gone off inside her head.

    Anita''s already blushing face turnedpletely crimson, her eyes shone differents shade of blue, and her breath becamebored.

    Seeing the unexpected yet wee reaction from Anita, the teasing smile on Alex''s face widened. ''She looks cute; it makes me want to tease her more, although...'' He nced over Anita''s shoulder and witnessed Cedrix looking towards him with narrowed eyes.

    Cedrix''s stare made him chuckle and fueled his desire even more to tease the old man''s daughter. ''I just enjoy the reactions of both of them.''

    Refocusing on Anita, Alex spoke, this time with a hint of sadness in his voice, "you are avoiding my gaze and went quiet all of a sudden, is it that you find me so unattractive that you don''t even-"

    "No!" Anita unintentionally released a shout, "it''s not that."

    "Oh, what is it then? Why aren''t you answering me? Don''t you want to marry me?" Alex inquired, his voice carrying the same undertone of sadness, this time with a touch of disappointment.

    The moment the words escaped his lips, Anita''s face deepened in a shade of red, a hue Alex didn''t think was possible considering how flushed she appeared before. He could almost swear that a hint of smoke was escaping from her ears.

    Alex''s cheeks puffed as he tried not to burst intoughter, but it was bing more and more challenging.

    At that moment, he heard someone whispering to him, "that''s enough teasing for now; you will make the poor girl explode in embarrassment if you continue."

    ncing back at his sister, Alex lingered a little and nodded his head.

    "Calm down, Anita, it was a joke-"

    Just as he was about to exin to Anita that he was joking, she suddenly stared at him and eximed loudly, with her hands balled in fists:

    "IF THAT''S WHAT YOU WANT, THEN I AGREE TO MARRY YOU!"

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    "ept....marry...you"

    Anita''s voice resonated so loudly that even several seconds after she finished speaking, her words continued to echo throughout the mountain.

    ''That was... unexpected,'' Alex scratched his head with a funny expression on his face, ''I didn''t think she would seriously consider my words, much less that she would actually agree to marry me.''

    ''Poor girl, she just gave him more material to tease her,'' both Amelia and Anna thought as they looked at Anita, who was breathing heavily as if she had run a marathon, with pity.

    Meanwhile, Cedrix''s eyes went wide the moment Anita spoke, his heart skipping a few beats. ''W-what did I hear?''

    ''It can''t be, right? My daughter would never do something like that, right?'' The daughter he knew was someone with a strong character, someone who would send Alex packing while shouting something like ''rescuing me doesn''t give you the right to be my husband, hmph!'' yet...

    ''Why is she blushing like that? Why is she fidgeting in her ce?'' Cedrix wondered, his eyes watering.

    "What happened to my little girl..." he murmured under his breath.

    Having heard him, Anna shot the old man a sympathetic gaze.

    "Alex happened," she said with a faint chuckle.

    The old man gazed at her for a moment, then turned back to stare at his daughter, who was busy avoiding Alex''s gaze.

    He wanted to deny what he had heard, not ept that his daughter agreed to marry Alex. But as if the universe was ying with him, Anita''s words continued to echo inside the mountain, each of them like a knife burying itself in the old man''s heart.

    Thud

    Unable to bear it anymore, Cedrix suddenly fell to the ground with foaming out of his mouth.

    The sound of his fall caught the attention of everyone nearby.

    "Dad!"

    Forgetting her embarrassment temporarily, Anita hurried to her father with a worried expression on her face.

    "Ehh, why is he like that?" Alex scratched his head, puzzled.

    "Like you don''t know," Amelia chuckled and approached the old man.

    Crouching down, she ced her hand on him to check his condition. After a moment, she eximed with a stunned expression:

    "He''s having a heart attack!"

 Chapter 181 : One minute (R-18)

    Chapter 181 : One minute (R-18)

    "He is having a heart attack!" Amelia eximed, her voice filled with urgency, as she quickly assessed Cedrix''s condition.

    ''Seriously? He''s having a heart attack over a joke?'' Alex didn''t think his joke would impact the old man''s health so much. If he was honest, the situation was quite hrious, but he refrained fromughing, not wanting to upset the three women who were worriedly staring at the old man.

    "Did he ever have a heart attack or heart problems?" Amelia asked while activating her cell master ability.

    "Not that I know of, he''s always been in good shape," Anita answered. "Please, heal him," she implored Amelia.

    "Don''t worry, I can still save him," Amelia smiled reassuringly before concentrating on manipting the old man''s cells to improve his condition.

    Meanwhile, Anna detached herself from the group and approached Alex.

    "Are you happy now? You nearly killed Cedrix with your antics," she reprimanded.

    "I''d believe you more if you weren''t smiling," Alex said, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer as she came near, catching her off guard. "And you''re just as guilty as I am. I saw you holding the old man''s hand, so he couldn''t reach out to Anita," he added.

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Anna replied with a sweet smile, enjoying the feeling of being close to Alex.

    "Oh, you''re ying it like that, huh?" Alex grinned, inching his face closer to hers until he could feel her warm breath.

    "ying wha-" Before she could finish speaking, Alex assaulted Anna''s lips, interrupting her. She had expected such a thing from the moment he pulled her closer, so she didn''t resist and even participated.

    They shared a sensual and heated kiss, savoring each other''s lips. Soon, their tongues got involved, turning the kiss into a more passionate and sloppy exchange with both of them yfully exploring each other''s mouths.

    "W-Wait," Anna broke the kiss and lightly pushed Alex away, though a bridge of saliva still connected them. "We can''t right now," she said with a blush on her face.

    "Why?" Alex asked, lowering his face to nt another kiss on her enticing lips, unable to resist the allure.

    Although she had protested just moments ago, Anna didn''t immediately push him away. Instead, she took her time to savor his lips once again.

    As things became more heated, Alex''s hand, which was holding her waist, lowered and gave her plump ass a light squeeze.

    "Mm~" Anna moaned in delight at the feeling of Alex fondling her butt. She had missed it so much, but she knew they couldn''t continue, not here and not now.

    Pushing him away once again, she took a deep breath and said in a pleading tone, "Let''s stop here. Things might get out of hand if we continue."

    "I don''t see the problem in things getting out of hand~" Alex pressed his forehead against Anna''s and stared into her mesmerizing brown eyes. "I have been holding back all these days; I''m nearing my limits."

    "I know. I''m sorry that we couldn''t do anything because of Cedrix''s presence," Anna apologized.

    "Don''t apologize; it''s not your fault," Alex nted a soft kiss on her lips. "Now that I''m thinking about it, the reason we couldn''t do anything is because the old man is always in our way. And now that he had a sudden heart attack, we can have a little time to enjoy ourselves, even if it''s just kissing. So, I''m wondering if him passing away would allow us to do more than just kissing."

    "Hey, don''t say that. You never know; perhaps by saying such things, Cedrix might truly pass out," Anna whispered.

    Alex didn''t reply and just stared at her for a long moment. As Anna began to wonder if she had said anything wrong, he chuckled, "Didn''t take you for a superstitious one."

    Anna rolled her eyes. She thought it was something important, only for him to say such a thing. "What is wrong with being superstitious?"

    "Nothing. I just didn''t think that you would be one of them. You don''t have to worry; I will still love you, even if you are a superstitious fre-"

    "I dare you to finish that sentence," Anna said, ring at him.

    "Hoh, it seems that too much time has indeed passed since thest time we were together, to the point that you''re forgetting who the master is here."

    As he said this, Alex''s hand, which had been resting on Anna''s smooth ass, strongly squeezed it. Meanwhile, his other hand pinched her left nipple through her clothing.

    Anh~

    Anna let out an involuntary moan, her pussy beginning to leak out love juice, causing her panties to dampen.

    "W-Wait...unh~"

    Ignoring her pleas, Alex sealed Anna''s lips with his mouth and moved his hand that had been fondling her butt to her crotch.

    Breaking the kiss, he grinned at Anna. "You are telling me to stop, yet you are so wet."

    To prove his words, he raised his hands that were caressing her crotch through her pants and showed them to her.

    "See how wet my fingers are," Alex waved his fingers in front of Anna, a viscous and slippery liquid delicately clinging to them, creating a seamless connection between them.

    Seeing this, Anna blushed a little and murmured, "It''s your fault."

    "Which means that I have to take responsibility, right?" Alex''s grin widened.

    "That''s not what I- anng~"

    Before she could protest, Alex introduced his hand inside her panties and lightly caressed her clit.

    Feeling that she couldn''t control the volume of her moans if things continued like this, Anna used the little mana she had regained. She activated her ability to cover herself and Alex, making them invisible to outside observers.

    Contrary to thest time when Anna used her ability on him and he couldn''t sense it, this time, the instant Anna activated the ability, Alex felt it.

    "I can hold it for barely one minute," Anna informed Alex.

    "Oh, it''s more time than needed~" Alex smiled sensually.

    He lowered himself and began kissing and licking Anna''s neck. His hand, which was initially pinching her erect nipple, moved and traced the curves of her body until itnded on her round and soft ass, which he started kneading.

    Mmm..unh...umm~

    Anna''s moans quickly turned lewd, and the amount of love juice she produced tremendously increased,pletely drenching her pants.

    "Doing something so naughty just a few meters away from people, and we have barely one minute to finish all of this... it must be very exciting for an exhibitionist like yourself, huh?" Alex licked Anna''s corbone as he spoke those words.

    Anna fell silent and didn''t answer him, but judging by the increased amount of love juice she released, Alex knew that he was definitely right.

    "What a pervert you are~" Alex whispered in her ear while one of the fingers of the hand that had been teasing her pink clit descended further and parted her lower lips without prating her pink garden.

    Nnn~

    "W-What...ahh...a-are you waiting...for?!" Anna struggled to speak, her cloudy eyes barely open as the pleasure slowly overwhelmed her senses.

    "Beg for it~" Alex teased.

    "P-Please... F-Fuck me with your finger!" Anna eximed with heavy breath.

    "How can I refuse such a request when it''s asked so nicely?" Alex''s grin widened, and his finger prated Anna''s drenching pussy, going in with a slow and deliberate manner that allowed Anna to feel every inch of his finger.

    "AAANNHH~"

    Anna released the lewdest moan until now, arched her back outward, and orgasmed, releasing a flood of love juice over Alex''s hand.

    "Well, that was fast," Alexmented as he supported Anna''s body so she wouldn''t fall.

    "Haa..haa..haa..." Anna gasped for breath as she basked in the aftermath of her orgasm.

    Leaning on Alex''s chest, she smiled happily while continuing to enjoy the feeling of Alex''s finger, which was still lodged into her pussy like a key fitting perfectly into its lock.

    A secondter, her ability deactivated, and their invisibility vanished, but they were still in that position.

    It was to this sight that Mina, the nun, awakened from her slumber.

    Her eyes widened in shock, and a secondter, she let out a piercing scream :

    "DEPRAVED MISCREANTS!"

 Chapter 182 : Teasing the nun

    Chapter 182 : Teasing the nun

    "DEPRAVED MISCREANTS!"

    ''Hm?'' Alex nced towards the location the shout hade from and witnessed a woman dressed in a nun''s clothing pointing at them, disgust appearing in her eyes.

    ''She is one of the women Anna and Amelia brought back, right?'' Alex didn''t have time to ask the two of them who those women were and why they brought them here.

    ''Well, quite frankly, I didn''t really care who they were, but now,'' Alex grinned, feeling the need to tease the innocent nun just before them.

    Anh~

    Anna, who despite hearing Mina''s shout, wasn''t paying the nun even a nce, released a soft moan as she felt Alex''s finger, which had been inside her, slip out of her pussy.

    Alex raised his hand covered in love juice and showed it to a wide-eyed Mina.

    Grinning at the nun, Alex brought his fingers to his mouth, licking at the love juice as if it were the most exquisite delicacy.

    Mina''s eyes, already wide open from shock, further erged at this obscene sight.

    "Y-You..." She pointed her finger at Alex, wanting to say something, but nothing coherent came out of her mouth. The sight before her was too shocking for a virgin nun like her.

    The grin on Alex''s face widened, seeing the expression on the nun''s face. ''It''s hrious,'' he sneered internally and licked all the remains of Anna''s love juice on his fingers.

    "Delicious!" he eximed loudly, ensuring that Mina could hear him, then burst intoughter, finding the expression on Mina''s face when he said this utterly priceless.

    ''I must say, teasing a nun is quite amusing,'' Alex thought to himself, stillughing.

    Meanwhile, Anita, who knelt beside her father, gripping his hand as Amelia healed him, had her attention abruptly diverted by a sudden scream from behind her.

    Turning to look behind her, she saw that her friend had finally awakened.

    "Mina! You are finally awake!" Anita eximed as she stood up and hurried to her friend, leaving her father in the hands of Amelia.

    "Huh?" Mina was snapped out of her reverie when she heard someone call out to her from the side. Turning her head away from Alex, though her finger was still pointing at him, she saw Anita rushing toward her, causing her lips to purse into a smile.

    "Anita! d to see that you are doing well!" The nun eximed as Anita tightly hugged her.

    "I thought that something bad would have happened to you after you were brought inside that chamber," Anita said.

    "And I remember telling you not to worry?" Mina replied, "the goddess of light will always protect us."

    "Mm," Anita made an acknowledgment sound as she distanced herself from Mina.

    It was only then that she noticed Mina''s outstretched hand. Following it, she saw Alex and Anna in a tight hug.

    ''What is their rtionship?'' she wondered, a knot forming in her stomach as an unfamiliar tension gripped her chest.

    Anita had always been an only child, and her parents always doted on her, providing her with everything she wanted, so the physical manifestation of jealousy was a novel experience for her.

    Reigning in her emotions, Anita turned to Mina and asked with a confused expression, "Why are you pointing at them?"

    "T-They were...they were doing..." In the end, Mina fell silent, unable to speak of what she had witnessed.

    ''So pure,'' Alex smiled.

    Supporting Anna''s body, he reached the nearest wall and ced her down. Seeing the blissful expression on her face as she still basked in pleasure, Alex couldn''t help but nt a kiss on her lips.

    ''H-He is kissing her, is she his lover?'' Anita wondered with a flustered expression, the tension in her chest increasing.

    After cing Anna down, Alex stood up and walked towards Anita and Mina, a grin on his face.

    "Sister Mina, right?" he asked as he stood before the two women.

    Mina red at him and nodded her head.

    Seeing her gaze, Alex felt an increased urge to tease the nun. Still grinning, he inquired, "What did you say we were doing again? I didn''t quite hear you before. Mind telling me again, and..." Alex''s grin widened, "...don''t leave out any details."

    Hearing him and understanding why he was asking such a thing, Mina''s anger, which she had learned long ago to control, burst forth, and without thinking, she cursed:

    "You sick, depraved pervert!"

    Mina''s outburst stunned Alex; he didn''t think that the nun had it in her to say such words. However, the astonished expression quickly disappeared from his face, his grining back.

    "I have to say, I''m quite disappointed," Alex shook his head, "I didn''t expect a nun of the Church of the Goddess of Light to resort to insults. I guess I had misjudged you guys. Ah, what a pity."

    Listening to Alex''s words, Anna suddenly lowered her head, her cheeks reddening in shame.

    ''I shouldn''t have said that; because of me, the reputation of the church might go down,'' Mina thought, feeling bad for what she had said.

    However, she wasn''t done feeling bad because just as Alex finished speaking, Anita, who was next to her, nodded her head disapprovingly and reprimanded her friend, "I''m also disappointed in your behavior, Mina. He is the one that rescued you, yet your first words to him are insults."

    As Anita''s words registered in her ears, Mina felt even more shame, especially upon realizing that the one who had saved them was Alex.

    ''He had rescued me, yet I insulted him instead of thanking him,'' Mina felt disgusted by herself.

    Meanwhile, Alex was observing the scene before him with a smile. After a moment, he spoke to Anita, "I see that you are already defending your future husband; that''s a good attitude," Alex nodded his head.

    Suddenly, Anita''s face turned crimson, blushing furiously.

    "W-Wait, what? You are going to marry him?!" Mina inquired, forgetting about everything else.

    The blushing Anita meekly nodded her head in response to Mina''s question.

    "W-Why would you want to marry this..." Just as she was about to insult him again, Mina managed to stop herself.

    "This? What were you about to say, Sister Mina?" Alex inquired with a widened smile.

    Just as he was about to press the nun further, Amelia, who had been healing Cedrix, stood and approached them.

    "Did you manage to heal his condition?" Alex inquired while Amelia stood a meter away from him.

    "Mm, but he will be asleep for a while," answered Amelia.

    "Thanks for healing my dad," Anita bowed to Amelia in appreciation.

    "Don''t sweat it," Amelia smiled.

    "Well-"

    "I think that''s enough teasing for now, don''t you think?" Amelia whispered to Alex, "this ce is notpletely safe."

    Feeling the truth in his sister''s words, Alex nodded his head and decided to stop teasing Mina and Anita.

    At that exact moment, the two acolytes of Mina awakened from their slumbers, attracting the attention of both Mina and Anita.

    "Isn''t it time to go retrieve the heiress of the Drazen family?" Amelia inquired while ncing at Anna, who was dozing off with a peaceful smile on her face.

    Further lowering her gaze, she noticed that the crotch area of Anna''s pants was wet. Remembering the nun''s words, Amelia connected the dots.

    ''They stopped me when I wanted to be with Alex, yet she went for it here, in the open. What a hypocrite!'' Amelia snorted.

    Alex, who was about to answer her question, stopped in his tracks when he noticed the expression of his sister''s face.

    With a step, he stood right next to her and ced his hand on her generous butt. "You don''t have to feel jealous. Once we''re done with things here, I''ll be fucking you until you can''t walk again," he said, firmly squeezing her ass.

    "Promise?" Amelia asked with a heavy breath, seemingly containing herself from jumping on her brother.

    "I promise," Alex swiftly gave her a peck on her lips, something that Mina witnessed.

    ''Hmph, pervert!''

    "Okay," Amelia recovered her smile, "so what is your answer?"

    "Forget about the heiress; we need to deal with all the other captives."

    "What do we do with them?" Amelia inquired.

    "Of course, we will set them free!" Mina, who had been paying close attention to the pair of brother and sister, eximed.

    "Oh, so it''s ''we'' now? That means that you are associating with us, which means that you are also associating yourself with me," Alex shed Mina a smile, "I''m ttered."

    Mina scowled in response and ignored them.

    Turning to his sister, Alex sighed, "the nun is right; we can only set them free."

 Chapter 183 : Pay up

    Chapter 183 : Pay up

    "The nun is right; we can only set them free," Alex sighed.

    He didn''t know what the Night group was up to, but if he could stop their ns by freeing the captives, he would. Even though he initially wanted to save Anita alone, now that he can free others without risking himself or his wives, there''s no reason to let them suffer here, waiting to be turned into monsters.

    "I get that, but what I meant was, how do we go about freeing them? Don''t you have any intentions of gaining something in return?" Amelia inquired.

    Alex shook his head. "I have already thought of that, and it''s better to just set them free without asking something in return'' Alex whispered to his sister so that the nun couldn''t hear them. ''Since we don''t want the Night group to retaliate and attack our branch, we can''t risk exposing the fact that we are the ones who saved those people."

    "But we''re not obligated to reveal that we''re the ones who saved them," Amelia whispered back, casting a discreet nce at Mina, who narrowed her eyes suspiciously at them.

    Alex nodded in agreement, "I have thought about that, and that is the reason why I decided that we would tell those people that the ones who saved them are from the Arcane Nexus Society."

    "Then wouldn''t our organization be targeted instead?" Amelia scratched her head in confusion.

    "Probably, but then again, the Night group seems to be more than what is publicly known, and they probably want it to stay that way. So, they would most definitely try not to make too much trouble by attempting to destroy us. But even if they do,pared to the gain we would make by freeing those nobles, it won''t be that much trouble."

    "And what would we gain by freeing those nobles?" Amelia whispered, her eyebrows raised.

    "The gratitude of the noble house," Alex grinned at his sister and exined, "having the nobles indebted to us for saving their child will be a boon for our organization."

    "Ah, I understand."

    "That''s also the reason why we can''t ask forpensation for saving the nobles here."

    "Hm?"

    "Think about it. Publicly, the Night group kidnaps nobles and releases them after a ransom is paid. If our organization shows up, says we saved a noble''s child, and then asks for money, it would raise suspicions. Some nobles might even think we''re part of the Night group, which would be a big problem for us."

    "Your reasoning is good, but then what about the Drazen family?" Amelia whispered.

    "Hey, what are you whispering about!?" Mina, who was watching Alex and Amelia whisper among themselves, spoke in irritation.

    Alex looked at the nun, his eyes studying her, then spoke in a teasing voice, "You really want to know~"

    Feeling his gaze on her, Mina blushed in embarrassment, covered her body, and turned to the conversation between Anita and her two acolytes, not before shooting Alex with an irritated look.

    Seeing her reaction, Alex chuckled and turned toward his sister only to see her staring at him with a funny expression on her face.

    "You really like teasing that nun, huh?" Amelia giggled.

    "You look cute when youugh," Alexplimented his sister, causing her to blush.

    Sending a quick nce at Mina, he chuckled again and said, "It''s true that I enjoy teasing her," then refocused on the matter at hands, "What about the Drazen family?"

    "Well, we did say that we can''t ask forpensation after freeing the captives, but what about the Drazen heiress? Asking them to include our products in their annual auction because we saved their heiress is kind of seekingpensation," Amelia said, rubbing her chin in thought.

    "True, but the situation of the heiress might be a bit different from other nobles," Alex whispered.

    "How so?" Amelia inquired with a puzzled expression.

    "Based on what you and Anna observed, one of the two men who brought her here had fiery hair, correct?"

    Amelia nodded.

    "You may already know, but one of the traits of the Drazen is their fiery hair. Based on that and the conversation Anna overheard, there''s a good chance the person with orange hair is from the Drazen family."

    "Do you think the Drazen family has ties with the Night group?" Amelia wondered, a small frown gracing her delicate features.

    "Maybe, but I doubt it. It seems like only this family member is involved with the Night group. Also, it wouldn''t make sense for the Drazen to forsake their sole heiress. I think it''s a personal matter, not tied to the Night group. The proof for that is they didn''t even intend to ask for a ransom as usual; instead, they wanted to transform her into a creature."

    Amelia nodded, grasping the main point, but still puzzled, "How does knowing all this change our situation?"

    "This suggests the Drazen family might have internal conflicts, maybe between different branches. Since the kidnapped person is the heiress, it shows significant division in the family. Not just anyone can approach or kidnap her. There''s a chance the family won''t think it''s the Night group, but rather suspect someone from within their own branches."

    "And you intend to let them think that''s the case," Amelia nodded, having understood her brother''s n.

    Amelia lingered for a moment, thinking about what he exined, then raised another question, "What is the difference between the Drazen family thinking that the one who kidnapped their heiress is one of them rather than a criminal group?"

    "It''s very-"

    Alex came to a halt when Mira and her two acolytes suddenly stood up.

    "We are leaving," Mina announced.

    "Oh, why so soon?" Alex wondered.

    "It''s none of your concern!" Mina eximed, surprising her two church friends who had never seen her raise her voice.

    "I thought it was him who rescued us; you shouldn''t be like that to him," one of Mina''s friends, Umra, chastised.

    "She is right; be more kind to him," her other friend, Mara, added.

    Mina pouted cutely but still nodded her head.

    Mara and Umra approached Alex and bowed respectfully to him, "Thanks for rescuing us; may the goddess of light repay you."

    Alex smiled and nodded at the two of them, then turned his gaze at Mina, "See? That''s what is called gratefulness. You should take an example from your two friends, who, by the way, appear to be two beautiful young women."

    Alex''s words stunned the two women who were bowing to him. Beautiful? Is that how you were supposed to speak of aspirant nuns of the Light Goddess Church?

    ''But, I can''t deny that it is kinda nice to be called beautiful, especially by such a handsome man,'' thought both of them, with a little blush on their faces.

    Seeing the reactions of her two friends, Mina eximed, "don''t believe in his words, he is a deceiver!"

    "Is that so? Then you mean to say that your two friends here are ugly, is that right?" Alex wondered with a shocked expression.

    Hearing his words, Umra and Mara turned to stare at Mina. They didn''t say anything, but judging by their gazes, Mina was sure they were wondering if what Alex said was true.

    Mina''s green eyes quivered a little, and she waved her hands, "I-it''s not what I meant to say. He is d-distorting the meaning of my words, yes, that''s that!" Mina nced at Alex and eximed, "Shame on you!"

    Her words made Alex sputter intoughter, "I have never seen a nun as shameless as you, Sister Mina," he said through hisughter.

    "Who are you calling shameless-"

    "Mina!" Mara interrupted the shameless nun, "we need to go; the priest must be awaiting our mission report."

    Hearing that, Mina calmed down and nodded her head.

    Just as the three of them were about to walk away, Alex stopped them, "Wait, aren''t you forgetting something?"

    "What are we forgetting, sir?" Umra wondered.

    "I''m not speaking to you two; I''m addressing her," Alex pointed at Mina.

    "What do you want from me?!"

    "Aren''t you going to thank me for saving you?" Alex said in a confused tone, "Surely a nun of the Goddess of Light Church isn''t so ungrateful, right?"

    Mina was about to argue back when she felt Ulta and Mara''s scrutinizing looks. Seeing such gazes, she was sure that the two wouldn''t stop annoying her during their whole journey and might even rat on her to the priest if she didn''t thank Alex.

    Gritting her teeth, Mina walked to Alex and bowed her head, "Thank you for saving me."

    "It''s not a big deal," Alex replied. But just as Mina was about to respond, he added, "...that''s what I would have said if you hadn''t been so rude to me. Now, I want something more than just a ''thank you.''"

    "W-What do you want?" Mina asked.

    Alex extended his arm towards her and said, "pay up."

 Chapter 184 : Goddess of lust short appearance

    Chapter 184 : Goddess of lust short appearance

    "Give me what you owe," said Alex, holding out his hand to Mina.

    "W-What do I owe?" Mina stuttered.

    "For saving you," Alex replied, still holding his hand out.

    "B-But-"

    "No, but Sister Mina, we rescued you when you had been kidnapped, and instead of thanking us, you insulted us, well, me, but it''s the same anyway, so now, pay up," Alex shook his hand.

    "Y-You did a good deed by saving us, the goddess of light is surely going to reward you, perhaps you will even obtain a blessing, so you don''t need me to-"

    "No way, I don''t want a blessing, I want cash!" Alex rubbed his fingers together with a grin.

    "I-I don''t have money," Mina said in a barely noticeable voice.

    "I didn''t hear you, what did you say?" Alex lowered himself while covering his ear.

    Mina gritted her teeth and shouted in his ear, "I DON''T HAVE MONEY!"

    "Oh, I see," Alex nodded while returning to his initial position, "you don''t have money, huh? You are in luck; I''m a magnanimous person, you don''t need to give me money."

    "Really?!" Mina''s eyes lit up in joy.

    "Of course, I''m not a cruel person after all, so if you can''t pay with money," Alex''s eyes roamed all over the nun''s body, and when his gaze met hers, he grinned, "you can always pay in kind."

    Gasp!

    Mina gasped in shock and swiftly covered her body with her hands.

    "H-How scious! How can you ask such a thing from a nun?!" Mina eximed in disgust.

    "Hm? What are you talking about?" Alex tilted his head in confusion. "What I meant is that you can repay me with something valuable. What were you thinking about, Sister Mina?" Alex grinned at the nun, his pearly white teeth showing.

    "N-Nothing," Mina waved her hands.

    "Is that so? Then why are you blushing right now? Just admit it, Sister Mina, you have thought of something naughty, right?" Alex teased.

    "No! That wasn''t the case!" Mina eximed, her face resembling a ripe tomato.

    "Hehehe, a naughty nun. It sure changes from the usual stuck-up nun," Alex sneered as he licked his lips.

    Mina wanted to retort to him, but she didn''t have anything to say. She could only turn towards Umra and Mara for help.

    Seeing her begging eyes, Mara cleared her throat and said, "Sorry, sir, but, as she said, we don''t have money. I beg for your-"

    "Oh, I did understand that you don''t have money, but, as I have said, she could-"

    "Ugh, you are annoying!" Mina eximed.

    She ripped the golden ne from around her neck and forcefully pressed it against Alex''s chest.

    "If you''re trying to touch me subtly, I must say it''s not as discreet as you think," Alex smiled at Mina.

    "I-I..." Too enraged to say anything, Mina stormed off.

    Catching the ne in his hand, Alex shouted to the leaving nun, "don''t you think it is dangerous to leave alone? If you want, I can-"

    "Not needed!" Mina shouted back as she took hold of Umra and Mara''s arms and pulled them away.

    The two of them barely had time to bow their heads to Alex before the nun hastily pulled them away.

    Meanwhile, Alex stood there, observing them as they left.

    ''I have to say, despite their conservative attire, they have attractive figures,'' Alex licked his lips as he observed how Mina and her two acolytes'' asses swayed as they walked.

    A sudden chill ran down the backs of the three women.

    Turning around to stare in the direction they came from, they witnessed Alex waving at them with a friendly smile on his face.

    "Ignore him," Mina said to her two friends who were about to wave back at Alex.

    Mara and Umra nodded and resumed their walk, under the watchful gaze of Alex.

    ''Hey, do I gain additional points if the one I sleep with is a nun?'' Alex addressed the system while still staring at the nuns'' butts.

    [It depends on the religion of the nun]

    ''How so?''

    [The additional points depend on the perceived depravity of the sexual act. For instance, having sex with a nun from a religion that emphasizes the pleasure of the flesh might result in fewer additional pointspared to engaging in such an act with a nun from a religion that strictly prohibits indulging in carnal pleasures.]

    ''So the purest the nun, the more additional points I obtain?''

    [Exactly!] , the system replied...a little too enthusiastic.

    ''So sleeping with a nuning from the church of the goddess of light might earn me a good amount of additional points right?''

    The system remained silent for a moment, leaving Alex to believe it wouldn''t respond. However, after a minute or so, it replied. Yet, its usual monotonous voice was reced by a sweet and seductive tone.

    <i>[Oh, you want to fuck the sweet daughters of the old hag, good, good, I was worried that you would disappoint me after seeing your idleness of thest few weeks, but I''m reassured now~]</i>

    ''Goddess of lust'' Alex remarked calmly when he heard the voice who had just spoken.

    <i>[In person, or rather, in your head] the voice giggled mischievously, [d that you still remember your goddess.]</i>

    ''What do you want?'' Alex inquired, not in the mood to deal with her.

    <i>[Why so serious? Rx a little~]</i>

    ''If you don''t have anything to say, then leave me alone.''

    <i>[Sigh, always so serious. Anyway, I''m here to reply to your question.]</i>

    Alex raised an eyebrow and mentally urged her to continue.

    <i>[To reply to your question, yes, you would gain a significant amount of additional points if you engage in sexual activities with those virgin maidens.]</i>

    ''As I thought,'' Alex smirked faintly.

    <i>[Don''t get your hopes up so fast. Engaging in any sexual activities with those girls won''t be easy. Plus, I''m not on good terms with that old hag, so you should tread carefully when attempting anything with her precious children. Otherwise, you might get killed without even knowing how you died.]</i>

    ''Who is the old hag you are talking about? The goddess of light?'' Alex inquired.

    <i>[Who else? Of course, I''m talking about her. Anyway, I''m done talking here.]</i>

    ''Wait, I have another question,'' Alex said, but unfortunately, this time it wasn''t the goddess who replied to him.

    [What is your question?]

    ''Forget it'' Alex sighed.

    Lowering his gaze, he carefully observed the golden ne that Mina had given him.

    The golden ne took the form of the goddess of light��a beautiful and graceful female deity with both hands extended forward.

    ''It''s just the emblem of their religion in the form of a ne, what is valuable about this?'' Alex pondered, feeling that he had been scammed by the nun.

    He scrutinized the ne for a few seconds but ultimately tossed it into his space ring when he couldn''t feel anything special from it.

    Turning around, he focused on Anita, who was sitting next to her unconscious father, and said with a wry smile, "Sorry that you couldn''t bid farewell to your friends because of me."

    "Don''t worry, we already did so when you were speaking with your sister," Anita stammered with a slight flush on her face.

    "I''m d for that, but you know, you can be more rxed around me; after all, I''m going to be your husband soon," Alex teased.

    The flush on Anita''s face grew, and she quickly averted her gaze from Alex, causing thetter to sputter inughter.

    "Alex, we should also prepare to leave; we need to take the heiress and get out of here before other members of the Night groupe back," Amelia advised.

    "You are right," Alex nodded his head.

    He took a deep breath and exhaled the multicolored smoke inside his body.

    "What are you going to do with that?" Amelia wondered, as there was no need for that since they weren''t in a battle right now.

    Anita, on the other hand, just stared curiously as Alex exhaled the smoke. ''Where does this smokee from? I didn''t see him smoke anything.''

    "Wait and see," Alex grinned at them both.

    Hemanded the smoke to acquire adhesive properties and then directed it towards his hair, ensuring that every strand of his silver hair was coated.

    Soon, the smoke haze enveloping his hair dissipated. Under the astonished gaze of the two women, Alex''s usual silver hair was gone, reced by a vibrant array of multicolored strands.

    "So, how do I look? Handsome right?"

 Chapter 185 : Stunning discovery

    Chapter 185 : Stunning discovery

    "You shouldn''t have done that," Mara spoke to Mina when they got a bit far from the mountain.

    "Done what?" Mina looked at her with a confused expression.

    "You shouldn''t have given that man the ne; it was specifically given to you by the high priest. Offering it to someone else might anger the high priest and cause you many problems," Umra exined what Mara meant.

    Hearing the exnation, Mina got silent for a long while, then sighed, "I know that I shouldn''t have given it to him; it''s just that he made me so mad that I couldn''t think properly."

    "Sigh, why are you like that? I have never seen you being mad at someone. Did he do something to you that warrants such fury?" Mara inquired with a curious expression.

    "Umm, it''s not that he had done anything to me; it''s just that..." Mina''s words trailed off as she remembered the scene of Alex removing his hand from Anna''s panties and licking the love juice smeared on it while staring at her.

    Mina''s face suddenly turned bright red, surprising Mara and Umra.

    "Why are you blushing so much? Did something happen when we were unconscious?" Umra asked in a worried tone.

    "F-Forget it, nothing happened. As for the ne, I will exin the situation to the high priest. I''m sure he will be understanding," Mina assured, gently guiding her two friends to continue walking, concealing her blushing face from them.

    Turning to stare at the mountain onest time, she sighed internally, ''I hope giving the ne to him won''te back to bite me in the asster.''

    If only she knew the consequences of giving the ne to Alex, there''s no doubt she would have turned back immediately to reim it from his hands, even if she had to steal it!

    ***

    "So, how do I look? Handsome, isn''t it?" Alex pridefully tossed his vibrant multicolored hair in the air, wearing a grin as dazzling as a peacock unting its feathers.

    However, seconds ticked by, and neither of the two women made a sound, which worried Alex and made him think that perhaps the multicolored hair had diminished his handsomeness.

    All of that worry disappeared when he focused on the two women and saw the dazed expressions on their faces.

    ''Another two victims of my divine handsomeness,'' Alex smiled contentedly and decided to wake up Amelia and Anita, who were on the verge of drooling.

    "Ladies," Alex snapped his fingers, awakening the two women.

    "Huh?" Amelia and Anita snapped out of their reverie, exchanging confused nces between Alex and each other.

    ''''Goddamnit, it''s the second time I''m zoning out while staring at him. If this continues, he might think I''m a creep,'' Anita thought in embarrassment, unaware that she wasn''t the only one who had been out of it a moment ago.

    It''s just that, unlike Anita, who was feeling embarrassed, Amelia was feeling aroused looking at her brother.

    ''Damn, I want to kiss him so bad,'' Amelia thought as she felt a familiar wetness drizzle down her legs.

    ''Damn girl, you are lucky,'' she thought as she nced at the dozing Anna.

    Amelia had never felt jealous of someone else''s ability, but just this time, she felt that having Anna''s invisibility ability would have been perfect right now. ''If I had that ability, I would just pin him down and have my way with him, without being interrupted.''

    Seeing the hunger in her eyes as she stared at him, Alex chuckled, ''this girl is always horny. Unfortunately, we can''t do anything right now,'' he sighed in frustration.

    He also wanted nothing more than to be with her, but they needed to deal with this situation before anything.

    Expanding and thickening the remaining smoke after he had coated his hair, Alex divided it into three parts, each one going to one of the unconscious members of their party: Lilia, Anna, and Cedrix.

    The thick smokepletely engulfed the three of them and lifted them from the ground.

    "W-What is happening?" Anita asked worriedly as her father''s body disappearedpletely under the smoke.

    "Don''t worry, nothing will happen to him," Alex reassured her.

    Nodding her head, Anita watched as the three clouds of smoke gathered around Alex.

    ncing at Amelia and Anita, he grinned, "now it''s your turn."

    Before the two of them couldprehend his intention, Alex directed his smoke to envelop them. In Amelia''s case, it covered only her head, but for Anita, it shrouded her entire body.

    Soon, as the dissipating smoke unveiled the two women, both now possessed the same multicolored hair as Alex. However, Anita had an additional touch �C a flowing, multicolored cape that emitted subtle wisps of smoke, enveloping her whole body, beside her hands, and giving her a mystic air.

    Staring at the two stunning women with multicolored hair, Alex felt desire swelling within him, causing his cock to stiffen in an instant.

    "Hm, you now have the same hair color as hi- wait, do I also have that same hair color, and what is this cape? It looks cool!" Anita eximed.

    "I need to see myself right now!" Anita shouted excitedly.

    Meanwhile, Amelia approached Alex and questioned, "Why all of that?"

    "Well, we can''t risk being discovered for who we are, right?"

    "Yes, but I doubt just changing our hair color will do the trick," Amelia countered.

    "I know, that''s why I also prepared these," Alex snapped his fingers, and the smoke around him took the shape of three masks, each with the initial ''A'' inscribed on them.

    Alex took a mask and positioned it on his face. Due to their identical colors, when the mask touched Alex''s face, it seamlessly blended with his long hair, creating a mesmerizing disy of colors that shimmered beautifully from the mask to his hair.

    "With this, it will be difficult to recognize us," Alex grinned under the mask.

    Amelia wanted to argue that even now there were chances that they might be recognized, but she shut her mouth and simply nodded her head. After a few seconds, she pointed at Alex''s bare upper body. "Do you intend to go like that?"

    "Ah, I forgot about that," Alex exhaled a small amount of smoke, expanded it, andmanded it to wrap around not just his upper body, but his entire figure.

    An instantter, the dissipating smoke revealed a figure cloaked in an elegant, multicolored mantle flowing from his upper body to his feet and much like Anita''s cape, wisps of smoke emanated from his attire. Though Alex''s current attire was beautiful and mesmerizing, it also bestowed upon him a mystical and intimidating presence, capable of sending shivers down anyone''s spine with just a nce.

    "Cool, right?" Alex''s voice resonated from behind the mask, oddly unaffected.

    "Pretty good, if intimidating is what you were going for," Amelia answered, sizing him up.

    "That''s exactly what I was going for!" Alex grinned. "I''m supposed to be a mysterious entity leading a mysterious organization that sells mysterious things, so of course, I need to look intimidating!"

    "Now that everything is prepared, we should proceed," he added after a moment.

    "Okay, but do you really intend to take her with us?" Amelia pointed to an excited Anita who was using the metallic surface of therge door as a mirror.

    "We can''t leave her here; it would be too dangerous in case someone came back. So, we can only take her with us. Since she could be recognized from her previous clothes, I gave her this cape," Alex exined as he walked towards Anita, the clouds of smoke supporting Lilia and the others following him.

    "Wear this," he tossed the multicolored mask to Anita.

    ''Looks kind of cool,'' Anita smiled excitedly.

    After handing the mask to Anita, Alex turned to the door then froze.

    Turning to Amelia, he lingered for a bit, then spoke in a hesitant tone, "Umm, do you know how to open the door?"

    "You were so eager, yet you can''t even open the door," Amelia chuckled, then replied, "yes, I do know how to open that door."

    "Great! I knew I can count on you sis," Alex raised his thumb to Amelia.

    Amelia shook her head, approached the door, and then retrieved a small knife from her space ring.

    She cut her finger to draw blood, then wrote the same symbols she had witnessed Anna write on the door.

    Just as she finished inscribing thest symbol, therge metallic door began to open.

    "Wear your masks," Alex ordered the two women before the door fully opened.

    Once the door opened wide and Amelia and Anita donned their masks, Alex stepped through the entrance, three clouds of smoke trailing just behind him, followed by the two women.

    The instant Alex stepped through the door, he froze.

    ''Even though I was informed, witnessing so many people held captive here is still shocking,'' Alex thought as his gaze swept through the hundreds of captives, yet no one nced in their direction.

    ''I wonder- hmm?'' Alex''s thought process came to a halt when he sensed something strange.

    ''Their levels, the weakest level here is 1,'' Alex''s eyes, hidden by the mask, widened in surprise.

    Although having level 1 strength wasn''t significant in the grand scheme of things, for an empire like Fiore, where more than fifty percent ofmon people weren''t even at level 1, seeing such arge quantity of people with at least level 1 was stunning. This was particrly true if the majority of those people weren''t of noble upbringing.

    The most shocking thing, however, was the fact that less than forty percent of those kidnapped were at level 1, with the majority being at level 2, and there were even a few who were at level 3!

    ''I had my doubts, but now I''m certain. Those people weren''t randomly kidnapped.''

 Chapter 186 : Ariana

    Chapter 186 : Ariana

    ''I had my doubts, but now I''m certain. Those people weren''t randomly kidnapped'' thought Alex with a serious expression behind his mask.

    ''Maybe they want people who can use mana for their experiments?'' Alex wondered, guiding the three clouds of smoke tond softly on the ground to avoid disturbing those inside.

    He briefly considered the levels of the captives before dismissing the thought. ''Whatever, that''s not why I''m here,'' he decided as he straightened his back.

    Amelia, who was behind him, stepped forward to stand on his right. Observing this, Anita also stepped forward to position herself on his left.

    ''I''m relieved that this mask hides my face,'' Anita thought, grateful that the mask concealed the embarrassed blush on her face.

    Meanwhile, Alex cleared his throat to capture the attention of the captives. However, none of them raised their heads; all remained fixed on the ground. Undeterred, Alex cleared his throat once more, the sound resonating through the somber chamber. Still, no one lifted their heads.

    He scanned through the captives, searching for the nobles, and quickly identified them sitting in groups of at least thirty people in a corner of the chamber. Their gazes were also fixed on the ground.

    ''It''s quite amusing to see the mighty and arrogant nobles being fearful and as docile asmbs,'' Alex sneered under his mask.

    Averting his gaze from the nobles to focus on everyone, Alex paused for a moment, then began speaking.

    "Greetings to all of you," he said, his calm and soothing voice reaching every ear. "I know that you can hear me, even though you may not show it. I understand it might be due to the suffering or witnessing you''ve endured here. Either way, there''s no need to worry any longer. From now on, you are free."

    The moment Alex''s words resonated in the chamber, a wave of whispers swept through the captives. For the first time since their abduction, people from all walks of life, whether nobles or slum rats, began conversing in hushed tones among themselves.

    Yet, nobody dared to move, fearing that this could be a trap set by the Night group members, so, despite the wide-open door behind Alex and his assurance that they were free, all captives remained seated on the ground. Each one waited for someone else to make the first move.

    Several minutes dragged on, and still, no one budged. The captives continued their whispered conversations, casting nces at Alex and the open door.

    ''Haa, we are just wasting time here, I-''

    Just as Alex was about to warn them that they needed to hurry before the Night group members returned and prevented their escape, footsteps echoed in the chamber.

    Observing the source of the footsteps, Alex spotted an adorable little girl with luscious deep green hair and slightly tattered clothes approaching them.

    The moment his gazended on the little girl, Alex felt a bubbling rage simmering within him.

    ''Those fuckers went as far as capturing a child?!'' Alex thought with red eyes behind his mask.

    Even though he wouldn''t say that kidnapping adults is any better, Alex felt that doing so to a little kid like the one right in front of him was just inhuman. Coupled with the memories of his own daughters being kidnapped when they were littles, it was normal for Alex to be enraged right now.

    Taking a deep breath, Alex forced himself to calm down and concentrated on the little girl standing just before him.

    "Um, Mr. Smoke, is it true what you said? Can we leave this ce?"

    ''Cute,'' Alex thought. He wanted to pat the little girl, but seeing a hint of wariness in her eyes when he moved his hand, he abstained from doing so. Instead, he kneeled in front of the little girl and said with the most gentle voice he could muster:

    "Yes, from now on, you are free to leave."

    "Yay!" The little girl eximed and jumped happily.

    "What is your name?" Alex inquired, patting the adorable little girl''s head now that she didn''t seem as wary as before.

    "Tehehe, I''m Ariana!" The girl said with a wide smile, thoroughly enjoying the head pat from Alex.

    ''Hm? That name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?'' Alex wondered as he affectionately ruffled Ariana''s hair. "Are your parents here?" he asked after a moment.

    "No, I was brought here alone," Ariana''s lively eyes dimmed at the mention of her parents.

    Just as Alex was about to say something to cheer up the cute girl, her eyes regained their previous liveliness. "You don''t have to worry about me, Mister Smoke. Now that I''m free, I will go find my parents right away!"

    "You do that," Alex said in an encouraging tone as he ruffled her hair. "Though you need to wait for the others. You are still too young to go on your own."

    "I told you not to worry about me, Mister Smoke." Ariana stepped back from Alex and raised her two arms to show her muscles. "See this! Ariana is very strong!" She said as she flexed her arms.

    Seeing the young girl trying to show off her muscles, Alex couldn''t help but smile endearingly.

    "Indeed, Ariana looks really strong," Alex nodded his head. "But Ariana isn''t strong enou-"

    Alex suddenly shut his mouth when he noticed something he didn''t pay attention to earlier, thanks to the cuteness of the little girl. And this thing was her level.

    ''Level 3?'' Alex thought with a stunned expression under the mask.

    Indeed, now that he was focusing on it, the little girl was one of the few people here who had attained level 3!

    ''How? She doesn''t look like she is over ten, yet, she is in the same realm as Anna,'' Alex''s eyes narrowed. ''This kid is an anomaly.''

    "You finally realized that Ariana is very strong, huh?" Ariana said, hands on her waist and a proud smile on her face.

    Seeing the little girl boasting, Alex''s serious expression vanished, and he chuckled, "Okay, okay, I ept that you''re really strong, but it''s still dangerous for you to leave alone."

    "Thank you for your concern, mister, but Ariana can go alone! Nothing will happen to me!"

    "Your-"

    "Nuh-uh, you said that we were free to leave, so you can''t stop me unless what you said was false!" The little girl uttered those words loudly enough for everyone in the chamber to hear.

    ''She speaks in a childish way and acts like a child, but her intelligence is surely not that of a kid,'' Alex smiled wryly when he sensed the shift in the atmosphere after Ariana spoke.

    ''Now, if I refuse to let her leave alone, even though it''s what she wants, others might take it as if everything I said was false,'' Alex nced at Ariana and sighed, ''the fact that she is stronger than most of them is another problem.''

    If Alex refused to let the kid go because she was "weak," even though she was at level 3, then what about those who were at level 1 or 2? Wouldn''t he be saying that they were also weak?

    In truth, Alex wouldn''t normally give a damn if a random level 1 decided to leave alone. The only reason he was trying to stop Ariana was that she was young; otherwise, he wouldn''t even waste his time on her.

    However, the captives didn''t see things like that. For them, Alex was trying to use their "weakness" as an excuse to keep them here. It was an illogical thought because if that was the case, then why would he tell them that they were free in the first ce? Unless he was a demon who relished giving hope just to shatter it right after. After spending weeks here, barely eating anything, rational thinking wasn''t the forte of those people.

    Alex took a deep breath and sighed, "I would prefer if you stayed, but I can''t force you to stay." Alex stood up and took a step to the side. "You can go."

    "Thanks, mister smoke. I will definitely repay today''s grace," Ariana bowed at Alex and then bolted out of the chamber.

    Turning his head to nce at the other side of the door, Alex could see Ariana running in a very childish way.

    ''She is fast,'' Alex thought before turning his head back when he heard footsteps approaching.

    ''Oh,'' Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise when he saw the thirty or so nobles approaching him, led by a young woman with dirty blond hair.

    Stopping right in front of Alex, the noblewoman asked, "What do you want with us?"

    ''I suppose even if they''re arrogant cowards, they still have some brains,'' Alex sneered behind his mask.

    ***

    "Tsk, their meddling messed up my ns; now I have to infiltrate another Night base," Ariana, the adorable little girl, clicked her tongue in irritation.

    "Still, that man''s voice, I''ve heard it somewhere, where?" Ariana tapped her finger on her chin as she walked through the forest.

    As she pondered where she had heard the voice, the image of a young and handsome boy with silver hair shed in her head.

    "Wait," Ariana came to a sudden stop, "Theodore''s son."

    The more she recalled how the man''s voice sounded, the more certain she was of her deduction.

    "Interesting, very interesting, I hope he isn''t as naive as his father," Ariana said, then she thought of something, or rather someone, and burst intoughter.

    "I wonder how Astarte will feel when she learn that I had encountered her little lover here."

 Chapter 187 : Treasury search

    Chapter 187 : Treasury search

    "What do you want with us?" The noblewoman with dirty blond hair questioned once she stood in front of Alex.

    "Did I say I wanted something from you?" Alex replied in a cold tone, devoid of the warmth it had when he interacted with the young Ariana.

    The intimidating attire and cold tone made the noblewoman and her followers shiver in fear.

    Gritting her teeth to dispel her fear, the noblewoman asked, "Are you trying to convince us that you didn''te to rescue us?"

    ''Tsk, arrogant fools, always thinking the world revolves around them,'' Alex clicked his tongue in displeasure.

    "No, we didn''te here to specifically rescue you," Alex responded.

    What he said wasn''t entirely urate. While their primary goal was rescuing Anita and not specifically the nobles, they didn''t leave immediately after saving her. Instead, they chose to free all the captives, with the nobles being a significant part of the reason behind this decision.

    A wave of shock seemed to pass through the group of nobles when Alex denied the im that they hade to rescue them.

    "Then why did youe here if not to rescue us?" the noblewoman inquired.

    "None of your business," Alex replied calmly. "All you need to know is that you''ve been freed, and the one who rescued you is from an organization named ''Arcane.'' Oh, and don''t bother thanking us," he added with evident sarcasm in his voice.

    The noblewoman murmured the name "Arcane," contemting it for a moment.

    After what felt like several minutes, she nodded her head to Alex and motioned for the other nobles to follow her.

    Following behind her like ducklings behind their mother, the group of nobles left without a word.

    ''Ungrateful pricks,'' Alex thought as he observed their departing backs.

    Turning to the hundreds of remaining captives, he said, "You are also free to go, just bear in mind that the ones who kidnapped you mighte back and find you if you don''t hurry."

    With that, Alex walked to the door of the second chamber, which was already open thanks to Amelia, who had moved the instant the nobles approached.

    After sending the clouds of smoke carrying Lilia and the others forward, Alex stepped through the door, followed shortly by Anita and Amelia.

    Once the door to the chamber was closed, and they found themselves in the narrow corridor beyond, Amelia spoke, "I don''t understand something. Wasn''t the reason we rescued those nobles so that they might feel grateful to us? So why did you say that we didn''te to rescue them specifically?"

    "Because that''s true; we indeed didn''te here specifically to rescue the nobles," Alex exined. "But I understand what you mean. From your perspective, acknowledging that we came here to rescue them might make them feel more grateful to us, right?" Alex nced back just in time to see Amelia nodding.

    "That''s where you''re mistaken. Don''t forget that nobles are arrogant. If I had imed we came here specifically to rescue them, they''d assume it''s because they are nobles, and it''s normal for us to rescue them. Even if they initially feel grateful, it won''tst. Soon, they''d start questioning our motives. Nobles are arrogant, but notplete fools, well, some of them aren''t. Once we start selling our goods, they''ll connect the dots and realize we rescued their children to get closer to them."

    As Alex exined, he continued walking through the corridor, leading the way to their next destination.

    "From that point onwards, they''ll fall into two categories. The first, likely where most nobles willnd, is those wary of us. Imagine someone approaching you, iming they want to be your friend �C most people''s initial reaction would be wariness."

    "The second category involves nobles looking beyond their initial wariness, seeing the opportunities our organization offers. Sounds good, but remember: nobles are arrogant. They''ll assume we want something from them, that it''s because of that that we rescued their children, which means we need them. Once theye to this conclusion, their next goal would be to try to control us. Dealing with that would be a hassle. It''s better to rify that we didn''t rescue their children specifically; we rescued everyone, and their kids happened to be among them."

    Alex paused, then continued, "Of course, this approach has its own set of problems, but they''re easier to handlepared to the issues arising from the alternative route."

    Amelia didn''t respond for a long while, thinking about what he said.

    On the other hand, Anita was ncing from Alex to Amelia, curious about what they were speaking about.

    ''Organization? Selling goods? Nobles? What the hell are they talking about? I also want to know!'' she pouted behind her mask.

    Several minutester, she nodded her head in understanding, "let''s hope your n won''t backfire."

    "It won''t, especially with what will happen in a few hours or days," Alex said mysteriously.

    Amelia tilted her head in confusion, ''What is he thinking of doing now?''

    Soon, the three of them reached the end of the narrow corridor and entered the vast, circr room beyond.

    "That''s the heiress there?" Alex inquired when he witnessed an unconscious woman tied to a table in the center of the room.

    "Yes, she should be about to wake up about now," Amelia answered as she approached the table.

    Meanwhile, Anita nced at the corpse of the monster on the ground and felt a shiver run down her spine. ''W-What the hell are those things?'' she wondered as she distanced herself from them, fearful that one of them wasn''t truly dead and would pounce on her if she got closer.

    "Here, sit down," Alex materialized two chairs made of smoke in front of Anita.

    "T-Thanks," Anita quickly bowed her head and sat on the chair with a hesitant expression behind her mask. ''Is this multicolored stuff smoke? How can he make it solid?'' Anita wondered as shefortably sat on the chair once she saw that it didn''t crumble.

    Alex materialized a chair behind Amelia, who was checking on the heiress''s condition, and started walking, touring, and scanning the circr chamber with an attentive gaze.

    He checked the cells where the creatures were detained, the uneven and slightly cracked walls of the chamber, even the metallic ground of the chamber.

    "What are you looking for?" Amelia questioned once she finished checking on the heiress and asserted that she was fine.

    "For a treasury," Alex answered as he checked thest cell.

    "Treasury?" Anita repeated Alex''s words with a confused expression.

    "Not sure if you are aware, but the ones who kidnapped you specialize in kidnapping nobles, like the ones you have seen minutes ago, and ask ransom from their families. We are currently in the base of such an organization, there is no way that there isn''t a sort of treasury where they hide their valuables," Alex exined as he returned to stand in his initial position.

    "Ah, I see!" Anita eximed in understanding. "Did you find something?" she wondered after a moment.

    "No, there doesn''t seem to be anything here," Alex replied. "But there''s still the corridor to check."

    "I didn''t see anything there, though," Anita held her chin in contemtion.

    "That''s normal; something like a treasury wouldn''t be left in the open for anyone to see," Alex chuckled. ''Considering the fact that everything is under an illusion here, I''m certain that there is an illusion protecting the treasury.''

    "Wait here," Alex told the two women as he returned inside the corridor.

    ''Okay, here we go,'' Alex thought as he began scanning the narrow corridor.

    Since he was dealing with illusions, he focused on thinking that something was amiss inside this corridor while scrutinizing it from up and down, right and left.

    It did not take long before multiple ck metallic doors that weren''t there before began appearing one after another along the corridor.

    "Bingo!" Alex grinned and approached one of the doors.

    However, just as he was about to open it, he had a thought.

    Stopping in his tracks, Alex focused on the corridor and concentrated on the feeling that something was amiss once again, particrly thinking that the majority of those doors didn''t exist.

    It was just a random thought that popped up in his mind, and he wanted to verify it. Yet, the instant he had this thought, all of the doors disappeared, leaving only two ck doors behind.

    ''Sneaky bastards, they went as far as shrouding an illusion with another one,'' Alex shook his head. Just in case, he wasted a few minutes trying to dispel another illusion if it existed, but seeing that nothing changed, he decided that he would try to enter these doors, hoping that there would be something valuable in there.

    Coming in front of one, Alex studied its ck and lusterless metal for a moment.

    ''It seems different from the door at the entrance of this chamber, so I guess its password must also be different,'' he concluded.

    ''Let''s see if I can brute force them.''

    Hoping that it was indeed treasure inside and not monsters on the other side of the door, Alex took a punching position.

    Sending a surge of mana into his arm to empower it, he punched forth.

    Boom.

    The instant his fist collided with the ck and lusterless door, it was sent flying off its frame.

    ''Oh, it was easier than I thought-'' Alex froze, his thought processing to a stop.

    Seconds passed with him still in a frozen state, his eyes wide as they focused on what was inside.

    After what felt like several minutes, a wide and excited grin appeared on Alex''s face.

 Chapter 188 : Treasury

    Chapter 188 : Treasury

    After his initial stupefaction upon witnessing what was behind the ck door, a wide and excited grin spread on Alex''s face.

    "Bingo!" He eximed with joy as he looked beyond the door, revealing another room filled with mountains of treasures glowing with a golden hue.

    The golden brilliance of the coins and others treasures was so intense that, as the door was forced open, its light spilled from the chamber and filled the usually dimly lit corridor, bathing it in a golden hue.

    However, Alex wasn''t thinking about how the glowing from the other side was illuminating the corridor or his own face, for that matter; his gaze was focused on the treasures inside the chamber.

    Golden coins, exquisite spatial rings, precious gemstones, radiant jewelries, finely crafted weapons, and an array of luxurious and rare items filled the room to the brim.

    Gulping, Alex stepped forward into the treasury chamber, his expression brightening with each step.

    ''Calm down, it might just be another illusion,'' considering everything he had observed even before entering this forest, there was a good chance that all the riches before him were illusions.

    This time, instead of focusing on dispelling the illusion, like the other times, Alex simply bent forward and picked up a golden coin from the ground.

    ''Yeah, this couldn''t be more real,'' Alex grinned after confirming that the coin was genuine.

    With his grin widening in each passing second, Alex decided to further explore the treasury room.

    He barely took a few steps when the metallic ground under his feets disappeared, reced by a floor covered in golden coins.

    "Just how much is everything here worth, millions?" Alex wondered as he walked through the treasure room, each step producing jingling sounds as he walked on coins.

    For a noble family like the Eswalds, who were one of the four duke families, a million golden coins wasn''t an astronomical price. However, for a mere second branch, constantly suppressed by the main branch, a million coins could represent a fifth of their monthly budget.

    ''Yet, this fortune here before me might very well be above what even the main branch earns... yearly!'' Alex thought with a wry smile.

    ''Should I consider transforming the secret organization from one that sells things to one that kidnaps nobles? Others nobles might just tie our organization to Night and wouldn''t doubt the involvement of our branch. It must be doable,'' Alex pondered with a serious expression on his face.

    The treasury room he was currently in was vast, almost as vast as the training grounds in the basement of his mansion. Yet, this room was filled to the brim with treasures, and from what he understood, this was only one branch of Night; there were other branches with as much or even bigger treasury!

    Imagining such a fortune was enough to make even a saintly man be tempted tomit horrid crimes, and Alex was far from a saint to begin with.

    Soon, he shook his head, ''What am I thinking about?'' He released a sigh, ''Besides the moral aspect of such things, it would really be a hassle. Plus, there is always the chance of being discovered, like we discovered today''s base.''

    Alex quickly discarded the idea of bing a kidnapper but had another idea the following second.

    ''I can''t be a kidnapper, but I can definitely be a kidnapper hunter, specifically hunting the Night group,'' Alex grinned evilly.

    He understood that as things stood, his Arcane organization would undoubtedly be an enemy of the Night group due to today''s events. They should prepare themselves for Night to retaliate the instant they had the faintest lead about them. So, it was better to get rid of them before such a thing happened and collect their fortunes while doing so.

    Bending down, Alex picked up a space ring and sent his mind to stare at the interior of the ring. As he thought, the ring was empty. But it wasn''t for the treasure that might be inside that Alex had picked it up in the first ce; what he wanted to observe was the space inside the ring.

    An instantter, a stunned expression appeared on Alex.

    ''Four hundred square meters, it''s at least four times more extensive than my current ring!'' Alex thought in shock.

    ''Thankfully, there are space rings here. If I had to take everything with my own space ring, I wouldn''t have been able to take even a quarter. Even with this space ring, I can''t take that much,'' Alex thought, releasing a breath of relief.

    "From Amelia''s words, the heiress will awaken soon. I shouldn''t waste time here. I''ll check on everythingter. Right now, I need to take all these fabulous riches with me. It''s better than leaving them in the hands of mere bandits," Alex grinned as he wore the space ring he had just picked up.

    cing his hand, in which the space ring was worn, on a pile of golden coins that was at least double his size, Alex instructed the space ring to suck that pile inside of it. Quickly, the pile of coins disappeared, and Alex moved to another pile on which a beautiful azure ive with golden engravings stood.

    Without paying attention to the ive, Alex sent the whole pile of coins, with the ive at the top, inside his space ring.

    Moving from one pile of golden coins to another, Alex began sucking up all the treasures of the Night Group. When the space ring he was wearing was filled to the brim, Alex picked up another, which had a smaller space inside of itpared to thetter, and continued his journey to empty the Night''s base treasury.

    Several minutester...

    ''I''m not quick enough,'' Alex thought with a frown creasing his brows.

    Even though he had cleared out at least a quarter of the treasure room, if he had to do it all alone, it would take more time than intended.

    ''All of that without mentioning the second treasury that I also need to clear, I need help.''

    The very moment he had this thought, Alex heard gasps of shocking from the entrance of the room.

    Turning to stare behind him, Alex witnessed three charming women covering their mouths with their hands while scanning all the treasure in the treasury.

    "So much money, I have never seen so much of it," Anita mumbled absentmindedly.

    "Believe me, you are not the only one," Amelia replied, things to which Anna, who had finally woken up, nodded her head.

    Anita and Amelia were wondering why Alex was taking so much time, even if he found the treasury, it wouldn''t have taken him that long to clear it, right?

    That was the thought process of the two beforeing here and seeing the mountains of fortunes here.

    "Good timing, you three,e help me take away all of those coins," Alex said as he ced his hand on a pile to suck it into his second space ring.

    While Anita and Amelia took a second before following Alex''s order, Anna had moved before he even finished talking.

    Taking a space ring that was on the ground, she started sucking all the treasures one by one.

    "As efficient as always, d to see that you are finally awake," Alex smiled at Anna when she approached him to take another pile of coins in her space ring.

    A faint blush appeared on Anna''s cheeks when she remembered what had caused her to fall into sleep in the first ce.

    She shed Alex a small smile and returned to her work.

    Soon, Amelia and Anita rejoined the duo, boosting their speed.

    With the help of the threedies, in barely five minutes, they have cleared more than fifty percent of the treasury.

    "You three continue, I''m going to check the other treasury, join me there if you finish here," Alex instructed the trio and left.

    Returning to the corridor, Alex walked to the other treasury door.

    ''It appears to be the same as thest one, should be easy,'' Alex smiled as he took on a punching position.

    Without using mana like thest time, Alex unleashed a devastating punch to the ck and lusterless door.

    Bang!

    Alex''s punch packed so much strength that even a normal level 5 would feel a great deal of pain if he/she took it straight on, yet, the door didn''t even budge.

    ''It seems that I have talked too fast; this door is tougher than thest one. In this case....''

    Alex took on his previous position, and in a split secondter, he unleashed a barrage of punches on the door.

    Bang...! Bang...! Bang...! Bang...!

    Several seconds passed as Alex continued to punch the sturdy door repeatedly. Just as he considered finding an alternative approach, he heard the metal groaning, and slowly, the door began to open.

    Bang...! Bang...! Bang...!

    A few secondster, the door creaked onest time and swung open.

    "Finall-"

    Before Alex could finish his sentence, he copsed on the ground.

 Chapter 189 : Black heart

    Chapter 189 : ck heart

    "Shit! What is this?" Alex groaned as he attempted to stand up but failed miserably; his feet buckled and lost their strength.

    The cause of Alex''s condition was a sinister dark mist tinged with red that emanated from the room he had initially believed to be a treasury.

    The mist carried such strong feelings of evil and cruelty that it quickly overpowered Alex''s senses, causing his mind to go nk.

    Just standing before the door a few seconds ago felt like he was facing the most evil being he had ever witnessed or heard of. Even now, Alex''s instinct was screaming at him to get the hell out of here if he wanted to remain alive. In fact, judging by the viciousness of the dark mist, Alex felt that death wasn''t actually the most harrowing thing that could happen to him.

    A bone-deep fear paralyzed his entire body, sapping his strength. In this state of fear and shock, Alex didn''t even notice that his attire made of smoke hadpletely disappeared, revealing his sweat-drenched body.

    As a soldier, Jack Green, who was part of the current Alex, had been trained to keep his fear in check and control it, but right now, he seemed to havepletely lost that ability.

    Fortunately, a few seconds��or what felt like an eternity to Alexter, the mist lost its touch of malevolence, finally releasing Alex and allowing him to catch his breath.

    It was what Alex thought had happened, but in truth, during this short period, his body had be ustomed to the mist''s evil energy; the mist was still as dangerous as ever, it''s just that it didn''t affect him anymore.

    "Haa..haa...haa," Alex breathed in a ragged manner, sweat pouring down from his face like rain, drenching the ground beneath him.

    "Just...what was...that?" Alex wondered once again while trying to catch his breath.

    After catching his breath, he attempted to stand up once again; however, he still couldn''t manage. Although the evil aura of the mist had disappeared, the fear it instilled in Alex was still very much present.

    ''Get a hold of yourself, Goddamnit!'' Alex forced himself to stand up, even when his very bones refused to move, not wanting to stay in this shameful position anymore.

    The first thing Alex did after standing up was look towards the treasury to see if the mist had traveled far enough inside the corridor to enter the treasury.

    Fortunately, it seemed that the dark red mist didn''t want to spread around and only stayed around this door.

    Breathing a sigh of relief that the mist hadn''t surelye into contact with any of his wives, Alex finally allowed himself to think about what happened.

    ''I hate that feeling,'' he gritted his teeth.

    That feeling that made him want to run away with his tail between his legs, that feeling that made him freeze in his ce, unable to move even a finger, that feeling of fear that made him feel like he was just a weakling, he hated, no, he loathed it.

    In that brief moment when fear consumed his thoughts, if there had been an escape route, he might have taken it without considering the potential harm to his wives, and when he thinks about that he feel disgusted by himself.

    ''Never again!'' Alex vowed in his heart.

    Though he vowed not to sumb to overwhelming fear, Alex realized that as long as he wasn''t the strongest in the room, moments of fear might stille. However, what he refused to do was allow himself to let fear paralyze him or make him act selfish, forgetting his loved ones.

    Taking a deep breath, Alex calmed his racing heart.

    Wiping the sweat covering his face and clearing his vision with his hand, he stepped forward, entering the room where the dark mist was emanating from with a determined expression.

    Was it a bad idea to enter the room from which the mist, causing him to copse seconds ago, wasing? Probably.

    But as the saying goes, you can never go beyond your fear until you confront it; Alex needed to know what had caused him to feel that fear.

    The first thing Alex noticed when he entered the room was that, contrary to the other room, there were no treasures here��no golden coins, space rings, etc. However, he already expected that the moment this ominous mist had appeared.

    At the center of the room, however, stood a beautifully crafted white pir, at least one meter tall. On it was ced a chest tinged with a deep, bloody red.

    ''It''sing from there,'' Alex thought when he noticed that the ominous ck mist was emanating from inside the chest.

    Alex slowly made his way to the center of the room while being cautious of traps or anything dangerous that may be there.

    Stopping in front of the elevated chest, Alex observed its rough exterior for a moment.

    ''It looks quite worn; how long has this thing been here?'' he wondered as he examined the weathered wood and rusty ck metal fittings of the chest.

    After a moment, Alex touched the lid of the chest, and to his surprise, it easily opened, revealing the secrets contained within.

    The moment Alexid eyes on what was inside the chest, his heart skipped a beat.

    "Just what in the heavens is that?" he managed to utter after a moment.

    Just there, inside the weathered chesty an organ, a pitch ck heart, pulsating intensely. The sound of its silent beat sounding like war drums in the ears of the stunned Alex.

    With each beat of the ck heart, the ck mist tinged with red that had filled Alex with fear was released.

    ''How can it be beating whil-''

    Alex''s words were cut short as he felt an excruciating pain take hold of him, coursing through every fiber of his being.

    It wasn''t the first time Alex felt such a sharp pain, so he immediately recognized the source �C it wasn''t physical or mental, but rather his very soul that was hurting.

    Feeling that it was the cause of his pain, Alex quickly looked away from the ck heart. Shortly after, the pain in his soul subsided, but not before a trickle of blood ran down from his nose.

    ''Just now, it felt like I was looking at something I shouldn''t, just what the hell is this ck heart?!'' Alex pondered as he took a step back to distance himself from the chest.

    However, at that exact moment, the ck heart moved!

    The heart shot through the air, and before Alex could do anything, it entered his chest!!

    "W-What the..." Alex''s eyes widened in shock, his braining to a halt, unable toprehend how things took such a turn.

    ''Get a hold of yourself, it isn''t time to ponder on it!'' Without wasting a second, Alex sat on the ground, crossed his legs in a meditative position, closed his eyes, and used the mana inside his body to introspect what the hell was happening inside his body.

    As seconds ticked by, a frown slowly made its way onto Alex''s face. A minute after he began his introspection, Alex came out of it, his expression somber.

    ''Nothing changed?!''

    Moments ago, the ck heart entered his body, Alex was certain of it because he very much felt it, but now that he was looking inside his body, there was no trace of the ck heart!

    It didn''t take the ce of his own heart like Alex feared, nor did it imnt itself inside his body, it just vanished like air, no trace, not even the faintest trace of the invading ck heart could be felt inside his body.

    As seconds ticked by and he still couldn''t feel the ck heart''s presence, a deep scowl appeared on Alex''s face, his anger beginning to re up.

    ''What was that thing and how dare it-''

    At that exact moment, Alex felt something rush through his body. It wasn''t the ck heart, no, it was something else, something that felt both familiar but, at the same time, wholly different from what Alex is used to.

    ''An enhancement?'' his eyes opened wide in shock.

    Before he could ponder on the series of bizarre events happening, Alex felt an energy akin to fire spread through his body.

    "Shit!"

 Chapter 190 : Enhancements

    Chapter 190 : Enhancements

    ''This is an enhancement, right? So why the hell does this hurt so much?!'' Alex groaned in pain as he felt a hot energy spread throughout his whole body.

    He could tell that this was an enhancement due to how simr it felt to when the system enhanced his stats. The sensation of his bodily strength being enhanced couldn''t be mistaken. However, there was a problem.

    ''Why is it hot?!''

    Usually, during the enhancement process, Alex felt a cool energy spreading through his body, apanied by a hint of pleasure. However, this time, it was a fiery energy that surged through him, causing pain instead of pleasure.

    In a matter of seconds, Alex''s body heated up and his skin reddened as the hot energy traveled through his body, enhancing it.

    It hurts, but the pain wasn''t enough to cause Alex to thrash on the ground while screaming; after all, he had survived having his cells destructed then regenerated anyway.

    Soon, after about thirty seconds of enduring the intense surge of energy, the enhancement came to an end, and the heat dissipated.

    With a satisfied nod, Alex clenched his fists. "Just as I suspected, it did boost my strength, and it seems like it''s not just my strength," he muttered to himself. Then, his expression soured. "My strength has been significantly improved, but considering all the chaos and pain caused by that energy, it feels somewhat... Lacking?!"

    It was then that the second round of enhancement began, but this one didn''t focus on his body.

    "Arg..." Alex groaned in pain and copsed on the ground, clutching his head as if it were about to explode.

    At the same time, a wave of sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations flooded Alex''s senses, momentarily overwhelming him with sensory information.

    The sounds he made as he thrashed on the ground, the sensation of the dark mist touching his bare torso, the smell of his sweat��everything felt amplified and he could sense it all at once.

    A moment ago, his perception was limited to what was happening in the room, and even then, it was only faint. But now, it seemed as though his senses had expanded exponentially. He could hear and smell things happening beyond the room��sounds of rustling and footstepsing from the forest reached his ears!

    Thankfully, after thirty seconds, the enhancement was over, yet, Alex''s headache persisted, and he was still overwhelmed by the flood of sensory information.

    Alex attempted to open his eyes, but had to quickly close them again. Everything seemed too bright, despite the fact that the room wasn''t illuminated by anything!

    ''Shit, it''s sickening,'' Alex thought as the sensory information continued to bombard him.

    It was then that the third round of enhancement began.

    The first enhancement targeted Alex''s body, the second his mind and sensory abilities; this third one targeted his soul.

    Fortunately for Alex, the enhancement to his soul didn''t hurt like the other two. Instead, it felt like a gentle me, warming him up as if he was being embraced inforting warmth after enduring months in the coldest ce in the world.

    It even alleviated the throbbing headache he was feeling, calming him while simultaneously empowering his soul.

    This third enhancementsted for about five minutes before ending, leaving behind an Alex with a peaceful expression on his face.

    Slowly, Alex opened his eyes, which now appeared more silver than gray, having gained a metallic sheen.

    Contrary to thest time he opened them and had to close them due to the brightness of his environment, now Alex could fully open his eyes without feeling ufortable.

    Even before testing it, Alex immediately knew that his sight had greatly improved; everything in the normally dark room now appeared crystal clear to him.

    "It isn''t just my sight that improved," Alex thought when he heard a jiggling sound that could onlye from the treasury room. He could also hear the sound of footstepsing from the other chamber where the captives were held.

    But that wasn''t even the most stunning thing.

    The absolutely shocking thing was that he felt he could extend his hearing even beyond that!

    "Let''s not do that, I''m already struggling with my current hearing," Alex decided as he stood up.

    He nced at the chest, now empty since its contents had disappeared, and frowned.

    "Just what was that ck heart?" Alex wondered once again.

    He felt like a broken record, repeating the same question over and over, but the heart was too mysterious for him to ignore.

    The first time he opened the door to this room, he copsed due to the sheer evilness of the dark mist, which originated from the ck heart. Then, merely ncing at the ck heart caused his soul to ache, and finally, the heart invaded his body.

    When things wereid out like that, this ck heart sure sounded like an ominous and evil thing. Yet, when it entered his body, instead of transforming into a horrible creature or losing himself to some evil fate, Alex had be stronger!

    The most bizarre thing here is that there wasn''t even a trace of the thing that facilitated that enhancement left in his body.

    ''Even though I doubt they know anything about this ck heart, I''ll still question the two remaining members of Night about it.''

    Alex was about to summon the system to check his increased stats when he stiffened.

    The reason for his reaction was that he could feel the presence of the captives on the other side of the metallic door. Since he had just mentioned hearing their footsteps, feeling their presence wasn''t surprising.

    However, it wasn''t the feeling of their presence that halted Alex in his tracks, but rather the way he could sense their presence.

    Alex shook his head, ''it isn''t their presence I''m feeling, but their souls.''

    The current Alex knew how a soul feels, mainly because he was born from the fusion of two souls. So, he immediately understood that it was the souls of those people that he was feeling.

    What was stunning Alex here was how the hell could he feel someone else''s soul?!

    It was then that Alex noticed that the concentration of mana inside his body was dwindling, and at a fast pace at that.

    Alex''s brows furrowed into a frown. He wasn''t using any ability right now, not even the smoke mantle he had created for himself remained, and it was likely the same for Anita''s smoke cape. So, how could it be that his mana reserves were being depleted?

    The moment this question popped into his mind, it felt like a floodgate had opened in his head, with pieces of a puzzle falling into ce to reveal the whole picture.

    ''It''s my soul linkage ability!'' Alex eximed in his head.

    From the fact that he could sense others'' souls to the fact that his mana was depleting, it was all tied to his ability.

    During their first meeting, the spirit of smoke, Berra, had exined that there were abilities that were activated unconsciously. This was actually how Alex had linked his soul to Berra''s. So, Alex deduced that it was probably what happened here �C he had activated his ability unconsciously, and it was siphoning his mana.

    Then, he remembered something and forced himself to calm down. "My ability allows me to link my soul with someone else''s. Even if I''ve only consciously used it once, I know that much. It shouldn''t be able to do that, right?" Alex scratched his head in confusion.

    ''Surely it''s due to the enhancement of my soul that I can do something like that. Yeah, it''s most likely that,'' Alex nodded his head in approval of his analysis.

    "Now that I think about it, can I sense my own soul?" Alex scratched his head in confusion. "How do I even do that anyway?"

    Not having any idea how he was supposed to look at his own soul, Alex closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling that allowed him to sense other souls. Then, he tried to direct that same feeling towards himself.

    Surprisingly, it worked just fine, and Alex could sense his own soul��well, "sense" might be a strong word. Let''s just say he had a vague idea of what his soul was like. For some reason, feeling his own soul seemed to be much more challenging than sensing others'' souls, which was quite disconcerting.

    Alex''s eyes snapped open suddenly, his face turning pale.

    "My soul...why is it fractured?!"

 Chapter 191 : Soul issue (1)

    Chapter 191 : Soul issue (1)

    "My soul... why is it fractured?!" Alex eximed out loud with a pale expression.

    His first thought was that it was caused by the strange ck heart. This cursed thing must have surely messed with him more than he thought and was the cause of his fractured soul!

    This thought caused Alex to be livid, a vicious and mad expression crawling its way on his face.

    The more he thought about the turn things took, the madder he got. That thing had not only invaded his body, but it had also fractured his soul. What was next? Completely destroy his soul? Absolutely not!

    "I wouldn''t let myself be killed just like that!" Alex uttered with a deep cold tone.

    Without him consciously doing so, the smoke inside his body billowed out and quickly filled the room, its usual array of multiple colors that once made it beautiful now shimmering with an ominous light.

    It was as if just by feeling the anger of its master, the smoke also became enraged and was now intent on destroying the source of its anger.

    Slowly, the smoke began rotating around Alex, forming a swirling vortex around him.

    Alex snapped out of his murderous thoughts when he felt that something wrong was happening.

    Looking up and witnessing the forming vortex of smoke, he sighed. "Calm down," he said to himself.

    Taking a deep breath, he forced his raging heart to calm down, something that had be easier after the enhancement to his mind.

    ''Thinking about it logically, it doesn''t make sense for that thing to enhance my strength just to kill me an instantter,'' Alex thought once he calmed down.

    ''No, in fact, there may be some sense to it. In this world, nothinges freely. Maybe the price for the enhancement is to have my soul fractured," Alex hypothesized before shaking his head a momentter,  ''there is also a problem with that train of thought.''

    ''Having my soul fractured should be something very painful, but I felt nothing. I even felt aforting warmth during the enhancement, so I guess it probably wasn''t the enhancement that caused such a fracture,'' Alex realized.

    Alex pondered on the matter for several seconds, but seeing that he couldn''te up with a good reason for there to be a fracture in his soul, Alex decided to look at his soul once again. Perhaps there was something that he missed.

    Closing his eyes in silent meditation, Alex focused once more to observe his soul.

    It was then that he remarked something that he didn''t notice the first time, mostly due to him freaking out when he witnessed that his soul was fractured.

    The thing is, his soul wasn''t fractured at all!

    What Alex thought was a fracture was actually the point of contact of the two parts of his soul.

    Alex was about to sigh in relief that his soul wasn''t fractured when he froze.

    ''Why does my soul have two differents parts?'' he wondered, having a bad premonition.

    Carefully observing his soul, Alex confirmed that his soul indeed had two parts, with one part beingrgely bigger than the other.

    Without needing to be told, Alex understood what those two parts were: each represented the soul of one of the two persons who had fused to give birth to the current Alex.

    Opening his eyes after that stunning discovery, Alex just stood there, at a loss for words and actions.

    ''He bigger part should be Alex''s, while the smaller one is Jack''s, right?'' he wondered after a long time.

    From what he knew and felt during his "birth," the soul of the previous Alex and Jack''s hadpletely fused, creating a being with both of their knowledge and feelings, memories etc... So how is it possible that he is learning right now that their two souls haven''t really fused?!!

    Alex''s head began spinning as he grappled with the truth that the foundation upon which his existence stood wasn''t what he thought it to be.

    <i>[Calm down will you? Things are not as desperate as you think they are]</i>

    Hearing a voice suddenly echo in his mind, Alex stiffened for a moment before regaining a semnce of focus.

    "It''s the second time I''m hearing your voice in the same day. Should I be worried?" Alex spoke in a light tone, but his expression was anything but.

    <i>[Well, if the one carrying my sin is having an existential crisis, then who beside me, his goddess, could help him out?] The goddess of lust''s seductive voice resounded in Alex''s head.</i>

    "What did you mean by ''not as desperate as I thought''?" Alex questioned,pletely ignoring her remark about her being his goddess.

    <i>[Well, contrary to what you might be thinking right now, the souls of Alex and Jack have indeed fused with one another,] the goddess of lust informed in a bored tone. [Though, I can''t say for sure if it would stay like that for long. In the end, everything depends on you] she added with a slightly serious tone.</i>

    Alex felt a sudden shiver run down his back.

    ''Not sure if it would stay like that... Wait, how do you know about the fusion of souls?!'' Alex asked with a shocked expression.

    From his understanding, besides him, no one should know about what happened that day.

    <i>[Are you stupid?] questioned the goddess of lust in a genuine tone, seemingly genuinely wondering if he was an idiot.</i>

    Before Alex could retort, the goddess spoke.

    <i>[The ''previous Alex,'' as you call him, had already fused with my artifact before dying and proposing the soul merge to Jack, so I had a front-row seat to watch everything happen.]</i>

    Hearing that someone else beside him knew about his most guarded secret, Alex felt...vulnerable.

    The fuzziness of his mind returned once again, his eyes zed and he was suddenly hit by a wave of vertigo.

    <i>[Don''t react so much. If anything, I have to say that the show was quite entertaining,] the goddess of lust said, trying to lighten the mood, but it was as if her words couldn''t get through to Alex.</i>

    <i>

    </i>

    <i>[Tsk, bothersome] the goddess clicked her tongue in irritation.</i>

    <i>[HEY! Stop being a pussy and get a fucking hold of yourself, don''t make me regret my decision to take you as the carrier of my sin!] The goddess spoke in an angry tone.</i>

    The sudden outburst of the goddess caused startled Alex awake and after a moment, he regained hisposure, although, judged by the frown on his face, he was still pretty troubled.

    <i>[Good, now where were-]</i>

    ''Wait!'' Alex interrupted the goddess. ''If what I''ve been told is true, then you had a meeting with the previous Alex, right?'' Alex questioned.

    Despite his best efforts, he couldn''t seem to recall when the previous Alex had a meeting with the goddess of lust. ording to what Lilia exined, he was supposed to meet the goddess so she could exin how her artifact functioned and inform him about the Sin''s Game the first time he fused with her artifact.

    <i>[Yes, I did meet him,] the goddess answered in a nonchnt tone.</i>

    ''Then, aren''t you disturbed by my existence? After all, I''m the fusion of the previous Alex and another person, namely Jack, but the one you have chosen to carry your sin is simply the previous Alex.''

    <i>[Don''t you think it''s a bitte to ask such a question?]The goddess chuckled before replying in a light tone, [To answer your question, no, your existence doesn''t bother me. Quite the contrary, the previous one couldn''t do anything on his own anyway.]</i>

    Hearing thest part about how the previous guy couldn''t achieve anything on his own, Alex felt a pang in his heart. After all, he was the fusion of that "previous guy" and Jack, and if the form of his soul is anything to go by, then he is more Alex than Jack. Not that he wasn''t aware of this fact.

    <i>[Now, let''s get back to your little problem,] the goddess spoke, her usual alluring voice returning.</i>

    Alex immediately cast aside the feeling of indignation he was experiencing and concentrated on hearing what the goddess was saying, aware that this might determine how his life unfolded.

    <i>[Like I said previously, your current situation isn''t as disastrous as you think,] the goddess stated. [Sure, the souls of thezy one and the soldier haven''tpletely fused, but it doesn''t change anything for you right now. It will only matter if you don''t find a way to perfectly bring them together,] the goddess exined.</i>

    <i>[Ah, before you ask, yes, if the two parts were to separate before you find a way to bring them together,] the goddess mimicked the sound of an explosion and added in a theatrical tone:</i>

    <i>

    </i>

    <i>[They explode, and you die in terrible, terrible pain.]</i>

 Chapter 192 : Soul issue (2)

    Chapter 192 : Soul issue (2)

    <i>[They explode, and you die in terrible, terrible pain,] the goddess of lust said in an exaggerated, theatrical tone.</i>

    Despite her ridiculous tone, Alex felt a chill creep over him.

    Gulping hard, he inquired, "Why would the two souls explode in the first ce? If they separate, wouldn''t they just re-"

    <i>[Nope, the instant they separate, both cease to exist, for the simple reason that they already form one soul,] the goddess rified.</i>

    "Ehh..." Alex scratched his head, not understanding what the goddess was exining.

    <i>[What I mean is that although the two souls haven''tpletely merged together, they are still considered as being one. So, them separating is akin to having your soul shattered, which will result in your death,]the goddess of lust exined in a light tone that contradicted with the horror of her words.</i>

    Alex fell silent, his mind racing to understand what the hell was happening and how to find a solution.

    Unable to remain still, he stood and began pacing around the room, his hand under his chin.

    Several minutes passed, but nothing, not even a clue, popped up in his mind.

    ''Why am I even wasting my time here?'' Alex sighed and decided to directly ask the goddess of lust for the solution. Surely, she knew the answer, given how much she seemed to know. Just as he thought...

    <i>[Yes, I do know how you canplete the merge of the two parts of your soul. The solution to your predicament is actually very simple. In fact, I''m surprised so much time has passed and you haven''t figured it out,] the goddess stated.</i>

    "Just give me the answer?" Alex''s eyes twitched in irritation.

    <i>[Why would I do that? Things wouldn''t be fun anymore if I just gave you the answer, right?] the goddess of lust said in a joking tone.</i>

    Suddenly, Alex was reminded why he hated gods in the first ce.

    ''Is your amusement the only thing that matters to you?'' Alex wondered in an irritated tone.

    <i>[What other thing would matter?] The goddess wondered in a genuine tone. [Ah, yes, there is another thing. I do like sex very much. I wouldn''t be the goddess of lust if I didn''t.]</i>

    "...."

    <i>[Oh, don''t make such an expression,] the goddess of lust giggled in a cute manner. [I''m sure I will grow on you.]</i>

    ''I strongly doubt that will happen,'' Alex replied as he calmed himself.

    <i>[Bold wordsing from someone who doesn''t know himself,] the goddess of lust giggled once again.</i>

    ''Hm? What are you-''

    <i>[Well, time''s up. I hope you will be more rxed the next time so we can have a good time together. Until then-]</i>

    ''Wait, I still have onest question,'' Alex interrupted the goddess of lust''s farewell.

    <i>[What is it?] She inquired in a slightly annoyed tone.</i>

    ''Do you know what this ck heart was?'' asked Alex.

    <i>[No,] she responded dryly before leaving.</i>

    ''Why was she angry at the end?'' Alex wondered, unable to understand the goddess''s behavior.

    ''Forget it, it''s not really important,'' Alex shrugged and began summarizing everything he had learned in thest thirty minutes, which was quite a lot, by the way.

    ''What could be the reason why the two parts of my soul aren''tpletely fused?'' Alex pondered deeply, pacing back and forth inside the room.

    ''Let''s start from the beginning. The previous Alex used his soul linkage ability to connect his soul with Jack''s after he died. Then...'' Lost in thought, Alex drifted out of the room where the ck heart had been, now wandering in the narrow corridor.

    ''...when their two souls fused, I was born, a being possessing both of their essence, so how co-''

    "Um, is there anyone? Uncle stanis? W-Where am I? Someone? help!"

    "Hm?" Alex was jolted out of his thoughts by a weak and trembling voice.

    Taking in his surroundings, he noticed that he had left the room with the ck heart and returned to the circr chamber.

    "I-Is there no one?" The feeble voice repeated once more.

    Looking ahead, Alex noticed that the heiress of the Drazen family, who had been unconscious when he went to search for the treasury room, was finally awake.

    ''I''m not in the mood to deal with her,'' Alex sighed.

    With everything currently upying his thoughts, handling the heiress of the Drazen family was the least of his concerns. Frankly, at this moment, he couldn''t care less if the members of Night returned and found them in their base.

    ''No, get your priorities straight,'' Alex took a deep breath and sighed for maybe the hundredth time, ''resolving the problem with my soul is important, but from what the goddess of lust exined, I''m not at risk for theing days, months, perhaps even years.''

    Of course, Alex didn''t have enough trust in the goddess to take everything she said at face value. That''s why he was determined to find a solution as quickly as possible.

    ''But it''ll have to wait until we''re out of here. Who knows, maybe the members of Night whoe back might be leagues ahead of us. Staying here is risky. Let''s settle everything down.''

    Having made his decision, Alex summoned the lingering smoke in the room he had left and manipted it to recreate his multicolored attire and mask.

    Next, he deactivated his soul linkage ability, finally halting the swift depletion of his mana.

    Even though he had never consciously used his soul linkage ability, the previous Alex had always possessed an almost instinctual knowledge of how to activate and deactivate it, which the current Alex also inherited. It was just that this knowledge was always useless since, for some reason, he was never able to use his ability until the moment of his very death.

    When he finished, Alex approached the heiress of the Drazen family with steady steps.

    Hearing footsteps drawing near, the heiress attempted to move her head and stare in the direction the footsteps wereing from, but she couldn''t because something was holding her head down against what felt like a table.

    "U-Uncle Stanis, is that you? Where are we? Why am I tied?" the heiress spoke with great difficulty as she struggled to free herself but to no avail.

    ''She looks young, perhaps the same age as the girls,'' Alex deduced as he stopped just in front of the table.

    Creating a smoke chair beside the table, Alex sat on it and spoke in a steady and calm voice, "It''s not your uncle."

    "Oh," the girl fell silent for a moment, then asked in a curious and wary voice, "Then who are you?"

    "Before that, tell me, what is your full name?" Alex inquired.

    The heiress seemed conflicted about revealing her name to him, but in the end, she sighed, "My name is Maya Drazen."

    "The Drazen family associated with the auction house?" Alex questioned, though he already knew the answer.

    "Yes, Ie from that family," Maya answered, leaving out the detail that she was the actual heiress of that family, a decision Alex thought was quite smart on her part.

    "How did you get here?" Alex asked the question he considered to be the most important question at the moment.

    If the young woman''s answer was that she had been kidnapped by someone other than her uncle, then there might be some problemster on. However, Alex didn''t think that would happen. ''Judging by the fact that the first person she called out to was her uncle, there is a high chance that he was thest person she saw.''

    Like he thought...

    "I don''t recall. The only thing I remember was that I was talking with my uncle and then... he hit me!" Maya shouted thest part, her voice carrying a hint of realization.

    "So your uncle is the reason you''re here?" Alex questioned as he crossed one leg over the other.

    "I...think so," Maya mumbled in a sad tone.

    ''From the pained expression on her face, it was evident that she had realized her betrayal,'' Alex sighed and remained silent, allowing the young woman time to process the news.

    Several minutester, Maya attempted to turn her head towards Alex but failed once again. Releasing a frustrated sigh, she inquired, "Where is my uncle?"

    "Dead," Alex answered.

    "Oh," Maya eximed in surprise, then her expression shifted, forming a sorrowful look.

    ''She seems saddened by his death despite realizing his betrayal,'' Alex shook his head. ''She''s either na?ve or too innocent. Though, I have the impression it''s thetter,'' Alex noted.

    "Were you the one who killed him?" the heiress inquired in a soft tone.

    "Yes," Alex confirmed. ''Well, I''m not the one who personally killed him, but she doesn''t need to know that,'' he thought to himself.

    "What do you want?" Maya suddenly asked, her voice gaining a sharpness that wasn''t there before. "You surely want something from me. That''s why you''re keeping me tied here, right?"

    Alex raised a brow upon hearing the sharpness in her voice. ''Didn''t expect that from her, considering how fragile she initially seemed. Not that I''mining,'' Alex smiled.

    If Maya wanted to get straight to the point, it was perfectly okay with him.

    "I have things to sell, valuable items that might interest many people, but-"

    "You want to sell your ''items'' at our family''s annual auction, right?" Maya spoke, having guessed Alex''s intentions.

    "Good, you are smart, that''s going to make things easier," Alex praised Maya and answered, "yes, I want to ce my-"

    "Deal"

 Chapter 193 : Maya Drazen

    Chapter 193 : Maya Drazen

    "I want my items to be c-"

    "Deal!"

    "...."

    "That  was too damn easy, I should have asked for more than that," Alex muttered under his breath in disbelief when he saw that Maya didn''t even hesitate and simply acquiesced to his demand.

    ''Well, it''s better than being too greedy,'' Alex shrugged. In the first ce, the reason they came here was to rescue Anita; rescuing Maya and securing a deal with her was just a bonus.

    Taking a soul contract out of his space ring, Alex began inscribing his demands on it.

    ''It''s myst one; I hope the girls found others inside the treasury,'' he thought just as he finished writing thest line.

    Utilizing his smoke, Alex sent the contract hovering above Maya, ensuring that even in her bound state, she could easily read it.

    "A contract?"

    "Yes, I''m sure you wouldn''t mind me covering my back, right?" Alex spoke in a light tone.

    Maya shook her head, only to regret it instantly as she felt the steel cable holding her head graze her neck.

    "I was sure you would understand. Go on, read the contract and let me know if you want to sign," Alex gestured to the contract.

    "U-Um, I w-would dly do so, but, how to say, umm, I can''t see," Maya stammered.

    "You are blind ?" Alex wondered, not expecting something like that.

    "N-No, it''s just that I''m blind as a bat without my sses," she confessed.

    "Oh, I see," Alex nodded, then realized that his choice of words wasn''t optimal in this context. "No pun intended," he quickly added to clear up any potential misunderstanding.

    "Where are your sses then?" Alex inquired after a moment.

    "I don''t know, I had them on before losing consciousness, so I guess my uncle took them off."

    Nodding, Alex stood from his chair and walked over to the lifeless corpse of Stanis. After searching the guy''s body, he found two space rings which he took with him.

    Walking back to Maya, he ced the two space rings in the palm of her gentle hand, "Try to find which one is yours, and don''t try anything funny," Alex warned her.

    Alex knew that the instant her space ring was in her hand, Maya could take out anything that was inside. That''s why he warned her, so that she wouldn''t take out something that could harm him.

    "I-I never had the intention to do so!" Maya stated and concentrated on the two rings in her palm.

    Soon, a finely crafted pair of orange-framed sses manifested in Maya''s palm.

    Taking both the pair of sses and the rings from her palm, Alex delicately ced the sses on Maya''s face and pocketed the rings.

    "T-Thanks," Maya stuttered, a hint of blush appearing on her face.

    ''What''s got her blushing?'' Alex tilted his head, perplexed. ''Although, gotta say, she''s looking mighty adorable, and those sses? They give her this whole sexy librarian vibe,'' Alex thought.

    Meanwhile, Maya began reading the terms of the contract.

    ''I didn''t expect that, this contract is strangely...friendly,'' Maya thought, her eyebrows raised in surprise after she had read the whole contract.

    In summary, the contract simply transcribed everything they had discussed, specifically Maya''s promise to ce the items of an organization named ''Arcane'' on the list of items that will be auctioned at their annual auction, after she was rescued that is.

    What surprised Maya was actually the penalty of the contract in case she couldn''t hold her end of the bargain. In such a case, she had to give Arcane something as valuable as one of the items auctioned at their annual auction.

    This penalty may seem quite severe as the items that were put on auction by their family were all things incredibly valuable, but as the heiress of a family ustomed to handling everything with contracts, she knew that the penalty most people impose in such case is death. Inparison, Arcane''s penalty was quite light, and this made Maya feel a little bit more trusting towards Alex.

    "I agree to your terms, but I can''t really sign in this condition," Maya said, pointing out the fact that she couldn''t move.

    "Oh, that''s not going to be a problem," Alex chuckled and ripped with his bare hand the steel cables holding one of her arms, freeing that arm.

    "Now you can sign."

    "I already said that I epted your terms. I wouldn''t try to escape even if youpletely freed me," Maya sighed.

    She was absolutely sincere as she spoke those words. After all, the contract clearly stated that if she agreed to sign, Arcane would provide personal escort and protection until she safely reunited with her family. With such an arrangement in ce, why would she even consider the thought of escape?

    "I''m sure you''re smart enough not to try anything. It''s just a precautionary measure," Alex said as he retrieved the second ring, which undoubtedly belonged to Stanis, from his space ring.

    With the still cables'' sharp remains, Maya nicked her finger and dabbed her blood onto the contract.

    Soon after, shepleted the signing process.

    "Can you untie me now? It''s getting ufortable," she said, gesturing to the cables still keeping her tethered to the table.

    Alex was about to reply when he sensed the girls returning from the treasury.

    "Hold on a second, I won''t be long," Alex stated, then took off towards the girls.

    "So, did you tidy up the treasury? Or is it still a chaotic disaster?" he asked with a cheeky grin beneath his mask, appearing before the three women.

    "Hehe, yeah, we''ve totally tidied it up," Amelia chuckled, passing Alex a total of twelve rings.

    Alex sent his mind inside the twelve rings and noted that they were all filled to the brim. ''Twelve, plus the two I already have, brings us to a total of fourteen space rings full of treasures,'' a wide grin appeared on Alex''s face. ''With that, I''m surely the richest baron in this fucking entire empire!'' Alex eximed mentally, his excitement causing his body to tremble.

    ''Why''s he shaking like that?'' Anita wondered.

    Meanwhile, Anna and Amelia exchanged nces before bursting into giggles.

    ''What''s got those two giggling? What''s the joke? I want in on it!'' Anita grumbled internally.

    "Nice work, girls," Alex praised as he nted a kiss on the forehead of each of them, even giving Anita one too!

    Alex''s two wives smiled in satisfaction, while Anita seemed to zone out, remainingpletely still.

    "We''ve achieved everything we came here for and then some. It''s time to leave," Alex announced as his smoke surrounded the three women. Momentster, they were all dressed in elegant attire, with their hair transformed into a dazzling array of multicolored strands.

    "It''s unfortunate to cover up your lovely faces, but it''s necessary," Alex sighed as he ced masks over the women''s faces to conceal their identities.

    With precise control over the smoke cloud carrying Cedrix and Lilia, Alex ushered them into the corridor, before turning to the trio and saying, "You go ahead, I''ll catch up."

    Amelia and Anna nodded, pulling Anita along, who remained frozen in ce like a statue.

    As the women turned and walked away, Alex lingered, enjoying the enticing sway of their curves with each step.

    Knowing he was watching, Amelia boldly grabbed her ass cheek and gave it a yful squeeze.

    ''What a tease,'' Alex smirked, ''but soon, very soon, sis, I''ll be nailing that ass.''

    "U-Um, I''m still tied up, just pointing that out," Maya remarked.

    Letting out a sigh, Alex pivoted and strode towards the table where the young heiress was bound.

    With a single powerful motion, he ripped apart all the steel cables holding Maya''s body, freeing herpletely this time.

    "Ahh, finally!" Maya eximed with relief as she rubbed her wrists, which were swollen and red. Her pale, soft skin subtly contrasting against the inmed areas.

    ''Nice rack,'' Alex praised internally as his gaze wandered over the young woman''s chest, admiring it.

    Feeling eyes on her, Maya lifted her head and met Alex''s gaze, finding him staring at her chest.

    Letting out a startled yelp, Maya quickly covered her breasts with her arms. "D-Don''t stare at my b..."

    "At your?" Alex tilted his head as if puzzled, but behind his mask, he was grinning mischievously.

    "A-At my..." Maya started to speak but suddenly froze as she spotted her uncle''s lifeless body.

    Forgetting about Alex''s leering, Maya climbed down from the table, approached her uncle''s corpse, and knelt before it, sping her hands in silent prayer.

    ''Praying for the one who kidnapped her?'' Alex shook his head, amused by Maya''s innocence.

    ''Well, can''t judge. I don''t know their previous rtionship. Maybe they were close before,'' Alex sighed and waited for Maya to finish her prayers.

    Minutester...

    "We can go," Maya spoke as she stood up.

    Witnessing the tears forming at the corner of her eyes, Alex shook his head once again.

    "Here, it will heal your wounds," Alex tossed Maya a bottle of healing smoke.

    While catching the smoke bottle, Maya tripped and fell on her face!

    "...."

    "P-Please, don''t throw things at me," Maya quipped with a trail of blooding out of her nose.

    She nced down at the bottle in her hands, feeling a bit cautious, but ultimately opened it and brought it to her nose. The contract stipted that Alex had to ensure her safety anyway, so he wouldn''t intentionally harm her.

    "Hm?" Her eyes widened in disbelief as the moment she inhaled the smoke, her wounds healed instantly.

    "W-What is this?" She inquired, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

    "That''s the item I''m nning to auction," Alex answered as he walked to the corridor.

    "Oh, wait!" Maya swiftly stood up and dashed after Alex.

    "You know, with something like that, you actually don''t need that contract," the young heiress spoke once she caught up to Alex, her voice filled with awe. ''With healing powers so potent, it''s actually mother who will be chasing after you,'' she added mentally with a wry smile.

    "Good to know, " Alex nodded his head contentedly.

    With Maya''s incessant questions about the healing potion and Alex doing his best to answer them, the duo swiftly traversed the corridor and arrived at the entrance of the corridor, which the three women before them had left open.

    The instant the both of them stepped out of the door, they stiffened.

    "What the hell is going on?"

 Chapter 194 : Obtaining new subordinates

    Chapter 194 : Obtaining new subordinates

    "What the hell is happening?" Alex demanded, eyes slightly widened.

    Behind him, Maya also bore the same expression as him, but more exaggerated.

    Before the two of them, a scene of hundreds of humans kneeling in front of Amelia, Anna, and Anita.

    Without needing to be said, it''s obvious that the row of hundreds were the captives, why they were kneeling in front of the girls, however, was a goddamn mystery.

    Hearing his question, Amelia turned towards her brother, a wry smile stered under her multicolored mask.

    She approached him and whispered, "They''re begging us to take them when we leave."

    Hearing this, Alex sighed. He had already figured that something like this might happen.

    During their journey, Cedrix had borated to Alex that he had witnessed other viges and small cities ravaged and destroyed by members of the Night group.

    Those people kneeling were most likely the folks from those ruined towns.

    The reason why the imperial family or the nobles charged to protect thesends weren''t doing anything waspletely beyond Alex''sprehension; all he knew was that right now...

    ''These people are free, but have no home to return to. Though, it''s better than being transformed into mindless beasts,'' Alex remarked in a somber tone.

    ''There are only level 1s and 2s among them,'' Alex remarked, realizing the absence of the level 3s.

    Much like the ones before them, the level 3s had probably lost their homes, but unlike this group, their levels and strength made them sought after, whether in noble circles or adventurers'' guilds. They didn''t need to beg for help from their rescuers.

    Level 2s could opt for simr paths, but unlike level 3s, they might not receive the same warm wee in noble circles due to theirmoner status. Discrimination against level 3s might exist, but it''s usually less intense. However, this group might face harsher discrimination.

    ncing at the assembly, Alex swiftly concluded that these folks weren''t fighters at all. Even if they possessedbat skills, their current malnourished state would likely lead guilds to deem them weak and reject their requests for membership in the adventurers guilds.

    ''Well, a poor guild or onf with an ipetent leader might do that,'' Alex mused.

    ''What do I do with them?'' Alex pondered.

    If trained well, these folks could easily be skilled soldiers. Even if they didn''t aspire to join the military, their ability to use mana put them in a favorable position. It''s always beneficial to have a diverse range of mana users on your side, regardless of their level!

    The only potential issue would be if Alex didn''t have enough money to train them, but after emptying the entire treasury of this base, the cost to train those individuals might very well be a mere penny for him.

    Thinking about it, Alex really wanted to take these folks with him. He began devising ns to transport them to one of the two cities under his jurisdiction. Maybe he could call upon Grace to assist in their relocation. Given her strength, it would barely take her a few hours at worst toe here and escort them while Alex continued his journey to the Drazen auction. However, there was a problem.

    "I can''t trust them," Alex muttered under his breath.

    He had already spilled the beans to these folks about his ties to an organization called Arcane. If Grace were to escort them to one of the cities, they would inevitably learn about their affiliation with Arcane. Moreover, enlisting unknown individuals as soldiers didn''t sit well with Alex.

    The trust issue could potentially be addressed with a contract, but with over a hundred people here, Alex didn''t have nearly enough contracts at his disposal. Heck, he didn''t even have one contract in hand. And even if he miraculously had a hundred contracts on hand, he wasn''t sure he''d be willing to use them on this bunch.

    At that moment, Anna approached Alex and murmured, "If you intend to take them, there are collective soul contracts."

    "Oh," Alex raised a brow in curiosity.

    ''Well, it shouldn''t be surprising. In the end, Night is a gathering of bandits, they surely won''t trust each other just like that,'' Alex remarked, crossing his arms.

    As the name implied, the collective soul contract was a pact that bound multiple individuals with one another or multiple individuals to one person. If the contract that bound two persons to each other was costly, then this one was over the roof.

    It''s no wonder the church of the god of contracts was the wealthiest on the continent!

    Picking up the rings, Alex mentally probed each of them, searching for the specific contract he needed.

    Ten minutester, five parchments and two beautifully crafted mask rested in Alexm''s hands.

    ''Each of them can include up to fifty individuals,'' Alex nodded in understanding.

    "Listen to me..."

    Alex then startedying out the terms to the kneeling individuals before him. He made it clear that by signing, they''d be provided with food, care, and the opportunity to serve as loyal subordinates.

    There were other uses, but the aforementioned one was the most important.

    Following this, Alex detailed the penalties for breaching the contract.

    Since he would be using his true name on the contract, not the name of his organization, ''Arcane,'' Alex decided that the penalty for betrayal would be immediate death��a warning he conveyed to the people.

    Upon hearing this, some hesitated, but the majority didn''t need a second thought and immediately epted.

    ''There are eighty of them, so two contracts should suffice,'' Alex said as he inscribed the terms onto two sheets of paper. He then handed each to Amelia and Anna, instructing them to oversee the signing process. "Once you''re done, escort everyone who''s signed out of the base and into the forest, but don''t venture too far."

    "Also, take these two masks. If the smoke mask were to disappear, wear these instead," Alex instructed, handing the masks to Amelia.

    Amelia and Anna nced at him curiously and nodded in understanding.

    "Follow those two," Alex instructed Maya, who had been watching everything unfold with a curious expression, motioning towards Amelia and Anna.

    Before Maya could respond, Alex vanished into thin air, leaving her and the captives bewildered by his sudden disappearance.

    "Those who want to sign the contract, form two lines and move forward, chop chop, we don''t have too much time!" Amelia''s urgent tone spurred the captives into action, and they quickly organized themselves into two lines, eager to secure their chance at a better future.

    Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the entrance where the captives were held, Alex could be seen streaking into the boundless darkness, two clouds of smoke closely trailing behind him.

    ''Status''

    An instant after his order, a blue translucent screen appeared before Alex:

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 600

    Agility: 600

    Stamina: 520

    Defense: 360

    Mana Points: 85

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke sovereign;

    Soul Points: 20]

    Alex couldn''t help but let out a low whistle of astonishment as he nced over his new stats. ''I didn''t expect such a boost; all my attributes without mana had doubled.''

    Alex had felt that the enhancement he had received when the ck heart prated his chest was significant, but at that moment, he had thought it wascking, given all the suffering he went through. However, apparently, he was wrong.

    ''But howe I''m not crashing into anything then?'' Alex pondered aloud, feeling perplexed.

    Thest time he had enhanced his stats was during his fight against Todd and Tobias. At that time, his strength and speed had been increased by 100 each, but it was enough for him to crash through things each time he attempted to move, even if it was just to take a single step!

    It took him a little while to get adjusted to his body''s strength once again. Yet, here he was, calmly running after his speed had been enhanced by 300, three times the previous increase!

    ''It must be due to the enhancement to my mind,'' Alex theorized, recalling the crippling headache he had felt this time.

    Previously, when he increased his speed, it felt as though his eyes and brain couldn''t keep up with his movements. But now, it seemed as though it was the opposite. He felt like his body was too slow, which was a bizarre sensation.

    This enhancement also allowed him to run through the deep darkness and still see normally, as if the darkness didn''t affect his sight at all.

    "But why wasn''t my mana capacity raised?" Alex wondered aloud, furrowing his brows in thought.

    As he continued to run through the darkness, Alex couldn''t shake off the nagging feeling that there was something he was missing.

    His body had been enhanced, as had his mind and soul, so why was his mana capacity still the same?

    ''I guess I will never know unless I find out what that ck heart was,'' Alex sighed as he retrieved amunication talisman simr to the one he had been using to contact Anna, though, this wasn''t the same.

    Sticking it to his forehead, Alex infused the talisman with a pulse of mana, ''let''s hope it won''t take her too much time to-''

    lex hadn''t evenpleted his thought when a bright and cheerful voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

    ''Finally!''

 Chapter 195 : Departure (1)

    Chapter 195 : Departure (1)

    ''Finally!'' Grace eximed directly in Alex''s head.

    ''That was fast, were you really that bored?'' Alex chuckled.

    ''You have no idea! Everyone here is busy training, and Candace is working, so I''m left alone!'' Graceined.

    ''You can also do some work, you know,'' Alex shook his head.

    ''Nah, that''s boring, and I''m no longer the chief here; you are!'' Grace stated.

    From the sound of her reply, Alex was certain that she was relieved to have passed the hot potato onto him.

    Alex could only chuckle.

    ''It''s not like you were doing any work anyway; you passed everything to Candace''

    ''I won''t deny that, but for my defense, I have to say that work is super boring!'' Graceined once again. ''So, how is my most cherished grandson doing?''

    ''I''m your only grandson,'' Alex rolled his eyes.

    ''Yeah, sure thing, but just so you know, even if I had a gaggle of grandkids, you''d still top the list,'' Grace said in an endearing tone.

    ''Because I''m the only one in the family with both the same hair and eye color as you?'' Alex inquired as he slowed down his speed.

    ''I won''t lie, you having the same characteristics as I do ys a significant role in why you''re my favorite,'' she admitted.

    ''Knew it''

    ''BUT! There are other reasons, like the fact that you''re as mischievo - cough, cough - as sharp as I am, and many other things!''

    ''Right, I believe you, I''m your favorite one, though, I have to say, Amelia won''t be happy to hear that,'' Alex grinned.

    ''I-I never said such things!'' Grace denied.

    ''"Even if I had a gaggles of grandkids, you''d still top the list", your words, not mine''

    ''N-No, I didn''t mean it like that?!''

    ''So I''m not your favorite, huh? Well, I have to say, I''m quite disappointed,'' Alex said, feigning a hurtful tone.

    ''N-No, that''s not��Arg, don''t twist my words, you brat,'' Grace protested, her tone brimming with indignation.

    Alex chortled and  swiftly changed the subject.

    ''That''s not why I reached out. I actually need your assistance,'' Alex rified, his tone shifting to a more serious note.

    ''Expected as much. What can I do for you?'' Grace inquired, the previous yfulness of her voice having disappeared, reced by a serious tone.

    ''Well, as you know....''

    Alex exined the core of the situation to Grace and outlined what he needed her help with.

    ''You seem to be having a st,'' Grace remarked after hearing Alex''s exnation. ''So, where are you exactly?''

    Alex couldn''t pinpoint the exact location of the forest, but he detailed the route they had taken to arrive there.

    ''I know where you are,'' Grace said. ''I''ll be there in an hour, and we can discuss how to proceed, but I''ll only help you on one condition," Grace paused, her voice serious.

    Alex raised a brow. Grace had never asked for anything when she usually helped him, so her request made him take her words more seriously.

    ''What is your condition?'' he inquired.

    ''For the love of gods, get Viviane off my back! I love that sweeheart from the bottom of my heart, but her incessant asking for a spar is very tiring,'' Grace pleaded, a hint of exasperation in her tone.

    ''Yeah, sounds like Viviane, right,'' Alex chuckled. ''Alright, you have a deal.''

    After that, Alex couldn''t hear her voice anymore, indicating that she had likely removed her talisman.

    Taking off his own talisman, Alex elerated, his body bing a blur as he raced through the mountain.

    The more he traveled, the less darkness there was around him. Soon, Alex could perceive light.

    ''As I thought, there is a second entrance,'' Alex decreased his speed as he finally arrived.

    Before him, an entrance asrge as the one on the side of the mountain.

    Stepping out of the entrance, Alex observed the surroundings, a cautious expression on his handsome face.

    Soon, he spotted what he hade here for: carriages.

    The moment he learned from Anna that Stanis and Eric had emerged from the darkness, he theorized the existence of a second entrance and anticipated finding carriages there.

    It was logical; the captives wouldn''t be brought here on foot, as it would attract too much attention.

    Unfortunately, there was nothing here besides the carriages and the horses they were attached to.

    Alex had hoped for something valuable or at least some secrets, but even after checking with firm conviction that something was here, no secret door, treasure, or trap appeared, indicating there were no illusions present.

    ''Well, you can''t be lucky every time,'' Alex thought with a wry smile.

    Since there was nothing interesting here, Alex didn''t waste time. Creating fives smoke knight, he sent each of them towards a carriage.

    ''It had be tremendously easy to control them,'' Alex smiled in satisfaction.

    Before, he couldn''t control more than five Smoke Knights, and even then, his control over the five Smoke Knights he could manage wasn''t perfect. However, currently, controlling the Smoke Knights appeared to be no different from controlling a limb. It was as if they were extensions of his body.

    Once again, it was probably thanks to the enhance to his mind.

    Taking a carriage himself, Alex positioned the cloud of smoke containing Lilia and Cedrix at the rear of the carriage. With a firm hand on the reins, he guided the horse around the mountain.

    He would have dly retraced his steps, but that wasn''t an option. The metallic door on the other side was sizable, but not nearlyrge enough for the carriages designed to amodate dozens of people to pass through. Thus, he had no choice but to circumvent the mountain in order to return to the other side.

    ''Hopefully, Amelia and Anna have finished by then, so we can take off directly,'' Alex mused, urging the horse to increase its speed.

    Half an hourter, the procession of carriages, led by Alex and his knights,pleted their circuit around the mountain and finally reached the entrance to the base on the other side.

    Fortunately, they encountered no obstacles or attacks on the return journey, ensuring a swift and uneventful trip.

    Before regrouping with Amelia and Anna, Alex stepped down from the carriage and made his way towards a nearby tree.

    As he approached, he noticed the unconscious and battered body of Todd slumped against the trunk.

    He walked up to the chubby man, lifted him by the cor, and threw him to the back of one of the carriages led by a knight, without regard to the man''s obvious wounds.

    Climbing back onto the carriage, he directed the convoy of carriages towards the forest in search of Anna and Amelia.

    A few minutester, Alex spotted a gathering of many people near the tree where they had been seated while observing the entrance to the base.

    Seeing him approach, Amelia and Anna stepped forward to greet him.

    ''The masks are still present, which means that the distance at which I can control smoke has indeed increased,'' Alex smiled in satisfaction.

    "Are there still people left there?" Alex inquired as he stepped down from the carriage.

    "Everyone is here," Anna answered.

    "How about those who didn''t want to sign the contract? Where are they?" Alex inquired.

    "In the end, even they gave in and signed the contract," Amelia chuckled lightly.

    "Well, coordinate those people to get on the carriages, and once that''s done, get out of here," Alex ordered.

    "What about you?" Anna asked, her expression stoic and cold as usual, though, Alex could sense the worry behind her facade.

    cing a reassuring hand on her head, Alex said, "you don''t have to worry about this husband of yours, nothing bad will happen to me."

    Anna lips curled into a smile and she nodded her head contentedly.

    ncing at his sister and noticing her expression, which seemed to say, "I also want to be patted!", Alex smiled and gently ced his hand on her head to pat her.

    "Hehe..." Amelia giggled in response.

    "Now, go and try to create as much distance as you can from the base," Alex ordered as he withdrew his hand from their heads.

    As the duo went to instruct the former captives to get on the carriages, Anita approached Alex.

    "Are you noting with us?" She inquired in a soft tone.

    "Checking on your future husband, I see," Alex teased.

    Anita''s cheeks flushed red, eliciting a grin from Alex.

    "I will catch up with you; I just want to give our host onest gift," Alex said mysteriously.

    "Huh?" The gorgeous Virax tilted her head in confusion.

    "You will see, for now, go get on a carriage," Alex instructed her.

    Anita shyly nodded her head and, like a dutiful wife following her husband''s orders, she went to get on a carriage.

    Meanwhile, Amelia and Anna were busy organizing the captives into five groups.

    The two women assigned a coachman to each group, and then the getting on of the carriages began.

    Fifteen minutester...

    "We are ready to depart," Amelia announced to Alex, who was calmly sitting on a tree branch while ying with a lighter.

    Alex made an acknowledging sound. "Go on, I will catch up with you soon."

    She nodded and went to board the carriage at the helm. Unlike the other carriages, this one only contained members of Alex''s initial group, along with Anita and Maya.

    The girls waved to Alex onest time and then the convoy departed.

    "What do you think he has in mind?" Anna, who was sitting next to Amelia and serving as the coachman of their carriage, questioned as she nced back in Alex''s direction.

    "Probably something nasty for Night," Amelia chuckled.

    As she suspected, Alex was currently flooding the entire base of Night with a familiar green smoke.

    With each passing second, the smoke around the base grew thicker.

    "I really hope there''s no one inside," Alex stood up from the branch he was sitting on.

    He nced back towards the convoy of carriages, analyzing if they were far enough to not be caught in the iing explosion. Once he deemed that it was the case, Alex turned back to stare at the entrance of the mountain, which was already flooded in smoke and grinned.

    "Here we go," Alex tossed the lighter he had been ying with.

    The instant the lighter came into contact with the smoke.

    BOOOMMM!

 Chapter 196 : Departure (2)

    Chapter 196 : Departure (2)

    BOOOMMM!

    A massive explosion rocked the very foundation of the Night group''s base, obliterating it.

    The explosion was so powerful and violent that it leveled everything in a freaking five-hundred-meter radius around the mountain.

    Despite the fact that the trees in this forest were big and sturdy, all the trees around the mountain had been uprooted as if they were mere flowers, swaying in the wind.

    Even the tree on which Alex stood was also uprooted, torn from the earth by the violent shockwave.

    Luckily for Alex, with his high ''defense'' stat  he could shrug off the shockwaves from explosions like this. With a casual leap, he descended from the tree and settled in to enjoy the fireworks.

    With a smirk ying on his lips he watched the base erupt in mes. The flickering mes painting mesmerizing patterns in his silver eyes, adding an otherworldly glow to his expression.

    "What was that?!" Anita and Maya eximed simultaneously.

    The convoy was swiftly traveling when they heard a sudden explosion, followed by a tremor that startled the horses and brought them to a halt, bringing the whole convoy to an abrupt stop.

    The birds that were happily chirping their tunes suddenly scattered into the air, rmed by the unexpected disturbance.

    The words barely escaped the mouths of the two women before a fierce gust of wind blew in their direction, causing their hair to wildly p in the air and their clothes to ripple like gs in a storm.

    ncing back towards the source of the explosion, their hearts raced with disbelief, and a hint of fear creeping into their expressions.

    The upants of the other carriages all wore expressions of utter disbelief mirroring those of Anita and Maya.

    "W-What have I gotten myself into?" muttered a young woman with tinum blond hair, her dim amber eyes reflecting a mix of dread and curiosity as she stared at the towering mushroom cloud rising into the sky.

    The young woman, named Teagan, was in one of the carriages with the captives. Despite her initial hesitation, she had eventually epted to sign the contract and thus became a subordinate of a certain ''Alexandre Eswald''. However, right now, she was wondering if she should have stayed firm in her decision to avoid any involvement with this ''Arcane'' organization.

    "I knew it, those guys are psychos!" she murmured in a hoarse voice.

    Even though the others captives didn''t think the same as her, they were also shocked to the core. And as the realization sank in that their newfound employer might be responsible for the explosion, a collective shiver of dread coursed through their spines.

    Meanwhile, Anna and Amelia observed the mushroom cloud caused by the explosion with a calm and collected attitude, showing no signs of surprise or fear. They already expected something like that to happen, so there was no reason to panic

    "Woah, it''s evenrger than the one I triggered during the tournament," Amelia remarked.

    Anna nodded, "with this, I doubt there''s anything left of their base."

    As she expected, the Night''s base was currently being engulfed by mes originating from the explosion, and the whole process of destruction was elerated by mountain above it.

    Meanwhile, Alex stood on the sidelines, watching this scene happen with a disappointed expression, his initial grin nowhere to be seen.

    "It isn''t as enjoyable as I thought it would be," Alex muttered in disappointment, clicking his tongue in boredom. "Probably because of theck of snacks. I should remember to bring some next time I travel," he mused, scratching his head.

    Sighing, he turned around and left.

    However, he didn''t follow the same route the convoy followed, but another one.

    Minutester, Alex stood over the unconscious body of a woman.

    ''Despite the passage of time, she''s still hanging on? Gotta hand it to her, her will to survive is pretty impressive,'' Alex praised.

    The one whose body he was standing above was none other than Niya. After her fight against Lilia, she had ended up in a very bad state with several of her limbs broken, yet, when Alex found her, she was still breathing. He had given her a healing smoke potion, but her wounds were too severe for Alex''s smoke to heal her.

    At that time he left her here, thinking that if she was still alive after he came back, then he had to take her to Amelia, but he expected her to die barely a few minutester, yet, here she was, hourster, still breathing and refusing to kick the bucket.

    Lifting her broken and bruised body up, Alex threw her over his shoulder and resumed his journey, this time, taking the route the convoy had taken.

    Before long, Alex spotted a line of carriages snaking through the forest.

    Just as he neared the convoy, Alex felt a strange sensation and nced over his shoulder. After a moment, he refocused and pressed forward.

    Bounding from branch to branch, he quickly closed the distance with the convoy''s lead carriage. With a graceful leap, hended directly on the coachman''s seat between Anna and Amelia.

    "Where to?" Anna inquired, not the least surprised by Alex sudden appearance.

    "To the spot where we left our carriage. Grace will meet us there," Alex replied, gently cing Niya''s body in thepartment with the aid of his smoke.

    Gasp!

    Anita and Maya, seated in thepartment, gasped in shock at the sight of Niya''s broken and mangled body.

    "W-Were you the one who did this?" Anita stuttered.

    Alex chuckled and shook his head, "No, my wife did it."

    ''W-Wife? I thought this one was his wife,'' Anita furtively nced at Anna, ''how many wives does he have?'' she wondered, feeling sad for some reason.

    "Can you heal her?" Alex inquired as he turned to Amelia.

    Amelia nced at Niya''s body and nodded, "Probably, but afterward, I won''t be able to heal anyone else. My mana reserves are nearly depleted."

    "It''s okay, heal her," Alex said.

    Amelia nodded and entered thepartment to begin the healing process on Niya.

    "Why are you trying to get her healed? Wasn''t she an enemy?" Anna asked with narrowed eyes.

    "Why are you asking?"

    "Just curious."

    "Are you sure it''s not because you are jealous~" Alex teased.

    "Why would I be jealous of a mere bandit?" She tilted her head in confusion.

    "Haha, indeed," Alex chuckled, "To answer your question, I brought her here for-"

    Alex halted his speech and nced backward.

    "We''re being followed," he informed after a moment''s pause. "I''ll handle them, you keep moving. If anything goes wrong, use your talisman to reach me."

    "Don''t you need assistance? I''ve regained some mana; I can help��" Anna offered.

    The mask covering Alex''s face briefly shifted, revealing his handsome face. "You don''t have to worry. I''m super strong, you know," he reassured Anna with a grin.

    "Just do as I say," he murmured, nting a quick peck on her cheek before leaping from the carriage andnding gracefully on the ground.

    "Ehh, where''s he off to now?" Maya wondered aloud as she watched Alex leap off from the carriage.

    "I don''t have a clue," Anita replied absentmindedly.

    Seeing the two women nce in his direction, Alex waved at them, his mask shifting to take on a smiling expression.

    The two awkwardly waved back at him, and a few secondster, he vanished from their sight.

    ''Hm?'' Alex raised a brow as he passed the other carriages. Despite his speed, which was so fast that even an average level 5 couldn''t track him when he moved, a woman with amber eyes was staring at him like she could perfectly follow his movements.

    To confirm if that was the case, Alex waved a hand at her, and she quickly averted her gaze from him.

    ''Interesting, I will check on herter.''

    Slotting this at the back of his head, Alex continued on his way, and came to a stop only when he was hundreds of meters from the convoy.

    "Why are you suddenly hiding? Quicklye out, I don''t have all day," Alex spoke in irritation, seemingly to no one.

    However, a second after he spoke, two familiar monsters appeared: a wild boar with a back covered in spines, giving it a porcupine appearance, and a white fox with three yellow tails.

    Those two monsters, along with the monkey with four arms, were the level 5 monsters who were able to keep up with Alex despite him having enhanced his speed.

    "Just so you know, I can sense that there are many of you still hiding, juste out and let''s get done with this," Alex said in a light tone.

    Even after he spoke, no one appeared for a long time, and when it seemed that there would be no more monsters than those two, several others appeared all around.

    In just a few seconds, Alex waspletely surrounded by level 5 monsters, there were even more of them than thest time!

    "That''s more like it," Alex grinned.

 Chapter 197 : Venting

    Chapter 197 : Venting

    "That''s more like it," Alex grinned, feeling multiple monstrous gazesnd on him.

    All around him were monsters, and each and every one of them was at level 5.

    Despite being surrounded by a horde of level 5 monsters, a situation that would make any average level 4 wet their pants, Alex maintained an easygoing smile on his face.

    "I''ve heard that bottling up negative emotions isn''t healthy. It''s better to let them out," Alex stated nonchntly, his voice so rxed it was almost like he was talking about the weather. "And hey, I''ve been suppressing my emotions for hours now, so I''m kinda d you all dropped by."

    Alex shot the monster a thankful grin. "Thanks to you, I''ll be able to vent, but..."

    Alex''s grin wavered, his tone turning slightly ominous, "...but you lot ain''t cutting it. To really let loose, I''d need the other three hiding to show their faces."

    After his fight against the monkey, he hade to realize that monsters at level 5 were able to understand what he said, or at least understand the meaning of his words, for example, we can take what happened seconds ago. Once Alex said that he knew that there were some of them hiding, those hiding revealed themselves.

    However, in the current scenario, despite Alex dropping hints that he was onto three other monsters ying hide-and-seek, none of them emerged, making one doubt if Alex wasn''t just spouting nonsense.

    However, Alex was certain that there were three other monsters hiding, ones much more powerful than the ones he was currently facing.

    After thest enhancement, his senses had be so sharp that even now, despite being separated by hundreds of meters, Alex could still sense the convoy. So, how could he not feel three monsters hiding in his immediate surroundings?

    "Well, I guess if you don''t won''t-"

    "Human... you talk... too much," a hoarse and raspy voice interrupted Alex.

    Peering towards the source of the voice, Alex spotted an insectoid creature standing upright on two spindly legs.

    The creature measured about two meters in length, its entire body encased in a glossy, green chitinous exoskeleton. It boasted four elongated arms extending from its torso to its legs, each tipped with razor-sharp ws that gleamed brightly whenever touched by the sun''s rays.

    "Come... and... fight!" the insect-like creature rasped once more, its voice akin to scraping needles against Alex''s eardrums.

    Alex stared at the insect for a moment and nodded.

    With a swift step, he appeared right in front of the creature. Before it could react, Alex''s fist tore through its hard chitinous exterior, piercing straight through its head. Extricating his fist, Alex allowed the creature''s body to fall to the ground.

    "This guy was right, we''re not here to chat," Alex''s gaze sharpened, "but you''ve got it all wrong. We''re not here to fight. We''re here so I can blow off some steam, and your role here is just to be my punching bag, nothing more, nothing less."

    As he uttered these words, an aura of raw power emanated from Alex''s body and swept over the surrounding monsters, sending shivers down their spines.

    As Alex had mentioned, he had been bottling up all his negative emotions for quite some time now.

    It might seem like nothing significant happened, but during thest few hours, Alex had been constantly forcing himself to calm down, and right now, all the emotions he had been suppressing were threatening to burst forth.

    He felt scared by the dark mist, almost making him want to run away. Then, he was mad because he couldn''t stop the ck heart from messing with him. Plus, he worried about what the ck heart enhancement price might be. On top of that, he felt anxious about his soul possibly exploding.

    There was also the stress of being a good leader, and even though he wouldn''t say it, he felt pressured about the uing heirpetition. He had this nagging feeling that he needed to be the strongest before he faced it.

    To top it all off, he was very, very frustrated sexually.

    All of those emotions kept piling up, and then those monsters appeared. The perfect target for him to release all his pent-up frustration and anger.

    And he did unleash all of his pent-up emotions, especially his anger, on these monsters.

    With that unleashed fury, carnage ensued.

    ***

    "Where is Alex?" Grace inquired as shended right in front of Amelia and Anna.

    They had just escaped the forest and returned to where their carriage with the pegasi was when Grace appeared in their line of sight.

    "There were some people following us, so he stayed back to slow them down," Anna answered as she bowed to Grace.

    "Oh, I see, then I will go get him," Grace said before rising into the air.

    In what felt like a split second, she disappeared from the sight of the two women.

    "Tsk, not even bothering to ask how I''m doing," Amelia pouted.

    "Stop acting like a spoiled brat and let''s descend," Anna reprimanded as she walked towards the carriage.

    Since they left the carriage at a higher altitude, Amelia and Anna had to climb back up to retrieve it before descending once again.

    ****

    "That should be over there," Grace remarked, noticing a corner of the forest where a fight seemed to be unfolding.

    Alex had already warned her about the illusion cast on the forest, so it didn''t affect her, but quite frankly, even if he hadn''t mentioned the illusion, it was doubtful that it could deceive her senses. An illusion cast on such arge forest couldn''t fool her, or at least not easily.

    As she descended and beheld the battlefield, a stunned expression appeared on Grace''s face.

    Just below her, the scene was nothing short of chaotic and extremely brutal.

    Bodiesy twisted and contorted, entrails strewn across the ground, amid the heavy stench of blood permeating the air. Haunting echoes of agonized screams seemed to reverberate from the depths of the forest. Amid this grim scene, a lone figure stood at the center, huffing and puffing, trying to catch it''s breath.

    If it weren''t for the fact that she knew it was actually Alex, Grace might have doubted that the figure was human at all. Alex''s smoke attire waspletely drenched in blood, the vibrant colors that usually shimmered now obscured by the crimson stains.

    ''These monsters, they were all level 5,'' Grace slightly frowned when she sensed the aura emanating from the monsters corpse.

    She knew that upon reaching level 5 and gaining a bit of intelligence, monsters became hard to find, let alone killing them. Yet here she was witnessing a whole horde of them, and shockingly, all those level 5 monsters got obliterated by a level 4?

    But then, she remembered what Alex had told her about the lust artifact, and him killing so many level 5 monsters kind of made sense, although she still found it astonishing.

    "My, my, you''ve truly grown stronger," Grace teased as she gracefullynded on a branch just above Alex, the strong scent of blood seemingly not bothering her.

    Looking up, Alex witnessed a gorgeous woman with silver hair and beautiful gray eyes that shone with a mischievous glint. She stared back at him, a sweet smile gracing her face.

    She wore a white and elegant dress that gracefully hugged her curvaceous body. A slight slit at the bottom of her dress revealed her wide and smooth hips.

    The moment Alex''s gaze met Grace''s, he felt a profound desire welling up inside him.

    Forcibly tearing his gaze away from her alluring figure, Alex dissipated the smoke mantle enveloping him, revealing his bare and toned torso.

    He took a deep breath and attempted to chase away all the perverted thoughts about his grandmother that were currently running through his head, a task that proved to be hard as those thoughts continued to flow through his mind like a persistent stream.

    During this battle, Alex had managed to vent and release his frustration and anger, just as he wanted.

    However, that wasn''t the case for his sexual frustration, which still lingered very prominently.

    Grace jumped down from the branch,nding right in front of Alex with the tree''s trunk just behind her.

    cing a finger on his torso, Grace spoke in a seductive tone, "Your body has also developed quite nicely. You are probably much more powerful than your father was at the same level."

    She paused for an instant, then added, her voice carrying a tempting tone, "Now, imagine how much stronger you would be if you were to do it with me~"

    BAM!

    Alex''s fist tore through the tree''s trunk, his arm passing barely a few centimeters away from Grace''s face.

    An annoyed glint shone in Alex''s eyes when he saw the teasing smile forming on her lips after his action.

    He knew very well what Grace was doing. Much like thest time, she was just teasing him; she enjoyed it. He knew it was the case because he had inherited his habit of teasing people from her.

    Under normal circumstances, he wouldn''t mind her teasing, but right now, he was very on edge and was practically restraining himself from pouncing on her. Her words weren''t helping him in the slightest.

    "I''m not in the mood for your teasing, Grace," he said with a huff.

    "Grace? Not grandma? I see that your strength is getting to your head," Grace remarked, the teasing smile on her face widening a little bit. "You are not strong enough to call me by my name, although it might not be the case if you ept to-"

    Before she could finish her sentence, Alex did something thatpletely caught Grace off guard.

    Swiftly lowering himself, Alex sealed his lips against Grace''s, pulling her curvaceous body towards his own.

 Chapter 198 : Kissing Grandma

    Chapter 198 : Kissing Grandma

    ''Hmm?'' Grace raised a brow in surprise as Alex pressed his lips against her while pulling her body closer to his.

    Just like Alex thought, she was merely teasing him and had actually no intention to engage in any kind of sexual rtionship with her grandson!

    She just liked ying with him and seeing his embarrassed reaction; she never thought he would actually act and pull her into a kiss.

    Meanwhile, Alex waspletely lost in the pleasure of feeling Grace''s smooth and tender lips against his own, her two soft mounds pressed against his torso.

    At that moment, thest bit of reluctance he had over the idea of banging his grandmotherpletely vanished, and he wanted nothing more than to bury his cock balls deep inside her!

    Alex''s member stiffened instantly, creating a noticeable bulge in his trousers.

    Due to the closeness of their bodies, the instant Alex got hard, Grace felt something long and hard brush against her waist.

    She immediately attempted to gently push him away, but all that did was cause Alex to hold her tighter, not willing to let go of the pleasurable sensation of savoring her luscious lips.

    Witnessing the situation escte, Grace summoned her strength and forcefully freed herself from Alex''s grasp.

    "What are you doing, have you gone mad?!" She red at him.

    Ignoring her re, Alex smirked. "What''s the problem? I''m just doing what you''ve been nagging me to do. So why the look?"

    Alex closed the distance between them and nted another kiss on Grace,pletely  disregarding her resistance.

    Grace''s eyes widened once again at his boldness. Usually, a mere re from her would be enough to stop him in his tracks, or anyone else for that matter.

    However, she failed to realize that Alex''s desire had reached a point where even her re couldn''t deter him anymore.

    He was determined to have his way with her, no matter the consequences!

    Alex delicately sucked and nibbled on Grace''s lower lip, then boldly extended his tongue to sensually explore the curves of her lips.

    ncing upward, Alex noticed that she was still ring, prompting him to chuckle.

    Alex nted a brief kiss on her enticing lips before pulling his face back slightly, though he made sure to maintain the closeness of their bodies.

    With a grin on his face, he asked, "Once again, why are you giving me such a look? Weren''t you the one who suggested we do it together?"

    "Don''t y dumb, you know very well that it was just yful teasing," Grace replied, her face still disying a hint of anger towards Alex.

    "Well, consider this the aftermath of your yful teasing~" Alex remarked, punctuating his words with another peck on her lips.

    "Stop that or else-"

    "Or else what?" Alex grinned. "We both know you''ll never willingly harm me."

    Before the words had fully escaped his mouth, Alex''s face darted forward once more, this time bypassing her lips and going straight for Grace''s neck.

    He kissed and licked the smooth and silky skin of her elegant neck.

    At that moment, something unexpected urred.

    Mmm~

    A muffled moan escaped Grace''s lips, and her body slightly trembled.

    ''Oh, it seems to be her weak spot,'' Alex smiled and once again licked her, making Grace release another moan.

    ''Then what if I do this?'' Alex grinned mischievously.

    Alex''s right hand, which had stayed inactive throughout, squeezed her breast, while his other hand firmly gripped her waist.

    ''They''re as firm as a ripe peach and as soft as silk, what wonderful feeling,'' Alex''s desire for Grace surged, prompting him to eagerly fondle her breast while showering her neck with a flurry of kisses and sensuous licks, as if his very existence depended on it.

    Mmm~ Anhh~

    As seconds passed, more and more lewd moans escaped Grace''s mouth.

    With her mind consumed by pleasure, Grace''s hands instinctively moved to wrap around Alex''s neck and head, pulling him closer and urging him to continue.

    Alex smirked, sensing her response. Feeling emboldened by her eagerness, he pushed Grace''s body against the tree, pinning her there, and resumed passionately kissing her.

    Contrary to the first time he kissed her, this time, Grace responded to his advances and reciprocated, matching his fervor as she kissed him back with equal passion.

    In that moment, Alex briefly tensed, but swiftly regained hisposure and continued his actions.

    Alex sent his tongue into Grace''s mouth, and she weed it by wrapping her own tongue around his. The two tongues danced together with intensity as Alex and Grace indulged in their passionate embrace.

    Lost to lust and pleasure, Grace hooked her right leg around Alex''s, trying to bring him even closer to her than they already were.

    Since there was a slit in her dress, her action inadvertently revealed the smooth, white skin of her hip. Noticing this, Alex''s hand, which had been holding her waist, lowered and began to caress her exposed hip with gentle strokes.

    Unh~

    Grace moaned and pulled at his waist with her hands, an action that caused her to feel the bulge in Alex''s pants even more.

    As time slowly passed, sounds of harsh breathing and moans filled this corner of the forest as the pair of grandson and grandmother indulged in a sinful act.

    Alex''s right hand roamed freely, exploring Grace''s curves with fervent hunger before it slowly descended down, its target: Grace''s pussy.

    At that moment, Grace''s eyes, which she had closed when they began kissing, snapped open and she grabbed Alex''s hand.

    She broke the kiss and separated herself from Alex, though, there was still a glistening trail of saliva lingering between them.

    "It has gone too far, let''s stop," she said, her chest heaving up and down from the passionate kiss they just shared.

    Alex let out an exasperated sigh and casually swept aside the strands of hair obscuring Grace''s face, revealing her features once more.

    "You are beautiful," Alexplimented.

    Usually, if her grandsonplimented her appearance, she would simply smile and tease him for a moment before continuing on her way, but after the hot and steamy moment they had just shared, this particrpliment felt...intimate, and it sparked a different reaction in Grace.

    Her cheeks took on a subtle pink hue, so faint that even if you were standing a meter away, you might miss it.

    However, given their proximity, how could Alex have failed to notice it?

    "Truly beautiful," Alexplimented once again, his gaze fixed on Grace as though he couldn''t stop staring at her.

    Alex''s fingers continued to caress Grace''s face tenderly, and after a moment, he couldn''t resist the urge any longer. He leaned in once again, pressing his lips against Grace''s

    She didn''t reject him and kissed him back.

    Their tongues tangled eagerly as they delved into yet another fervent kiss, exchanging saliva in a heated exchange of passion. Their hands roamed and explored each other''s bodies with unrestrained desire.

    After several seconds of heated passion, Grace abruptly halted the kiss once again, iming that they should stop.

    "I can sense it, you know," Alex forehead pressed against hers as he stared deeply into her gray eyes. "Your hunger, lust for me, for my body, I can feel it, and gods, I want you just as much," he whispered huskily, his voice dripping with raw desire.

    Alex wasn''t just spouting nonsense; for some reason, at that moment, he could genuinely feel Grace''s lust radiating from her.

    Typically, when he found himself in a sexual encounter with a woman, he gauged her level of arousal by her physical reactions. Yet, it was a bit different from what was happening here, if usually lust felt like an emotion, now it felt like something...tangible?

    He first became aware of it when Grace reciprocated his kiss and ceased suppressing her lust, that''s why he tensed up at that moment.

    How the hell something like that was even happening or possible, he had no clue, and frankly, at that moment, he couldn''t give a damn about figuring it out.

    Unfortunately for Alex, his words had theplete opposite effect of what he anticipated. When Grace thought of the fact that the one her lust was directed to, a sudden awakening swept over her, causing the thick fog of lust clouding her mind to dissipate.

    Alex felt a sinking sensation in his chest as he noticed Grace''s lust diminishing with each passing second. He refused to ept it; things were now getting better, they couldn''t just like that.

    In an attempt to keep her desire from fading, Alex dove down and began once again licking and kissing her neck.

    Unfortunately, he could feel that nothing was changing; Grace wasn''t bing aroused, and he could even feel her beginning to push him away from her.

    Left with no other option and not knowing what he was doing, Alex pulled onto the feeling of lust emanating from her.

    However, he couldn''t have anticipated the consequences of this action.

    The moment Alex "pulled" on that feeling, his vision blurred, and in an instantter, he lost consciousness.

    As his consciousness was drifting away, he heard an irritated voice resound in his mind.

    <i>[Tsk, what an idiot]</i>

 Chapter 199 : New informations

    Chapter 199 : New informations

    "Alex!" Grace eximed as she caught Alex''s falling body.

    Turning around, she carefully leaned him against the tree''s trunk, a frown appearing on her face.

    ''Why did he pass out? He seemed okay just a moment ago,'' Grace wondered as she examined Alex''s body closely.

    Seeing no wounds where he could have been poisoned, she breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.

    At that moment, she sensed a trickle of liquid running down her legs.

    ''Perhaps it''s a good thing he passed out,'' she sighed.

    Her mind returned to the intense moment they had shared, and she felt the liquid trickling down her legs intensify.

    "Fuck, what was I about to do?" Grace shook her head.

    Twitch Twitch

    Sensing movements, Grace looked downward only to witness the bulge in Alex''s trousers stirring.

    Despite having lost consciousness, Alex''s erection persisted, proudly straining against the confines of its tight prison.

    Seeing the bulge in Alex''s pants, Grace became curious about its size. Judging by how it felt when it rubbed against her waist, she thought that it must surely be big.

    ''Just a quick nce, I''m only checking because I''m concerned for his well-being, nothing more,'' she reassured herself internally. However, as the glistening liquid flowing down her legs intensified, it became dubious if her sole motivation was indeed Alex''s well-being.

    Just as Grace''s hand hovered mere centimeters from freeing her grandson''s throbbing member, she stopped herself.

    "Let''s just stop here," she sighed, a mix of regret and resignation in her voice.

    Suppressing the lustful curiosity consuming her, she stood up.

    As an expert of level 7, suppressing her emotions was as easy as breathing for Grace. However, in certain cases, it might prove to be challenging for her to do so, especially when faced with unexpected situations like the one just encountered.

    She was about to lift Alex''s unconscious body when she remembered something.

    A split secondter, Grace vanished from her spot only to reappear secondster, two creatures in hands and a third, a snake, coiled around her neck, it''s ck scales contrasting with Grace''s milky white skin.

    The creature in her right hand resembled a red panda, with a round face and a long, bushy tail. It had a fluffy reddish-brown fur, adorned with distinctive white markings around its eyes and on its cheeks.

    The other creature in Grace''s hand, however, was a tiger, a white tiger to be precise. It had creamy white fur with asional faint stripes of ck along its body.

    These three creatures looked absolutely adorable, but if one knew what they looked like a few seconds earlier, one wouldn''t use the term "adorable" to describe them.

    They were the very same creatures Alex mentioned were hiding when the level 5 monsters surrounded him.

    Throughout the fight between Alex and the other monsters, they stayed hidden. Even after the fight ended, they remained, neither attacking nor fleeing.

    Even before approaching Alex, Grace had felt their presence and had the intention to deal with them once she finished teasing her grandson, but when things escted from mere teasing to kissing and touching, shepletely forgot about them.

    Logically, creatures of this caliber should be intelligent enough to know that the moments Alex and Grace were kissing were the opportune moment to strike, yet, they stayed still, once again, neither leaving nor attacking.

    When Grace suddenly appeared before them, they attempted to fight her, but the difference in strength was so vast that the fight didn''t evenst five seconds.

    The thing that surprised Grace was that the instant she defeated them, all three creatures began shrinking from their initial monstrous forms, phenomenon followed by a loss of their levels, exactly like what happened to the monkey he had fought a few hours prior.

    This intrigued Grace, and she decided to bring them with her when she returned.

    Grace retrieved the cores of the level 5 monsters Alex had killed, lifted his unconscious body, and then returned to the location where Amelia, Anna, and the others were likely setting up camp, as night was approaching.

    ****

    "Mmm" Alex yawned as he slowly opened his eyes.

    ''Why am I?'' he wondered, greeted by the sight of luxurious red above him.

    After a moment of observation, Alex realized that he was inside the carriage they rode to get here.

    ''How did I end up here? Thest thing I remember is...'' Alex''s thoughts trailed off as memories of what happened before he lost consciousness flooded his mind.

    ''Grandma and I... kissed,'' Alex thought, his expression frozen in disbelief.

    The truth was that during and even before the kiss happened, he wasn''t in a right state of mind and mostly acted on impulse.

    It wasn''t to say that he was regretting his actions. As exined earlier, the instant his lips touched hers, any bit of reluctance towards having a romantic or sexual rtionship with his grandmotherpletely disappeared from Alex''s mind.

    And judged by the hardening of his penis right now as he recalled the intimate moment he shared with Grace, there was a one hundred percent chance that he would try to be with her once again.

    There was just a troubling fact here: why the hell had he lost consciousness?!!!

    <i>[That''s generally what happens when an idiot try to do something he isn''t supposed to be doing]</i>

    The voice of the goddess of lust resounded in Alex''s head, but contrary to usual, her tone didn''t carry the usual alluring quality; instead, she sounded annoyed, almost angry.

    ''Okay, now I think I should really get worried, hearing your voice three times the same d-''

    <i>[Quiet] the goddess ordered, the annoyance apparent in her voice.</i>

    Alex did as he was told and shut his mouth. For some reason, he felt that it was better not to say anything right now and just listen to the goddess.

    <i>

    </i>

    <i>[Do you have an idea of what you attempted to do?] She questioned.</i>

    ''If I remember correctly, I was-''

    <i>[Quiet, I said], the goddess cut him off sharply. [I swear, if you open it once again before I say so, you will regret it].</i>

    Alex''s face suddenly contorted into a frown. He didn''t like being threatened, even if the other party was a goddess, but in the end, heplied with hermand and shut his mouth, though he made a mental note of it.

    <i>[You tried to control someone else''s lust,] the goddess of lust stated, [do you know how dangerous that is for the current you?]</i>

    Hearing her words, Alex raised a brow in surprise. He wasn''t a retard, he knew perfectly what he had attempted to do, what was surprising to him was the fact that he could really control the lust someone else was feeling, he didn''t think that he could do something like that.

    <i>[Wait, you didn''t think that all my powers allowed you to do was get stronger by having sex, right] the goddess of lust questioned in a genuine tone, the earlier irritation of her voice having disappeared.</i>

    Alex didn''t reply and remainedpletely silent.

    <i>[Don''t be cocky with me, answer] said the goddess of lust, the irritation in her voice having returned.</i>

    ''To answer your question, yes, I did think that the only use of your artifact was to make me stronger after having sexual encounters,'' Alex replied.

    <i>[Just how lowly do you think of me?] The goddess questioned in a hurt tone.</i>

    Before Alex could reply, he heard her sigh in defeat.

    <i>[Forget it, I guess it''s my fault for not exining the use of my powers to you, once again]</i>

    Alex nodded his head in confirmation.

    He had lost the memory of the previous Alex encounter with the goddess of lust, so he obviously wouldn''t know what she said her artifact could allow him to do. Since the mechanical voice he referred to as the ''system'' didn''t provide any further information, he had no way of knowing.

    <i>[To keep it short, beside the functions that you know, my powers also allow you to control the lust of someone else, you can either increase it or decrease] the goddess said and quickly adding, [of course there are several conditions to be meet before you can control someone else lust, there are even cases in which you can''t do so]</i>

 Chapter 200 : Changes

    Chapter 200 : Changes

    <i>[of course there are several conditions to be meet before you can control someone else lust, there are even cases in which you can''t do so]</i>

    Alex raised a brow when he heard the goddess''s exnation. "What are the conditions?" he inquired an instantter.

    <i>[There''s really no need for you to know about those conditions since you are far from being able to control someone else''s lust,] the goddess spoke dismissively.</i>

    ''Then why did you tell me this if you knew that you were going to refuse to tell the conditions?'' Alex''s lips twitched.

    <i>[So that you understand that what you attempted to do was dumb,] the goddess retorted. [Trying to control someone else''s lust, especially someone so iparably stronger than you, was not just dangerous; it could have very well killed you. I had to intervene, otherwise, you might actually be in a vegetative state.]</i>

    Alex sucked in a sharp breath when he heard the goddess of lust.

    ''Had to intervene? What did you do?'' he inquired after a moment.

    <i>[Forget it, just don''t try to do something like that until you are ready,] replied the goddess.</i>

    ''And how do I know that I''m ready?''

    <i>[When you can fully control your own lust. After all, it doesn''t make sense for you to be able to control someone else''s lust if you can''t control your own.]</i>

    ''Hm, it does strangely make sense,'' Alex nodded his head.

    <i>[What is strange here? it''s logical!]</i>

    ''Yeah, yeah, you are right. In any case, if the requirement is to be able to control my lust, then it will be eas-''

    <i>[No, it will be difficult, extremely so," the goddess interrupted him with an uncharacteristically serious tone. "Contrary to what you might be thinking, controlling your lust won''t be nearly as easy as you thought. For instance, just because you didn''t have sex for the past weeks, didn''t you literally pounce on your grandmother earlier? A grandmother that, if I recall correctly, you actually ran away from, saying that you didn''t want to involve yourself sexually with.]</i>

    Alex got silent, not having anything to retort.

    <i>[See? It''s not going to be easy. Plus, you might have noticed it, but after you began using the powers of the artifact to increase your own strength, your lust has been increasing by the day, right?] The goddess questioned, though by the sound of her voice, it was clear that she already knew the answer to her question.</i>

    Alex nodded his head, a serious expression on his face.

    <i>

    </i>

    <i>[It will continue; the more time passes, the more lustful you be. That''s what it means to carry the sin of lust.]</i>

    <i>[So, for your own good, begin to train yourself to resist your lust. But I''m not saying that you should stop doing perverted things; that willpletely destroy the purpose of  being the carrier of the sin of lust~]</i>

    With that, the voice of the goddess of lust faded from Alex''s mind, though he didn''t really notice, his thoughts consumed by contemtion.

    ''My lust is going to kee increasing?'' Alex pondered.

    The idea of him bing even more lustful than he already was was a little bit dreadful for Alex. As the goddess had said, just a few weeks of him not having sex had caused him to partly lose his mind, so his increasing lust wasn''t really a good thing for Alex as it might really cause him to lose his mind one day.

    "No, I will find a way to resist, I hope," he muttered to himself. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, prompting him to close his eyes and rest. However, at that moment, he felt a certain weight shifting on him.

    Opening his eyes, he nced down, only to see Lilia, who was apparently snuggling with him, slowly opening her eyes.

    Seeing that he didn''t even feel the weight of someone sleeping on him, Alex wondered if it was just Lilia who was light or if he was just too preupied with his thoughts to notice.

    "Hello beautiful," Alex smiled and gave Lilia a peck on her forehead.

    Lilia blinked, her expression one of confusion. After a moment of taking in her surroundings, she btedly realized where she was.

    "Hello to you too," she finally replied, leaning in to give Alex a peck on the lips.

    "How are you feeling? Are you hurt anywhere?" Alex asked.

    "No, I just feel really exhausted," Lilia answered as she ced her head on Alex''s shoulder.

    "I would feel surprised if you weren''t tired after the destruction you caused," Alex chuckled.

    "Destruction?" Lilia raised a brow in confusion. Then, the memories of her fight against Niya surfaced in her mind, and she suddenly sprang up, sitting on Alex''sp.

    "Zid! I can use Zid!" She eximed in an excited tone.

    "Zid? It rings a bell, but I can''t remember what it is," Alex wondered as he also sat up with Lilia still on hisp.

    "You don''t recall? I once told you about it years..."

    Lilia''s words trailed off, and she suddenly grabbed Alex''s face with both of her hands.

    "Umm, why are you suddenly holding my face?" Alex inquired.

    Lilia didn''t reply and stared deeply into his eyes. At some point, she moved her face closer to Alex''s until their faces were mere inches apart.

    As if that wasn''t enough, she widened Alex''s right eye with her fingers and peered deeply into it.

    "Your eyes color changed," she stated, "why is that?" She inquired.

    Hearing her, Alex would have raised a brow if he could. He was aware of the changes happening inside his body but waspletely clueless about his eyes changing color.

    "Here, take a look," Lilia handed him a mirror she pulled out of her space ring.

    "Heh, I''m still as handsome as ever," Alex remarked.

    Lilia rolled her eyes upon hearing her husband''s not-so-discreet self-praise.

    "Hmm, yes, the color of my eyes has indeed changed; now, they are silver," Alex contemted as he looked at himself in the mirror. "It must be due to the heart," he added, more to himself than to Lilia.

    "The heart? What heart?" Lilia tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

    "I will tell youter," Alex replied as he continued to admire himself in the mirror. "I have to say, this eye color suits me better than thest; I like it!"

    "Well, I''m sure Grace won''t share the same opinion," Lilia giggled.

    "Ah, now that you mention it, it''s true that the reason I''m her favorite is because of my hair and eye color," Alex smiled wryly.

    "Well, you should still be her favorite; after all, you still possess the same hair color as her, that should count," Lilia reassured.

    "True," Alex nodded, "well, it doesn''t matter; soon there will be another reason why I''m going to be her favorite," Alex grinned.

    "Oh, what is this reason?" Lilia looked at him curiously.

    "Let''s not get carried away; I will tell youter. For now, tell me about this Zid you spoke of..."

    Alex''s words trailed, and this time, it was his turn to suddenly grab Lilia''s face.

    With his hands on her cheeks, he moved her face from right to left, scrutinizing it.

    "If it''s payback for earlier, I''m sowwy," Lilia said in a muffled tone, her voice slightly yful.

    "No, it''s not that," Alex said as he let go of Lilia''s face.

    "You look younger," he stated as he tilted his head from left to right, examining her face from every angle. "Yup, you''ve definitely be younger."

    Alex wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer until their faces were inches apart. "Younger and as beautiful as the first time we met," he murmured softly.

    Lilia blushed slightly but then pinched him at the waist.

    "Hey! What was that for?!" Alex eximed, feeling a sharp pain.

    "''Younger and as beautiful as the first time we met.'' Does that mean I wasn''t beautiful when I appeared older?" Lilia asked sweetly, though the coldness in her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

    "Then I retire what I sai��" Alex started to say before yelping as Lilia pinched him again.

    "So I''m not beautiful right now?" she teased.

    "Woman, what do you want, goddamnit!" Alex eximed in exasperation.

    "Haha, I''m joking. Thanks for thepliment," Lilia giggled.

    "For your information, hurting someone is not considered a joke!" Alex said as he rubbed his waist. "Anyway, what''s up with that Zid thing?" he inquired.

    "Ah, yes, if you recall..." Lilia then proceeded to narrate to Alex what she knew about Zid.

    When she finished, Alex whistled in astonishment, "This Zid thing sounds amazing. So, did you manage to control it?"

    "Yes, when that woman poisoned me and I was on the verge of death-"

    "Wait, when you were what?"

 Chapter 201 : Every single one of them

    Chapter 201 : Every single one of them

    "Wait, when were you what?" Alex asked in a disbelieving tone.

    Suddenly, he felt like an idiot. He had been thinking that Lilia was having "fun" during her fight, only to learn right now that she nearly lost her life.

    However, the anger he felt towards himself was nothingpared to the dreadful  thought that he had nearly lost his wife.

    ''Why would I have said to the girls if this happened?'' Alex pondered, feeling a little lightheaded.

    Suddenly he was feeling that he shouldn''t have saved Niya; she had nearly taken his wife from him, yet he stupidly saved her from death''s clutch.

    ''No, it''s good that I saved her, now I can tortur-''

    "Ohh, don''t be so dramatic," Lilia said in a serious tone, "you know that there is always the risk of death in a fight."

    "Believe me, if I had the slightest doubt that you might lose your life, then I would have never allowed you to go fight alone," Alex replied with an expression as serious as Lilia''s.

    "Then thank the gods that you overestimated me; it seems that beating you up had served me in the end," Lilia giggled.

    "More seriously though, it''s good that you didn''te early and interrupt the fight; otherwise, there are chances that I wouldn''t have been able to control Zid. It was this near-death experience that helped me realize what wascking in myprehension of Zid," Lilia said with a beaming smile on her face.

    "Is that so?" Alex raised a brow.

    "Yes, paradoxically, nearly dying helped me realize that Zid is all about life!" Lilia eximed, her smile widening.

    "Life?"

    "Yes, life! Zid is the life force, it''s the energy that sustains life, and being able to control it was just incredible!" Lilia shouted happily.

    And then Lilia went on and on about how Zid was the energy that drives everyone and how, from her point of view, it was better than even mana. Without her realizing it, she had be a little bit fanatical about Zid, much like the author of the book that introduced Zid to her.

    "I... understand," Alex nodded, though truthfully he wasn''t grasping a single thing. Nheless, he continued to listen as his wife went on and on about Zid.

    ''I have never seen her like this,'' Alex smiled fondly.

    Even after spending years with her, Alex had never seen Lilia this excited about anything. The only time that came close to her current excitement was their wedding day, but even then, she wasn''t chirping as much as she was right now.

    Currently, she looked like a kid who had just discovered a treasure, a stark contrast to her usually mature demeanor.

    Seeing her like this, Alex seemed to fall in love with her once again.

    Wrapping his arms around her waist, Alex pulled her closer and pressed his lips against hers, something that surprised Lilia.

    She was in the middle of talking about Zid when suddenly she was being kissed, though it''s not like she didn''t like it.

    She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

    Before long, their tongues were engaged in a battle for dominance, coiling around each other as husband and wife shared a sloppy kiss, causing slurping sounds to fill the carriage.

    After a while, Alex finally pulled his face away from hers, though his arms still firmly encircled her waist.

    "What was that for?" Lilia wondered.

    "You just looked so cute, I couldn''t resist," Alex said honestly.

    Hearing his words, Lilia''s cheeks flushed pink, and she smiled sweetly.

    She looked so cute that Alex couldn''t help but kiss her again. Simultaneously, he felt his penis hardening.

    Anh~

    Lilia let out a soft moan as Alex''s hard cock brushed against her pussy, sending shivers down her spine.

    Breaking the kiss, Alex grinned at Lilia and said, "Hey, how about we have another one?"

    "Another one? Wha-" Lilia''s eyes slightly widened as she grasped his meaning.

    "Where did thate from?" She wondered, her expression baffled. They had just been talking about Zid, and now he was suggesting they have another child?

    "Well, I was thinking that maybe we could expand our family," Alex said, a smile tugging at his lips. "The girls are all grown up now, and I''ve been longing for another little one or several others to fill the house."

    ''Now that I think about it, I miss the twins,'' Alex sighed internally.

    The twins were actually his youngest daughters that he had with Iris.

    "You already have so many children, why would you want others?" Lilia inquired curiously.

    "We can never have too much child," Alex grinned, ''though, she is right, I already have eight daughters, that''s quite a lot,'' Alex added internally.

    ''Now that I think about it, should I spill the beans about Iris and my other daughters?'' Alex pondered.

    He''d be lying if he said he wasn''t a little afraid of her reaction when he dropped the bombshell about his four other daughters with another woman. Lilia had given the green light for him to have other women, but the Iris situation was a whole different ball game, considering their rtionship spanned even before Lilia "approval" of him being with others women.

    Lilia was someone understanding, but still, hearing that your husband cheated on you would make even an understanding woman feel a mix of hurt, betrayal, and doubt.

    ''Tsk, it''s all because of that previous fool why I''m in this situation,'' he thought, as if this "fool" didn''t represent a significant part of his current self.

    Summoning his courage, Alex locked eyes with Lilia and said, "Now that we''re on the topic of kids, there''s something I need to get off my chest."

    "What is it?" Lilia asked, a strange smile tugging at her lips.

    "I actually have four other daughters with another woman," Alex revealed as he shifted ufortably in his seat.

    "Oh, who''s the mother?" Lilia inquired, the smile on her face still intact.

    "Iris," Alex muttered, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness as he swallowed hard.

    "The wife of your friend?!" Lilia eximed in shock, "wait, you only met her after we got married, which means..." Lilia''s words trailed off as realization dawned upon her.

    Suddenly, Lilia''s gaze turned icy, and a suffocating pressure rolled off of her like a tidal wave.

    "So you cheated on me," she stated in a cold, unforgiving tone.

    Alex stiffly nodded his head, and the next instant, he yelped in pain as an intense sensation erupted from his abdomen.

    He boasted a high defense stat, yet despite that, he felt a sharp pain coursing through him after Lilia''s punch.

    "Ouch, what was-"

    "''What was that for?'' Is that what you were about to say?" Lilia questioned in a cold tone.

    "You, my dear husband, cheated on me with another woman, the wife of your friend to be precise, and had four children with her, which means that you actually had a lot of sexual encounters with her. And you have the gall to ask me why I''m punching you? You should actually be d that I''m currently feeling weak, otherwise I would be beating the living crap out of you, you bastard!" Lilia said with a pissed expression.

    Alex gulped hard, his eyes widening in shock as he beheld the enraged expression on Lilia''s face. Truth be told, he had never seen her this angry before. She usually kept her emotions under control, but now, her fury was unmistakable, and it sent a shiver down his spine.

    Alex began sweating profusely as the situation wasn''t going the way he thought it would. He had expected Lilia to be angry, but not this angry!

    As Alex''s mind raced to find something to say to appease his wife, anything at all, Lilia suddenly burst intoughter, the pressure emanating from her dissipating as if it were mere air.

    Alex blinked, feeling extremely confused.

    "That''s how you thought I would react, huh?" Lilia grinned at him after a long while ofughing alone like a maniac.

    Seeing the expression on Alex''s face that practically screamed ''what the hell is going on here?!'', Lilia chuckled, ced her hands on his shoulders, and dropped a bomb.

    "Dear, I already know about your rtionship with Iris and that you are the actual father of her daughters."

    At that instant, Alex''s brain short-circuited.

    "Hey, stay with me," Lilia yfully smacked his hand to awaken him, a funny expression on her face.

    A long while passed before Alex''s gaze finally focused once again, but then his eyes opened wide. "H-How?" was all he managed to utter.

    "Heh, it''s cute that you actually thought I had no idea about your sexual escapades," Lilia chuckled.

    "Your rtionship with Iris, your affairs with Seris, your flings with Rosalind, and your liaisons with Verda, I knew about every. Single. One. Of. Them."

 Chapter 202 : Revelations (1)

    Chapter 202 : Revtions (1)

    "Your rtionship with Iris, your affairs with Seris, your flings with Rosalind, and your liaisons with Verda, I knew about every. Single. One. Of. Them," Lilia uttered each word with deliberate emphasis, driving her point home like a series of blows from a hammer on a nail.

    As those words reached his ears, Alex''s mind spun as the shock overwhelmed him.

    Much like Iris, Seris, Rosalind, and Verda were women with whom he had cheated on Lilia.

    Verda and Seris were women with whom he had rtionships while they still lived in the city of Vivante, located at the heart of the Eswald territory where each patriarch of the family resides. Meanwhile, Rosalind was the former head maid of Alex''s mansion, preceding Anna.

    Keen to keep his adventures hidden from his wife, Alex took every precaution, meeting these women in secret, sometimes traveling great distances just to see them. Yet now, faced with the revtion that Lilia was aware of everything, he realized his efforts had been futile.

    Forcing himself to calm down, Alex mulled over the situation. ''If she knew and never said anything or left me, I guess nothing will change right now. But how did she know?!!'' he wondered.

    Rosalind, he could deduce, despite his efforts to keep things discreet. With her proximity, Alex found it difficult to resist temptation, sometimes giving in to impulses in locations where they ran the risk of being caught. And then there was also Alice, with her God''s eyes, she could have saw what he might be doing with Rosalind and snitch on him.

    He wouldn''t put it past that little creep to do something like that.

    However, things were different with the other three women. Lilia shouldn''t have been able to know about them, and he actually couldn''t think of how she managed to find out about his rtionships with them.

    Instead of just wasting his time to think of a problem he obviously couldn''t solve, he decided that it was better to ask her directly.

    Looking into the captivating scarlet eyes of Lilia, he asked, his voice barely a murmur, "how did you know about my involvement with these fours?"

    "It''s a secret," Lilia said with a yful smile. "But you should know, there''s nothing you do or have done that I don''t know about," she added, maintaining the same smile.

    "...."

    "...."

    A strange silence enveloped the carriage as Alex and Lilia locked eyes with each other.

    "That sounded he creepy," Alex remarked.

    "Yeah, that didn''te out as I intended," Lilia nodded in agreement.

    The couple stared at each other for a moment before bursting intoughter.

    "So why didn''t you say anything, even when you knew I was with other women?" Alex questioned in a much calmer and lighthearted tone.

    "Well, your mother did warn me that something like that might happen," Lilia shrugged nonchntly.

    "Wait, what?" Alex looked at Lilia incredulously.

    "It happened just before our wedding..."

    ****

    Eighteen years earlier, just a few days before Alex and Lilia''s wedding.

    "Thank you, Rosalind," Ava said as she graciously picked up the cup of tea ced before her. "You can leave us alone," she instructed.

    Rosalind, a stunning beauty with midnight blue hair and eyes, and a voluptuous figure dressed in a maid uniform, bowed to Ava and exited the room, casting a contemptuous nce at Lilia before she left.

    Lilia noticed the maid''s re but chose not to react, focusing instead on her soon-to-be mother-inw.

    "I apologize for leaving you to handle the wedding preparations. There was something I needed to deal with," Ava said apologetically as she sipped her tea.

    "You don''t have to apologize, I understand, and Amelia, Talia, Celine, and Marina helped me a lot with the preparations," Lilia smiled as she lifted the cup of tea before her.

    She stared at the golden-brown liquid in her cup with a cautious look and reluctantly brought it to her lips.

    For some unknown reason, the maid who had just left seemed seemed to hate her guts, so Lilia wasn''t entirely trusting of the tea she had brought. However, seeing Ava drink from the same tea, she concluded that Rosalind must not have poisoned it.

    ''Oh, this tastes delicious,'' Lilia eximed, her scarlet eyes lighting up with amazement as she savored the tea.

    "d to hear that the girls helped," Ava smiled. "Where are the little ones?" she inquired a secondter.

    "They''ve been begging all week to go to the amusement park, so Alex took them there," Lilia replied, her face beaming with a big smile.

    "Speaking of him," Ava said, her expression turning serious, "in a few days, you''ll be marrying my son, so I suppose I should give you a warning."

    Lilia arched a brow and set down her cup of tea. "A warning? About what?" she inquired.

    "I''m not sure if you''re aware, but my son has a certain... tendency to be a womanizer," Ava said with a concerned expression.

    "That''s what I''ve heard," Lilia replied calmly, her demeanorposed despite the unsettling revtion.

    "If that''s the case, then I suppose you understand where I''ming from," Ava sighed. "I can''t say for certain if it will happen, but there''s a possibility that even after your wedding, he might engage in extramarital rtionships with other women. It doesn''t necessarily mean he doesn''t love you anymore; it''s just..."

    "His nature?"

    "I wouldn''t go as far as to say that it''s ingrained in his nature, but you understand what I mean," Ava rified. "Are youfortable with that?"

    "Well, it doesn''t really matter," Lilia shrugged.

    "Why is that?" Ava inquired, raising a brow.

    "As long as he still loves me and my daughters, he can be sexually active with anyone, I don''t really care about that," Lilia answered. "Though I won''t openly express this to him; I''d prefer he doesn''t make a habit of chasing after other women," Lilia chuckled softly.

    "I suppose that settles it," Ava said, rising from her seat. "Come on, let''s go. We have a wedding to prepare for."

    ****

    Back to present

    "I can''t believe it," Alex eximed, facepalming in disbelief. "My own mother thought I would be cheating on my wife," he muttered incredulously.

    "Was she wrong though?" Lilia questioned.

    "No," Alex sighed heavily. "I suppose she was right."

    Lilia giggled yfully, "Well, if it helps, yousted longer than I expected before starting to chase after other women."

    "No, it doesn''t. It actually makes me feel like a scumbag," Alex admitted.

    "Haha..." Lilia giggled once again, herughter echoing melodiously through the carriage.

    After a moment, she ceasedughing and adopted a curious expression. "Since you finally came clean about Iris and her daughters, I''ve been meaning to ask: where are they? They suddenly vanished, and no one knows where they are."

    Alex stiffened briefly before taking a deep breath and sighing. ''I suppose I should tell her what happened.''

    "You remember that I told you it was Felix and I who found the lust artifact, right?" Alex began, his voice tinged with hesitation.

    "Uh-huh," Lilia responded, her curiosity piqued.

    "Then you should know that after that..." Alex began to recount to Lilia the events that unfolded after they found the artifact.

    He started by describing how they divided the treasure found in the treasury, with him taking possession of the artifact of lust while Felix imed everything else. Alex then narrated how Felix, after depleting his own share, attempted to reim the artifact, which actually led the bastard to try killing him, though, Alex lied and said that Felix failed his murder attempt and that''s why he was alive.

    He wasn''t ready to tell her that the current him is a fusion of the previous Alex and someone named Jack from another world, and it remained doubtful if he will ever tell about this fact.

    The more he spoke, the more Lilia''s demeanor shifted. Her once curious expression slowly gave way to an icy coldness, recing any trace of warmth from her face.

    By the time he was rying the news about Iris and his daughters being ensnared in a cursed forest by Felix, a stifling Killing intent permeated the carriage.

    The killing intent emanating from Lilia was so dense that it was almost palpable.

    Unbeknownst to her, she inadvertently tapped into the remnants of Zid that she could still use, unleashing a surge of energy that filled the carriage with immense pressure.

    Fortunately for Alex, neither the killing intent nor the pressureing from his wife was targeted at him. However, despite this,rge beads of sweat formed on his forehead simply due to his presence in the tense atmosphere.

    His anger and reaction when he thought Niya almost killed his wife paled inparison to the overwhelming reaction Lilia was experiencing.

    The pressure emanating from Lilia was such that a few secondster, the metal and wood of the carriage groaned under the strain, and...

    <i>Crack</i>

 Chapter 203 : Revelations (2)

    Chapter 203 : Revtions (2)

    <i>Crack</i>

    A cracking sound reverberated inside the carriage as a line of fissure appeared along its once pristine surface, a testament to the chilling killing intent of Lilia and the unleashing of her Zid.

    As this was going on, Alex could hear the pegasi outside, their panicked cries filling the air with a sense of urgency and agitation, prompting him to intervene and stop Lilia.

    "Hey, hey, calm down, or you might destroy the carriage," he urged softly, his hands tenderly cradling her cheeks.

    His gesture appeared to jolt Lilia back to reality, causing her to retract her murderous intent. Momentster, she slumped against Alex''s shoulder.

    Shortly after, Alex felt a surge of mana seep into the carriage, washing over them.

    ''It must be grandma checking on us,'' Alex remarked.

    A few secondster, the mana slowly retracted, leaving the couple alone once again.

    "Haa...haa...haa," Lilia breathed raggedly as sweat poured over her face.

    The use of Zid while she was already in a weakened state caused her to almost pass out once again as the strain on her body was too much, yet she didn''t care about that; her eyes remained cold.

    She was currently thinking of millions of ways to kill Felix, of course, after spending a long time torturing him.

    Lilia absolutely abhorred traitors; the mere mention of one filled her with profound disgust, igniting a fierce fury within her.

    Knowing that, one could only be happy for Alex that Lilia didn''t actually consider his cheating as a betrayal; otherwise, only the gods know what might have happened to him.

    When she considered that the betrayal was directed at Alex, her husband, her anger red up again.

    No one knew the ce he held in her heart; perhaps even Alex didn''t fully grasp how important he was to Lilia.

    Besides being the love of her life and her husband, Alex was also the one who had kept Lilia going when she had almost sumbed to depression afterpletely losing her powers. He also took care of her daughters, considering them as his own and raising them as such. Just for that, he was an indispensable person in her life and in the lives of her daughters. He had his ws, but who was perfect?

    Much like Alex didn''t know what he would have said to the girls if their mother were to pass away, Lilia also had no idea what she would say to the girls if their father had sumbed.

    The worst part was that if he hadn''t survived, it might have taken them days, perhaps even weeks, before they found out he was dead. And that''s assuming she used her tracking method; otherwise, it might have taken them much longer, or they might never have found his body at all!

    Fighting against the deep bone fatigue she was feeling, Lilia pushed her body away from Alex''s and red at him. "Why didn''t you mention this sooner?!"

    Witnessing her angry expression, Alex could only offer a wry smile. "I didn''t want to worry you about something that''s already happened, and..." His expression turned serious. "I reserve the right to be the one to destroy that son of a bitch, and I don''t want you or someone else getting involved and stealing my kill."

    Lilia stared at him for a while before speaking. "You still should have said something, and..." She shed him a cold smile. "I don''t think killing just that bastard is enough. We need to eradicate his whole family; they''re all bastards to begin with."

    "Woah, calm down," Alex chuckled. "We''ll eliminate anyone connected to the attempt on my life and those involved in the old man''s death, but no one else. We don''t want to harm innocents for something they didn''t do."

    Lilia''s eyes narrowed, seemingly reluctant; it appeared as though she wouldn''t be satisfied until she had truly eradicated Felix''s entire family.

    After a moment, she sighed with resignation. "Okay, we won''t take action against those who weren''t involved," she said, then fell silent before asking, "So, what happened to Iris and her daughters?"

    "...."

    "Sorry, I kind of zoned out when you mentioned you almost died," Lilia said, scratching her head with a sheepish smile.

    "Sigh, I mentioned that they were being held in the Dndal forest. That''s what the other bastard told me. Back then, he thought I would die, so I suppose there was no reason for him to lie to me, so it must be true, Iris and the girls are there."

    Lilia immediately stiffened at the mention of the Dndal forest.

    "Yes, I understand. Saving them is going to be difficult," Alex acknowledged, having guessed what Lilia was thinking.

    As previously exined, Dndal was a cursed forest, but beyond that, it was one of the most perilous ces on the Imperion continent, rivaling, if not exceeding, the danger posed by the pocket dimension portal that opened every two years in the Elysian mountains, rumored to contain treasures capable of enhancing one''s soul''s power.

    The reason this forest was feared and avoided by all was due to the impossibility of escape once entered. It was as if a mystical barrier encased the perimeter, preventing any exit. One could venture in, but never emerge from its depths.

    "Difficult is an understatement," Lilia shook her head. "I''m not sure if you''re aware, but Dndal is essentially a prison. It''s where the major powers of the continent send their most troublesome individuals or criminals they can''t handle. Once inside, they nevere out. That''s why the Dndal forest has be infested with the worst beings on this continent," Lilia exined.

    "I already knew that," Alex replied. "That''s why I didn''t attempt to rescue them. With my current strength, I''d probably be more of a hindrance than a help," he exined.

    "Did the elven race take any action?" Lilia inquired.

    "I don''t think they''re even aware of her disappearance, and even if they are, it''s doubtful they''ll do anything. Some of them might even feel it''s for the best," Alex sighed.

    Iris wasn''t an human, or rather, she wasn''t a full-fledged human. She was actually a half-elf, born from an elf father and a human mother, but she wasn''t any half-elf as her father was the actual king of elves.

    It might seem great that she is the daughter of a king, but it''s actually the opposite. For the elves, a race where the only type of rtionship that existed was monogamous, the king himself having a child with another woman, a human to boot, was considered a disgrace. That''s why the majority of the royal court dislikes Iris.

    Even her own father didn''t show much emotion towards her, as she was considered his shame. That''s why he didn''t hesitate to unceremoniously use her as a political tool between his kingdom and the Fiore Empire.

    That''s how Iris ended up bing part of the ckwood ducal family as an inw. But since the ckwood family wasn''t actually fond of her, they arranged her marriage to Felix ckwood, the family''s ck sheep.

    Since the elves already disliked Iris, they were quite content with this arrangement and never bothered to check on her. It was even doubtful if the king, her father, knew that she had given birth to four children.

    "Well, Iris is at level 6, so she might be able to protect herself and her daughters for some time at least. Still, we should quickly find a way to bring them back from there," Lilia suggested, her tone tinged with urgency.

    "We?" Alex raised a brow.

    "Yes, we," Lilia nodded firmly, "Iris''s daughters are your daughters, so they''re your family, and your family is my family," Lilia affirmed.

    ''It does seem to make sense in a sort of odd way,'' Alex thought to himself, ''in any case...''

    Alex leaned closer and pressed his lips against Lilia''s. After breaking the kiss, he murmured, "Thanks for being so understanding."

    "Hehe, am I not the best wife ever?" Lilia chuckled, a yful glint in her eyes.

    Alex chuckled and kissed her again, "Absolutely," he murmured against her lips.

    At that moment, two voices sounded outside of the carriage.

    "The best wife huh?"

 Chapter 204 : Troublesome

    Chapter 204 : Troublesome

    "The best wife, huh?" Two voices echoed outside the carriage. A momentter, the door swung open, revealing two stunning beauties on the other side.

    "So she''s the best wife huh?" Amelia questioned with a raised brow.

    Anna didn''t say anything, but she had the same expression on her face as Amelia.

    "That''s the perks of being the first wife, sorrydies," Lilia said, shing a grin while raising her hand in the peace sign gesture.

    Amelia and Anna raised a brow in surprise at Lilia reply, ''She seems to have slightly changed.''

    Lilia appeared happier than usual, and that simple gesture of hers was evidence enough.

    Unbeknownst to them, a hidden burden had weighed heavily on Lilia''s heart throughout the passing years. It stemmed from her loss of powers and the stagnation in her training in Zid. However, with her recent breakthrough in the control of Zid, that burden seemed to have vanished, or at the very least, lightened significantly.

    "So, how''s everything going?" Alex inquired, swiftly changing the subject.

    "Before we get into that, how are you feeling? And what happened back there? Grace refused to give us any details, just mentioned that you fainted," Anna asked in an even tone, though Alex could sense an underlying worry in her voice.

    ''It would be surprising if she disclosed what actually happened,'' Alex chuckled internally.

    "Nothing happened, I just fainted due to overexertion," he lied through his teeth.

    He did want to say the truth to his wives, but he was certain that Grace could probably overhear them, so he refrained from saying the whole story.

    "See, you should have let me support you; you wouldn''t have ended up so exhausted," Anna lightly scolded.

    Alex grinned and drew Anna closer.

    She didn''t hesitate, granting him permission to proceed with his intentions.

    Alex brushed his lips against hers, nting a gentle kiss. "Apologies, I''ll heed your advice next time."

    "You better, otherwise..." Anna''s words trailed as a frown appeared on her adorable face.

    "Your eye color changed?" She asked, her tone filled with curiosity.

    When they met in the circr room, Alex was wearing a smoke mask, and since he couldn''t conceal the true color of his eyes like he could with his hair, Alex''s mask didn''t have a visor, so the girls couldn''t notice the changes then.

    "His eye color changed?!" Anna heard two shouts from behind her.

    Before she could do anything, she was flung aside by Amelia and Grace.

    Each of them grabbed one of Alex''s cheeks and peered deeply into his silver eyes. As seconds passed, the expressions on the faces of the grandmother and granddaughter twisted in displeasure.

    Witnessing their reactions, Alex scratched his head with a wry smile, pondering, ''But why does Sis look sad?'' he wondered.

    While he could understand Grace''s disappointment, as it wasn''t a secret that she particrly liked him for sharing the same hair and eye color, he couldn''t fathom why Amelia also wore a sour expression as she gazed into his eyes. She had never expressed any fondness for his eye color before.

    "They really changed color; they''re no longer gray," both Amelia and Grace mumbled with rotten expressions.

    Both of them released Alex''s face and slumped onto the seats across from him. "How did this happen?" they asked simultaneously.

    ''It''s the first time I see them so in sync,'' Alex chuckled internally.

    "I also want to know," Lilia chimed in as she rose from Alex''sp, allowing him to sitfortably and then she settled to his right.

    "I''m also curious," Anna remarked as she took a seat on Alex''s left side.

    Alex wrapped his arms around the waists of both Lilia and Anna, pulling them closer until their chests were pressed against his bare torso. "Much better," he smiled, relishing the softness of their breasts against him.

    Amelia, seated across from them, clicked her tongue in envy, but refrained from taking any action. It wasn''t wise to attempt to get too close to her brother while their grandmother was present, as she might deduce the true nature of their rtionship.

    This caused Amelia''s already sour expression to worsen.

    "There isn''t really much exining to do," Alex shrugged. "Inside what I thought was the second treasury of the base, I found a pitch-ck heart in a chest. Before I could react, the ck heart shot into my chest, enhancing my body, mind, and soul. It''s probably the cause of the change in my eye color. That''s it."

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    "I know, I know, it sounds like bullshit, but an unknown ck heart really did invade my body," Alex said after a moment.

    "So this ck heart is currently inside your body?" Amelia inquired.

    "That''s the shocking thing here; there''s no second heart in my chest, or any other part of my body for that matter. It''s as if��no, it''s not as if��this heart practically disappeared once it entered my body. If it wasn''t for the enhancements I received, I would really begin to doubt if it wasn''t an illusion," Alex chuckled. "Has anyone of you ever heard of something like that?" he inquired, particrly looking at Grace.

    She was the oldest here and imed to have seen so much that not even the Lust Artifact truly shocked her, so he thought she was the most likely to have information about it. Unfortunately, much like the others, Grace shook her head.

    "Never heard of a heart or any living organ able to enhance someone''s strength," Grace stated.

    "Then I''ll try to find out myself what that thing was," Alex retorted. He already had a starting point for his investigation, and it was the Night organization. He just needed to locate one of their bases, and with some luck, there might be information about the other bases in the treasure he obtained from their treasury.

    "Forget it," Alex waved his hand, "tell me, how are things going with our news subordinates ?" Alex inquired.

    "Well, after we brought the carriage down, Amelia checked on them to see if there was anything wrong, fortunately, none of them seem wounded or sick. After that, we divided them into groups, and they are currently waiting for the food Anita is cooking," Anna reported.

    "Anita is cooking? I thought you would be the one to do so," Alex remarked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

    "She insisted, iming that she was a good cook," Anna shrugged.

    "Anita? New recruits?" Lilia looked at the two of them curiously.

    "Ah yes, I forgot to inform you. You see, after I found your unconscious body..." Alex then proceeded to exin to Lilia what had happened.

    "So we gained a bunch of new recruits, each of them at least at level 1, that''s good," Lilia remarked after Alex recounted everything that had happened to her. "But what do you intend to do with these new recruits?"

    "I''m also curious about that," Grace added, her tone reflecting genuine interest.

    "I n on training them as soldiers, but fighting isn''t for everyone," Alex exined. "There are bound to be some among them who either can''t fight or are better suited for something else. Those individuals will be directed to another field." Meanwhile, his hand subtly moved and lightly squeezed Anna''s plump butt, yfully teasing her.

    ''What is he doing right now?'' Anna wondered with a speechless expression as she felt Alex fondling her butt while they were sitting just in front of his grandmother!

    ''Heh, don''t look at me like that. I know that the exhibitionist you are probably likes it,'' Alex thought when Anna red at him.

    He really enjoyed teasing that wife of his because of her reaction, but he also liked the feeling of her soft butt, so it was a double pleasure for him.

    In the end, Anna could only shake her head and try her best to concentrate on the conversation while her buttocks were being yed with.

    "Where do you n to keep them, though?" Grace inquired. "I don''t have to tell you, but both cities under our possession are heavily monitored by either the main branch or the imperial family. Bringing in such arge influx of people, each of them at least level 1, is going to arouse suspicion."

    Although the power, resources, and other assets their branches had ess to were not as abundant as before, the emperor and the current patriarch were still very wary of their branch''s activities. They were closely monitoring everything happening inside and outside of their territories, and they surely wouldn''t overlook a convoy of carriages containing hundreds of people entering either city.

    ''Tsk, it''s going to be troublesome.''

 Chapter 205 : Planning

    Chapter 205 : nning

    ''Tsk, it''s going to be troublesome,'' Alex rubbed his face, feeling another headacheing his way.

    As he contemted ways to circumvent city surveince, his hand, ced firmly on Anna''s buttocks, persisted in its actions, caressing and asionally giving a subtle squeeze.

    "He doesn''t even appear to be doing it consciously now, it''s as if it''s the most natural thing in the world,Anna thought to herself, rendered speechless as she observed Alex, seemingly lost in contemtion.

    "Any idea on how to proceed?" Alex asked a long moment.

    "Well, we can slip a handful of them in discreetly, perhaps a few at a time; it might take a few days to weeks depending on which of the two cities you intend to leave them in," Grace suggested.

    "Depending on the city?" Alex raised a brow.

    "Yes, although Tohona is our most flourishing city, it still isn''t as heavily monitored as Zindal. So if you intend to take them there, we can sneak everyone in a matter of days. If you want to take them to Zindal, however, it will take longer," Grace exined.

    "Is it because you live in Zindal that it''s heavily monitored?" Anna inquired.

    "Yep, I guess they see me as a menace," Grace chuckled.

    ''It''s not just that they perceive you as a menace, you are a menace,'' Alex thought internally.

    At mid level 7, Grace was as strong as the dukes of the empire, and depending on their tiers, she might even surpass them in strength.

    In each level, there were four tiers: the low tier, the middle tier, the high tier, and the peak tier.

    The peak tier represents individuals who are extremely close to advancing to the next level, while those in the low tier are the ones who are the furthest away from leveling up.

    The different tiers of a level are :

    1~30% away from the next level : low tier

    31~60% away from the next level : middle tier

    61~90% away from the next level : high tier

    91~100% away from the next level : peak tier

    For instance, Alex, with his 85 mana points (850 in reality), is in the high tier and is nearing the peak of level 4.

    For a normal person, not like Alex, who can increase his level with just a thought if he wanted to, progressing from a low tier to a higher one takes a lot of time. One''s body needs to get limated to the mana absorbed through the mana core before attempting to absorb more. Otherwise, as exined earlier, your body might explode.

    Considering that the highest level in the Fiore empire is seven, Grace who was at the middle tier level 7 was a force to reckon and a genuine threat, especially if you framed and  killed her son. That''s why the emperor was heavily monitoring Zindal and sometimes even used absurd reason to keep her from getting out of Zindal.

    However, even the imperial family''s scrutiny paled inparison to the vignt monitoring by the current patriarch of the Eswald family and that was for the simple reason that currently, Grace was stronger than anyone in the entirety of the Eswald family!

    Thest time Alex had seen the man, he was at the middle tier of level 6, which was quite impressive, butpared to Grace''s strength, he might as well be a mere child in a yground.

    Unfortunately, Grace couldn''t act rashly and simply eliminate him, as the man still held the title of duke within the empire. Moreover, being the emperor''spdog, he was afforded level 7 guards for protection.

    "So, is taking these people to Tohona a better option than Zindal?" Lilia inquired.

    "If your goal is to sneak troops, then yes, Tohona is better, but..." Grace''s words trailed off, a deep scowl appearing on her face.

    "But?"

    "Tohona is under Victoria''s governance," Grace spat with venom in her voice.

    As a reminder, Victoria Evernight is the second wife of Alex''s grandfather, and for some reason, she and Grace harbored an intense dislike for each other.

    "Oh, I didn''t know that," Alex remarked.

    "How would you know if you skip all the family meetings or never listen even when you are present?" Lilia looked at him, an expression of amusement on her face.

    "Cough, cough, I guess that''s my fault for not knowing then," Alex smiled wryly, before refocusing his attention on Grace. "So, what if Victoria is the governor of Tohona?"

    "I don''t trust that witch!" Grace eximed.

    Hearing her, Alex could only shake his head. To him, Victoria wasn''t a bad person. Despite her disdain for Grace, she never directed that animosity towards him or his sister. For that reason alone, he respected the woman.

    ''But then, I don''t know her as much as Grace, so I might be wrong,'' Alex thought.

    "If you didn''t trust her, then why did you let her be the governor of Tohona? You were the head of the branch at that time," he said after a moment.

    "Well, people were already dissatisfied with how I became the head of the branch to begin with. If I had tried to force someone of my choosing to be the governor of Tohona, things might have gone bad," Grace exined.

    As a reminder, Grace became the head of the branch by beating anyone who didn''t ept her as the new head to a pulp.

    "We don''t really need to trust her, right? We can just make her sign a contract," Anna said.

    "Believe me, young one, if that witch decides to betray us, even a soul contract won''t stop her," Grace said.

    Alex paused for a moment before speaking, "I will arrange a meeting with Victoriater to assess if we can trust her. However, since I can''t do so at the moment, we''ll have to proceed with taking the troops to Zindal."

    "Good choice, but as I have said, it will take time to sneak everyone inside Zindal," Grace said.

    "I can actually help with sneaking them inside," Anna suddenly offered. "Since the level of these people doesn''t exceed level 2, I can use my ability to render us invisible. That way, we can enter the city unnoticed."

    "Ah, I almost forgot about that," Alex acknowledged, turning his gaze towards Anna. "Yes, we can proceed with that n, but..." He looked at Anna. "It also means that you won''t be able to apany us to the Drazen family auction."

    Anna smiled and shook her head gently. "I was never intended to attend the auction in the first ce. I merely apanied you because you needed my scouting ability for the rescue mission."

    "Still, I wanted us to go together," Alex admitted with a slightly wistful tone, his gaze lingering on Anna.

    Unfortunately for him, he didn''t even have time to digest this when Lilia also voiced her departure.

    "What, you too?"

    "Yes, after my recent breakthrough, I need to resume my training and consolidate my foundation, something that I can''t do if I''m traveling with you. I''m sorry," Lilia exined apologetically.

    "I...understand."

    Alex would be lying if he said he wasn''t a bit sad. It''s true that the original n he had in mind was to rescue Cedrix''s daughter with the girls and then send them all back to the mansion while he continued his journey to the Drazen.

    However, he had grown fond of journeying with his wives. Though he couldn''t make love to them unfortunately due to Cedrix''s presence, but it was still enjoyable.

    However, he wasn''t a child, even if he didn''t like the idea of separating with them, he understood why they needed to return, so he didn''t attempt to stop them from leaving.

    "I suppose it will just be the two of us, sis," Alex said to Amelia, who had been unusually quiet throughout the exchange, sitting across from them.

    Amelia made an acknowledging sound but remained silent.

    ''What''s with her?'' Alex wondered. Normally, Amelia would be over the moon at the thought of being his only wife to apany him, but she didn''t seem as ecstatic about the news, at least not as much as he thought she would be.

    "That''s settled," Grace dered. "I already have a location in mind that isn''t monitored, where we can safely leave the troops. At the first light of dawn, we will make our way to Zindal."

    "Aren''t you forgetting something?" Alex interjected, his brow furrowing as he nced around the group.

    "What?" Grace wondered.

    "To reach Zindal, you would have to pass by another baron''s territory. Such a sizable convoy won''t go unnoticed," Alex pointed out.

    "Wait a moment," Grace said, crossing one leg over the other as she retrieved a map from her space ring and studied it intently.

    "The territory we need to cross is governed by that old coot, Goldar," Grace remarked after a moment''s scrutiny. "If that''s the case, then you don''t need to worry. I''ll divert their attention elsewhere until we''

    ve safely crossed theirnd."

    "If you say so, then I don''t have anything to add," Alex shrugged.

    "Then-"

    <i>Knock Knock</i>

    <i>

    </i>

    <i>

    </i>

 Chapter 206 : Getting caught

    Chapter 206 : Getting caught

    <i>Knock Knock</i>

    "What is it, Anita?" Alex inquired, his attention drawn by the knocking sound.

    Anita, who was on the other side of the door, gasped in surprise. She didn''t think they knew someone was here, much less that it was her.

    What she didn''t know was that everyone here sensed her way before she approached the carriage. It''s just that since they didn''t feel any ill will, they knew that the oneing couldn''t being to harm them. Not like someone could harm them with Grace present anyway.

    Anita calmed her wildly beating heart and answered, "I just wanted to warn you that the meal is ready and the others are already eating."

    ''We''re already finished here, so it''s fine to go out and eat. I''m kind of starving myself,'' Alex thought.

    "Thanks for warning us; we''lle in a bit," Alex replied.

    Anita nodded and hurriedly moved away from the carriage.

    "Was that Cedrix''s daughter? She sounded...tense?" Lilia remarked.

    "It''s probably because of him," Anna pointed at Alex, "he proposed to marry her, and since then, she''s been very on edge around him."

    "Proposed to her?" Lilia nced at Alex with a stunned expression. "Damn, he''s fast," she mumbled under her breath.

    Alex chuckled upon hearing Lilia''s words. "It''s nothing like that. I just proposed to her as a way for her to thank me for rescuing her. It was just harmless teasing; I didn''t expect the girl to ept."

    "So she''s someone who''s easily teased?" Lilia inquired.

    ''Was that the only thing you retained from what he said?'' the three other women inside the carriage wondered, exchanging speechless expressions.

    "Oh, yes, very easily teased," Alex grinned at Lilia.

    "I see, interesting," Lilia nodded, a smile crossing her face.

    ''Poor woman, her suffering isn''t close to ending,'' Amelia and Anna thought.

    "Well, let''s go eat. I''m hungry," Alex dered as he removed his hands from around Lilia and Anna''s waists. Well, around Lilia''s waist, as his hand on Anna''s body was on her buttocks.

    "You''re not going out like that, right?" Anna asked, her tone incredulous.

    "Going how- oh, I see."

    Alex retrieved a white long-sleeve t-shirt from his space ring and put it on.

    "Much better," Anna nodded with a satisfied smile.

    "You should also change," she addressed Lilia, whose clothes were covered in blood.

    "I almost forgot, thanks," Lilia smiled, appreciating the reminder.

    "I will go ahead; I need to contact Candace to arrange the ce where the troops will settle," Grace said as she stood up and exited the carriage.

    "I''m also feeling hungry, so let''s go," Lilia said as she stood up.

    When Alex looked towards her, he noticed that she had already changed into afortable red and white dress.

    "You look beautiful in this," Alexplimented.

    "Thanks, you also look handsome in this" Liliaplimented back.

    "Like always," Alex grinned.

    "Can you two please give us a few minutes with sis?" He requested a momentter.

    Anna and Lilia nced at each other and smiled. They nodded and then exited the carriage, leaving Amelia and Alex inside.

    "Come here, you," Alex suddenly pulled Amelia''s hands and made her sit on him, a mischievous grin ying on his lips.

    "Don''t think I haven''t seen you pouting this whole time. Why the long face?" Alex inquired as he lifted Amelia''s chin so that he could look into her eyes.

    "Nothing, it''s just frustrating that I can''t be all touchy with you like Anna and Lilia, you know, because of the whole secret rtionship thing," Amelia replied with a cute pout on her face.

    "Well, you knew that something like that might happen when you decided to be your own brother''s lover," Alex grinned at her knowingly. "But if you want, we can also be as touchy as you want," he added, a yful glint in his eyes.

    "People will then notice what kind of rtionship we share," Amelia retorted with a hint of exasperation in her voice.

    "Do I look like I care?" Alex smiled at her. "Nothing or no one will stop me from being with my woman," Alex dered as he leaned in, his lips meeting Amelia''s in a tender kiss.

    Amelia reciprocated his kiss eagerly, her arms coiling around his neck as she pulled him closer.

    He slipped his hand into her dress, guiding it gently until it rested upon her pillowy breast, his touch firm yet tender.

    The instant he gave her breast a light squeeze, Amelia''s face parted from his, and she released a low, sultry moan of delight. Momentster, she eagerly pressed her lips against her brother''s once again, their kiss deepening as their desire burst forth.

    The two of them simultaneously stuck out their tongues and engaged in a yful and sloppy exchange of tongues, each coiling around the other, their movements bing increasingly passionate as the temperature inside the carriage rose.

    Alex''s other hand lifted her dress until it was at her waist level, then with a hint of urgency, he forcefully grabbed her tender ass. Meanwhile, his hand that was fondling her breast shifted its focus to her erect nipple, and roughly pinched it, eliciting a gasp from Amelia.

    Mmmm~

    Amelia moaned passionately into Alex''s mouth as the intense mix of pain and pleasure overwhelmed her senses, sending shivers down her spine.

    Without her being able to control it, love juices began leaking out of her sacred cave, dampening her panties with desire.

    On the other hand, Alex''s dick quickly hardened as the lewd moans of his sister acted like an aphrodisiac, fueling his arousal and desire for her even more.

    Much like every time they engaged in such a sinful and forbidden act, Alex and Amelia quickly lost themselves in each other''s embrace, their connection growing deeper with each passing moment. Nothing existed for them except each other and the overwhelming craving they had for each other.

    However, they were abruptly pulled out of their euphoric state when they felt a wave of mana wash through the carriage.

    The siblings suddenly stiffened in the middle of their passionate moment, their bodies tensing as they both recognized the owner of the mana signature.

    "Shit, it''s grandma," Amelia cursed in panic as she broke the kiss with her brother.

    Alex, on the other hand, didn''t seem panicked; in fact, he appeared more annoyed than anything else. ''You didn''t want to continue further with me, and now you''re cockblocking me? Not cool.''

    "Shit, shit, shit, what do we do?" Amelia wondered in a panicked tone, hastily adjusting her dress.

    "Calm down, there''s nothing we can do anymore," Alex sighed, withdrawing his hand from his sister''s dress. "She already caught us."

    "Then why are you so calm?!" Amelia eximed in a hushed tone.

    "Didn''t you hear me earlier?" Alex gazed into his sister''s eyes with determination. "Nothing or no one will stop me from being with my woman, not even Grace."

    Hearing this, Amelia calmed down, a sense of reassurance washing over her and a causing a sweet smile bloom on her face. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his, despite the fact that she knew that Grace mana was still there.

    "And nothing or no one will stop me from being with you," Amelia whispered to him, "I love you brother."

    Alex''s cock wildly throbbed when Amelia''s words registered in his brain. The intense taboo nature of her words stirred him beyond measure, and he found himself struggling against every fiber of his being not to push down his sister to explore every inch of her body and while filling everyone of her holes��to ravish her until they both copsed, utterly spent and on the brink of oblivion.

    "Unfortunately, we can''t continue further, but starting tomorrow, I will have you all for myself," Alex grinned mischievously.

    Amelia grinned back, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "It''s actually I who will have you all for myself, brother~"

    Amelia''s tongue teased Alex''s lower lip before she gracefully stood up.

    She adjusted her dress one final time and said, "Let''s go out; the others should be waiting for us."

    Alex nced down at his crotch and sighed, ''sorry buddy, no sister pussy for you today.''

    His cock throbbed in protest, unwilling to yield to the sudden interruption, but ultimately, it didn''t have any other choice than to calm.

    Alex stood up, giving onest affectionate peck to his sister before linking his arm with hers, and together, they exited the carriage.

    The instant they stepped out, their heads swiftly turned in a particr direction where they found Grace intensely ring at them, though Alex could discern a hint of shock in her eyes.

    Amelia immediately cast her gaze downward, refusing to look at their grandmother. She had said that she wouldn''t ept anyone separating her from her brother, but it didn''t mean that she would confront their grandmother right away.

    He, on the other hand, returned Grace''s re, meeting his grandmother''s intensity with his own fierce gaze, no, his face looked even more fierce than her, something that actually shocked Grace.

    Unbeknownst to her, she was currently annoying Alex. Even though it was surprising and she didn''t mean for it to happen, she had also shared a kiss with him, and she was as passionate as Amelia was minutes ago, if not more so. So, what right did she have to judge him or his sister?

    Seeing that Grace seemed lost as to why he was ring at her, Alex turned around and walked in the direction of Lilia and Anna while pulling Amelia by the hand.

    "It seems that you got caught," Lilia giggled yfully as they regrouped with her and Anna.

    "Well, it is what it is," Alex shrugged nonchntly.

    "You seem really calm about it," Anna remarked, a hint of surprise in her voice.

    "That''s because it doesn''t matter," Alex replied, fully aware that Grace could hear them.

    "If you say so," Lilia also gave a nonchnt shrug, "let''s rejoin with that Anita. I''m eager to see if she is as easily teased as you said," she added, a mischevious tone in her voice.

    "But why is the settlement this far from the carriage?" Alex inquired as he walked.

    "We ced the carriage here, so we could have privacy if a serious matter were to be discussed," Anna answered.

    "I see, that was quite thoughtful," Alex nodded in approbation.

    Together, the four of them walked in the direction of the small settlement.

    However, before leaving, Alex cast a side nce at Grace and noticed her shaking her head. He watched as she then followed them, her expression returning to her typical easygoing smile.

    ''That''s much better.''

 Chapter 207 : Teasing Anita

    Chapter 207 : Teasing Anita

    ''That''s much better,'' Alex thought as he followed behind the girls.

    When they approached the settlement enough to be seen by the people there and he noticed Maya looking in their direction, Alex stiffened for a moment.

    ''Wait, the mask, I don''t have a mask on,'' with the matter with Grace, he hadpletely forgotten about trying to keep his identity secret.

    If it was just about his subordinates, he wouldn''t care; they can''t betray him anyway. So, even if they saw what he looked like, it wouldn''t matter. In fact, it might even be a positive thing. They had only seen him as the head of Arcane, and at that time, he looked quite imposing and a little bit dreadful in his smoke attire, so seeing him as a regr person might reduce the fear some of them might be feeling towards him.

    The problem was Maya; she wasn''t supposed to see what he looked like, neither him nor his wives!

    Alex swiftly exhaled the multicolored smoke and was about to expand it when Maya raised her arms towards him, a big and mischevious smile sttered on her face.

    "There is no need for the costume; I already know who you are!" she shouted to Alex.

    Her shout startled Anita, who was sitting next to her, prompting her to turn and look in the direction Maya was waving, only to see Alex''s group approaching.

    A slight frown appeared on Alex''s face when he heard Maya''s words, but upon further reflection, he concluded that Grace must have surely taken precautions against Maya revealing their identities. She may be carefree, but even she would know better than to let a stranger know about their true identity.

    ''Though, Grace isn''t known to be the most cautious person,'' he thought as he side-nced Grace.

    Feeling his gaze, she met his eyes and clicked her tongue. "I''ve got it covered," she dered before soaring off towards Maya and Anita, who were seated a bit further away from Alex''s subordinates, engaged in a conversation while seated atop tree trunks.

    Alex dismissed the multicolored smoke, lingered for a moment, watching Grace''s flying figure, then shrugged and resumed his walk, catching up with the girls who hadn''t stopped walking from the beginning.

    As they approached, their footsteps drew the attention of the people there, and one by one, his new subordinates turned and stared at their approaching group, their gazes lingering more specifically on him.

    "Good evening, everyone," Alex waved to the hundreds of people staring at him. "I suppose I should introduce myself."

    Alex stood tall, his posture rigid andmanding before his new subordinates. Witnessing this, they involuntarily gulped in fear, but when he finally spoke, Alex''s voice was surprisingly gentle, almost friendly. "Much like you may have guessed, I''m your new lord, Alexandre Eswald. Pleased to meet," he shed them a smile.

    Truth be told, he wasn''t very good at introducing himself or giving speeches. Even on Earth, he always delegated this task to someone else. So he was currently relying on his smile to portray himself as a dignified leader.

    He actually didn''t get the response he wanted, no one said anything; instead, they all stared at him, appearing to be dazed. The women, in particr, were gazing at him as if he were the most captivating presence in the room, a furious blush appearing on their faces.

    He didn''t obtain the answer he wanted, because it was doubtful if his words even registered in their brains seeing their expression, but having hundreds of people practically drooling as they stared at him actually felt great. Well, having the women in the bunch drool at him felt great. As for the men...

    ''I would rather they not look at me like that; it''s creepy,'' Alex thought to himself.

    He pped his hands to rouse them from their reverie and asked with a yful tone, "Nothing? Not even a good evening or a nice to meet you?"

    Hearing him, the subordinates scrambled to their feets and all of them without exception bowed to Alex.

    "PLEASED TO MEET YOU, LORD ALEXANDRE!"

    "That''s much better, though refrain from shouting; we wouldn''t want you drawing night creatures to us," Alex joked.

    The subordinates coughed in embarrassment and nodded their heads.

    "Well, sit back and eat to your heart''s content; that''s actually what I promised you guys. We will talkter," Alex said to his subordinates, "Also, be sure to rest tonight because at the first light of dawn, you will traveling once again."

    He had in mind to talk with them, or at least with some of them individually, to get to know them better and establish a connection. He understood the importance of building rapport, knowing that soldiers were more likely to give their best and fight for a leader they felt connected to, rather than for some lord they had only met once.

    However, he was currently exhausted, and so were they. It wasn''t the moment to engage in such an endeavor.

    ''Considering my schedule, it might take months before I can actually speak with them, but I''m too exhausted to deal with them right now,'' he thought.

    Heeding his own words, the subordinates sat back in groups and began eating among themselves, whispering and casting what they thought were discreet nces toward their master.

    Meanwhile, Alex and the girls approached the trio of women who were sitting apart from the settlement.

    The tree trunks they were sitting on were arranged in a circle, with a fire at the center and a pot resting atop it. Not far from the women, the unconscious body of Cedrix could be spotted.

    "Ladies, good evening," Alex greeted the trio with a smile when they grouped up with them.

    ''H-Handsome,'' Maya thought internally when she saw Alex up close.

    When Alex smiled and waved at her, a blush appeared on her face and she became a bit dazed, momentarily forgetting to reply to him.

    Meanwhile, Alex ignored Maya''s reaction, plopped down, and leaned against the trunk of the tree opposite the women.

    Following him, Lilia also sat down, but instead of sitting on the ground, she settled onto Alex''sp.

    Alex didn''t mind his wife sitting on hisps and even coiled his arms around her waist to hold her in a tight embrace.

    After that, Amelia and Anna sat down, with Amelia settling on his right side and Anna on his left.

    They barely sat down before Anita abruptly stood up and bowed in the direction of Alex and Lilia.

    "Lady Lilia, from the bottom of my heart, thank you foring to rescue me," Anita expressed sincerely."

    Anita had decided that she would individually thank every member of Alex''s group, and by now, she had already expressed her gratitude to everyone except Lilia. Now, she felt it was the perfect moment to do so.

    Lilia lingered for a long moment, not saying anything and staring at the bowing figure of Anita, then she replied, her tone filled with disbelief, "You don''t seem sincere."

    "I-I what?" Anita stammered, not knowing what to say. She didn''t expect that kind of answer, so it threw her off, making her eyes shine with multiple shades of blue.

    Not just her, even Maya, who was at her side, gazing at Alex with a blush on her face, was abruptly pulled out of her reverie, surprised by Lilia''s sharp remark.

    ''Poor girl,'' Amelia and Anna thought, aware that Lilia was just having fun by teasing Anita.

    Anita quicklyposed herself and bowed deeper. "I don''t know what makes you think so, but I''m really grateful for youing here to rescue me," she said, honesty dripping from her words.

    "If that is the case, then why are you trying to steal my husband?" Lilia questioned in a cold tone.

    Anita immediately stiffened.

    Though it was Alex who had "proposed" to her, in the end, it was she who had epted even though her father had told her that he already had a wife. It''s just that when it happened, she was in a dazed state due to Alex''s good looks. She was also extremely nervous and embarrassed, so she epted without thinking much about it.

    "I came here to rescue you and nearly lost my life in the process, yet, when I awaken, I learn that the one I came to rescue is trying to be my husband''s new wife. Considering that, do you seriously think that your gratefulness sounds honest?" Lilia inquired with an icy expression.

    Anita''s lips sealed shut. If one thought about it, Lilia''s words were indeed correct. No one would believe that someone trying to steal theirpanion is genuinely thanking them for something. But the thing is: she wasn''t trying to steal her husband!

    With Anita being so close to the fire, she was supposed to feel warmth, but under Lilia''s icy expression, it was as if the temperature in the surroundings had severely dropped, and Anita felt a shiver run down her spine.

    Being near Anita, Maya also felt a sense of dread creeping over her. The heavy atmosphere was too much for her to bear, so she discreetly attempted to distance herself from Anita.

    She didn''t know what was going to happen next, but she knew she didn''t want to be near Anita when it did!

    However, being as clumsy as always, she tripped over a few twigs andnded on her bum!

    Thud

    "Ouch," Maya eximed in pain, but immediately regretted her outburst.

    All eyes suddenly turned to her, causing an embarrassed blush to appear on the young heiress'' face.

    At that instant, she wanted nothing more than to dig up a hole and bury herself inside of it, she was so embarrassed.

    Contrary to her expectations, her actions caused everyone to burst intoughter.

    Well, everyone besides Anita, who remained in her bowing position, sweating profusely.

    "Rx, Anita. I was just messing with you," Lilia said, witnessing the distress in her eyes. "If anything, I should be the one to thank you. Coming here to rescue you actually allowed me to have a breakthrough that might have taken me weeks or even months, so thank you."

 Chapter 208 : Not a nightmare

    Chapter 208 : Not a nightmare

    "Coming here to rescue you actually allowed me to have a breakthrough that might have taken me weeks or even months, so, thank you," Lilia expressed with a gentle smile to Anita, who was bowing.

    "N-No, you don''t have to thank me," Anita hurriedly waved her hands, "it''s me who should really thank you."

    "Haha, if you say so," Lilia said, "now can you sit down? It''s kind of embarrassing to have someone bowing to me for so long."

    Anita nodded and was about to sit down when Alex finally spoke.

    "See? I told you she was a great woman. She would make a perfect wife," Alex remarked casually.

    Lilia let out an acknowledging sound and nodded her head, "yes, she would. When do we organize the wedding then?" Lilia inquired, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

    "I would say to wait until her father wakes up and approves, but remembering how eager she was about the whole marriage thing, I would say that we do it very soon," Alex replied with a smirk.

    "So, let''s say, in a few days?" Lilia suggested.

    "That would be better," Alex nodded his head in eptance.

    Hearing the exchange between Alex and Lilia, Anita couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Wasn''t she his wife? Then why is she trying to hook him up with another woman? The whole situation felt too surreal.

    However, as much as she was confused, Anita was also greatly embarrassed, her cheeks turning into a bright shade of red.

    "Look, she is even blushing; she is surely very excited about the whole thing," Lilia remarked while pointing to Anita, her toneced with amusement.

    "It appears to be so. Maybe we should bring the wedding day closer?" Alex suggested with a mischievous grin.

    ''At this point, it''s not teasing anymore; it''s straight-out bullying,'' Amelia and Anna exchanged knowing nces as they observed the teasing couple relentlessly tormenting Anita.

    Amelia sighed and decided toe to Anita''s rescue, noticing that her face was now as red as a ripe tomato.

    "Hush, you two. That''s enough," Amelia lightly scolded, "stop embarrassing the poor girl."

    Hearing her words and ncing at the furiously blushing Anita, Alex and Lilia burst intoughter.

    "Okay, okay, we are stopping," Alex conceded, trying to stifle hisughter, "Anita, you can forget what we said. The wedding will not happen in a few days," he paused for a moment, then added with a smirk, "though it will definitely happen."

    Anita let out a sigh of relief and sank back into her seat, though, the blush on her face stubbornly refused to fade.

    "Now you," Alex turned to Maya with a curious glint in his eyes "you mentioned knowing our identity. Mind telling me how you discovered it?."

    Maya pushed her sses up and leaned casually against the trunk of the tree where Grace and Anita were sitting. "It wasn''t hard to deduce your identity," she said, then gestured toward their carriages with a proud smirk.

    Alex furrowed his brow in confusion. The carriage they had taken didn''t bear the emblem of the Eswald family, so he struggled toprehend how Maya had deduced their identities from the carriage alone.

    "Not the carriage, the pegasi," Maya rified, "although not impossible, it is extremely rare for someone other than the Eswald family to possess pegasi, and even then, only the previous principal branch of the Eswald had therge possibility of pegasi. I doubted that you were from this branch the instant I saw the pegasi, but I became certain when I saw her," Maya nced at Grace.

    "Grace the tempest, one of the strongest individuals in the empire and a legendary figure. There was no way I wouldn''t recognize her after seeing her," Maya said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

    "Heh," Grace nodded at Maya''s words, a hint of arrogance in her expression, and shed the others a boastful smile, but her smile stiffened the instant Alex spoke.

    "So you weren''t certain who we were before you saw Grace, which means that it was actually because of her that you discovered who we were, right?" Alex spoke as he eyed the smiling Grace.

    "Yes!" Maya eximed.

    Grace''s prideful smile vanished, reced by a sheepish cough. "I made sure she wouldn''t spill the beans; that''s what matters here."

    "Yes, she actually forced me to sign a contract stating that if I revealed your identity, I would die," Maya remarked, her excitement dying down.

    "That''s quite..." Alex''s words trailed off. He was about to say that it was harsh of Grace to to pressure Maya into signing such a contract, but then he thought about all the problems Maya revealing their identities could cause, and he understood that Grace had actually made the right decision.

    Though, he still felt a little bad for threatening a girl like Maya with such a cruel contract. She was barely the same age as his daughters, and she actually reminded him of them. He wasn''t the only one feeling like that.

    "You''re quite clever; you remind me of our daughter Scarlett. She even rocks sses like you," Lilia remarked with a gentle smile, masterfully diverting the conversation away from the tense atmosphere that settled.

    "The difference here is that Scarlett only wears her sses to y the part of a mad scientist," Alex chuckled. "Meanwhile, Maya is as blind as a bat without her sses; those are her words, not mine."

    "True," Maya nodded and took off her sses. "Without them, everything is blurry," a hint of sadness could be felt in her voice as she said thest part.

    "If you want, I can help you with your sight problem," Amelia offered.

    "I doubt there''s anything you can do," Maya shook her head. "It''s a condition I''ve had since birth. My mother bought numerous potions to improve my eyesight and even contracted a witch to specifically create potions to enhance my vision, but nothing worked. I can only see with these sses, and even then, my vision is far from perfect," Maya smiled at Amelia. "Still, I appreciate the gesture."

    "Don''t worry, my methods are different from conventional healers. I can certainly improve your eyesight," Amelia replied.

    Maya fell silent. She really wanted to improve her sight, but after trying dozens of different methods with no changes, she became a bit scared of trying something new. She didn''t want to hope again, only to see that hope shattered.

    "Sigh, I guess it doesn''t hurt to try," she gave Amelia a faint smile.

    Amelia nodded, approaching Maya and gently resting her hand on the heiress'' head.

    "Will it be painful?" Maya inquired. Some of the methods she had tried were excruciating, so she was afraid of experiencing pain once again, just for her eyesight to not improve.

    Amelia shook her head with a reassuring smile, "Rest assured, it won''t cause any difort. At most, you might feel a slight sting."

    Maya''s case differed from Cedrix''s, where she had to create an entirely new eye. Here, she would simply correct Maya''s vision, so it shouldn''t be painful.

    Merely five minutes aftermencing the process, Amelia withdrew her hand. "You can open your eyes now."

    Maya nodded and slowly opened her eyes, hopeful yet bracing herself for the worst.

    However, she soon realized her worries were unfounded. When her eyes fully opened, she was astonished to find the world around her crystal clear, every detail sharp and vivid.

    Gone was the blurriness of her sight; her vision was now perfect!

    She blinked in disbelief, marveling at the newfound rity of her surroundings, then focused on the smiling Amelia in front of her.

    "So, how-"

    Before Amelia could finish her sentence, Maya practically pounced and tightly hugged her.

    "Thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks..." Maya frantically thanked Amelia. She was so overwhelmed with joy  that tears streamed down her cheeks, dampening Amelia''s dress in the process.

    "There, there," Amelia murmured as she gently tapped Maya on the back,forting her as she cried.

    "Congrattions, I suppose," Alex eximed, apuding.

    After him, all the other women chimed in and congratted Maya.

    Was it the sound of their voices or the fact that he had been sleeping for hours, but it was at that exact moment that Cedrix finally awakened.

    The old man sat up abruptly, his eyes filled with confusion as he took in his surroundings.

    "Dad!" Anita hurried to her father''s side. "Don''t move too quickly; you might hurt yourself," she cautioned him.

    "Ah, my sweet child, I wasn''t dreaming. I finally found you," Cedrix smiled warmly as he gently ced his hand over Anita''s cheek.

    "d to see that you are still alive old man," Alex remarked.

    Cedrix jolted in surprise upon hearing Alex''s voice and cautiously turned to look towards him. "Ah, umm, greetings, Lord Alex," Cedrix greeted with a slightly shaky tone.

    "Is everything alright, Dad?" Anita inquired, her toneced with concern.

    "Yes, yes, everything is fine. I just had a nightmare, and I''m still a bit shaken. Don''t worry so much," Cedrix reassured her.

    "Just curious," Alex waved to the old man, "was your nightmare about your daughter marrying me?"

    "Huh? How did you know about my nightmare?" Cedrix inquired, his expression confused.

    A wide and mischevious grin spread across Alex''s face.

    "It wasn''t a nightmare, old man. Your daughter and I are indeed getting married, and judging by how eager she appears, the wedding might happen a few days from now," Alex paused, then said with the most serious tone he could muster, "we hope we will get your blessing and count you among our guests."

    The old man''s face immediately turned ashen. "Ah, I see... it wasn''t a night...mare..."

    Cedrix fell to the ground, unconscious.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

 Chapter 209 : The talk

    Chapter 209 : The talk

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    All of the women''s eyes suddenly turned to Alex, ring at him.

    "Cough, cough, Amelia, could you please check on the old man''s condition?" Alex smiled wryly.

    She shot him an intense re before releasing the embrace with Maya and going to check on Cedrix''s condition.

    "You are doing it on purpose, right?" Anna whispered to Alex.

    "I have no idea what you''re talking about," Alex whispered back, purposefully avoiding eye contact with Anita, who continued to re at him.

    Anna shook her head. "You will really end up killing him if you continue."

    Nah, I''m pretty confident the old man can handle a bit of teasing without keeling over," Alex reassured, shing a grin.

    "Is it just teasing though?" Lilia interjected. "You do find his daughter attractive, and I''m certain you wouldn''t mind being with her, am I wrong?"

    "Gasp! Who do you take me for? I''m not someone who will pounce on every pretty woman I meet. I have standards! I''m greatly disappointed by you thinking so lowly of me," Alex said in a righteous tone.

    "...."

    "...."

    Lilia and Anna exchanged a nce before both rolling their eyes, deciding to focus their attention on Amelia, who was tending to Cedrix''s condition, rather than wasting it on their shameless husband.

    A few secondster, Amelia breathed a sigh of relief. "Everything''s fine this time; he just passed out from shock," she reassured Anita, who had been worried.

    Leaving Cedrix in the care of his daughter, Amelia returned to Alex''s side and took her ce beside him.

    "Don''t pull something like that again," she lightly scolded him, causing Alex to chuckle.

    "You''re adorable when you try to be serious," Alex remarked, leaning in as if to give her a quick kiss before remembering that they were in public.

    ''What a shame,'' he thought.

    "The food is ready," Anita announced.

    A few minutester, everyone had a meal te in their hands.

    "Let''s dig in, I''m starving!" Alex dered as he eagerly plunged his spoon into his mouth.

    As the vors exploded in his mouth, Alex''s eyes lit up with delight. "This is incredible!" he praised.

    "I must agree, it''s absolutely delightful. Where did you learn to cook like that?" Lilia asked between mouthfuls.

    "My mother taught me," Anita replied, her smile brimming with satisfaction.

    "I must admit, your cooking surpasses that of the chef at my own home," Mayaplimented, savoring the meal with a blissful smile.

    "Thank you!" Anita beamed.

    "Hey, Maya, I''ve been meaning to ask you..." Alex paused mid-bite and began questioning Maya about her family and their auction house.

    Being immensely grateful to Amelia, Maya didn''t hesitate and answered the questions he had, though there were some questions she couldn''t answer to avoid divulging their family secrets.

    At some point, the discussion veered away entirely from Maya''s family, and they started speaking about diverse topics, yet Alex didn''t mind the shift and actually weed it.

    The past few hours had taken a serious toll on him, both physically and mentally, and he desperately needed a break. Sitting and chatting with others seemed to be exactly what he needed to unwind.

    As time passed, Alex and Lilia, being the loving parents they were, swiftly diverged the conversation and began telling stories and anecdotes of their daughters.

    The others didn''t seem to mind, joining in on the conversation. Even Grace, who had remained silent the whole time, couldn''t resist and began sharing stories. However, her stories were sometimes a bit embarrassing for Alex and Amelia, as the anecdotes she told were about them when they were young!

    As the hours went by, the majority of the women were visibly sleepy, so Alex suggested that they go to rest.

    "You can all sleep in the carriage; it''s far morefortable than staying here," he suggested.

    "And where will you sleep?" Maya inquired.

    "I''m not tired yet, so I''ll take the first watch," Alex responded.

    "Can''t your subordinates handle it?"

    "They''re all asleep by now," Alex remarked, indicating his subordinates behind him. "They''ve endured a lot over the past few weeks, so it''s best to let them rest before our early departure at dawn tomorrow," Alex paused briefly before adding, "we''ll be leaving early too, so you should get some rest as well."

    Maya didn''t contest anymore.

    "I''m really excited to meet your daughters, especially Scarlett!" she eximed as she got up.

    "You might, if things go well with your family," Alexmented with a smile.

    "I''m going to do my best; nothing untoward will happen," Maya assured.

    "Let''s hope so. Now off you go, all of you, and take Cedrix with you," Alex instructed.

    "Well, see you tomorrow, I guess," Lilia remarked as she gave Alex a peck on the cheek and rose from hisp.

    "Here, I''ll help you carry him," she offered to Anita, who was struggling to lift her father.

    "I''ll be going too," Anna chimed in, also giving Alex a peck on the cheek.

    In a few minutes, Lilia, Anna, Maya, and Anita departed, carrying Cedrix.

    In the end, only Alex, Amelia, and their grandmother remained.

    Grace stared at her grandkids for a long moment, not saying anything, and they also didn''t speak, staring back at her.

    After a while, Alex decided to break the silence.

    "Are we going to have the ''talk'' from you?" He inquired with a chuckle.

    Grace sighed and asked with a solemn tone, "You two, what kind of rtionship is there between the two of you?"

    "Well, we''re siblings," Alex chuckled once again.

    "Don''t y dumb with me, Alexandre. You know what I mean," Grace retorted, her tone firm.

    "Why must you ask something when you already know the answer?" Alex replied.

    "Just answer my question," Grace insisted, her tone growing more assertive.

    "Well, if you''re so eager to hear it," Alex smoothly pulled Amelia closer to him while firmly grasping her by her waist, "we are lovers."

    Grace closed her eyes and sighed. As Alex said, she already knew the answer, but hearing it right from Alex''s mouth was a bit overwhelming.

    "I don''t even have to spell it out; you two are old enough to know that you shouldn''t be in that kind of rtion-"

    "Oh, please stop that," Alex interrupted her, his patience wearing thin, "You''re not a moralizer, Grace. We both know it, so please, drop the act and return to your usual cool grandma persona."

    Amelia released a muffled giggle upon hearing him, while Grace''s eyelids twitched in irritation.

    "I might not be someone who moralizes, but when my son''s kids are sleeping with each other, I must take it upon myself to do something, even if I really dislike doing so."

    "Well, let''s simplify things for you," Alex remarked, intertwining his fingers with Amelia''s, "There''s nothing you can do or say that will separate us."

    "Yes, grandma, he is the only man I love," Amelia dered.

    "And I''ve already marked her as my woman. I won''t allow another man toy his fingers on her," Alex dered possessively.

    "That woman as you say is your sister, does your wives even know about the rtionship between you two?"

    "Of course they know, I wouldn''t hide it from them."

    "And they are okay with it?"

    "Why wouldn''t they be? I love Amelia, and she loves me back. That''s all that matters. Plus, if I''m not mistaken, incest is legal in this empire," Alex retorted.

    Grace rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Please, everyone knows it''s because that bastard of an emperor wanted to screw his sister."

    "Still, it''s permitted, and even if it wasn''t, it wouldn''t have stopped us anyway," Alex shrugged.

    Hearing this, Grace sighed in frustation, "I always knew that you two were too close, but I didn''t think you would end up fucking, do you realize how messed up your rtionship is?"

    "As messed up as kissing your grandson and enjoying it," Alex remarked.

    "Wait, what?" Amelia''s eyes widened in astonishment. "Y-You kissed? When did that happen?" She eximed, unable to believe what she was hearing.

    "It was a mistake," Grace said, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.

    "It didn''t seem that you were thinking this when you were fervently exploring my lips," Alex said in a sultry tone. "Ahh, even now, I can vividly remember how passionate you were~"

    "Now that I think about it," a grin spread across Alex''s face as he looked at Grace, "Perhaps the reason you''re so adamant about us separating is because you''re envious of what we have?"

    "Don''t be ridiculous. As I said, this was a mistake, and such a thing won''t ever happen again," Grace said with a hint of exasperation in her tone.

    "Is that so?" Alex let go of Amelia, stood up, and walked towards Grace.

    However, he barely took a few steps towards her when his path was blocked. A sort of invisible barrier appeared in front of him, and he couldn''t get through it, no matter how hard he pushed.

    Alex ceased his futile attempts to breach the barrier and smirked. "See? You''re scared of what might happen if I approach you. That''s why you erected this barrier, right?"

    "No, it''s there to stop you from doing anything stupid," Grace calmly replied.

    "Stupid, you say? Well, I assure you, I won''t do anything ''stupid.'' Just allow me to approach you. Or perhaps you''re worried you won''t be able to resist and will pounce on me?" Alex grinned yfully.

    Grace''s eyelids twitched slightly. "I''m not some horny teenager, you know."

    "Well, then prove it," Alex grinned.

    "Boy, I''m too old to fall for such tricks," Grace shook her head, "besides, we''re getting too sidetracked. The conversation here is about your incestuous rtionship with Amelia."

    "What of it?" Alex inquired as he returned to sit next to his sister. "We already told you that no one or nothing will force us to separate. There is nothing further to discuss," Alex dered.

    "Then I have nothing more to add. It''s your lives, and you''re old enough to deal with the consequences of your choices," Grace remarked.

    She looked at her grandkids and grinned, "Well, at least you two make a cute couple."

    After thatst remark, Grace vanished.

 Chapter 210 : An insane goal

    Chapter 210 : An insane goal

    "I guess that went well," Alex said after Grace left.

    "Yes, it went pretty��wait! You and grandma kissed!" Amelia eximed.

    "Uh-huh."

    "When?"

    "A few hours ago," Alex answered.

    "Ah, so that''s why she refused to tell us what happened."

    "Probably," Alex nodded.

    "Won''t you go to sleep? You look tired," he said after a moment.

    "Are you saying so, so that I would leave and you can go find grandma and continue what you started?" Amelia teased.

    "That''s absolutely that. Once you leave, I will meet up with her, and we will spend a hot and passionate night together," Alex grinned.

    However, his grin vanished when he felt a threatening aura envelop his body.

    Alex shivered, feeling the ominous aura. ''Scary,''he thought, sweat beading on his forehead.

    Apparently, even after she left, Grace was still listening to them. ''And it seems she didn''t like the part about the sex,'' Alex chuckled internally.

    ''Though it will happen, that I''m certain,'' Alex thought as he licked his lips.

    Previously, he didn''t want to pursue Grace, but now, things were different. After tasting her lips once, there was no way he could forget what had happened and simply move on.

    "I know that look. You''re thinking about something perverted, aren''t you?" Amelia teased.

    "Come here, you," Alex pulled Amelia to him and gave her a deep kiss on her lips while squeezing her voluptuous ass.

    "Now, off you go," Alex ordered as he broke the kiss, "you look exhausted."

    "Mmm, are you sure you want me to go?" Amelia wondered in a sultry tone, "you''ll be missing ying with these," she said as she pressed her ample breasts against Alex''s chest.

    Feeling the two mounds of Amelia, Alex''s arousal increased and his cock swelled up a little.

    "Well, they belong to me, and I can have them and your whole body whenever I want," Alex grinned, "don''t be hasty, sis. From tomorrow onwards, it''ll just be the two of us, and you might regret all the teasing you did thesest few weeks."

    "Is that so?" Amelia inquired with flushed cheeks.

    "Ah, I''m already imagining it," Amelia gasped with erratic breaths. "You better keep your promise."

    "I always keep my promises," Alex assured, nting a tender kiss on Amelia''s lips before letting her go.

    p

    With a swift motion, Alex lightly spanked Amelia''s buttock as she rose.

    Mmmm~

    "Careful brother, I might not be able to control myself if you do something like that again," Amelia said while biting her lower lip.

    "I don''t doubt it for a second," Alex replied, noticing the conspicuous wet patch on Amelia''s dress, just below her waist.

    "Well, good night," Amelia said softly as she took off, her rounded butt swaying in a hypnotic rhythm, captivating the gaze of the watching Alex.

    Soon, Amelia got into the carriage, disappearing from Alex''s sight.

    "She''s gone now, won''t youe so we can continue where we left off?" Alex spoke out loud.

    However even after several seconds no one showed up, making Alex look like a fool.

    "Another time, I guess," Alex chuckled, retrieving a book named ''Everything on the Smoke Element'' from his space ring.

    Even now, the stash of books given by Lilia looked intimidating. At least by now, he managed to read all the books about the various races on Imperion, well, the most important ones. There were some races with bizarre and sometimes disgusting cultures that he didn''t even want to know about.

    After the races, the next batch of books he tackled was the ones discussing abilities and the different kinds of elements recorded. And what better element to start with than his own?

    Barely ten minutes after he began reading the book, Alex had already finished it, something that actually shocked him!

    ''That enhancement to my mind was no joke,'' Alex mused.

    Before the enhancement, it would have taken him a few hours to finish this book, but now, even the ten minutes it took was because the book was quite bulky, and flipping the pages took time.

    ''Being able to read so fast actually makes me want to read even more,'' Alex mused.

    He chuckled to himself and closed his eyes, mentally summarizing everything he had absorbed. When he reopened his eyes, he almost felt the urge to facepalm.

    Just now, he realized that he had been neglecting the most fearsome aspect of the smoke element: its attributes.

    Normal smoke element users couldn''t make smoke solid, stic, or imbue it with any other characteristics besides the usual gaseous state of smoke. They also couldn''t teleport from ce to ce, nor were they invisible inside a cloud of smoke. Therefore, what they relied on the most was how to better utilize the attributed smoke they could produce.

    Alex, on the other hand, had all but ignored this aspect of his element.

    Despite being able to control any kind of attributed smoke, he had only utilized five in total: the healing smoke, the one that explode upon contact with fire, the ones he used to fight and torture En, and the one he used to corrode the wood in the meeting room.

    Of these types of smoke, only the healing and explosive ones had he used more than once.

    In fact, now that he thought about it, he didn''t even know what kind of attributes the multicolored smoke he carried inside his body had. He used that smoke for everything, from changing his appearance to engaging inbat with it, yet he never bothered to explore its attributes and only altered its physical characteristics.

    ''Does it even have an attribute?'' Alex pondered.

    The multicolored smoke was the byproduct of the explosion caused by Amelia during their fight in the final of thepetition. This explosion, in itself, was triggered by her residual st ability. And what did that ability do? It converted all the residues in Amelia''s surroundings into an explosive orb.

    While it''s true that the explosion caused by residual st had the attributes of both of the elements the residues are from, was it the same for the smoke that was caused by such an explosion, which was ultimately the byproduct of a byproduct?

    With things seen from this angle, it would make more sense for the multicolored smoke to not have an attribute rather than having one or several.

    Alex took a deep breath and then exhaled all the smoke inside his body. He condensed the smoke into a shimmering sphere of multiple colors and looked deep inside of it.

    ''It does possess attributes, three in fact, but...'' Alex paused, shaking his head. ''I don''t even know what those attributes are and what they do.''

    Since the orb of explosion created by Amelia, using her residual st ability, mixed different kinds of elements, the resulting orb of explosion became a chaotic amalgamation of different elemental energies. However, just because the attributes were a blend of several elements didn''t necessarily mean that the smoke resulting from it was beneficial.

    Alex retrieved a bottle and inserted the multicolored smoke inside of it. From now on, he wouldn''t be using that smoke for anything important.

    ''It''s better to use a smoke whose attributes I know or choose,'' he thought, grabbing a bottle of healing smoke.

    He opened the bottle and shaped the yellow smoke into a ball.

    ''This smoke is able to heal major ailments, it has an anesthetic properties and can heal grievous wounds, it may even be able to regenerate some members, now...'' Alex thought, pulling out his pipe.

    Inhaling deeply from the pipe, he exhaled a familiar dark red smoke.

    This smoke was the same one he had used to torture En after their fight. It resulted from the vaporization of a poison that was specifically designed to make the poisoned person taste hell, though it wasn''t lethal.

    ''Now let''s merge these two smoke.''

    He detached a part of each sphere and merged them together, creating a smoke with an orange hue.

    ''This orange smoke should have both healing and poisoning attributes,'' Alex thought as he gazed at the swirling smoke. ''Its attributes are quite contradictory; one can cause pain while the other can heal.''

    ''Upon contact with someone, this smoke would both inflict harm and offer relief. This could be a useful if my intention is to torture someone,'' Alex pondered.

    The constant cycle of pain and healing would undoubtedly facilitate the process of breaking someone''s mind easily.

    ''No, I''m mistaken,'' Alex frowned. ''The red smoke is a poison. To lessen the pain it causes, you''d need an antidote; the healing potion wouldn''t work. That''s probably why the healing potion couldn''t help Lilia when she was poisoned by Niya.''

    ''But then again, the healing smoke numbs pain with its anesthetic attribute, so it should at least make it less painful,'' Alex reasoned. ''And since I can control how strong a smoke''s effect is, if I want to torture someone, I can still do so.''

    ''This also means that I can fuse different smokes together, even if their attributes are contradictory, and in the end,'' Alex smirked.

    ''Hypothetically, it means I can create a smoke that can possess any kind of attribute, from healing to poisoning to corroding... etcetera, like a super smoke,'' Alex chuckled.

    ''That''s kind of insane to think that something like that can exist, but,'' the smile on Alex''s face widened, ''I''m definitely going to create it!''

 Chapter 211 : You will end up falling behind

    Chapter 211 : You will end up falling behind

    ''I''m certain it''s possible, so I will make sure to create it,'' Alex thought, determination visible in his striking silver eyes.

    ''Let''s not get too excited though, I''m still a ways off from pulling that off,'' Alex chuckled, ''instead, let''s focus on what I can manage right now.''

    Without wasting a second, he took a strong puff on his pipe and exhaled the familiar green smoke responsible for obliterating the Night''s base, then merged it with the orange smoke, obtaining a mesmerizing yellow-green hue.

    Immediately after, he filled the pipe with another substance, took a puff, and exhaled green smoke once again, though the green of this smoke was deeper than thest one.

    This smoke was the one that can erode the earth, the very one Alex used in his fight against En.

    Upon its addition, the smoke finally assumed a vibrant green color.

    Alex continued to incorporate various types of smoke, each imbued with different attributesing from the substances in his space ring, until he exhausted his supply.

    The resulting smoke danced with a myriad of colors - orange, green, purple, yellow, and more - though the dominant hue remained a deep, ckish purple.

    ''I prefer this color,'' Alex thought as he adjusted the percentages of the other types of smoke to achieve just the ck-purple shade, though the other colors still shimmered asionally.

    "Excellent," Alex nodded with a smile before drawing the smoke into his body.

    Since smoke couldn''t harm him, Alex needed test subjects to evaluate his newbination of attributes. Unfortunately, there was no one avable at the moment, so he could only set the smoke aside. Besides, he had other matters to attend to.

    Reaching for his smoking pipe once more, he filled it with an array of different substances and created various types of smoke. Then, he retrieved another bottle of healing smoke and merged the differents kinds of smoke before him.

    ''With this, even without Maya''s help, the Drazen would have to be idiots to refuse to make a deal with me,'' Alex nodded in satisfaction as he stared at the light red smoke in front of him.

    This red smoke is a fusion of the healing potion and several antidotes to poison.

    As previously mentioned, a typical healing potion can only address physical ailments, not poison. While it may lessen the pain caused by poison, it cannot cure it.

    However, the new smoke Alex just created could heal physical ailments while being more potent than others healing potions and  could even neutralize up to ten different poisons!

    Truly, the Drazen or any merchant would have to be foolish not to strike a deal with him, especially considering the fact that he intended to sell his smoke potion at a cheap price!

    "I need to find antidotes to other poisons and incorporate them into the mix," Alex muttered to himself as he pondered his next move.

    The poison and the antidote he currently has in his space ring all came from Scarlett, so there weren''t many of them to begin with.

    ''That''s enough for today,'' Alex thought.

    He directed the swirling  red smoke into a bottle and ced it inside his space ring.

    ''I have to admit, this girl''s got a big brain,'' Alex praised Scarlett when his gazended on the smoking pipe she crafted for him.

    At this point, it should be clear that this smoking pipe was not normal; it''s quite incredible, actually. Unlike a conventional smoking pipe, it not only allowed Alex to create smoke by burning something but also vaporized liquid, all of that without him even needing to light up a fire. He only injected the pipe with a bit of his mana, and that''s it!

    However, to Alex, this wasn''t even the most stunning thing. What''s incredible about this pipe is that it''s actually linked to Alex''s space ring, allowing him to send anything he wanted inside the pipe, even if the item was slightly bigger than the pipe!

    ''This feature of the pipe is very simr to what a space ring can do,'' Alex remarked, ''Just how did she create this?'' He wondered.

    After a moment, he shrugged, ''Not important. The key thing here is that I need to use her genius to make myse- us- rich,'' he grinned, his eyes gleaming like golden coins.

    Step step step

    "Trouble sleeping?" Alex inquired, setting his pipe aside and turning his attention to the approaching figure.

    "Mm, not really feeling sleepy," Anna confirmed with a nod as she stood beside Alex.

    "Come here," Alex pulled Anna and settled her between his legs, and then began tenderly running his fingers through her hair.

    The instant he began stroking her hair, Anna released a satisfied sigh that, if Alex didn''t know better, he would think resembled the purr of a cat.

    "You have been working yourself to the bone the whole day, so howe you can''t sleep?" Alex inquired.

    Anna lingered for a moment, savoring the soothing caress of her hair, before speaking in a slightly then spoke in a slightly hesitant tone, "I just feel like I wasn''t very decisive during the mission."

    "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Alex questioned, his hand pausing its motion of stroking Anna''s head. "wasn''t decisive? You practically did everything."

    "You infiltrated the base, rescued Anita, identified Maya, and kept us informed. Then you and Amelia rescued Maya," Alex remarked. "After this, you led a convoy of several carriages here, and you say you weren''t decisive?"

    "Well, youd- Lilia, and Amelia were the ones that did all the fighting," Anna said.

    "Ah, now it all makes sense," Alex mused. "However, did you forget that you''ve been trained as an assassin? Your role isn''t really about engaging in battles like we do. Didn''t your master teach you this?"

    "Oh, she did. That old woman made sure to drill that into my mind," Anna replied with a faint shiver.

    The woman she was referring to was obviously not Ava. Though Ava did train Anna, she wasn''t an assassin. Seeing that thetter ability was better suited for that kind of job, Ava forwarded her to one of her friends to be trained as an assassin.

    "It''s not that I couldn''t fight that''s the problem," Anna said, gently touching Alex''s hand to encourage him to resume stroking her hair. "The issue is that I felt powerless, especially when we were facing that guy," Anna added with a hint of frustration in her tone.

    "That guy? Who?"

    Following his inquiry, Anna recounted to Alex what happened inside the circr room, detailing the battles that took ce and Rangyl''s strange outburst.

    "In that instant, the aura emanating from that Rangyl was so powerful and dreadful that I couldn''t help but shake in fear," Anna confessed, her body trembling just from recalling that moment.

    To soothe her, Alex continued to stroke her hair and arm gently. However, his expression wasn''t as gentle as his caresses.

    Once again, he was feeling guilty for not having quickly ended his battle with Tobias and went on to check on his wives, but beyond that, Rangyl''sment to Amelia was pissing him off.

    Who was this guy to talk like that to his wife?

    Alex was really regretting not having stumbled on that Rangyl, he would have made this guy-

    ''No, think things through,'' Alex forced his bubbling anger to calm down. ''It''s true that Amelia couldn''t use her residual st ability, but still, to call her weak, this guy must have been at level 5, minimum.''

    Still, Alex could confidently assert that he was currently on par with, or even stronger than, mid-level 5, so he didn''t fear this Rangyl guy. However, he also knew that Tobias and Todd, along with all the level 5 monsters he fought today, weren''t a true measure of level 5 strength; they werecking something.

    However,cking or not, they were at level 5 and he had defeated them even when they ganged up on him, so his strength should be above theirs.

    ''I need to discuss with Amelia,'' Alex thought to himself, ''butter.''

    "It must have been terrifying," Alex said as he stroked Anna''s hair. "Though, I can assure you: you are not weak."

    Alex''s arm enveloped Anna''s waist as he drew her closer to him. "You might have been inferior to that guy in terms of level, but it doesn''t mean that you are weak. For example, probably no one at level 3 could defeat you. At least, no one could stop you if you attempted to kill them. Hell, you killed that Stanis guy who was at level 4 without him even knowing how you died."

    "Well, I caught him off guard," Anna retorted.

    "It doesn''t matter if it''s by surprise or not, you defeated him, that''s what counts," Alex said.

    Anna tilted her head downward and released a deep sigh. "I know all of that, it''s just frustrating being only at level 3 after decades," Anna let out a faint chuckle. "Compared to you..."

    "You shouldn''tpare yourself to me, or anyone else for that matter," Alex lightly scolded. "Ultimately, we are all different, soparing yourself to others will only bring you down. If every time you need to take a step, you turn to look at what others do before taking that step, you will only end up falling behind."

 Chapter 212 : I also love…

    Chapter 212 : I also love��

    "If every time you need to take a step, you turn to look at what others are doing before taking that step, you will only fall behind," Alex remarked as he continued to stroke Anna''s hair with a light smile on his face.

    ''Damn, that sounded wise,'' he thought to himself a momentter.

    Anna was nodding her head when suddenly, she tensed up and abruptly turned her head to stare at Alex before apologizing, "I''m sorry!"

    "Ehh, for what?" Alex wondered with a puzzled expression.

    "It''s just that I''m here, saying that it''s frustrating being at level 3 after decades, yet you..." Anna''s words trailed off.

    She didn''t need to continue as Alex already realized what she meant.

    What she was referring to was the fact that Alex, unlike her, had spent more than forty years not just leveling up at a snail''s pace, but utterly incapable of even leveling up to level 2.

    When she thought about it, Anna realized she had been insensitive. If they were to talk about frustration, she couldn''t even bepared to him.

    "Hah, don''t worry about that," Alex smirked, "I''m no longer at level 1, am I?"

    "Still, it wasn''t thoughtful of me to-"

    "As I said, don''t worry about it. Plus, I understand how you feel; it''s really frustrating not feeling any improvement in one''s strength even after a long time of training."

    Anna meekly nodded.

    "That''s why I will also help you get stronger," Alex announced.

    "Huh? How?" Anna wondered.

    "I don''t have something specific in mind right now, but I will definitely find a way to boost your strength, not just yours, but that of our entire family," Alex promised.

    Alex had no interest in growing stronger alone. He wanted his wives and those closest to him to also be powerhouses of their own. At least in this case, he wouldn''t need to worry about their safety, knowing that they could defend themselves, unlike the current situation.

    ''Come to think of it, can I increase the strength of the members of my harem through the system?'' Alex pondered.

    Logically, such a thing should be possible. If he could be powerful by being with them and even copy their abilities, then by the same token, the opposite should be possible.

    Unfortunately for Alex, the system''s response shattered his hopes.

    [It isn''t possible. You are the carrier of the sin of lust, not them.]

    ''It''s unfortunate,'' Alex sighed in dejection.

    "Why the long face?" Anna inquired, noticing Alex''s sudden change in expression.

    "I was wondering if I could increase your strength with the help of... you know what, but it seems to not be possible," Alex divulged.

    "Oh, I see."

    "Yeah, I need to think of other ways to increase your strength now," Alex said.

    As she turned slightly, Anna gently cupped Alex''s cheeks in her hands, her eyes filled with warmth, a stark contrast to her typical cold eyes. "You know, you shouldn''t feel obligated to find ways to increase our strength. Don''t bother yourself; concentrate on increasing your own strength. We can enhance our strength on our own."

    "You are mistaken about something here," Alex smiled warmly. "It''s not a burden for me; I simply desire for you all to possess the strength to defend yourselves."

    Alex leaned in and nted a quick kiss on her sensuous lips. "And I will definitely find a way to, but don''t you worry your pretty head, I''m not going to stop trying to be stronger myself."

    Anna''s cheeks flushed with a light pink color as she nodded. "If that''s the case, then I''m relying on you, my dear husband."

    The instant the word ''husband'' reached his ears, Alex felt a surge of arousal, causing a noticeable bulge to form in his trousers.

    "W-Why are you suddenly getting aroused?" Anna wondered with a speechless expression as she felt the bulge in Alex''s trousers pressing against her back.

    "It''s the first time you called me husband," Alex remarked. "It kind of excites me," he added in a sultry tone.

    Anna returned to her initial position, sliding back between Alex''s legs with her back pressed against his chest, and allowed one of her arms to coil around his neck, drawing him closer.

    "It excites you? More than me calling you master?" Anna replied teasingly.

    "Who said I can''t be both?" Alex grinned.

    Alex ced his hands on Anna''s arms, lightly caressing her velvety and supple skin. Drawing closer to Anna''s neck, he inhaled deeply, savoring the tantalizing scent of cherry emanating from her. "I can be your husband..."

    With a swift movement, Alex''s hands glided from her arms to cup her perfectly rounded and firm breasts. Then, he roughly squeezed her two mounds. "I can also be your master~"

    Aam~

    A short gasp of pleasure escaped Anna''s lips. "Then what should I call you?" she wondered, the blush on her face increasing.

    "You can call me whatever you like," Alex answered as he nted a kiss on her neck.

    "The important thing is that you understand that you are mine and no man can or should touch you."

    As if to prove his words, Alex ced his lips against her white and unblemished skin, applying gentle suction as he sucked on her neck.

    "Mmmm~"

    A moan of delight escaped Anna''s mouth as her hand wrapped around Alex''s neck, pulling him even closer.

    Secondster, Alex pulled his head back and looked with a satisfied smile at the red mark he had left on Anna''s neck.

    "You didn''t have to do this, you know," Anna said softly. "I''m yours and no one else''s. No other man will ever touch me."

    "I know, but I want everyone to know about it," Alex said as he gently squeezed Anna''s ample bosom.

    "If that''s the case, then feel free to mark my body as much as you desire," Anna whispered seductively.

    "Don''t mind if I do," Alex grinned and nted another kiss on Anna''s neck, then applied enough pressure leave his imprint on his wife without having to injure her.

    Meanwhile, his hands moved all over her body, skillfully caressing her sensual and mesmerizing body.

    Despite the fact that he has already got the chance to explore Anna''s body, Alex still marveled at how perfect her figure was.

    "Let''s get rid of these clothes," Alex whispered seductively to Anna''s, the heat of his breath sending an electrifying jolt down Anna''s spine.

    "Wait," Anna suddenly called out.

    "Just so you know, we are going all the way," Alex remarked, his voice tinged with desire and anticipation.

    After having to suppress himself for so long, he had no intention to stop in the midway through of another intimate session.

    "I just stopped you so I can activate my ability," Anna exined with a mischievous grin. "Now, no one can see us~"

    ''I sincerely doubt that''s the case with Grace lurking around here,'' Alex thought.

    Anna''s ability might conceal her presence and that of people in direct contact with her, but it only works against individuals up to one level above hers. Beyond that, she might appear as clear as day, visible to anyone paying attention.

    Alex was about to exhale his smoke to cover the two of them when he decided against doing so.

    He doubted Grace would be spying on them, but even if she was, where was the problem? She would onlye to realize what she missed when she decided to stop him earlier.

    "Now, let''s get you out of this dress," Alex smirked yfully.

    "I thought you said you liked it this morning?" Anna questioned with squinted eyes.

    "Oh, I do like it... especially when it''s off of your body," Alex remarked, his voice tinged with desire.

    Delicately, Alex''s hands worked to remove Anna from her tight-fitting dress. As each inch of fabric was peeled away, more of Anna''s smooth, white skin was unveiled, and with each reveal, Alex''s arousal grew stronger.

    With a swift gesture, Alex effortlessly whisked Anna''s dress off her body and threw it aside.

    Jiggle jiggle

    Anna''s breasts bounced up and down, dancing freely like bouncing balls.

    "Did you have to throw it this far?" Anna''s lips twitched.

    "Forget about it, I''ll retrieve itter," Alex reassured her. "Instead,e here, turn around."

    Anna giggled yfully and swiftly turned around, settling herself onto Alex''sp, her smiling face tinged with a blush.

    As soon as Anna''s two bouncing breasts came into view, Alex couldn''t stop himself from cing his hands on them, a silly grin spreading across his face.

    "They''re as magnificent as I remember them," Alexplimented as he gently squeezed Anna''s breasts.

    "Are my breasts the only things you like about me?" Anna inquired, her lips forming a pout.

    "Of course not, my love," Alex reassured as his hand lightly caressed Anna''s face. "I also love that big, soft ass of yours."

 Chapter 213 : Pleasure it (R-18)

    Chapter 213 : Pleasure it (R-18)

    "I also love that big, soft ass of yours," Alex said with a big grin on his face.

    As he said this, Alex''s hands traveled from Anna''s breasts to her ass, his fingers sinking into her soft and velvety skin as he squeezed her buttocks.

    With the same grin on his face, he began moving his hands. They rubbed, squeezed, and molded Anna''s plump butt in a multitude of shapes.

    Meanwhile, Anna was staring at him with a speechless expression, "y-you-"

    Before she could pronounce her words, Alex leaned in and kissed her luscious lips.

    "Rx, I was just kidding," Alex said as he broke the kiss, "I love you not just because of your body."

    Anna squinted her eyes in suspicion before she smiled sweetly, "I believe you," she said.

    Her arms coiled around Alex''s neck and she pulled him towards her, nting a tender kiss on his lips.

    Alex eagerly kissed her back, sucking on her full lips and passionately moving his lips around hers.

    He stuck out his tongue, tracing the contours of Anna''s tantalizing lips before boldly invading her mouth.

    Alex and Anna''s tongues intertwined, dancing in a passionate embrace.

    Minutester, their faces parted, yet they remained connected by a glistening bridge of saliva.

    The both of them panted, their chests rising and falling rapidly as they tried to catch their breath.

    "I love you, but I won''t lie, you being so sexy did y a lot in making me fall for you," Alex confessed with a yful grin.

    "And what do you like about this body of mine?" Anna inquired with a hint of curiosity, her breath stillbored from their passionate exchange.

    "Absolutely everything," Alex responded with genuine adoration.

    He gently lifted her chin with his fingertips and locked eyes with her. "From those captivating golden brown eyes of yours," he murmured, his thumb caressing her cheek in a tender gesture of affection. "To this exquisite petite nose," he continued, tracing the delicate curve of her nose with a feather-light touch. "And these full, luscious lips," Alex leaned in, savoring the softness of her lips as he ced a gentle, lingering kiss upon them.

    Lowering his head, Alex trailed his tongue along Anna''s exposed neck, savoring the delicate skin. "This exquisite neck of yours," he whispered, his lips brushing against her skin as he lightly nibbled, leaving yet another mark on Anna''s neck.

    Meanwhile, Alex''s hands continued their exploration, one gently caressing her belly, while the other firmly gripped her slender waist. "Your t and toned belly, your slim waist," Alex murmured and deeply inhaled, savoring Anna''s intoxicating scent.

    With each part of her body that he named, his own arousal surged. By this point, his penis was so hard that it could potentially be used as a weapon, a proof to the overwhelming desire he felt for Anna and the intoxicating effect she had on him.

    His hands traveled further down, seizing both of Anna''s supple thighs, feeling the softness beneath his touch. "Your alluring thighs," he breathed, his voice thick with desire.

    His hands moved once again and regained their original ce on Anna''s plump butt. "And this ass," he said with a grin, his fingers gently squeezing, "it''s to die for."

    A short gasp of pleasure escaped Anna''s lips as she focused on Alex. "Aren''t you forgetting some other things?" she inquired with cloudy eyes.

    "Of course I''m not forgetting," Alex lips curled up to form a mischevious smile, "I''m just saving the best forst."

    The words barely registered in Anna''s head when she felt both of Alex''s hands squeeze her breasts, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body.

    "How could I forget those two beauties," Alex wondered with a silly grin on his face as his two hands grabbed Anna''s underboobs.

    Alex was someone who could be called an "assman" as he preferred butts, especially the big, round, and plump ones, but he couldn''t help but feel fascinated with Anna''s breasts.

    Anna had big breasts, but it wasn''t solely because of their size that he liked her breasts. It was the shape, firmness, and tenderness of her breasts that truly mesmerized him. Every time he saw her bare chested, he couldn''t help but be drawn to them.

    Fortunately, he didn''t need to restrain himself.

    Alex eagerly dove down, taking Anna''s left breast into his mouth, savoring the softness and warmth.

    "Ung...Anm..." Anna moaned in delight as she felt Alex''s tongue circling around her erect nipple, sending shivers of pleasure coursing through her body with each gentle suckling motion.

    Meanwhile, his hands periodically squeezed her breasts, bringing another source of stimtion to Anna.

    After some time, Alex alternated his attention, now sucking on Anna''s right breast with enthusiasm while his fingers teased Anna''s left nipple, skillfully pinching and kneading it, eliciting soft moans of pleasure from her lips.

    "Uhh, Mmnm, Anh..." Anna''s lewd moans intensified as Alex continued working on her breasts with passionate dedication, his eyes aze with desire.

    "Ahh, you really...look...like a kid," Anna managed to say through her moaning.

    "Leave me alone, I need to continue worshipping those two perfect things," Alex said, his voiceing out muffled since his mouth remained firmly attached to Anna''s heavenly breasts.

    Anna giggled as she enveloped him in her embrace, the sensation of her fingers dancing through his long silver locks sending shivers down his spine. "Then don''t let me stop you," she replied, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

    Alex didn''t need to be told twice.

    With fervent passion, he caressed, sucked, nibbled, and licked Anna''s breasts with devoted attention. After several minutes of blissful indulgence, Alex finally felt that it was time to explore further.

    With a slow, deliberate movement, one of his hands reluctantly released its hold on Anna''s breasts, trailing down her quivering form until it reached her panties.

    However, just at that moment, Anna, who had been moaning all along, abruptly moved and stopped his hand.

    Alex stopped his sucking of Anna''s breast and looked up at her questioningly.

    Anna stared back at him, uttering through her ragged breathing, "You took care of my needs earlier, so now, I''m the one who''s going to take care of you."

    Alex lingered, then grinned. "I won''t absolutely say no to that." Hepletely let go of Anna''s body and leaned back against the tree trunk, inquiring, "So, how do you intend to take care of me?"

    "Allow me to demonstrate," Anna''s nimble fingers swiftly undid the buttons of Alex''s trousers, then she scurried away from him.

    With each retreat, Alex''s trousers slid further down, exposing his raging hard-on.

    When shepletely slid off the trousers, Alex''s cock sprang up in a majestic disy, disy of its virility, standing proudly erect, yearning for Anna''s touch.

    Anna crawled back towards Alex, hunger and lust evident in her eyes as she approached the rock-solid manhood of Alex.

    Although thesest weeks had been the hardest on Alex, Anna had also been looking forward to when she would once again feel Alex''s touch. The poor girl had just learned how pleasurable sex felt weeks ago and didn''t have the chance to do it anymore, so it was understandable that she was horny.

    However, her current goal wasn''t solely to indulge in her own pleasure, though she wouldn''t object to it, of course. Her main desire was to satisfy her beloved partner, husband, and master.

    Anna ced her hands on Alex''s thighs and came face to face with Alex''s twitching cock, that was already leaking precum.

    "Missed you," she murmured to the throbbing member, her hot breath caressing the sensitive cock head and sending a shiver running down Alex''s spine.

    "What are you going to do next?" Alex inquired in an anticipating tone, fighting against the overwhelming urge to plunge his throbbing member into Anna''s enticing lips.

    "Pleasure it," Anna dered.

    A secondter, she enveloped the head of Alex''s cock into her warm and wet mouth.

 Chapter 214 : Making love to Anna (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 214 : Making love to Anna (1) (R-18)

    "Ahhh..." Alex groaned in pleasure, feeling Anna''s wonderful lips around his shaft. "It''s always a delight to have my cock in your mouth," he murmured.

    Anna hummed in acknowledgment, her gentle vibration sending delightful tremors down the entirety of Alex''s shaft, making him groan in pleasure once again.

    Anna smiled inwardly, her lips trailing down the length of Alex''s throbbing member.

    "Oh yes~" Alex tilted his head back, letting out a sigh of pleasure, relishing in the warmth that was gradually envelopping his manhood.

    Millimeter by millimeter, Anna''s head descended lower and lower, allowing Alex''s penis to venture into the farthest depths of her mouth until she felt she couldn''t descend any further.

    By now, it was the third time Anna had given him head, but she still struggled to swallow his entire cock. Even though she barely managed to take a bit more than half of his dick inside her mouth, she could feel the head of his cock pushing against the back of her throat.

    However, it didn''t mean that she couldn''t pleasure him.

    Anna''s slender fingers wrapped around Alex''s thighs, and then she began retracting while running her tongue along the length of his cock.

    Just as her head was about to slip off of Alex''s penis, she surged forward once more, swallowing him once more.

    Another moan escaped Alex''s lips, a blissful smile slowly creeping up his face as the sensation of pleasure intensified.

    Encouraged by those moans, Anna picked up the pace, her head bobbing up and down in a mesmerizing and sensual manner as she sucked Alex.

    With each passing moment and the increasing lubrication of his shaft, Anna''s head rocked back and forth with greater intensity, delivering pleasure to Alex, who practically had his eyes closed, savoring every passing second.

    Droplets of saliva trailed down the length of Alex''s cock as Anna became increasingly engrossed in the act of sucking.

    Mmmm~

    At some point, she began moaning, sending vibrations through Alex''s groin, causing him to moan in pleasure.

    Alex, with his eyes closed and still sporting his blissful smile, ced his hand on Anna''s head.

    Anna paused, allowing the hand resting on her head to direct her movements.

    Alex applied force on her head and pushed it further down his cock, then coaxing her to return once again.

    Anna fully submitted to her master''s will and allowed him to dictate the pace at which she pleasured him. She relished this sensation and surrendered herself entirely to Alex''s desires.

    Each time Alex directed her to either go up or down, her tongue coiled and swirled around his dick, eagerly licking it and sending waves of pleasure through his body.

    "Fuckkk," Alex groaned with a husky voice as the pleasure continued to escte with each passing second.

    Lewd slurping sounds resounded around the couple as Anna worked to please her master. Fortunately, her ability was activated, concealing their presence; otherwise, they might have alerted someone, though they didn''t care right now even if someone found them.

    Anna''s cheeks turned inward, her mouth transforming into a vacuum, tirelessly working to bring pleasure to Alex and striving to empty his balls.

    "Shit, wait, wait, wait," Alex eximed as he halted Anna.

    Anna paused and nced upward to look at him, a confused glint in her striking eyes.

    sight of Anna''s innocent expression while half of his dick was buried in her mouth was nothing short of extremely erotic and stimting for Alex. If he wasn''t doing his best to not cum, he would have probably released everything right now.

    "If you keep going, I might cum," Alex said as he gazed at Anna.

    The confusion in her eyes grew. Wasn''t him cumming supposed to be the goal here?

    "I don''t want to cum in your mouth, at least not today," Alex grinned. "I have a much better ce in mind to nt my seeds."

    Anna seemed to understand what he meant and nodded, sensually sliding her head off of Alex''s throbbing shaft.

    Plop

    With a lewd plopping sound, Anna''s lips reluctantly parted from Alex''s thick cock, Which was gleaming in the moonlight.

    Anna gave the head of Alex''s cock onest lick and turned her attention to him. "So, where do you want to cum?" she inquired, wiping the saliva from her lips.

    "Deep in that tight pussy of yours," Alex answered with an innocent smile on his face.

    Anna nodded and stood up, a few beads of saliva rolling andnding on her perky breasts.

    Alex gulped in desire at the sight and had to remind himself, just so he could resist the urge to pounce on her, that in just a few seconds, he would be able to make love to her.

    "Wait, wait, leave them on," Alex called out as he snapped out of his bewitched state.

    "Huh?" Anna, who was in the midst of removing her ckced panties, nced down at him with a puzzled expression.

    "You look gorgeous in them, so don''t take them off," Alex said.

    Anna shrugged. She was going to take them off to give him more ess to her pussy anyway. If he liked how she looked in them and wanted her to keep them on during their intercourse, she had no qualms doing so.

    Anna''s figure approached him, and she slowly settled onto Alex''sp, with Alex''s penis now nestled between them.

    "You''re wet," Alex remarked, feeling the dampness of Anna''s panties.

    "So we shouldn''t waste time, right?" Anna said with flushed cheeks and ragged breath. One look at her, and one could tell that she was extremely aroused right now.

    She flipped her panties to the side, exposing her leaking pussy.

    Alex gulped and moved one of his hands, lightly caressing the folds of her pussy.

    "Ah~" A short, lewd gasp escaped Anna''s lips as she leaned on Alex, cing her head on his shoulder.

    Soon, her eyes fixated on Alex''s neck, and without hesitation, she pressed her lips against his neck, applying pressure. Secondster, a round mark could be seen on Alex''s neck as Anna withdrew her face.

    "I hope you don''t mind me leaving my own mark on you," she said with a sheepish smile.

    She hadn''t thought much just now. When she saw his muscr yet lean neck, she felt a strong need to leave her marks on him.

    "Why would I mind? You can leave as many marks on my body as you want," Alex replied. "I will also be doing so on your body anyway."

    "Though, right now, I have other things to do," Alex grinned.

    With one arm wrapped around her waist, he slightly lifted her body, and with his other hand, he positioned his erect cock between Anna''s butt cheeks, the glistening liquiding out of her pussy mingling with her saliva coating his dick.

    "Ah, ahh~" Anna paused, the intention of marking Alex''s neck momentarily forgotten as she moaned lewdly, feeling his hot member parting her pussy lips and rubbing against her clit.

    "Does it feel good?" Alex inquired with a big grin on his face.

    "Mmm," Anna released a sound, a mix of acknowledgment and a lewd one.

    "It also feels good for me too," Alex admitted, "your fat and and tender ass wrapping around my cock while your sweet nectar drips onto it. It just drives me wild and makes me want to ravish you," Alex said, his silver eyes shining with desire and love as he gazed down at the gorgeous woman in his hands.

    "Then... um... what are you... waiting for?" Anna inquired, the hot breath and sporadic exhalesing out of her mouth blowing onto Alex''s neck.

    "Beg for it," Alex said with a sly smile, his voice filled with dominance and desire.

    Anna didn''t waste time. She stared at him, her golden brown eyes pleading. "Please, fuck me," she said, her voice leaking with desperation and desire.

    "All for my love," Alex smirked, his own eyes gleaming with desire and anticipation.

    He firmly gripped her waist with both arms, effortlessly lifting Anna''s weight as if she were weightless, aligning her dripping pussy with his throbbing erection.

    With slow and deliberate movement, he directed Anna''s body downward, savoring every moment of their connection.

    His erect member gradually breached the folds of her warm, inviting entrance, sliding smoothly into Anna''s sacred depths.

    Initially, only the tip breached her, but with each passing second, he delved deeper, his length stretching Anna''s innermost sanctum until the whole thing waspletely buried in her tight canal, directly kissing the entrance of her womb.

    ANNGG~

 Chapter 215 : Making love to Anna (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 215 : Making love to Anna (2) (R-18)

    ANNGG~

    Anna released a deep, satisfying moan as she felt Alex''s cock prate her.

    "Finally," she whispered with a smile and slightly teary eyes, "we are one once again."

    Alex, savoring the sensation of Anna''s tightness around him, returned her smile. "Yes, my love, we are one once again."

    He leaned in, capturing her lips in a tender, passionate kiss.

    When they separated, Anna shed him a seductive smile. "Now, ravish me," she said, her eyes igniting with a fiery desire.

    "You don''t have to tell me twice," Alex grinned devilishly.

    With his arms still firmly around her waist, Alex lifted Anna''s body before forcefully driving her down onto his pulsating shaft, impaling her on his rock-hard cock!

    p

    A lewd sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed as Alex''s member tore its way into Anna''s dripping cunt, despite her inner muscles clenching around him, burying himself deep into her moist depths.

    "Uunng....more, fuck me more~~" Anna slurred, her golden brown eyes zed with the intense pleasure coursing through her each time she was prated by his monstrous cock.

    She craved this feeling and wanted to feel it all night long.

    Anna wrapped her legs tightly around Alex''s waist, drawing their bodies closer together as he lifted her once again, her soft, supple breasts pressing against his chest.

    p

    Another sound reverberated as Alex plunged himself inside her once again.

    As time passed and the pleasure center that was Anna''s pussy got even more wet, Alex picked up pace.

    Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

    The lewd sounds steadily grew more frequent and powerful as Alex and Anna fucked like wild beasts.

    "Damn, you''re so tight!" Alex groaned, relishing the sensation of Anna''s inner muscles clenching around his throbbing member with each thrust.

    Despite the fact that the first time they made love, he ensured that her pussy was perfectly molded to fit his dick like a glove, Anna remained as tight as she was when he deflowered her.

    And he loved it.

    The bumps inside her pussy, attempting to resist his advances to go further into her maidenhood, stimted him and fueled his arousal and desire to prate her further.

    Combined with weeks of sexual deprivation, Alex was consumed with primal urge, transforming into a beast.

    Lowering his face, he seized one of Anna''s bouncing breasts, greedily sucking on it, as if trying to draw milk from it.

    Unfortunately, no milk emerged, but Alex was determined. After tonight, in a few months, he was certain milk would flow from his wife''s tantalizing breasts.

    As he eagerly suckled on Anna''s breast, he continued to move her up and down, maintaining their rhythmic and passionate lovemaking.

    In fact, his passion burned even hotter now. Each time he lifted Anna''s body, instead of waiting for her to descend, Alex skillfully twisted his pelvis and thrust upward!

    "Annh...unngg...yesss....I missed...ahhh...it...so much," Anna''s kept moaning like a bitch in heat as Alex relentlessly pounded her pussy.

    With every deep pration, his throbbing member grazed the entrance of her womb, unleashing another tidal wave of ecstasy that spread throughout her body.

    Her breath came in ragged gasps, her entire body glistening with sweat, her mouth hanging open with saliva dripping down, yet her face was contorted in an uninhibited, lewd grin.

    If her usual self could witness her appearance, her head would probably turn crimson from embarrassment and shame.

    But in this moment, Anna didn''t give a damn about her appearance. All she craved was for the pleasure to never cease, for Alex to keep thrusting, and for their intense lovemaking to never end.

    Anna''s tangled together her two legs wrapped around Alex and twisted her pelvis to move downward, meeting up with the thrusting cock of Alex.******le truc du pelvis est vrai? Am��liore*******

    SLAP

    A particrly loud sound erupted at the point of their union, but the couple didn''t care about that, each moving incessantly to bring themselves and their partner the ultimate pleasure.

    "ANH~...UUHHN~...ANNNNN~...."

    Anna''s own moans grew louder, resonating like music in Alex''s ears as he continued thrusting as if his life depended on it.

    His breathing became uncontroble as he savored the sensation of prating Anna''s incredibly wet and hot cunt.

    The speed and force of his thrusts intensified, his cock plunging in and out of Anna''s pussy with such vigor that each meeting of their bodies caused ripples throughout Anna''s entire being.

    "Ahh...ahhh..I''m..ANNGG....about....to..... annh..." Anna tried to speak and tell him that she was on the verge of climaxing, but the overwhelming pleasure made it so that the rest of her sentence only came into incoherent groans and moans of ecstasy.

    Squel! Squelch! Squelch!

    At the approach of her climax, the amount of love juice she leaked was so much that each time their bodies met, a squelching sound reverberated, sshing their joined forms.

    Their bodies, already slick with sweat, became even more slippery as they indulged in their intense lovemaking, glistening with moisture.

    Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

    As her climax drew near, Anna wrapped her arms around Alex, her ample breasts pressing against his chest.

    ing...anh," Anna''s voice was muffled against Alex''s neck, her lips firmly nted against his skin.

    Anna''s toes curled, and her nails dug into Alex''s skin, leaving marks that served as proof of the intense orgasm she was about to experience.

    Her inner walls mped around Alex''s dick, and with a loud, muffled moan, she reached the peak of ecstasy.

    ANNNGGGH~

    An explosive and extraordinary amount of love juice gushed out from Anna''s cunt as she squirted, sttering between the two of them with her love juice.

    "Huff...huff...huff..." Anna gasped for breath, her tongue hanging from her mouth and a silly smile on her face.

    Her body twitched from time to time as the waves of pleasure continued to crash through her, each one more intense than thest, sending her into a state of pure bliss.

    Soon, her eyes snapped open abruptly.

    "W-Wait...ahhh...I''m sensitive right now," she pleaded with wide eyes.

    However, Alex paid her no heed.

    With a forceful thrust, he plunged his member into Anna''s sensitive pussy, relentlessly pounding her despite her pleas.

    Pak! Pak! Pak!

    "Wait....unngg....please...ahhh"

    With how wet Anna was after she just squirted, Alex''s dick slipped in and out effortlessly, hitting her cervix with each of his thrusts.

    He moved his arms from her waist to her ass and roughly squeezed.

    "Uhh...uuanh...f-fuck..." Anna moaned as Alex ravished her while molding her ass.

    Alex yed with Anna''s tender flesh some more before his hands moved once again.

    One hand gently toyed with the erect nipple of her voluptuous breast, sending a shiver of anticipation through her body, while the other traced a delicate path upward, tenderly caressing her face.

    Alex''s hand lovingly caressed Anna''s captivating face, tracing the contours of her features with an affectionate touch. As his middle finger reached her luscious lips, it applied a subtle pressure, teasingly urging them to part.

    "Suck it," he ordered.

    Annaplied and took his finger inside her mouth. Her tongue sensually swirled around it, and she even began bobbing her head up and down just like she did as she sucked his cock.

    Meanwhile, Alex''s other hand continued its rough treatment on Anna''s nipple while his dick still continued to thrust into her slick cave.

    "Mmmm~"

    Anna moaned lewdly as she sucked on Alex''s middle finger.

    "That''s enough," Alex said, taking his finger out of her mouth.

    "Why did... Hnngg..."

    "You will see soon what I want to do," Alex grinned and moved his hand back down to her ass.

    With precision, he shifted thece of Anna''s panties further to the side, revealing more skin.

    "What-hiik," Anna, who was about to inquire why he was doing this, hissed when she felt his wet finger lightly caress her asshole.

    "W-Why are...annh...you...mmmph.

    ...touching there?" Anna managed to inquire through her moans.

    "Oh, you seem to be sensitive from the asshole," Alex remarked with a surprised tone.

    He had stopped thrusting the instant he began caressing Anna''s asshole, so she was currently moaning due to having her backdoor teased.

    "I didn''t know you liked having your asshole yed with; otherwise, I would have paid much more attention to that tight hole of yours," Alex licked his lips.

    He had to admit, the prospect of burying his dick inside that fat ass of Anna''s was exciting as hell.

    His cock, still lodged inside Anna''s pussy and being squeezed by her inner muscles, throbbed with anticipation.

    "Why would you want to pay attention to that ce? It''s dirty," Anna, who had finally caught her breath after Alex stopped thrusting, said.

    Alex pressed his lips against hers and smiled, "nothing on your body is dirty, my love."

    He paused for a moment, then added with a mischievous grin, "besides...you seem to like it when I y with your asshole."

    "N-No, that''s not the-Ahh~"

    "You were saying?"

    Anna fell silent. She indeed felt pleasure each time Alex''s finger teased the entrance of that ce, but it was too embarrassing for her to admit it!!

    "Nothing? I guess I''m right; you do indeed take pleasure from your asshole being yed with," Alex smirked.

    Anna exercised her right to remain silent and didn''t say anything.

    "You can keep silent all you want," Alex''s smile widened, "I know that I''m right."

    To prove his im, Alex applied strength, and his middle finger forcefully entered Anna''s open asshole, slipping seamlessly into her backdoor.

    HNNNGGH~

 Chapter 216 : Parting (1)

    Chapter 216 : Parting (1)

    "I promise you to be the strongest possible as soon as possible, so that I can guarantee your safety, that of our future children, and that of our entire family," Alex said with a solemn expression.

    Anna remained silent for a moment before lightly nodding her head. "I believe you," she said with a soft chuckle, "though it''s no luck for you, it''s my safe day."

    Alex smirked at her words, "I guess that means we''ll have to try a few more times before getting you pregnant."

    Anna suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine. "Um, s-sure, but if you don''t mind, I''ll take a rest right now," she said with a stuttering tone.

    Before he could add anything, she settled into afortable position in his arms and tightly closed her eyes.

    "Good night I guess," Alex chuckled and nted a kiss on her forehead.

    Before long, Anna''s breathing slowed, and she fell asleep, her body sinking into thefort of Alex''s arms.

    ''Show me Anna''s status,'' Alex addressed the system a momentter.

    An instantter, a translucent blue screen appeared before Alex.

    [Name: Annaline Maxwell

    Age: 35

    Level: 3

    Strength: 40

    Agility: 50

    Stamina: 30

    Defense: 30

    Mana Points: 40

    Abilities: Phantom Veil; Darkness

    Bloodline: Ethereal assimtion

    Nicknames : child of darkness; Specter of Death]

    ''No changes,'' Alex remarked with a sigh, ncing at the screen disying Anna''s stagnant stats.

    Despite the fact that weeks had passed, none of Anna''s stats had increased. It wasn''t necessarily a bad thing; in fact, it was usual for ordinary individuals to not have a rapid growth of their attributes after weeks.

    ''Still, with how things are going, it would take her or even years to reach level 4,'' Alex noted.

    Although Anna was at the high tier of level 3, breaking through level 4 was going to take too much time because each time she absorbed mana through a mana core, she needed to wait for her body to get ustomed.

    It wasn''t to say that Anna was untalented; it was quite the opposite! At barely 35 years old, she had already reached level 3 and was nearing level 4. For most people, achieving such levels took over sixty years, and for geniuses, at least fifty years!

    Genius here designates people whose body constitution allows them to quickly progress through levels. The body constitution may be one that allows them to absorb arger quantity of manapared to others, or one that quickly digests the absorbed mana to allow one to absorb mana once again after a shortpse of time, or thebination of both constitutions.

    For Alex who could absorb mana through mana core and never feel the need to pause, the concept of genius waspletely meaningless.

    Seeing Anna''s age and level, there was a high chance that her body constitution allowed her to absorb arger quantity at a short time difference.

    ''Still, it''s too slow,'' he thought, as Alex''s gazended on the section showing Anna''s bloodline and abilities.

    ''That''s it!'' he eximed mentally.

    One''s strength wasn''t only tied to their level; sure, your level determined a great deal of your strength, but it wasn''t the onlyponent. Things like abilities and bloodlines mattered just as much as your level, and in certain cases, they had even more impact on your strength than your level!

    Due to unknown reasons, Anna had no knowledge of possessing a second ability, much less a bloodline, so she only used the sole ability that she had knowledge of, which allowed her to hide her presence and the ones of people in direct contact with her.

    ''I should find a way to get her back her memories, or at the very least, find something that might help her with her darkness ability,'' Alex thought.

    Truth be told, even now, he couldn''tprehend how Anna had no knowledge of possessing a darkness ability. In most cases, even if someonepletely loses their memories, they still know how to use their abilities.

    It''s true that when you awaken your ability, you gain certain knowledge on how to activate it and how it works, but in the end, even if you somehow don''t get that information, abilities are also instinctual, so you should still be able to use yours.

    ''As for her bloodline...'' Alex''s thoughts trailed off.

    This one, he didn''t know how to deal with it.

    As previously exined, bloodlines are different from abilities. You can possess a bloodline and bepletely unaware of it your whole life. In most cases, it is the family elder and people like that who are charged with awakening or exining to youngsters how to awaken their abilities.

    There were instances where the bloodline couldn''t be awakened unless a special item was in hand, and Alex wasn''t certain if this applied to Anna''s bloodline. He could only hope that if he found a way to restore her memories, she would have knowledge of her bloodline.

    Alex gazed down at the smiling Anna sleeping in his hands and smiled warmly.

    With care, he brushed aside the strands of hair obscuring her face and tenderly nted a kiss on her forehead.

    "I''ll find a way to help you grow stronger," he murmured softly.

    The smile on Anna''s face slightly widened and she snuggled closer to Alex, making him chuckle.

    Alex took a deep breath and exhaled the ck-purple smoke inside his body.

    For the remainder of the night, Alex trained on how to better manipte his smoke element, all the while making sure not to disturb the sleeping beauty in his arms.

    Hourster, as the first rays of dawn gently kissed the horizon, painting the sky with hues of pink and gold, and nature began to awaken, Anna''s eyes gently fluttered open.

    "Good morning beautiful," Alex greeted her and kissed her forehead.

    "Morning," Anna greeted with a yawn.

    "Others will wake up in a bit, you should start dressing," Alex gently urged, his voice soft and warm.

    "Well, you''re the one who sent my dress that far, it''s only fair that you retrieve it," Anna remarked, pointing towards her dress several meters away.

    Alex chuckled and used his smoke to retrieve Anna''s dress, handing it to her with a smile. "Here."

    "It''s ruined now, I can''t wear it anymore," she sighed, putting the dress away. From within, she retrieved another dress, its ck fabric adorned with delicate white stripes.

    "ck seems to be your favorite color," Alexmented as Anna stood up, preparing to put on her new dress.

    "Mm," Anna hummed, then frowned. "Jeez, my panties arepletely soaked with your cum," she remarked.

    Without wasting a moment, Anna gracefully slid her panties off, allowing Alex to admire her naked body bathed in the rays of light.

    The moment Anna removed her panties, remnants of Alex''s sperm leaked out of her pussy, trailing down her thick thighs in a tantalizing trickle.

    "If your goal here is to excites me, you are doing a great job," Alexmentated as he stared at Anna with lust evident in his eyes.

    Alex quickly rose to his feet, enveloping Anna in his embrace as he drew her close to his chest.

    The instant their bodies pressed against each other, Anna felt Alex''s hot member pressing against her stomach, twitching.

    "Should we go for a second rou-"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Anna pushed him, swiftly extricating her body from his.

    "People are already waking up, we can''t do anything right now," Anna said with a blush on her face.

    Alex nced behind him and confirmed that some of his subordinates were already stirring awake.

    "A pity," Alex sighed, "it will have to wait for another time I guess," he added a momentter.

    He gave Anna a peck on her plump lips and then stooped to retrieve his own clothes.

    Much like Anna''s, Alex''s clothes were also dirty, so he had to change into new attire.

    He wore a long-sleeved silver jacket embroidered with gold that extended past his waist. It was buttoned halfway up on the right side, with loose sleeves reaching just above his wrists, adorned with fancy bands at the edges. He paired it withfortable-looking pants of the same gray hue.

    Although the clothes he wore weren''t the most shy, it still gave him a dignified appearnmance all the while beingfortable.

    ''Good,'' Alex nodded to himself with a satisfied smile.

    "I''m going to wake the others and prepare for our departure," Anna said.

    When Alex stole a nce at her, he couldn''t help but gulp in astonishment.

    The dress she wears is an elegant and tight fitted ck dress that clung to her body and showed off her assets in a provocative manner all the while without seeming lusty. The cuffs of her dress are adorned with delicate white embroidery against the backdrop of ck fabric.

    Her dress didn''t reveal too much skin, and even her cleavage and most of her slender legs werepletely hidden. But despite that, thebination of the graceful curves of her body and her lovely visage was enough to drive any man crazy and cause even a pious man to sin.

    Witnessing her figure, Alex realized that he was nowhere close to having released all his pent-up lust after yesterday''s intercourse.

    Alex closed the distance between himself and Anna, delicately grasping her chin in his fingers as he spoke with a yful grin, "I had given up on a second round, but seeing how sexy and alluring you look right now, I might have to reconsider." As he spoke, Alex reached out to wrap his arm around Anna''s slender waist.

    However, just as his hand was about to close in on her, Anna swiftly evaded it.

    "Like I said, I''m going to wake the others and prepare for our departure," she said with a giggle.

    Before Alex could say anything, she took off, lightly running towards their carriages, herughter ringing out like bells.

    ''She''s smiling more and more now,'' Alex thought, smiling as he watched Anna leave.

    Although he found her cute when she wore her usual cold expression, Alex was also pleased to see Anna smiling more the longer they spent together.

    ''I guess you will have to wait tonight,'' Alex thought as he nced down at his rock-hard dick.

    "Well, it might not be a bad thing."

 Chapter 217 : Parting (2)

    Chapter 217 : Parting (2)

    "Well, it might not be a bad thing," Alex murmured as he reclined on the sturdy trunk of a tree, his gaze sweeping over the awakening settlement.

    In a matter of minutes, his subordinates woke up and diligently readied themselves for the journey their new master had told them aboutst night. They had no idea where they were going to be taken and could only hope that they would be treated well.

    Meanwhile, amidst the bustle of preparation, Alex scanned the assembled group, searching for a particr individual.

    The one he was searching for was the woman with whom he had locked eyes as he passed by the carriage on his way to battle the level 5 monsters. Yet, despite his efforts, he couldn''t locate her. He didn''t know what she looked like in the first ce and only remembered her eyes, which were quite beautiful by the way.

    ''Another time, I guess,'' Alex shrugged.

    He had intentions to discuss matters with his subordinates on a more personal level anyway, so he figured he would encounter her then.

    Soon after, the five subordinates designated by Anna rallied the others into five groups, each embarking on a different carriage.

    An hourter, everything was set, and it was time to leave.

    Amelia and Maya stood beside Alex, while Lilia, Anna, and Grace stood nearby. Cedrix and Anita stood across from them.

    "Thanks for everything you''ve done for my daughter and me, Lord Alex," Cedrix bowed respectfully to Alex.

    Standing beside the old man was Anita, who mirrored her father''s gesture and also bowed in gratitude to Alex.

    "Everything is good, old man. I simply fulfilled the promise my father made to you," Alex smiled warmly, giving Cedrix a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Where are you guys going to settle now that everything is finished?" he inquired a momentter.

    Cedrix nced between Alex and his daughter before replying, "We will return to our former home and-"

    "Absolutely not!" Alex interjected firmly. "Beyond the fact that it''s foolish to return to your old house, which is nothing but ash right now, it''s also dangerous to stay there. Instead, you cane live in my mansion," he proposed.

    The old man regarded him with suspicion and spoke, "I''m sorry, my lord, but we can''t ept that. You''ve already done so much for us. We can''t be freeloaders. My pride won''t allow me to ept such a thing," Cedrix dered firmly.

    Looking into the old man''s eyes, Alex understood that he wasn''t joking.

    "If that''s the case, thene and work for me," Alex suggested. "Your abilities might prove very useful to me, and with Anita''s culinary skills, she can work as a chef at my mansion."

    Cedrix fell silent, pondering Alex''s proposition. After a moment, he nodded, "Alright, we wille live at your house."

    The reason he epted was ultimately because he still felt grateful towards Alex. If he could repay him by being at his service, there was no reason for him to refuse. Like Alex had said, they had no home to return to anyway.

    "Good, good, good," Alex nodded with a pleased smile. "At least this way, I wouldn''t have to separate a father from his daughter."

    "Ehh, w-what do you mean, Lord Alex?" Cedrix inquired, his voice wavering slightly.

    "Well, obviously after our marriage, Anita wille live with me. If you don''t want toe, then it means you''ll be living alone," Alex reasoned with a smirk.

    Cedrix''s expression instantly soured, though he managed to not pass out right now.

    "Marriage... with Lord Alex... why?" The old man mumbled as he turned around and walked towards the carriages, seemingly out of it.

    ''At this point, I''m beginning to wonder, am I that bad?'' Alex pondered, observing Cedrix''s distressed state.

    He shook his head and refocused on Anita, ready to tease her, but was surprised when he noticed the re she directed at him.

    Closing the distance between them with a step, he inquired, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "Do you want to harm my father?" She asked, her eyes squinted in suspicion. "By now, I''ve realized that you''re mentioning our marriage in front of him just to unsettle him. Is your intention to cause him harm?"

    If Cedrix were here now, he''d be moved to see Anita finally behaving like the daughter he raised.

    "Answer me," Anita demanded firmly.

    However, in the blink of an eye, Anita''s bravado evaporated.

    Alex took another step closer, halting just inches from her face. "You look beautiful, especially with those fierce eyes," heplimented.

    This time, it wasn''t merely teasing from his end; he genuinely found Anita incredibly alluring when she was in this fierce state. It''s not to say he didn''t think she was beautiful otherwise; it''s just that this unknown aspect of her personality intrigued him.

    Anita could sense it in the way he gazed at her, causing her to shyly avert her eyes, cheeks flushed with a blush.

    However, what Alex did next caught herpletely off guard.

    Alex drew even closer, until his torso was practically pressed against Anita''s chest. With a gentle touch, he lifted her face, ensuring she met his gaze directly.

    "Don''t avoid my gaze," he whispered as he stared into Anita''s beautiful azure eyes.

    Anita nodded gently, her gaze locked onto Alex''s silver eyes, seemingly captivated by them.

    "You mentioned avoiding the topic of marriage when your father is present. Does that imply that you''re now opposed to the idea of marrying me?" he whispered softly.

    "N-No, it''s not like that," Anita stammered, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I-It''s just that since he seemed ufortable with the topic, I thought it best not to discuss it in his presence."

    "So, it doesn''t mean you''re opposed to the marriage?" Alex inquired, his hand that was holding Anita''s chin lightly caressing her right cheek.

    Anita blushed and meekly shook her head. "N-No."

    "I guess that settles it," Alex said with a gentle smile, releasing Anita''s chin.

    "T-Then if that''s all, I will go rejoin my fa-"

    "Wait," Alex interjected, cing his hand on Anita''s shoulder to stop her. "Won''t you at least give a goodbye kiss to your future husband? It might be a while before we see each other again. Don''t you think it''s sad if we just part like this?"

    Anita flinched, her face practically turning crimson while her azure eyes shed with a multitude of lights.

    Alex grinned inwardly. He really enjoyed seeing this woman when she was embarrassed; that''s actually why he couldn''t resist constantly teasing her.

    ''However, I should probably let her know I was joking just now,'' Alex mused with a wry smile, observing the blush spreading from Anita''s face down to her corbone, her hands trembling slightly.

    Just as Alex opened his mouth and was about to tell Anita to rx, thetter moved with a swiftness Alex didn''t think she possessed.

    Anita ced each of her hands on his face and sealed her lips with his!

    Alex''s eyes opened wide in surprise, caught off guard by Anita''s unexpected boldness.

    However, he quickly got a hold of himself and kissed Anita back, savoring the divine lips of the half Virax.

    If Cedrix were here to witness this scene, there is no doubt that the old man''s heart would have truly surrendered this time.

    Unfortunately for Alex, the kiss didn''tst more than a second.

    Anita let go of his face, and before he could say anything, she rushed away, a furious blush on her face.

    ''I did it, I did it, I did it!'' she kept repeating in her head with a mixture of disbelief and embarrassment.

    Soon, as she approached the carriage, a joyful smile spread across her face. ''I did it! I kissed him!''

    While Alex believed she was blushing because of his demand for a goodbye kiss, the truth was that Anita was blushing because she had genuinely wanted to kiss him!

    She had been wanting to do it since the moment sheid eyes on him, so when he asked for a kiss, she made up her mind to go for it!

    ''I hope I didn''t make the wrong decision,'' Anita pondered.

    Meanwhile, as Anita retreated with a goofy smile on her face, Alex could be seen tracing the contours of his lips with a reflective gaze, lost in thought.

    Right now, he was contemting when he should arrange the wedding with Anita so he could im her as his own.

    Although he was attracted to Anita, the talk about the wedding was just yful teasing. However, Alex had just decided that he was going to take this matter seriously and make Anita his wife, and the sooner, the better.

    In that moment, Alex was jolted out of his daydream when he heard:

    "Just look at him, one kiss and he had forgotten about everything else," someone remarked with a deep sigh.

    "Mm, looks like he''s forgotten about us as well," another voice added, humming in agreement.

 Chapter 218 : Parting (3)

    Chapter 218 : Parting (3)

    "What are you saying now? How could I ever forget about my wives?" Alex inquired as he turned around to stare at the two women speaking behind him.

    "Come here, you two," Alex said, opening wide his arms as he drew near Lilia and Anna.

    He closed his arms around their waists and pulled the two of them toward him.

    "You look stunning today," heplimented them both and kissed their foreheads. "I''m so going to miss the two of you," he said with a slight gloomy expression.

    "Oh, don''t be like that. We will only be separated for a few days," Lilia said.

    She hugged Alex back, leaning her head against his chest, enjoying the warmth of her husband onest time before they separated.

    Thepetition of the Eswald family will happen in a few days, and as the wives of the head branch and future heir of the family, there was no way they would be absent, so they would only be separated for a few days at worst.

    "About that," Grace, who silently stood, spoke, "thepetition got postponed to three months from now," she informed.

    A frown immediately appeared on the faces of everyone present, except Maya, who was staring at them curiously.

    "Why did it get postponed?" Alex inquired, the unease he had been feeling about thepetition increasing.

    Grace shrugged, "That wimp used the excuse that the war at the borders of the empire was getting out of hand to push thepetition further. Got the news from Candace just this morning."

    The "wimp" Grace was referring to here was the current patriarch of the family.

    "I don''t understand," Amelia spoke with a slight frown on her face. "Why would he postpone thepetition? Designating an heir isn''t something that should be happening right now in the first ce, and it was him who decided to organize thepetition so that his son would be the heir. So, I fail to see how postponing thepetition would serve his purpose."

    They all turned their gazes toward Grace.

    "Don''t ask me, I don''t have a clue," Grace shrugged, "though, Candace did say that he must surely be waiting for something, that''s why he pushed the date," Grace released a faint chuckle, "but it''s not like pushing the date by three months will change anything for us, right?" She looked at Alex.

    "Yeah... it won''t change anything for us," Alex nodded.

    He was still going to be the heir of the Eswald family even if thepetition got postponed to ater date. In fact, it would only give him more time to train and gather more soul points, so it was definitely good news.

    ''So why am I feeling uneasy?'' Alex wondered.

    "If thepetition got reported by two months, that means we won''t see each other for that long," Anna suddenly said, her face mirroring Alex earlier gloomy expression.

    Her words pulled Alex out of his thought process and his expression turned gloomy once again.

    "Damn," Alex cursed under his breath, "are you absolutely certain you won''t reconsider staying with us?" He asked after a moment.

    "Sheesh, stop with the drama, you two," Lilia interjected, rolling her eyes, "it''s just three months, I''m pretty sure you can survive without each other for that long."

    "Well, yeah, but-"

    "No buts," Lilia interrupted Alex, "just let me savor this hug a little longer," she added, nestling closer to him.

    It was then that Lilia noticed all the marks Anna had left on Alex''s neck.

    "Hoh, who did these?" She inquired, her tone tinged with curiosity.

    Seeing how Anna suddenly blushed after she spoke, Lilia didn''t need to be told the culprit behind these marks.

    "As your first wife," Lilia teased, pushing down Alex''s shirt until his corbone was visible, "I suppose I should also leave my marks on you right?"

    Before Alex could react, Lilia''s mouth closed in on Alex''s corbone. With practiced precision, she grazed her teeth lightly against his skin. With abination of soft bites and tender kisses, she gradually increased the pressure, focusing on a sensitive spot to induce a faint, yet unmistakable mark.

    "Get a room," Amelia snorted at the sight before her.

    Maya, on the other hand, averted her gaze, an embarrassed blush on her face.

    As for Grace, she observed the scene with an impassive expression on her face. However, if you looked closer, you would notice a glint of curiosity and hunger in her eyes.

    A few secondster, Lilia lifted her head, wiped the drop of saliva dripping down her chin, and gazed at the mark she had left on Alex''s corbone with a content smile on her face.

    "Careful there," Alex leaned in and whispered in Lilia''s ear, "you might get me going if you act like that."

    "Perhaps that''s what I desire," Lilia teased in a yful tone, "unfortunately, we can''t risk getting you too excited here, so I better cease, right?" She added with a mischievous grin.

    "I will miss you too, hubby," Lilia affectionately kissed Alex on the right cheek before parting from him.

    She passed by him and went to Maya. "Take care," Lilia said warmly as she gave the young heiress a brief hug.

    "And keep an eye on those two, they might be a handful otherwise," she added with a yful tone.

    "Hey, don''t badmouth us!" Alex and Amelia snapped at her.

    "See what I meant," Lilia sighed.

    Maya giggled and nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, Lady Lilia, I''ll keep an eye on them."

    "Good," Lilia nodded approvingly, giving Maya a gentle pat on the head.

    Just as she turned around and was about to bid farewell to Amelia, Lilia''s eyes couldn''t help twitching with irritation.

    "You could at least pretend to be sad at our parting, you know," she remarked, fixing her gaze on Amelia.

    "What kind of absurdity are you speaking now? I''m genuinely upset," Amelia replied with a hurtful tone.

    Lilia scoffed dismissively, "You might have sounded convincing if that grin of yours wasn''t stretching from ear to ear."

    "I have a tendency to smile when I''m sad. It''s a bad habit of mine," Amelia exined, her smile growing slightly wider.

    "Anyway, you both don''t need to worry, I''ll take good care of our�� I mean, your husband," Amelia reassured, her smile still present on her face.

    Both Lilia and Anna, who were hugging Alex, snorted, "yeah, we don''t doubt that."

    "Come on, Anna, let''s get going," Lilia said.

    "I suppose we''ll reunite in three months," Anna remarked before nting an affectionate kiss on his left cheek.

    "Goodbye," Alex waved to his wives.

    They waved back and headed to their carriage, where Cedrix and a furiously blushing Anita were waiting for them.

    Amelia approached Alex and said, "we should also prepare to��"

    "What? Are you not going to give a hug to your old grandma?" Grace suddenly spoke, startling the two of them.

    Before they could react, they were both pulled into a bear hug by Grace, their faces sinking into her ample bosom.

    "I thought you were mad at us," Alex whispered, relishing the sensation of Grace''s soft bosom beneath him.

    "How could I ever be mad at the two of you?" Grace chuckled, herughter warm and genuine. "I just wanted to know if you were serious about each other or if it was just a fling."

    "What if it was thetter?" Amelia inquired, gazing into Grace''s sparkling gray eyes.

    "I would have intervened," Grace replied with a serious tone. "Such a rtionship is likely to cause harm to someone''s emotions."

    "I don''t know about the validity of that im, but you sound strangely mature right now," Alexmented, his tone tinged with amusement.

    Grace red at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You brat, are you calling me immature?"

    "Yeah, that''s wha- OUCH!" Alex suddenly jolted mid-sentence, feeling something hit his head hard.

    "You were saying?" Grace inquired innocently, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

    "Nothing, forget it," he said, rubbing his head.

    "If you say so," Grace smirked yfully, "what was I saying again? Ah, yes, since you two are serious about each other, then you have my blessing to be together."

    ''Not like we needed it in the first ce,'' Alex snorted, rolling his eyes at Grace''s remark.

    Grace grinned mischievously at her two grandkids and said, "Now that this is out of the way, tell me, when can I expect my great-grandkids?!"

    "Grandma!" Amelia eximed, her cheeks turning slightly pink as she shot Grace a yful yet embarrassed re.

    Grace sputtered inughter, finding Amelia''s expression amusing.

    Meanwhile, Alex took the opportunity and moved his hand towards Grace butt, wanting to once again cope a feel of her tantalizingly soft butt cheeks.

    However, just as his hand slid towards her plump and shapely ass, he felt something p his hand away.

    Smack!

    ''Fuck, it hurts,'' Alex thought with a grimace, feeling a stinging pain.

    He could only wonder what the hell Grace used to p his hand away.

    ''She''s keeping me in check,'' Alex remarked.

    Despite her uproariousughter, her guard remained raised to prevent Alex from taking advantage of her body.

    ''Tsk,'' Alex clicked his tongue and settled to enjoy the softness of herrge bosom.

    ''Heh, pervy brat,'' Grace grinned internally, seeing the defeated expression on Alex''s face.

    As he thought, she now had her guard raised against him just in case he tried something.

    ''Gotta hand it to him, he is persistent,'' Grace remarked, ''but too audacious. I need to teach him a lesson.''

    Head of the branch or not, he was still her grandson, and she wouldn''t mind punishing him if he was out of line. She had never done something like that because she loved him too much, but she would have to if he continued to try to feel her up.

    Although, she wouldn''t admit it, but Grace was feeling a warmth spreading through her, knowing that he was attracted to her

    Unfortunately, she couldn''t allow herself to repeat what happened between them in the forest.

    ''That passion, that desire, that warmth, the sensation of my li- damn, snap out of it!'' Grace scolded herself.

    "Alright, alright, that''s enough," she said, gently pushing her grandkids away from her.

    "Are you absolutely certain you don''t want a carriage?" she inquired.

    "No, it won''t be needed," Alex replied.

    "In that case, I''ll bid you farewell. Take care," Grace said, her feet lifting off the ground as she levitated into the air.

    "Take care, kiddo," she said to Maya, whose eyes gleamed with wonder as she witnessed Grace''s levitation.

    "Y-Yes, thanks," Maya nodded excitedly, "y-you too, take care," she said a momentter.

    Grace nodded. She waved at the three of them onest time before heading off towards the carriage.

    As she flew, she discreetly nced behind just in time to witness Alex licking his lips as he stared at her body.

    ''What a pervert,'' she shook her head.

    At that moment, she sensed a certain dampness in her panties and could only smile bitterly, ''I guess I''m also a pervert.''

 Chapter 219 : One last test before departing

    Chapter 219 : Onest test before departing

    ''I guess I''m also a pervert,'' Grace shook her head.

    As much as she wanted to deny it, the truth is that she had more than enjoyed the heated moment she shared with Alex, and perhaps if it were anyone other than her grandson, Grace might have even been inclined to let things progress further.

    Though she would have never allowed another man beside him to approach her to begin with, so this situation could never have happened with someone else.

    The only other men she would have allowed to approach her to the point of hugging her beside Alex were herte husband and her son. Both were dead, leaving only Alex as the only man she allowed to get close to her.

    However, she never anticipated that Alex would use that to take advantage of her and kiss her.

    Well, "Take advantage of her" was a strong phrase. At the end of the day, she is more powerful than him and could have forced him to stop. The reason she allowed it to get out of hand was because she herself was enjoying the moment.

    The consequence is that now, her own grandson is lusting over her body, which is a little troubling to say the least.

    Well, it was only troubling for Grace. Judged by his words and his rtionship with Amelia, Grace understood that he had no qualms about engaging in a romantic rtionship with a member of his family.

    ''Is it really wrong?''she wondered.

    Judged from what she witnessed, Alex and Amelia really looked to be in love, and they were not hurting anyone by being together, so there was nothing wrong with their rtionship.

    Though, that was not why Grace was wondering; rather, she was pondering if an eventual rtionship with Alex would be a bad thing.

    Unbeknownst to her, a seed of a forbidden curiosity sprouted in Grace''s mind and she  started to wonder what a romantic rtionship with Alex would be like. She didn''t really think of engaging in one with him, but at least, she was thinking about it.

    Soon, Grace had regrouped with the others. A few minutester, the convoy of carriages set out, their destination: Zindal.

    "We should also get going," Amelia remarked as she observed the disappearing carriages.

    Alex nodded in agreement, "but before that," he nced at Amelia and Maya, "wait for me here," he said.

    The two women nced at each other and nodded.

    "I won''t be long," Alex assured.

    Before the girls could react, he had already vanished. The only remnants that he had been there a moment ago were the fissures in the earth, as if the ground itself couldn''t contain his passage.

    Hundreds of meters from the girls'' position, Alex could be seen darting forward at an astonishing pace, his silhouette blurring into a mere blur as he streaked through thendscape leaving a trail of dust and in his wake.

    ''More, more, more,'' Alex thought as he kept increasing his speed.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    A booming sound reverberated in the surroundings with each eleration, apanied by the emergence of deep cracks on the ground.

    Secondster, he finally came to a halt.

    Looking back the way he came from, Alex assessed the distance he had traveled.

    "It should be around four kilometers," he remarked, "four kilometers in about two minutes."

    Quickly doing the math, he realized that he could cover one kilometer in thirty seconds, meaning that with each passing second, he traveled around thirty meters.

    "It''s a little... disappointing?"

    He didn''t think he was slow; he knew he was actually quite fast. With his speed, he could cover more than hundreds of kilometers in just one hour, so he was by no means slow.

    However, Alex expected much more. Perhaps it was due to the enhancement he had received after the ck heart prated his chest, but Alex was actually expecting to move at a much faster pace.

    There was also the fact that right now, his stats wereparable, or even a bit higher than those of a mid-level 5. He didn''t expect being at level 5 to be so slow.

    Of course, he knew that even within the same level and tier, the strength of individuals could vastly vary, but ultimately, he could onlypare his speed to that of the night group members and the level 5 beasts in the forest, and from his perspective, both were much too slowpared to him.

    "Forget it, my current speed is good enough. Plus, I can always increase it if need be. Though I should avoid increasing it too much at once," Alex mused.

    After what happened during his fight against Todd and Tobias, he understood that an exponential increase of his strength or agility stats all at once could be just as harmful as it could be beneficial.

    That''s why he decided that from now on, he would slowly increase his stats while also making sure to save some for emergencies that required a specific set of stats or to copy another ability.

    "Next test," Alex thought and closed his eyes.

    He focused on filtering out everything useless from his head and extended his senses to his surroundings, trying to gauge how far he could perceive right now.

    To Alex''s shock, the range at which he could sense things extended up to about five kilometers, and if he really pushed himself, he could even go up to seven kilometers, though things weren''t as clear anymore if he pushed it that far.

    He had expected his senses to travel far and wide after the heart had increased his overall stats, but not by this much!

    Right now, if he truly concentrated, he was certain that he could even perceive what Amelia and Anna were chatting about.

    "This is incredible!" Alex grinned as his eyes snapped open.

    With such a wide range of perception, he could potentially pick up on anyone trying to ambush him even before they got inside his range.

    However, Alex''s joy diminished slightly when he felt himself getting exhausted by the seconds. It wasn''t physical fatigue, but mental.

    Understanding that the cause of that was the fact that he had extended them, Alex retracted his senses while making sure to gauge the range within which he could sense thingsfortably.

    To his disappointment, that range was closer to him than he thought.

    The range at which he could sense his surroundings without feeling exhausted was a mere three hundred meters. Even then, if he truly wanted to feel safe and avoid mental exhaustion, he would have to reduce that range to around two hundred meters.

    ''What a bummer,'' Alex sighed in disappointment.

    If he could enhance his senses like his attributes, he would have been just a little bit disappointed, but now? He was quite upset.

    ''Well, at least it''s better than before,'' he tried to cheer himself up.

    Before the increase to his mind, Alex could perceive up to fifty meters. But just like now, where he had to reduce the range at which he could sense his surroundings from seven kilometers to two hundreds meters, he had to reduce the range from fifty meters to ten meters.

    However, there was a difference with his current senses that wasn''t there before, and that difference was that he could perfectly feel everything within the range of his senses.

    Now, he could even count the grains of sand around him! Though he won''t waste his time doing so.

    All in all, although it wasn''t as he expected and quite a bit of a letdown, he was pretty satisfied with his current senses, so he moved to the next and final test on his list: the range at which he could control smoke.

    A few minutester, this test was concluded.

    Apparently, the range at which he could control smoke depended on how far his senses could travel. That was something he learned when he realized he could control smoke even when it was seven kilometers from him.

    Fortunately, contrary to his senses, he could perfectly control smoke even if it was around seven kilometers away from him. Not only that; thanks to his control over smoke, he could discern things perfectly even if they were seven kilometers away, where his senses would otherwise be fuzzy, something he assumed to be due to his sovereignty.

    "Well, that''s it, let''s return," Alex thought after he finished his tests.

    He had no intention of testing his other stats, and quite frankly, he couldn''t perfectly measure them right here.

    He couldn''t risk wounding himself just to see how sturdy he was right now, nor could he exhaust himself to understand just how much stamina he had.

    As for his strength, he preferred to test it using a device like the one in Scarlett''s room. It would allow him to get a better idea of his strength without destroying everything around him.

    With a snap of his fingers, Alex appeared right in front of the girls.

    His sudden appearance startled the girls, and Amelia swiftly took a fighting stance. But upon seeing who it was, she sighed in relief and rxed.

    "Did you finish what you had to do?" she wondered.

    "Yes, we should get going," Alex replied.

    "Umm, how are we going to travel if we don''t have a carriage?" Maya inquired.

    "Like this," Alex snapped his fingers, and under the girls'' stunned eyes, a carriage made of purple smoke was created.

    Alex had to train the whole night to be able to create this carriage.

    It wasn''t the carriage itself that was difficult; the challenging part was finding the perfect bnce between heaviness and lightness. If the carriage was too light, they couldn''t board it as the construct would crumble. If it was too heavy, on the other hand, once their own weight was added, the carriage wouldn''t be able to stay airborne.

    "No offense, but...this thing doesn''t seem safe at all," Maya remarked hesitantly as she eyed the smoke carriage.

    "I assure you that it is," Alex replied confidently, gesturing for them to board.

    To prove his words, he boarded the carriage and tapped on it with his shoes. "See, it''s safe," Alex said when a reassuring thud was heard.

    "Now stop being a scaredy-cat and enter," Alex said.

    Without a moment''s dy, Amelia stepped into the carriage, settling beside Alex, and gently rested her head on his shoulder.

    Meanwhile, Maya hesitated, her gaze fixed on the smoke carriage, then reluctantly gave a nod.

    Since Alex had reinforced the carriage to withstand friction with the wind and unexpected aerial encounters. As Maya''s head connected with the carriage, rather than dissolving into smoke, a resounding thud reverberated through the air.

    "...."

    "...."

    Alex and Amelia could only look toward the young heiress with baffled expressions.

    "You would think not needing sses to see would have made her less clumsy, but apparently not," Alex chuckled, observing Maya as she stood up, gently massaging her forehead.

    "Ouch, that stings!" Maya cursed with her cute little voice, dusted her dress, and carefully boarded the carriage.

    Thankfully, this time, she didn''t stumble and fall.

    ''Why is she clinging to him like that?'' Maya wondered as she sat across from the siblings.

    ''Now that everyone is on board, let''s depart!'' Alex eximed.

    A momentter, the smoke carriage soared into the air, its destination: the Drazen auction location.

 Chapter 220 : Mustang

    Chapter 220 : Mustang

    As Alex''s carriage made its way to the Drazen family auction, far in the distance, at the borders of the Fiore Empire and the Gast Kingdom...

    "P-Please, d-don''t kill me, I have a wife and a child," a man with the Gast royal family insignia implored, his face stricken by deep terror and horror.

    This man was the captain of the task force sent to repel the forces dispatched by the Fiore Empire in their bid to reim the fortress recently seized by the Gast Kingdom.

    On the captain''s forehead, a peculiar, luminescent green symbol glowed ominously.

    "A great ability, a wife, and a child. You must be really lucky. Damn, I''m envious!" remarked a handsome young man with blue hair and eyes, as he casually approached the captain, a sharp dagger glinting in his hand.

    "Because of you, I''m feeling rather gloomy, you know... So it''s only fair that you meet your end," the young man murmured.

    Before the captain could say anything, the young man coldly sliced through his throat.

    The air was filled with gurgling sounds as the captain attempted to apply pressure to his neck in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. Regrettably, his efforts proved ineffective, and momentster, his life was extinguished.

    In the very instant the captain drew hisst breath, the green symbol on his forehead disappeared as if it had never been there to begin with.

    Meanwhile, the young man with piercing blue hair and eyes appeared distracted, staring into empty air like a fool.

    After a brief pause, he nodded approvingly to himself, a satisfied smile ying on his lips. "That''s quite an impressive ability," he murmured softly.

    "Too bad everyone here is already dead, so there''s no guinea pig to test it on," the young man sighed as he nced at his surroundings.

    All around the young man, several corpse could be seen. Some were decapitated, some were burnt to the point that one couldn''t even recognize them.....********augmente un autre exemple

    Each person to whom these corpses belonged seemed to have been killed in a unique waypared to the others. The only noticeable feature they had was the armor of the Gast Kingdom they wore, though even that wasn''t visible on some corpses.

    "S-Sir?!" A hoarse voice sounded behind the young man.

    The one who spoke was a middle-aged soldier of the Fiore Empire.

    Despite the man''s attempt topose himself, a hint of dread couldn''t help but be felt in his voice as he addressed the young man, and why wouldn''t he feel dread? He had just witnessed him massacre a whole contingent of hundreds of people all alone!

    The young man being able to massacre hundreds of people wasn''t the astonishing thing here. What was unbelievable and, quite frankly, immensely dreadful was the fact that there were dozens of Level 5s in the contingent, while the whole contingent was led by one Level 6!

    The captain the young man had just killed off was the Level 6, and he was quite a big shot in the Gast Kingdom.

    Yet, the fight against this contingent hadn''t evensted half an hour before the young man hadpletely wiped them out!

    The difference in strength between a peak level 5 and a low-level 6 was akin to day and night. Meanwhile, the increase in attributes going from level 5 to level 6 was at least ten times greater than the increase from level 1 to level 5!

    Therefore, witnessing someone at the higher tier of level 5 decimate dozens of level 5s and even one level 6 in what felt like mere minutes was nothing short of incredible!

    At this point, even the soldiers of the Fiore empire apanying this young man were terrorized by him.

    "I-Is that you, sir Mustang?" The middle-aged soldier inquired.

    Although he was pretty sure that it was the young man he had traveled with, he had to make sure. During their way here, this man had changed appearance more than three times. Each appearance of his waspletely different from the others, so the soldier had to make sure, perhaps this one before him was just one of the Gast Kingdom people who had survived. Though, once again, he was confident that the young man was the one he had traveled with.

    As he thought, the young man snorted and asked in a disdainful tone, "who else could it be?"

    Mustang turned to stare at the middle-aged soldier, his cold blue eyes seeming to pierce through the man.

    "S-Sorry si-"

    Mustang raised a hand to halt him andmanded, "Inform the others to get moving; we will seize the fortress before nightfall."

    The soldier nodded and hastened to inform the others that they should be on the move.

    Mustang observed the departing soldiers for a moment, then pivoted to stare into the distance.

    There, separated by dozens of kilometers, stood a colossal fortress whose walls gleamed with steel.

    ''By tonight, I will be done with this mission and get the heck out of here to continue my mission,'' Mustang thought, ''I have wasted too much time here.''

    ****

    A couple of hourster, Mustang, followed by the soldiers of the Fiore Empire, finally crossed the distance separating them from the fortress and took cover in the woods of the forest surrounding the fortress.

    "Stay here; I''ll handle things alone," Mustang ordered.

    Without waiting for the soldier''s reply, Mustang got up and strolled out of the forest.

    ''It would be the perfect opportunity to try out this ability,'' he thought as he approached the fortress.

    "HALT!" A man stationed on the fortress wall bellowed as Mustang approached. "CEASE MOVING AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND YOUR PURPOSE HERE; OTHERWISE, WE WON''T HESITATE TO ATTACK," the man threatened.

    However, despite his threat, the man with blue hair continued his advance towards the fortress.

    "TAKE DOWN THIS FOOL!" the man atop the walls screamed at the soldiers around him.

    Without hesitation, the soldiers swiftly took up their positions and unleashed a volley of attacks upon Mustang.

    The barrage of attacks directed at Mustang included abination of arrows, fireballs, ice spikes, and other elemental projectiles, all designed to strike from a distance with deadly precision.

    Despite being the target of the attack, Mustang didn''t even bother to try to run away or defend himself. He simply continued his steady stride towards the fortress, unfazed by the assault.

    As the shower of attacksnded at the spot where he was, everyone thought he was dead. That was until the fog of explosion cleared and they saw Mustang standing there without the slightest hint of wound on his body, even his clothes were pristine, as if the sts had never touched him.

    For the first time, Mustang looked up towards the man shouting at him earlier, then he conjured a small ball of fire in his hand, the mes dancing in the air.

    A split secondter, this ball of fire split in two, then in three, then in four, multiplying rapidly until dozens of fiery orbs encircled Mustang, each radiating intense heat.

    "Now, let''s see what this can do," Mustang muttered, excitement gleaming in his eyes as he activated his newly acquired ability.

    The balls of mes surrounding Mustang began to swell, expanding rapidly until each fiery sphere, initially only a few centimeters in diameter, grew into towering mini-suns, each stretching twenty meters high.

    In the blink of an eye, the darkness of the night in this corner of the Fiore Empire vanished, engulfed by the brilliance of the mes surrounding Mustang. The fiery orbs were colossal and radiant, casting an intense glow that could easily be mistaken for the light of day.

    "This ability is really great," Mustang smiled insatisfaction.

    The ability he received from that captain allowed him to erge his elemental attacks by at least twenty times their original size. The amazing thing with this ability was that it required only a minuscule amount of mana to activate, yet it magnified his attacks twentyfold!

    It consumed exponentially less mana than if Mustang used his fire maniption ability to make these fireballs grow to this size. This ability was truly a godsend for him, as he always struggled with his mana reserves.

    ''I never thought I would get such an ability in such ame ce,'' Mustang grinned.

    "A-ATTACK HIM! NOW!" themander of Gast''s soldiers shouted to his men when he finally snapped out of his shock.

    Unfortunately, he was toote. Before the soldiers could do anything, Mustang unleashed the onught, hurling the dozens of gigantic fireballs towards the fortress.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    A series of explosions took ce the instant the fireballs collided with the fortress, their immting mes melting both the metal walls and the unfortunate souls within the fortress.

    "AHHHHH, H-HELP!"

    "I-I''M BURNING, SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!!!"

    "HOT! HOT! HOT! IT''S DAMN HOT, PLEASE HELP ME!"

    The harrowing cries of the burning souls trapped within the fortress echoed across thend, their agonizing pleas reaching the ears of all the people nearby, sending shivers running down their spines.

    Meanwhile, the one who caused all of this could be seen with a pleased smile on his face as he observed the carnage he had caused.

    ''After this one, I only need to reconquer a few fortresses,'' Mustang thought.

    Thanks to the skirmishes at the borders of the Fiore Empire increasing, more fortresses and regions were conquered by other kingdoms, so the Fiore emperor had tasked Mustang to reconquer them.

    If it weren''t for his boss''s orders, Mustang would have never epted to be used as a weapon by the emperor, but it is what it is; he couldn''t disobey his boss''s orders.

    "Ugh, when I think that after that, I would need to attend a fucking family gathering and help some brat be the heir of his weak-ass family, like I have nothing better to do!" Mustang cursed in irritation.

    The more Mustang thought about it, the more pissed off he became. Just thinking that he, of all people, would have to lower himself to help some weakling disgusted him to no end.

    "What a pain," Mustang sighed.

    Unfortunately, he had no choice; he could only do his best to wrap everything up and concentrate on his true mission.

    ''Killing the carrier of the sin of lust and retrieve his artifact.''

 Chapter 221 : Spending time among sisters (1)

    Chapter 221 : Spending time among sisters (1)

    "No! Absolutely not!" eximed a stunning woman with mesmerizing purple hair and alluring scarlet eyes. "If Mom ever found out, she would kill him, you, and me, so count me out."

    "Oh, don''t exaggerate," said another beautiful woman with green hair and tantalizing green eyes that seemed to pierce through the world. "Nothing of the sort will happen."

    These two women were none other than Alex and Lilia''s daughters, Alice and Scarlett. They were currently inside the once library, now transformed into Scarlett''s room, seated across from each other with tea in hand.

    Scarlett snorted at her sister''s reply. "Oh, believe me, she may very well do it. Did you forget about her warning?"

    "Nope, but I''m determined," Alice answered with a light smile on her face.

    Scarlett didn''t immediately respond, regarding her sister as if she were some kind of madwoman. "I always had doubts that you were a pervert, but I never thought you were that much of a pervert."

    Alice''s lips twitched in irritation at being called a pervert, but she maintained her smile. She took a sip of tea and questioned, "So, are you going to help me or not?"

    Scarlett remained silent for a while, then shrugged. "It depends. I may or may not help you," she said. "So, what could you possibly give me that''s worth putting my life in danger in such a way?"

    ''Gotcha,'' Alice thought to herself.

    She perfectly understood her sister''s character and knew that she would ask for something in return once she felt that the help she was about to provide might cost her something, and given what she had asked for help with, Alice knew that there''s no way she wouldn''t ask for something in return.

    Fortunately, Alice knew exactly what would tempt her.

    "If you ept, I will let you study my captivating eyes," she said, pointing to her mesmering emerald orbs.

    "Really?!!!" Scarlett''s eyes widened in surprise before a wide smile spread across her face. "DEAL!" she dered a momentter, seemingly epting Alice''s offer without hesitation.

    Scarlett had always been curious about how her older sister''s eyes worked and what made them special. She was intrigued by their unique abilities that granted Alice unparalleled ess to bypass any form of security and peer into anything she desired. So, there was no way she would pass up that opportunity!

    ''Excellent,'' Alice grinned inwardly.

    Since the moment she witnessed her dad fight against En and realized that even with her eyes, she couldn''t locate him when he was inside smoke, she understood that her eyes weren''t as infallible as she thought. So Alice began to conduct her own research, attempting to find the limits of her eyes and how to circumvent these limitations.

    At that moment, she had the idea to ask Scarlett for help, but then realized that instead of asking for assistance outright, she could leverage it as an opportunity to manipte her sister into fulfilling another favor. She knew very well that Scarlett wouldn''t resist the temptation to try to understand more about her eyes. Thus, she presented the pretext of allowing Scarlett to study her eyes as a means to persuade her to agree to help in return.

    However she looked at it, it was a win-win situation for her. She would learn more about herself while getting her sister to help her with something she would have typically refused to assist with, for free that is.

    "Come on, let''s start right-"

    "Impossible," Alice interrupted the excited Scarlett, "I have other things to do."

    "Like what?" Scarlett inquired.

    "Well, since mom and aunt Anna aren''t left, I''m the one who is in charge of managing everything," Alice exined.

    Despite being the firstborn of them all, Viviane was a little bit too carefree and only cared about either painting or sparring. Scarlett never emerged from her room, the library, while Violette was deemed too young to be entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating the servants and maids.

    Therefore, Alice was the only one Lilia could entrust with managing everything.

    "I understand. We can start another day," Scarlett said, the excited gleam still very present in her eyes.

    "I must warn you, though," Alice''s expression turned serious. "If anything sharpes near my eyes, I won''t hesitate to reveal what you do at the beginning of each month to everyone."

    The moment the threat escaped Alice''s lips, Scarlett''s cheeks tinged with a faint pink hue. "You creep! Now I understand how you knew about dad and Aunt Anna, you spied on them, no, you spy on everyone!" Scarlett eximed.

    "First of all," Alice looked disapprovingly at her sister, "stop referring to Aunt Anna as ''the maid''; she is now part of this family, and she always has been, actually."

    "Secondly," Alice grinned mischievously, "if I possess eyes that grant me the ability to see wherever I desire, why not utilize them?"

    "You do realize that what you''re saying is seriously creepy, right?" Scarlett retorted.

    Alice simply shrugged at her words. "we are all creepy in our own ways."

    "Some more than others," Scarlett scoffed.

    "If you say so," Alice shrugged once again. "But remember, I did warn you. If anything sharpes near my eyes and you don''t want everyone to know what you do at the-"

    "Okay, okay, I heard you the first time," Scarlett cut her off.

    "Well, just saying. It might be very embarrassing for you if Dad were to kn-"

    "I said that I heard you the first time!" Scarlett snapped. "If you have nothing more to say, then get out of here!"

    "I don''t understand why you''re acting this way," Alice sighed. "I think it would be better to be honest with yourse-"

    "OUT!" Scarlett eximed once again.

    "Fine, fine, I''m leaving," Alice conceded as she rose from her seat. "So aggressive," she muttered under her breath.

    Just as she was about to turn to leave, Alice caught sight of a book on the couch Scarlett was sitting on. When she read the book''s title, a funny expression couldn''t help but form on her face.

    "Why are you reading this?" Alice inquired, pointing at the book with a title that boldly proimed ''How to not be scammed out of your money by your family!''

    "Nothing, just precaution," Scarlett answered.

    "Against whom, though?" Alice inquired.

    "Some deceitful members of this family," Scarlett replied with a scoff.

    "I''m not sure whom you''re referring to, but hey, you do you. I''ll just head out," Alice remarked.

    "Yeah, get out right now," Scarlett demanded.

    "You know, there''s no need to rush me; I''m already on my way out," Alice remarked to her sister, who was urging her to leave quickly.

    "The sooner you depart, the sooner I can get back to my tasks," Scarlett retorted.

    Scarlett swung open the door of her room, but just as she was about to usher her sister out, she stopped.

    "Oh, what brings you two here?" Alice inquired upon spotting Viviane and Violette standing behind the door.

    "What''s going on here?" Violette wondered.

    "Nothing, she''s just leaving," Scarlett said as she pushed Alice out of her room.

    However, just as she was about to close the door, Viviane stopped her.

    "Wait, do you know where Grandma Candace is?" Viviane inquired.

    "She''s back in Zindal," answered Scarlett. "Why are you looking for her?"

    "I wanted to see if she knew where Grandma Grace went," Viviane exined. "She suddenly disappeared, and I can''t seem to find her."

    ''She''s probably avoiding you,'' thought Alice, Scarlett, and Violette.

    All of them were aware of their eldest sister''s habit of asking for a spar from anyone, especially if they were stronger than her, although she didn''t exclusively target those stronger than her.

    Viviane''s expression turned gloomy, realizing that Grace had most likely also left the mansion.

    However, an instantter, her expression became bright once again, her ruby eyes igniting with a mischievous light.

    "Hey, why don''t we spend the day together," Viviane suddenly asked, "it''s been a long time since the four of us spent time together."

    "Let me guess," Alice interrupted, "you n to make us spar with youter on, right?"

    "That''s absolutely not the case!" Viviane eximed. "It actually saddens me that you-"

    "Cut the crap," Scarlett interjected. "We all know that''s the real reason behind your sudden urge to spend time with us."

    "Cough, cough," Viviane coughed in embarrassment, seeing that her n had been discovered.

    Scarlett lingered for a moment before nodding. "I''m all for it," she said. "I''ve been spending months in my room,  and I''ve be a bit rusty. It''ll be good to stretch a little bit."

 Chapter 222 : Spending time among sisters (2)

    Chapter 222 : Spending time among sisters (2)

    "I''ve been spending months in my room, and I''ve be a bit rusty. It''ll be good to stretch a little bit," Scarlett said.

    Viviane''s expression immediately brightened, and she nodded approvingly at Scarlett. "That''s the spirit!" She turned to Alice and Violette, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "And what about you two?"

    The two of them stared at each other before shrugging simultaneously.

    "I''m on board," Violette replied in a cute little voice.

    "I don''t have anything better to do right now, so I guess I''m also on board," Alice said.

    "Wait a minute," Scarlett interjected, ring at Alice, "didn''t you say that you had work to do?"

    "It can wait," Alice replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.

    "Yet you said that-"

    "Will your research on my eyes finish in a few hours?" Alice questioned.

    Scarlett shook her head.

    "Well, I can''t abandon my works for days right now, so your little research will have to wait," Alice asserted.

    Scarlett was about to say something, but then shook her head. "Wait for me here, I''m going to change."

    With a nod, Scarlett retreated back into her room.

    You''re letting her research your eyes?" Viviane inquired, her tone tinged with surprise. "What exactly did you need her help with?" She questioned a momentter.

    Viviane might be carefree, but she still had a sharp mind. She was certain that Alice might have wanted something from Scarlett, which was why she was allowing her to run experiments on her eyes.

    "That''s a secret. I won''t tell you anything," Alice refused to divulge the content of their discussion.

    "Even to me?" Violette asked with puppy eyes, her hands sped together.

    ''She''s damn cute!'' Alice thought as Violette''s innocent and pure eyes pleaded with her.

    Viviane, Alice and Scarlett all had differents personalities and liked different things, but there were things that all three of them had inmon.

    One such thing was their love for their youngest sister. All of them particrly doted on Violette and didn''t allow any harm toe her way. In a sense, Violette could be said to be their reverse scale.

    Even Scarlett, who, although she very much loved her family, was usually distant, was especially fond of Violette. The proof of that was the fact that she never asked for something in return when the one asking for help was Violette!

    Violette was aware of how her sisters felt about her, and she never hesitated to use it to get what she wanted.

    ''Ugh, she''s too damn cute,'' Alice thought, ''should I tell her��no, that''s a bad idea.''

    She affectionately patted Violette and lightly shook her head, "Sorry, sweetheart, but I can''t say it... Even to you."

    Her answer surprised Violette and made her even more curious since she knew that Alice never refused her anything.

    However, she was mature enough not to push for an answer when the other party had clearly said no. Plus, knowing her sister, pressing for an answer would definitely be the wrong move in this situation.

    She stepped back from Alice and pouted cutely, "Hmph, then continue being all secretive."

    "Haha, don''t react like that," Alice smiled bitterly, "I really can''t tell you."

    ''I don''t want you ghosting me for years like you did with Dad,'' Alice added mentally, ''my poor heart couldn''t take it.''

    At that moment, Scarlett emerged from her room, "I''m ready now, let''s go."

    She had traded her white blouse for an oversized sweater, slipped into a pair offortable leggings, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

    Despite the sweater concealing more of her physiquepared to the revealing blouse, Scarlett still exuded an enticing and captivating presence, especially when one focused on her leggings, which entuated her curvaceous thighs.

    "Where to, though? The training grounds are brimming with people," Violette wondered.

    "We could go to the garden; no one is there, so we wouldn''t be bothered," Viviane proposed.

    "It''s decided then, let''s go," Alice said as she wrapped one hand over Violette''s shoulder.

    "I heard that you finally made up with Dad, that''s good," Alice said with a pleased smile.

    "Oh, is that true?!" Viviane wondered with an excited smile.

    Even Scarlett seemed interested in the matter as she nced at her younger sister.

    Both of the girls knew that the rtionship between their father and their youngest sister was....strained, something that was quite sad considering how close they used to be.

    They didn''t want to get involved in whatever it was that had caused Violette to be hostile toward their father, but still hoped that they would make up, which is why they were quite pleased hearing that it had finally happened.

    "Mmm," Violette let out an acknowledging sound to Viviane''s inquiry, a blush finding its way to her face as she did so.

    "Great!" Viviane eximed in a cheerful tone, e on, tell your big sister what happened," she added while cing her arm around Violette''s shoulder, pushing Alice away in doing so.

    "Hey!" Alice eximed in indignation, seeing Viviane steal her position.

    "Forget it, she is always like this," Scarlett said with a chuckle.

    Alice grumbled a little but didn''t do anything in the end.

    Together, the siblings walked towards the garden while chatting andughing together.

    "Ladies."

    Once they stepped inside the garden, a soft and polite voice greeted the sisters.

    Looking ahead, their eyes met the weing sight of a woman standing before them, holding a tray adorned with a teapot and several delicate cups.

    The woman before them was undeniably stunning, with her honey blonde hair elegantly tied in a ponytail and her captivating emerald eyes shining behind her sses. Her hourss figure,plemented by her curvy hips, only added to her attractiveness. Despite her attempt to conceal it, her generous bosom was impossible to ignore, subtly teasing beneath her ck and white maid outfit.

    Under the bright sun, her wless white skin radiated a soft light, enhancing the youthfulness and mesmerizing quality of her face.

    All in all, the woman before the four girls was so attractive that it wouldn''t be strange if she had a whole horde of men following behind her, vying for the attention of the beautiful woman with sinuous curves.

    "Who is sh-" Scarlett was in the midst of inquiring who the woman was when she stopped in her tracks.

    It was because she seemed to have caught sight of something moving under the woman draped in maid clothing.

    Carefully observing, Scarlett noticed the shadow of something dancing behind the woman.

    She directed her gaze upward and carefully examined the woman''s features. It was only then that she noticed a pair of cat ears atop the woman''s head.

    "A half-feline?" Scarlett wondered. "Who is she?" She questioned, ncing at Alice.

    "Aunt Anna''s recement," Alice answered. "She''s the new head maid."

    "Hoh," Scarlett and the others raised an eyebrow in unison.

    Judging by the others two reactions, Scarlett deduced that they were also unaware of the new head maid.

    "I''ve never seen her here. Where did shee from?" Violette inquired.

    "She was brought by Grandma Candace after Dad left, taking Mom, Aunt Amelia, and Aunt Anna with him," Alice replied with a smile.

    She looked toward the maid, who was slightly bowing to them, and smiled politely. "How are you doing, Aunt Eve?"

    "I''m doing fine, but..." Eve corrected her posture to address the beautiful young woman before her. "...I''ve already told you, Lady Alice, I''m just a mere maid. You shouldn''t refer to me as ''aunt,'' and it''s Evelina, not Eve."

    "Evelina, Eve, it''s the same thing," Alice shrugged. "And about not referring to you as aunt, what was my answer to that?" Alice inquired with a small smile.

    Eve''s eyes seemed to twitch slightly as she answered, "You said that you would continue to do so even if I told you to stop."

    "Great, it''s all sorted now," Alice''s smile widened.

    Observing this, Eve''s eyes twitched once again, but she refrained from saying anything more.

    "So, you''re the new head maid, huh?" Scarlett said as she approached Eve, her scarlet eyes scanning the woman from head to toe.

    "Yes, Lady Scarlett," Evelina replied as she lightly bowed to Scarlett, "but I have to specify, I''m not the only head maid."

    "Oh, howe?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow.

    "Lady Candace brought two of us," Eve answered, "the other head maid''s duties consist of managing the other servants of the mansion."

    "And what are your duties?" Viviane wondered as she approached the two.

    "My primary duty will be to serve as your father''s personal maid."

 Chapter 223 : Spending time among sisters (3)

    Chapter 223 : Spending time among sisters (3)

    "What are your duties?" Viviane wondered as she approached Scarlett and Eve.

    "My primary duty will be to serve as your father''s personal maid," answered Eve with a stoic expression.

    "Huh?" Both of the girls were surprised at this answer, even Alice.

    Scarlett looked at the new head maid for a moment, observing her figure for a good while before shaking her head, ''the same thing will repeat once again.''

    Even though she wasn''t absolutely certain, the fact that Eve was so attractive coupled with the fact that to obtain more soul points Alex needed to have sex made her believe that sooner orter, the beautiful new head maid would end up warming her father''s bed, much like what happened with Anna.

    ''Well, that''s none of my business,'' she shrugged a momentter. If her mother was okay with Alex having other women, then there was nothing wrong even if Eve slept with him.

    Instead of thinking about that, Scarlett addressed an issue that was intriguing her.

    ncing down at the te Eve was carrying, she wondered, "Judging by what you are carrying, you were definitely waiting for us. How did you know that we wereing?"

    "Ah, I was the one who warned her," Alice answered.

    Scarlett frowned, "I didn''t see you take out amunication device, so how did you contact her?"

    This time, it was Eve who replied to her inquiry, "It was possible thanks to my ability."

    "Is that so? Then what is-" Scarlett was about to ask what Eve''s ability was when she caught herself.

    Technically, there was nothing wrong with asking someone about their abilities, especially if the other party was your subordinate.

    However, there were people for whom the information about their abilities was as important as their virginity. It was because one could deduce the weakness of another person just by knowing what their abilities were.

    Since Scarlett didn''t know whether Eve was such a person, she refrained from asking.

    Eve understood Scarlett''s consideration and lightly smiled, "There is nothing wrong with asking me what my ability is."

    Scarlett didn''t hesitate further and inquired what Eve''s ability was.

    "To give you a summary, my ability has to do with minds. I can connect my mind to others'' tomunicate, help them, or harm them," Eve replied, thest part about being able to harm someone with her ability sounding especially somber.

    "Interesting," Scarlett nodded her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she spoke once again, "Then-"

    "Pause!" Viviane suddenly eximed, interrupting Scarlett. "We are not here for that; we are here to spar, so let''s spar!" she added a momentter.

    Alice and Violette chuckled at their eldest sister''s outburst while Scarlett simply shook her head.

    "Okay, okay, muscle brain, let''s begin," Scarlett said as she rolled up her sleeves.

    "Good," Viviane smiled excitedly, "You two wait a little, you are going to be next," she added as she eyed Alice and Violette.

    Violette nodded her head while Alice shook hers, "No thanks, I will pass."

    With that, Alice walked towards a couple of chairs surely ced there by Eve, a bit further away from Viviane and Scarlett while dragging Violette with her. Eve followed a few meters behind the two of them.

    "Who do you think will win?" Violette immediately asked as she settled down on her chair.

    "Thanks," Alice said to Eve who was handing her a cup of tea.

    She took a sip of the golden liquid, savoring its warm, fragrant aroma, then leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on her two sisters who were about to start their sparring match.

    "To tell you the truth, sweetheart, I don''t have a clue about who is going to win," she said a momentter.

    "Huh?" Violette, who was about to take a sip of her tea, stopped in her tracks. It was because Alice''s answer had greatly surprised her.

    In Violette''s opinion, there was no way that Viviane would lose. It was not because she thought less of Scarletl, but Viviane  was stronger, faster, and more knowledgeable about the art ofbat than any of them. To Violette, it was obvious that she woulde out on top, especially since her opponent was someone who had holed herself up in her room for months.

    "Inbat, things are not as straightforward as you may think," Alice said, noticing Violette''s surprised expression. "For one, since this is only a spar, Viviane will have to keep her strength matched to Scarlett''s."

    "Still, she should be able to win, right?" Violette said.

    "Have you ever seen Scarlett fight?" Alice asked.

    "Now that you mention it, I never saw her fighting, nor doing any physical activity for that matter," Violette said with a thoughtful expression.

    "I guess that''s why you think she will be easily defeated," Alice chuckled. "Scarlett might be a bookworm who neveres out of her room, but that doesn''t mean she is inept when ites to physical activities, especially in a fight. You''ll see what I mean when the fight starts."

    Violette nodded her head and concentrated on the spar that was about to begin.

    Eve, who was standing next to the girls, also looked forward to Viviane and Scarlett''s spar. She wanted to see how talented her new employers'' daughters were.

    Like Alice had said, Scarlett was chastising Viviane about using her full power in their duel. "If you do that, it''s my win," she dered.

    "Don''t worry, I won''t need that to beat you," Viviane assured with a confident smile.

    "Try not to lose that smile after I have finished mopping the floor with your ass," Scarlett taunted.

    "Not a chance something like that will happen," Viviane''s smile turned into a grin. "Ready when you are."

    "Well, let''s begin," Scarlett said.

    The words barely left her mouth when Viviane charged at her, swiftly crossing the thirty or so meters between them.

    Scarlett''s eyes locked onto Viviane as she observed the charging process for a fleeting moment before raising her hands and removing her sses.

    She barely had time to put them into her sweater when Viviane was already upon her, her fist tearing through the air as it dangerously closed in on Scarlett''s face.

    However, just when it seemed that Scarlett would be hit by Viviane''s attack, her head elegantly swerved to the side, effortlessly evading the blow.

    Unfazed by the failure of her initial strike, Viviane swiftly followed up with a kick aimed at Scarlett''s side.

    Like a predator closing in on its prey, Viviane''s kick sliced through the air with lightning speed towards Scarlett. Yet, just as it was about to connect and send the purple-headed young woman into a world of pain, Viviane''s attack missed once again.

    Viviane steadied herself for a moment before executing a swift roll, her elbow thrusting towards Scarlett''s face with deadly precision.

    With their proximity and the rapid execution of her attack, Viviane''s elbow materialized before Scarlett a split secondter.

    Yet, even in such close quarters, she narrowly missed Scarlett by a mere fraction of an inch.

    As seconds ticked by, the relentless barrage of attacks raining down on Scarlett intensified, each blow from Vivianeing perilously close tonding, yet failing to even graze her.

    ''If I didn''t know better, I would have thought she''s just lucky, but...'' Eve''s gazended on Scarlett, ''...this child, she''s deciphering and anticipating every move of her opponent, moving ordingly to evade them with the least amount of effort. She''s brilliant!''

    This was Eve''s genuine sentiment after observing Scarlett''s performance.

    Viviane abruptly withdrew after yet another of her attacks failed to find its mark on Scarlett.

    She gazed at Scarlett and scoffed, "Tsk, it''s still as annoying as ever to fight you."

    "Don''t startining now, you were the one who insisted oning out here," Scarlett retorted, "what''s the matter? Are you ready to admit defeat?"

    If one paid extra attention to Scarlett right now, they would notice something particrly peculiar about her eyes.

    Everything about Scarlett''s eyes seemed normal at first nce, but if you looked closely, you could see something strange��like tiny moving gears inside them.

    With each of Viviane''s attacks, those gears inside Scarlett''s eyes sprang into action, analyzing her moves and enabling Scarlett to wlessly dodge every one of Viviane''s strikes!

 Chapter 224 : Spending time among sisters (4)

    Chapter 224 : Spending time among sisters (4)

    Viviane took a deep breath and exhaled, murmuring quietly, "Let''s take it up a notch," she said to herself.

    As she said this, Scarlett felt a strange presence enveloping Viviane, like an aura that hadn''t been there before. It pressed on Scarlett, making her feel somewhat suffocated.

    Without hesitation, Viviane charged at Scarlett once again. While her speed seemed unchanged from before, there was a sense that she had somehow be faster.

    In the blink of an eye, she appeared before Scarlett, her fist driving through the air as she unleashed a devastating blow towards her.

    The gears in Scarlett''s eyes rotated as she sidestepped, masterfully avoiding the strike, though Viviane''s fist brushed against her.

    Knowing she couldn''t stay on the defensive forever, Scarlett took a calcted step back. At the same moment, her leg arced upwards, targeting Viviane''s head with deadly intent.

    Viviane effortlessly ducked, evading Scarlett''s kick, and immediatelyunched a counterattack at the now-exposed Scarlett.

    Unable to evade the rapid assault, Scarlett instinctively used her leg to block the attack.

    As Viviane''s fist collided with Scarlett''s leg, the impact sent her flying backward, her feet carving furrows into the soft grass. Fortunately, despite the force, she swiftly regained her bnce.

    "Not untouchable anymore, huh?" Viviane grinned, seeing the frown on Scarlett''s face as she nced down at her leg where a red mark had appeared.

    "A mere fluke," Scarlett retorted, her voice cutting through the air like ice. Her expression hardened, and the gears in her eyes whirred with a fierce, renewed vigor.

    Not giving Viviane a chance to respond, Scarlettunched herself forward, her legs a blur of motion as she closed the gap between them with lightning speed.

    Seeing this, Viviane also lunged at Scarlett, a wild and excited grin ying on her lips.

    Boom.

    A small explosion, followed by a cloud of dust, appeared as the two young women shed.

    Secondster, the cloud of dust cleared, revealing the two sisters locked in a fierce battle. Their movements were a blur of kicks, punches, and counterattacks, each one executed with deadly precision.

    Scarlett''s eyes, still whirring with mechanical intensity, tracked Viviane''s every move, while Viviane''s wild grin never faltered as she met her sister''s attacks head-on. Meanwhile, the ground beneath them trembled with the force of their sh, a testament to the ferocity of theirbat.

    Yet, the stunning part was that none of them managed to even graze each other. Each time Viviane attacked, Scarlett would evade before counterattacking. The counterattacks would equally fail as Viviane also evaded the attack. Their fight became a mesmerizing disy of skill, with each of them wlessly dodging the other''s moves.

    The more time passed, the more shocking their fight appeared. More than ten minutes had passed and, aside from their initial exchanges, neither could even graze the other. Their movements were so precise and their defenses so impable that it seemed impossible for either tond a hit.

    "H-How..." Violette wondered as she watched the spar. Well, "watched" was a strong word; the speed at which the two moved was too fast for her to follow, so she could only perceive their conditions after they retreated from each other.

    "Scarlett''s fighting style relies on calction; she anticipates and moves ording to her opponent''s actions," Alice exined. "Viviane, on the other hand, relies on talent and experience to fight. Though their styles arepletely different, the one thing they have inmon is that it''s extremely hard tond even a blow on either of them. Believe me, the two of them are the most frustrating opponents you could face. I know that more than anyone," she added with a bitter smile.

    "Who usually wins when they spar, then?" Violette wondered.

    Eve, who was observing the fight with keen interest, also nced down at Alice, curious about her answer.

    "Viviane had won thirteen out of the thirteen times they sparred," Alice answered.

    "Ah, I didn''t expect that," Violette said, surprised.

    If it were before the start of the spar, she would have easily epted what Alice had said. However, after witnessing Scarlett''s prowess, she found it hard to believe that Scarlett had lost every time she sparred with Viviane.

    "Is Viviane really that strong?" she wondered absentmindedly.

    "Believe me when I say that you haven''t even witnessed half of her true capabilities," Alice said. "But, it''s not just because of that that she won every time against Scarlett."

    "Then how did she win?" Violette asked.

    Alice smiled wryly, "That''s because��"

    She didn''t get to finish her sentence when a voice resounded in their ears.

    "I give up."

    With expressions of disbelief, Eve and Alice watched as Scarlett raised her hands in surrender.

    "The reason Viviane always win is that Scarlett always give up," Alice with a sigh.

    "Hey! What are you doing?!!" Viviane eximed with an annoyed expression, "the fight isn''t over!!!"

    "For me, it''s over," Scarlett said as she untied her hair, letting it flow down her back. "Although you''re restraining your strength and speed to match mine, you can''t do the same with your stamina. As the spar drags on, I''ll tire out while you won''t even break a sweat. It''s clear that you would eventually win, making it pointless for us to continue this spar."

    "You don''t know that, per-"

    "Perhaps the fight will end in the next exchange?" Scarlett nced at Viviane and chuckled. "I doubt something like that will happen, and you know it. Plus, my goal with this spar was just to stretch, after all. I never agreed to fight you until one of us defeated the other."

    "Still!" Viviane nced at Scarlett with a furious expression. "Dammit! That''s why I hate sparring with you. You really are a pain in the ass!!"

    "Thanks for thepliment," Scarlett said with a light smile.

    "That wasn''t one!"

    Ignoring Viviane, who was throwing a tantrum, Scarlett walked over to Violette and Alice and took a seat next to thetter.

    "Sometimes, I wonder if you aren''t giving up just to enrage her," Alice remarked as she observed Viviane huffing in frustation.

    "Nope, I just don''t see a need to continue. You know that I don''t like fighting losing battles," Scarlett answered, taking the cup of tea that Eve handed to her.

    "You know that Mom dislikes it every time you give up a fight, right?" Alice said to Scarlett as she observed Violette and Viviane discussing something.

    "Mm," Scarlett hummed in acknowledgment.

    Taking a sip of the tea, she nced towards the fuming Viviane and chuckled. "Though I have to say, it''s quite entertaining to see her like this."

    "Violette,e here!" Viviane suddenly eximed. "You''re next!"

    "Yes," Violette swiftly stood up and hurriedly walked towards Viviane.

    Seeing this, Alice sighed and concentrated on the spar between Viviane and Violette that had already started.

    In contrast to the spar between Viviane and Scarlett, the one between Viviane and Violette didn''tst more than five minutes.

    Violette was utterly crushed.

    "Haa...haa...haa," Violette gasped for air, sweat cascaded down her face and her chest kept rising and falling with eachbored breath.

    In thosest five minutes, the respect she had for Scarlett had skyrocketed. ''How could someone fight that monster for more than thirty minutes ande out unscathed?'' she wondered.

    During their spar, she hade to understand just how terrifying Viviane was. The worst part? She seemed to not even be seriously trying to defeat her!

    ''That''s humiliating,'' Violette thought with a bitter expression.

    She understood she shouldn''tpare herself to Viviane; thetter was older, more experienced, and mad enough to want to spar with the likes of Grace.

    Nevertheless, Violette couldn''t shake off the bitterness of her loss.

    "Here," Viviane reached out her arm to Violette, who was lying on the ground.

    Violette took a deep breath and reached out to grasp Viviane''s extended hand.

    "You fight just like Mom," Violette heard the moment she got back on her feet.

    "Thanks, I guess," she replied.

    "You should learn to fight differently," Viviane advised.

    "Huh?"

    "Don''t get me wrong, the fighting style you learned from Mom is great, but it''scking something."

    "What?" Violette wondered.

    "Itcks your own essence," Viviane said, poking Violette''s chest. "Don''t just blindly fight like Mom taught you; experiment with your own style, change some things. Understood?"

    "Um, yes...I think."

    "That''s great! Come on, let''s rejoin the others," Viviane said, cing her arm around Violette''s shoulder.

    "Good fight, you two," Alice greeted as they approached.

    Both of them nodded and sat down.

    "I don''t drink that stuff," Viviane declined as Eve offered her some tea.

    "And what would you like to drink, youngdy?" Eve inquired politely.

    "Um, milk... yes, milk!" Viviane said.

    Eve gave her a suspicious nce before nodding and heading inside.

    "I thought you hated milk?" Alice asked.

    "Yup, I hate it," Viviane confirmed.

    "Then why did you order her to bring you milk?" Violette asked.

    "Hehe, that was to get her to go away," Viviane admitted mischievously. "What I really wanted to drink is this!" She retrieved a bottle of alcohol from her space ring. "I found this in Dad''s office while searching for him. Always wondered why he drank this stuff. Who wants to find out with me?" Viviane asked, a mischievous smile ying on her lips.

    "Mom clearly forbade us from ever drinking alcohol, and even if we had any intention of drinking this, how long do you think it would take Eve toe back with a ss of milk?" Scarlett asked, eyeing Viviane as if she were foolish.

    "Hmph, coward," Viviane snorted, causing Scarlett''s lips to twitch in irritation.

    "For your information, we are low on milk; some weirdo with questionable taste drank it all. So, Eve won''t be back soon," Viviane dered proudly.

    As the words left her mouth, the four of them heard in their heads: ''That''s what I thought.''

    Suddenly, Eve reappeared before them. Without hesitation, she swiftly took the bottle of alcohol from Viviane''s grasp.

    "I''ll be taking this," Eve stated firmly.

    "Hey! Give it back!" Viviane eximed.

    "Lady Candace ordered me not to let any of youe into contact with alcohol, so no, I won''t be giving that back," Eve asserted.

    "Here''s your milk," she said, handing Viviane a ss of milk.

    Viviane grumbled in protest, but eventually acquiesced, taking the ss of milk and downing it in one gulp.

    Seeing this scene, Alice, Scarlett and Violette smiled wryly.

    ''I guess she is the weirdo with questionable tastes.''

 Chapter 225 : The heavenly stairs

    Chapter 225 : The heavenly stairs

    Inside a dense forest in an unknown location, a man draped in a mage cape abruptly appeared out of nowhere.

    The man, Rangyl, scanned his surroundings with his intense ck eyes, seemingly surprised.

    A split second after recognizing the location, Rangyl bolted, sprinting as fast as he could towards the exit of the forest.

    "Shit, shit, shit, shit, it''s not the time for that!" Rangyl cursed as his figure weaved through the forest in a blur.

    His god had summoned him just as he was on the verge of capturing the girl with the golden power, leaving him no room for argument since his god''smands were absolute. The problem this time was that this order came at the worst possible time.

    As if things weren''tplicated enough, his god had forbidden him from teleporting directly into the temple and instead forced him to reappear far away from it. It was likely a punishment for his blunder of almost transforming into his true form. But this was definitely the worst time for such a punishment, especially since time moved ten times faster herepared to the outside!

    For each second that he wasted here, the likelihood of the woman with the golden power slipping away increased.

    Since he wasn''t on Imperion anymore, Rangyl didn''t hesitate and transformed to his true form, well, partially transformed to his true form. His whole body got covered in scales that were as ck as carbon and as lusterless as obsidian. While his legs bulged, the muscles growing more firm and potent. After the transformation wasplete, Rangyl''s speed exploded.

    His body moved with ten times its previous speed, and Rangyl swiftly exited from the forest. Even then, he didn''t stop and kept running at his full speed.

    At some points, a long, diagonal and white line appeared in his sight. This line stretched from the ground and extended to the sky, dividing the world in two. This line looked like a celestial scar, as if the very fabric of reality had been sliced by a cosmic de.

    Without pausing, Rangyl continued to sprint in that direction, never deviating from his path.

    Minutester, which would have equated to over an hour outside, Rangyl finally discerned the outlines of a city.

    From the heart of this city, a grand staircase, crafted from pristine white stone, stretched upwards towards the distant clouds. These stairs formed the line that Rangyl had previously spotted, seemingly extending into the sky.

    As for the city,pared to ces like the capital of the Fiore Empire, for example, this city looked very small. One might even call this ce a vige. Yet, despite its small size, the architecture of the city could only be called sublime.

    The city, crafted entirely from pristine white stone shone with a soft light as it reflected the sun rays.  Its buildings, adorned with intricate carvings and delicate details, evoke a sense of grandeur and elegance. Narrow cobblestone streets wind through the city, nked by rows of towering structures that reach towards the sky. Despite its modest size, the city''s charm and beauty was undeniable.

    However, Rangylpletely ignored the beauty and grace of the city, running straight for the gates of the city.

    As he neared the gates, Rangyl spotted two men, who looked like humans, as opposed to Rangyl, who looked like a monster pulled straight out of a kid''s nightmare, lounging in chairs, engaged in a game of cards, and made his way toward them.

    As he approached, the two men''s gaze shifted from their game to look at Rangyl.

    "Oi, Rangyl, long time no see," one of the two men eximed with a grin on his face.

    This man had a light brown skin, ck hair, and deep ck eyes, but the thing that stood out the most about him was the robustness of his body. He was sorge and muscr that there were chances you couldn''t even perceive his chair unless you approached him.

    "Still down there in the human world, conducting your experiments?" wondered the second man with a chuckle.

    This man had the same features as the other one, but as opposed to the bulky man, he had a rather lean and toned body.

    "Of course!" Rangyl replied with a big smile ying on his lips as he stopped in front of the two men, "Tori, Dori, how are you guys doing?" He inquired after a moment.

    "Well, besides being bored to death, I guess we can be said to be going well," the lean man, Tori, answered.

    "What do we owe us the visit of the talented and always busy Rangyl?" Dori questioned with a teasing smile on his face.

    Rangyl scratched his head and said in an embarrassed tone, "I have been summoned by God."

    "Let me guess, you let your emotions run and did something stupid, right?" Tori said.

    Rangyl didn''t respond, but the subtle flinch of his body was all Tori needed to know that he was right.

    "So, what happened this time?" He inquired a momentter.

    Rangyl was about to answer when he suddenly caught himself.

    ''Telling them would be a bad idea,'' he thought.

    Although he had been friends for years with those two, Rangyl knew that if he told them about his discovery of the golden power, they wouldn''t hesitate to ry the news to his god before he could do so, and they would be the ones getting the rewards of his discovery! There was no way he would allow that to happen.

    "I will tell youter," Rangyl replied, "instead, can you tell me where God is?"

    "Ah, the boss, he is-"

    "God! Not boss," Rangyl interrupted with a somber expression.

    "Whatever," Tori waved his hand, not the least interested in arguing with this fanatic, "he is up there."

    As he said this, Tori pointed to the endlessly stretching stairs.

    Rangyl observed the stairs with a frown on his face before sighing.

    "I will go, see you guyster."

    Without waiting for their responses, Rangyl entered the city and ran towards its center, ignoring the curious nces the inhabitants of the city were giving him.

    Soon, he stood before the endless stairs, his head looking up as if trying to see the end of the stairs.

    Unfortunately, he couldn''t see the end of the stairs, at least from his current position.

    After a moment, Rangyl released a defeated sigh and began climbing the stairs.

    The reason he looked defeated was that he knew it would be difficult, perhaps even impossible, to catch Alex''s group now that he had to climb those stairs.

    The reason for that was obviously because of the fact that it would take him too much time to climb those stairs.

    Named the heavenly stairs, they ascended to the temple where Rangyl''s god resided.

    The staircase was divided into four sections, each consisting of precisely 9999 steps.

    The fourth and final section, on the other hand, boasted the smallest number of stairs, consisting of only three steps.

    Just as not everyone could ascend to heaven, not everyone could climb those stairs to reach the temple above. In fact, within this entire dimension, only two people were able to make the ascent.

    Rangyl was actually one of those two persons able to climb these stairs.

    Taking onest deep breath, Rangyl began climbing the stairs.

    Not wanting to waste time, he raced through the first section, his body moving like a lightning bolt.

    However, the further Rangyl climbed, the slower he became. While he managed to pass through the first section rtively quickly, the moment he stepped onto the first stair of the second section, his speed diminished.

    Rangyl persevered and traversed the second section with minimal dy, but upon entering the third section, his pace plummeted.

    "Damn!" Rangyl cursed, feeling as though he were carrying a mountain on his shoulders.

    This sensation only intensified with each step he took.

    The pressure he faced was precisely why most people couldn''t climb those stairs. Each section exerted increasing pressure on climbers, making the ascent progressively more challenging.

    While Rangyl might have been one of only two people capable of reaching the top via those stairs, it didn''t mean the journey was easy for him.

    Beads of sweat quickly formed on his forehead, his shoulders sagging under the weight of the pressure he was subjected to.

    The higher he climbed, the more deformed his posture became, transitioning from an upright stance to a hunched-over position.

    The worst thing yet was theck of oxygen. It caused Rangyl to feel a burning sensation in his chest.

    Nevertheless, Rangyl persevered, and after what felt like an eternity, he reached the end of the third section.

    By that point, his body was entirely obscured from those below, concealed by the billowing white clouds of the sky.

    Looking at thest three stairs separating him from the temple where his god resided, Rangyl took a deep breath and steeled his resolve.

    With a determined expression, Rangyl took a step forward.

 Chapter 226 : A talk with god (1)

    Chapter 226 : A talk with god (1)

    With a determined expression, Rangyl took a step forward.

    The moment his foot touched the first of the final steps, a wrenching groan tore from his lips and Rangyl copsed to his knees.

    If on the third section of the heavenly stairs it felt like he was carrying a whole mountain, now it felt as if he was dragging multiple mountains bound in heavy chains.

    He struggled to push his body upward, but felt his bones crackling and his organs rattling violently within him.

    ''Fucking...staircase!'' Rangyl cursed in his mind.

    When he first stepped inside this world and found out that he hadn''t appeared in the temple like he thought he would, Rangyl concluded that it was punishment from his god. It''s just that, at that time, he hadn''t been aware of how right he was. No, it isn''t that he wasn''t aware, it''s just that many years had passed since thest time he had climbed the heavenly stairs and he hade to forget its true horror.

    Currently, he was being reminded why he hated this staircase so much.

    ''There is nothing heavenly about this fucking staircase!'' Rangyl eximed in his head.

    Understanding that there was no way he could stand up, Rangyl gritted his teeth and crawled up to the next step.

    The moment he ced his hands on the second step, a loud cracking sound echoed.

    "Ahhhhh," Rangyl let out a muffled scream as the bones in his arms fractured, crushed by the overwhelming pressure.

    Rangyl''s eyes shone with determination as he crawled the rest of his body to the second step.

    Fortunately, the heavenly staircase was broad enough to amodate his whole body, so Rangyl didn''t have to put the upper part of his body on the third step.

    It didn''t mean that he was currently safe and sound, far from it.

    Cough! Cough! Cough!

    Rangyl violently coughed, blooding out of his mouth each time he did so.

    As he gazed at the third and final step separating him from the temple, a chill ran down Rangyl''s spine.

    Just one step separated him from his goal, yet, to the current Rangyl, it felt like he was worlds away.

    At that moment, he wondered if going back down would be better.

    ''No...I can''t!'' Rangyl thought.

    He had been summoned by his god, so he couldn''t return even though his whole body was pleading with him to do so.

    Gritting his teeth, Rangyl pushed his body upward,nding on the third step.

    At that instant, it felt to Rangyl like he was an ant, utterly powerless against the crushing weight of the world bearing down upon him.

    To him, the pressure of thatst step was akin to, or even greater than, thebined pressure of the preceding 29,999 stairs.

    Yet, it wasn''t the first time Rangyl had stepped on thisst stair and it surely wouldn''t be thest time!

    Despite the mind-numbing pain coursing through his body, Rangyl painstakingly crawled his way up.

    "Haa...haa...haa...haa," Rangyl breathed raggedly like a marathon runner reaching the finish line, sweat and blood spilling everywhere as he copsed onto his back after narrowly evading the final stair.

    ''Never....again!'' Rangyl vowed in his heart.

    As he had this thought, a sudden green energy appeared out of nowhere and permeated his body.

    Rangyl was familiar with this energy, so he didn''t attempt to chase it away.

    Soon, the green energy hadpletely mended all the wounds on his body, even the internal ones!

    Springing to his feet, Rangyl quickly checked his condition before turning and walking towards the door of the temple,pletely ignoring the beautiful and mesmerizing scenery around the temple.

    He walked to the temple''s door and just stood there, not doing or saying anything.

    Momentster, a profound andmanding voice resonated from within the temple.

    "Enter."

    Rangyl nodded and pushed open the temple''s door, entering a vast chamber that greatly resembled a throne room, built from a stone as ck as obsidian and gold as pure as the sun''s radiance.

    At the very center of this room, a lone figure sat cross-legged, his back turned towards the entrance.

    Despite the room''s brightness, Rangyl found it impossible to discern the true form of this figure. Whenever he tried to focus on it for too long, a splitting headache seized him, and his vision blurred.

    Rangyl averted his gaze from the being in the room, knelt before it, and remained utterly motionless, ensuring not to make even the slightest sound.

    Several minutester, the being, Rangyl''s god, spoke, its deep and regal voice resounding throughout the room.

    "Rangyl."

    "Yes, my god!"

    "How many times has it been now?"

    Rangyl felt a chill run down his spine.

    "With today''s incident, how many times have you transformed into your true form in Imperion?" The being''s voice carried a weight of authority.

    Rangyl swallowed hard, his fear palpable as he responded, "Four times."

    "Four times, you say?" The god''sughter echoed through the chamber. "I expressly forbade you from assuming your true form in Imperion even once, yet you have transformed four times?"

    Rangyl wanted to exin that each transformation served a noble purpose, but he clenched his jaw shut.

    "Let me ask you, do you consider my warning a mere jest?" The god''s inquiry carried a cheerful tone.

    Despite the god''s amiable demeanor, Rangyl couldn''t suppress his trembling fear.

    "Due to your exceptional talents, I have ced great hope in you, Rangyl. Yet, each time you defy my orders, I question whether it might be best to simply end you and utilize your body and soul as nourishment for the jukai," the god''s previously cheerful voice turned cold.

    Rangyl''s body quivered, sweat pooling beneath him. His mind raced, seeking any salvation from his god''s impending wrath.

    Then, he recalled the very reason he had nearly transformed.

    Without hesitation, he eximed, "I HAVE ENCOUNTERED SOMEONE WITH THE GOLDEN POWER!"

    The god, on the verge of saying something, froze. After a few seconds, he inquired, "Where?"

    Rangyl sighed in relief and replied, "This individual infiltrated the base I was overseeing!"

    "Are you certain you''re not mistaking this person''s power for the golden one?" The god queried.

    "No, I''m certain. It''s the power to control cells," Rangyl affirmed.

    "Tell me what transpired," the godmanded, sounding genuinely intrigued.

    Without dy, Rangyl recounted every detail from Amelia''s appearance to the moment of his summoning.

    "Hmm, it does indeed resemble the power to control cells," the god nodded, or at least Rangyl thought he saw a nod, "but from your description, it seems to be an ability rather than a bloodline."

    Rangyl nodded, "Yes, it appears to be an ability," pausing momentarily before asking, "Would that alter anything, though?"

    "Yes, it could change everything," the god nodded, "Extracting a bloodline is far simpler than doing so with an ability."

    "Why?" Rangyl began, before realizing his position and retracting, "I apologize, I shouldn''t have��"

    "It''s eptable," the god waved a hand dismissively, "given the news you''ve brought, you may inquire freely."

    "Answering your question, extracting an ability is tougher than getting a bloodline for two main reasons. First, if it''s a bloodline, there could be others with the same power, so if we fail with one person, we might still have others. But with an ability, there might be only one person with it, making it riskier. The second reason however is the true issue, that is because one''s ability is situated in the soul, and I don''t need to exin to you how tricky it is to extract something from someone soul, in most cases, the instant you try to tamper with soul, it copse."

    Rangyl nodded in understanding, his expression solemn as he wondered, "So what do we do?"

    "Fortunately for us, with the help of the heart in your base, we might be able to��" The god paused abruptly.

    He nced downward for a moment, then snapped his fingers.

    In an instant, another man materialized right next to Rangyl.

    "I felt a disturbance. What caused it?" The god addressed the neer.

    Kneeling, the man briefly nced at Rangyl before responding, "The ninth base was destroyed."

    Rangyl stiffened, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

    The ninth base was the one he was supervising.

    The neer nced at Rangyl for a moment before continuing, "the ones who destroyed the base had also taken all the riches we have collected."

    "What about the heart?"

    "It had disappeared."

 Chapter 227 : A talk with god (2)

    Chapter 227 : A talk with god (2)

    "What about the heart?" the god asked, his voice echoing through the vast, silent chamber.

    "It had disappeared," answered the neer.

    At that moment, Rangyl felt his own heart skip a beat.

    Rumble Rumble

    Suddenly, the entirety of the temple began to wildly shake, its very foundations threatening to copse. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling, and ancient pirs seemed to groan under the strain.

    Meanwhile, Rangyl and the neer were pushed to their knees by an overwhelming pressure that seemed to emanate from the very air around them, crushing them with an invisible force.

    Although the pressure was most definitely heavy, to Rangyl, who had just climbed the heavenly stairs, it was still bearable.

    The neer, however, seemed to be having the worst time of his life. His breathing was shallow, almost stopping entirely, nearly stopping altogether, while the sickening sound of his bones snapping echoed through the chaos, cutting through the relentless shaking of the temple.

    "Rangyl," the god suddenly spoke, the menacing tone of his voice sending shivers down Rangyl''s back, "how could you allow intruders to take the heart?"

    ''Huh?'' Rangyl blinked, a dumbfounded expression making its way onto his face, ''how is this my fault?''

    The very reason he couldn''t capture Amelia and had to leave, giving Alex and hispanions time to plunder their treasury, was because his god had summoned him at the most crucial moment. How could it be his fault?!

    More than once, Rangyl had caught himself thinking that his god was unreasonable, and right now, he was thinking the same. He was even more convinced of this when he considered the fact that they had means to track the heart. If that was the case, why was he making them suffer right now?

    Meanwhile, the man next to Rangyl groaned a little and added, "it''s not all...those people had also freed the abductees...Among those abductees, there was also subject #A09."

    Rangyl nced at the man next to him with a disbelieving expression, ''is this fool a masochist?''

    Rangyl couldn''t fathom how someone who was likely in excruciating pain, with bones snapping and agony writrge upon his face after delivering bad news could find it in him to drop another piece of news that was just as bad as the previous one.

    As Rangyl thought, the words barely left the man''s mouth before the pressure they were subjected to increased.

    Boom!

    The man copsed face-first, blood oozing from his mouth, yet somehow, he remained conscious.

    Feeling that he might seriously injure, or worse, kill his subordinates if he continued, the god retracted the pressure ced on them. As he did so, the shaking of the temple finally ceased.

    Free from the pressure, the man next to Rangyl released a sigh of relief, while Rangyl bowed to his god, "I''m terribly sorry if, because of my ipetence, the heart was stolen, but I believe it''s a good opportunity!"

    "How so?" The god inquired.

    "Since the base has been destroyed, there is a high chance that the woman with the golden ability has escaped. It could take us a little time to find her, but since she and herpanions took the heart with them, we can easily find them by tracing the heart''s location!" Rangyl exined.

    "Hmm, that''s true," the god approved, "Disyo, what is the new location of the heart," he ordered.

    The neer, Disyo, looked towards his boss, a fearful and hesitant expression appearing on his face.

    "What is it? Speak!" The god demanded impatiently.

    "U-Um, well, we have lost track of the heart. I think it has been absorbed by someone."

    The instant Disyo uttered this, he firmly closed his eyes, bracing himself for the oing pressure. Rangyl followed suit, mirroring Disyo''s actions.

    Meanwhile, to their astonishment, instead of flying into a rage, Rangyl''s god began tough uproariously, the temple shaking as he did so.

    "Ehh," Rangyl and Disyo looked toward one another with confused expressions.

    "Today is a marvelous day!" The god eximed through hisughter. "Not only have we discovered the one with the golden power, but also someonepatible with that damned heart!"

    After a while, he finally calmed down, though thest echoes of hisughter could still be heard throughout the temple.

    "Umm, why is the news that the heart had been absorbed a good thing?" Rangyl inquired, seeking rification.

    He had been tasked with hiding and protecting the ck heart for over a decade, yet he remained clueless about its origin and purpose, much like Disyo next to him.

    The god chuckled lightly before exining, "Simply put, this heart grants a specific ability to its host. However, it''s not something that can be transnted into just anyone; we''ve been searching for apatible host for over a millennium without sess. And now, hearing that someone has absorbed it, how could I not feel joy?"

    Rangyl nodded, his expression serious. "I don''t believe it''s mere coincidence. It''s highly likely that the woman with the golden power has taken possession of it."

    "That''s most probably the case," the god nodded his head, "that woman sure is gifted, not only possessing the ability to control cells, but also beingpatible with this particr heart."

    "''This particr heart''? Are there others like it?" Rangyl''s eyes sparkled with curiosity as he inquired.

    "Cease your inquiries on that matter," the godmanded Rangyl.

    "Yes!" Rangyl nodded, though the curious glint in his eyes remained.

    "Anyway, we need to catch that woman as fast as possible. If we give her too much time, she might end up growing too strong. By then, it would be more troublesome to catch her," the god emphasized, his tone grave.

    Disyo, who had been listening attentively, grasped the situation and suggested, "If we had a portrait of that woman, we could distribute it to all the members of Night. That way, it wouldn''t take us too much time to find her."

    "Well, Rangyl is the only one who has seen her," the god replied. "If that brat were here, we could have extracted her picture from his mind. Unfortunately..."

    Understanding whom his god was referring to, Rangyl shivered a little. "d that she''s away. I wish she''d stay wherever she is."

    "Anyway, send the Jaiku #001. It should be able to find her pretty quickly," the god ordered.

    "B-But sir, this is only a prototype. It might not work as-"

    "Are you questioning my orders?" The god''s tone grew displeased.

    "N-No sir, I would never," Disyo stuttered.

    "You better not. Now leave," the god ordered, "oh, and Disyo, not a word to anyone about what was discussed here."

    The god snapped his fingers, and Disyo''s body disappeared from the temple.

    "Rangyl," the god called out, "this is thest time I''m warning you. Unless I give you permission, never transform into your true form."

    Rangyl gulped in fear and nodded his head.

    "Good. Now go, and like Disyo, don''t speak of today''s events to anyone else."

    "What about subject #A09?" Rangyl inquired.

    "Forget about her; focus only on the one with the golden power for the time being," the god ordered.

    Rangyl bowed his head, but even after several minutes passed, he remained standing by the doorway of the temple.

    "What is it? Do you have another matter to discuss?" the god inquired.

    "No, I have nothing to say. It''s just that, are you not going to send me back?" Rangyl wondered.

    "No, descend via the heavenly stairs; that''s your punishment for allowing the base you are supervising to be destroyed."

    ''What the hell?'' Rangyl''s eyes opened wide in disbelief. ''Howe it''s my fault if the base got destroyed?'' Rangyl thought in frustration.

    Rangyl grumbled in displeasure but ultimately obeyed.

    Fortunately for him, descending the heavenly stairs is easier than climbing them, though it was still harrowing.

    Just as Rangyl began descending the heavenly stairs, his god snapped his fingers, and Disyo appeared once again.

    "What is it again, Disyo?" The god asked with a hint of irritation in his voice.

    Disyo, who had once againe to deliver bad news, felt like crying.

    "Sir, the tenth base got destroyed," Disyo informed.

    "When?"

    "A few weeks ago?"

    "Then why the fuck am I only learning this now?!" The god bellowed, immense pressure emanating from him.

    "Ugh..." Disyo copsed on his knees, his bones that had just been healed snapping once again.

    "That''s... because the supervisor of the tenth base... got severely wounded... and has only awakened now... he just sent us the news," Disyo managed to say through his agony.

    "What?!" The god was quite surprised to hear that the supervisor of a base had been defeated and severely wounded.

    The ones chosen as base supervisors were not to be underestimated, even among their own kind!

    The god waved a hand and suddenly, hundreds of screens appeared before him. Each of those screens showed a different base, the most shocking thing being the fact that there was a base in each and every power of Imperion!

    There wasn''t a single empire, kingdom, sect, or major power within Imperion''s domain that didn''t have a Night''s base on itsnds, not even one!

    *****

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/mgfDFQMx

 Chapter 228 : The destruction of the tenth base (1)

    Chapter 228 : The destruction of the tenth base (1)

    "Thankfully, we have eyes around the tenth base," Disyo sighed in relief.

    The number of screens that were disying the differents base of Night was astronomical.

    However, even this wasn''t the true number of bases they had. There were bases, simr to the ninth that Rangyl supervise, or rather,  supervised, that weren''t depicted here.

    There were two reasons for this. The first reason was that Rangyl''s god had absolute trust in the capabilities of some of those supervising those bases. This was why there wasn''t security footage around Rangyl''s base and why they didn''t know what neither Amelia nor herpanions looked like.

    The second reason why some bases weren''t disyed by Rangyl''s god was simply because not all the supervisors trusted or respected Rangyl''s god like Rangyl did. They refused to be "spied on" by the god.

    Despite the behavior of those individuals, Rangyl''s god let them be for the simple reason that he needed their strength.

    "It seems that only one person attacked and destroyed the base," the god remarked.

    "One person? That''s-"

    Disyo, who was about to say that a single person couldn''t destroy the tenth base, shut his mouth when the god disyed the face of the one that attacked the base.

    "T-That woman, isn''t that..." Disyo''s words trailed off.

    "Interesting," the god uttered, "let''s watch what happened."

    ***

    A few weeks before the attack on the ninth base by Alex''s group.

    In an unknown location in the Fiore Empire, deep underground, in a chamber room lit by the light of several screens...

    "Puhahahaha, I can''t believe how easy it was," a man with spiky dirty blond hair and brown eyes exploded withughter.

    He lounged in a luxurious chair, seememingly having the time of his life.

    All around this man, several other men were standing, each wearing a mocking expression.

    "Ohh, don''t make so much fun of him, you know that it''s not everyone that can resist my charm~" a woman with an aura of captivating beauty remarked with a yful giggle.

    She had long, wavy ck hair, a pair of clear sapphire eyes, and boasted a voluptuous figure.

    "Damn right! No one can resist you!" The man sitting on the chair eximed.

    With a swift motion, his hand rose, and he delivered a resounding p to the ck-haired woman''s ample, shapely butt.

    p

    "Hmm," the woman moaned and nced at the man, "that will cost you 10 gold coins," she said to him, her tone tinged with amusement.

    Hearing that, the man erupted intoughter. "You heard that? The woman you''re so infatuated with is nothing but a gold-digging whore!" he eximed, "It would have been easier for you to fuck her than win her heart!"

    Before him, another man knelt, his limbs bound together. This man sported shoulder-length ck hair and dark eyes aze with fury.

    This man worevish ck clothes embroidered with gold. His neatlybed hair and luxurious attire clearly indicated his noble status. However, despite his refined appearance, the way he growled in rage, saliva dripping down his mouth as he tried to speak but was muffled by the cloth gagging him, painted a different picture. He resembled less of a nobleman and more of an enraged beast.

    "Aye, girl, you really did a number on him," the man seated in the chair chuckled, as he wrapped his arm firmly around the woman''s waist, pulling her closer to him and seating herfortably on hisp.

    This sight caused the tied man to struggle even more fiercely, trying to get free, s.

    "What can I say, everything is this fool''s fault," the woman shrugged carelessly, "if he hadn''t suddenly decided to elope with me, none of this would have happened to him, at least not this soon."

    "You really are a cold bitch, Olga," the man with blond hair chuckled, "the poor guy was ready to abandon his nobility for you, yet you speak ill of him."

    Olga only shrugged her shoulders.

    "Well, thanks to you, we''ll be making a lot of money, so I''m notining," the man with blond hair grinned.

    He nced at the man writhing on the ground, and his grin widened, "I wonder though, how much the Feynor family patriarch is willing to spend for his firstborn and sessor. Probably nothing if he knew that you intended to abandon your family because of a woman, but don''t worry, it''s in our interest that your father don''t learn of this, so it will be our little secret."

    At that moment, one of the men inside the chamber who had been monitoring the various screens called out to the man with blond hair.

    "Boss, someone is approaching the base," he informed.

    "Chill out, newbie. No one knows that our base is here," one of the men in the base replied.

    The newbie nodded his head but kept his gaze fixed on the figure moving above their base.

    "It''s weird, it''s like I''ve seen her somewhere," the newbie muttered.

    "Hm? Who?"

    "That person walking above the base," the newbie said, pointing to the screen he was looking at.

    One of the men approached the screen and scrutinized it.

    "Oh, it''s a woman," he raised a brow, "she kind of looks like..." The man''s words trailed off.

    "Boss, I think you need toe see this," he said a momentter.

    "Tsk, what is it now?" The boss, who was busy ying with Olga, clicked his tongue in irritation.

    "I''ming," he said to her before pushing her off hisp and standing up.

    "So what is so serious that you dumbass need to bother you? I''m warning you, it better be ser-"

    "So, what''s so serious that you need to bother me, you dumbass? I''m warning you, it better be ser-"

    The boss'' words got caught in his throat the instant his eyesnded on the screen showing the woman above their base.

    A chill went down his spine as he immediately recognized who this woman was.

    ''Please, move along, there is nothing here,'' the boss thought, beads of sweat appearing on his face, ''move, move, move, move.''

    "Um, boss, she seems to have stopped right above the base''s location," the newbie informed.

    "Shit!" The boss cursed, "Deploy the security barrier around the base!" He bellowed to the newbie.

    "Huh?"

    "Now!"

    "O-Okay," the newbie nodded and began executing the orders.

    "Rest of you, prepare forbat!" He ordered his men with a solemn tone.

    A confused expression appeared on the subordinates'' faces.

    One of them approached and asked, "Why do you look so agitated, boss? Who is this woman?"

    "Fools, don''t you recognize her?!" The boss retorted.

    The subordinates nced at the screen showing the woman, then turned towards their boss, shaking their heads.

    "How did I end up with so many idiots," the boss sighed.

    A momentter, his solemn expression reappeared as he nced at the screen.

    "That woman is none other than Astarte...Aura master Astarte."

    ****

    Above the tenth base.

    "Hmm, it should be here," a woman wearing pristine white full-body armor muttered to herself.

    This woman had white hair, but it wasn''t the dull white of the elderly; no, her hair were of a radiant white akin to freshly fallen snow,  flowing gracefully down her back, reaching to the small of her back.

    With a graceful motion, the woman''s slender fingers glided through her locks, gathering them effortlessly before elegantly fashioning them into a sleek ponytail.

    As the bangs covering her eyes parted, they unveiled two magnificent deep purple orbs. Their allure so enchanting that one could be entranced, losing track of time within their captivating depths.

    This woman was exceptionally beautiful, possessing a beauty that could render kingdoms powerless. Compared to her, even the likes of Olga could be considered mere ugly ducklings.

    It was as though she had crafted her own perfection, for nothing else could ount for such stunning beauty.

    "Hmm, what shall I use this time?" Astarte wondered aloud.

    A few secondster, a sword identical to Earth''s odachi materialized in her hand. "Let''s go with the sword today," she decided.

    She firmly gripped the sword with both hands, raising it above her head.

    At that moment, a vibrant and mesmerizing purple energy enveloped the sword.

    "Let''s begin the dance!" Astarte grinned, then swung down her odachi!

    A secondter, she retrieved her sword and ced it on her shoulder.

    Initially, nothing appeared to happen, as if Astarte had merely sliced through empty air. Then, a tiny line, barely ten centimeters in width, materialized.

    Before those watching below couldprehend what was unfolding, the line began to expand at an astonishing rate.

    Barely a few secondster, an enormous chasm, one kilometer in width and ten kilometers long, had been created!

    *******

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/mgfDFQMx

 Chapter 229 : The destruction of the tenth base (2)

    Chapter 229 : The destruction of the tenth base (2)

    "Hmm," Astarte released a soft hum as she stared into the darkness of the pit she had just created, her purple eyes shing with a peculiar light.

    Without hesitation, she took a step forward!

    Harsh winds roared in her ears, whipping her hair backward as she plunged into the depths, yet Astarte showed no fear; if anything, she looked almost bored, as if this was just another mundane task.

    However, soon, her expression changed as she remarked a soft blue lighting from the abyss. The light seemed to pulse gently, illuminating the rocky walls with a mystical glow.

    The deeper she fell, the clearer her view became, and soon she could make out where this blue light came from.

    What she saw was a translucent dome, shimmering with a soft blue light. Its smooth, curved surface glowed gently.

    The dome seemed ethereal, as if crafted from pure energy. On the dome, strange and unique characters that Astarte hadn''t recognized moved like living beings all around it.

    ''A mana protection barrier?'' Astarte frowned, ''these things are not cheap.''

    She knew that each and every one of the night group''s bases had a lot of resources and money, but she still didn''t think they could afford a barrier made of pure mana. The reason for this was that not only were the ones who made such barriers few in all of Imperion, but the price of these barriers was insanely high.

    ''It seems we are still underestimating this organization,'' Astarte thought to herself, a solemn expression settling on her beautiful face.

    Pretty soon, her figure hurtled dangerously close to the barrier. Given the velocity of her descent, there was no doubt that the instant she made contact with the barrier, her body would be obliterated into countless pieces!

    However, just as her feet were about to make contact with the barrier, a pair of translucent purple wings appeared on Astarte''s back.

    These wings, coupled with her captivating face, gave Astarte the appearance of an angel. In fact, one might doubt the truthfulness of this statement, asparing Astarte to an angel might not do the former justice.

    The purple wings on Astarte''s back, seemingly formed of the same energy she used to create the chasm, pped once. That single p was enough to significantly reduce the speed of her fall, stabilizing her in mid-air.

    She gracefully glided through the air and lightly stepped onto the shimmering barrier.

    The instant she stepped on the barrier, her wings transformed back into ethereal energy and wrapped around her odachi.

    Astarte swung her odachi once, and the mana barrier shuddered, yet it didn''t copse as Astarte thought it would.

    "This barrier seem to be really sturdy," Astarte murmured to herself, "well, at worst it will just dy me, nothing more."

    Although the barrier was surprisingly sturdy, having resisted an attack twice as powerful as Astarte''s that created the chasm, she didn''t entertain the thought that she couldn''t cut it apart.

    In this world, there was nothing she couldn''t cut apart, nothing!

    ''I wonder how many blows it will take me to destroy this barrier,'' Astarte mused with a wild grin on her face.

    ****

    At the same time that Astarte was attacking the barrier, in the monitoring room of the tenth base, the members of the tenth base were practically shitting themselves.

    That was due to two reasons: firstly, they had just been informed of Astarte''s identity, and secondly, witnessing that same woman they had just learned about casually swinging her sword and creating such a deep chasm that immediately exposed their base.

    The tenth base was situated dozens of meters underground, so cutting apart the ground to directly reveal the base was a daunting task, yet Astarte did so effortlessly, without even appearing to exert herself.

    Approaching the base boss, one of the subordinates spoke with a grave tone, "We can''t deal with her on our own. I think you should ask for help from the other bases."

    "No, absolutely not!" The boss eximed. "I won''t be asking for help from those bastards. It''s too humiliating!"

    At that moment, a sound of an explosion came from above the base.

    As they gazed at the monitors, the expressions of the base members soured at the sight of a small crack emerging on the barrier. It was barely perceptible, yet its presence caused the hearts of the night group members to skip a beat.

    "Boss, we can''t deal with her on our own," another person said, his voice slightly quivering, "we need the help of the other bases."

    The boss'' expression became somber, his mind racing to find another solution to their predicament rather than seeking assistance from the other bases. He knew he would never hear the end of it if he asked for their help.

    ''Dinos, yes! We can ask Dinos!'' the boss thought, his expression brightening momentarily before darkening once again. ''I doubt he will help us,'' he sighed.

    Dinos was none other than the supervisor of the tenth base and the most powerful fighter there.

    However, much like the other supervisors of the bases, Dinos had only two tasks. Besides these duties, he wasn''t supposed to engage in anything else. Unlike Rangyl, he didn''t even interact with the rest of the tenth base members, deeming them too inferior for his attention.

    Dinos'' primary task here was, as his title implied, to oversee all activities within the base.

    The second task was to defend the base. However, he was only assigned to do so if the base was under the threat of destruction. If he deemed the threat level to be insufficient, he wouldn''t lift a finger, even if all the members of the base were ughtered. That''s precisely why Rangyl didn''t make any move, even when Eric and Stanis were killed right before him.

    The boss knew that a simr scenario would unfold here. It was almost certain that Dinos wouldn''t intervene until every single one of them was ughtered. Even then, if Astarte''s goal wasn''t to destroy the base or plunder their treasury, there was still a chance that he would let her escape.

    "I can''t rely on him," the boss concluded.

    He walked to a corner, took a deep breath, and retrieved a small, round device.

    He took another breath and activated the device.

    Suddenly, several screens lit up around him, though nothing could be seen from the other end. That was because no one had reacted to the tenth base boss'' call.

    Fortunately, secondster, several of these screens lit up.

    "What is it, Gogis?" A deep and aged voice sounded from one of the screens.

    The one who spoke was an elderly man who had a bald head on which several tattoos could be seen. He also possessed a long and white beard that reached up to his chest.

    This man was Karda, head of Night thirteenth base.

    "Yeah, why did you call us here?" A woman with cheeks looking like those of a hamster inquired, "you know, a beauty like me needs to sleep to remain beautiful all the time, and you called just as I was going to bed. So, what are your reasons for bothering me?"

    This woman was named Alveidi, and she was the head of the Night Fifteenth Base.

    "Can you make it quick? I have to find a buyer for a half-virax I''ve kidnapped," Tobias, the head of the Ninth Base, stated with a boastful smile on his face.

    "W-What, a half-virax? Where did you get one?!" Alveidi eximed in surprise.

    All the other heads of the base, upon hearing Tobias''s statement, immediately turned to question him about the half-virax he imed to possess,pletely disregarding the one who had summoned them. In fact, even Gogis was curious about this half-virax, but he understood that there was no way he would learn more if he were to perish today.

    "Please," Gogis cleared his throat, "can you concentrate here?"

    The others head of base turned and  concentrated on Gogis once again.

    Can you make it quick?" Alveidi said with an annoyed expression, clearly frustrated from being interrupted.

    "Okay," Gogis nodded his head and went straight to the point, "our base is under attack and I require your...assistance."

    "Hoh? Did I hear it right? Did the mighty Gogis ask for our help?" A man with ck and blonde hair spoke, his voice dripping with sarcasm and amusement.

    This man was none other than Kurdent, the head of the eighth base of Night, one of the strongest bases in the region.

    Gogis gritted his teeth and nodded his head, "Yes, I''m asking for your...help."

    "Now I''m curious, who is attacking your base?" Kurdent asked in a bright tone.

    "Astarte," Gogis replied.

    "Then count me out," Kurdent said, his cheerful expression nowhere to be found.

    Before Gogis could add anything, the screen showing Kurdent blinked out.

    *******

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/M8Y2Mxdb

 Chapter 230 : The destruction of the tenth base (3)

    Chapter 230 : The destruction of the tenth base (3)

    Before Gogis could add anything, the screen showing Kurdent blinked out.

    "....!"

    Gogis'' eyes opened wide as his mind couldn''tprehend Kurdent''s action. Gogis might think of him as an annoying, maniptive psychopath, but he never considered him a coward. If he was, there was no way his base would be one of the strongest in the region.

    ''So why the hell did he disappear the instant I spoke about Astarte?!''

    The more Gogis pondered this, the more certain he became that Kurdent, that abominable little shit, was just a coward!

    "Don''t hold it against him," Karda said, seeing Gogis'' expression. "You don''t know how much weight the name ''Astarte'' has, otherwise you would have understood his reaction. Anyway, I''m also not going to participate in whatever is going to happen in your base, and I suggest that the rest of you will follow my example if you don''t want to die."

    As for you," Karda looked at Gogis, "I suggest you do your best to get the help of your supervisor, otherwise..." Karda didn''t finish his sentence, but it was clear to Gogis what he meant.

    With that, the screen of the elderly man with the bald head also blinked out.

    ''Old bastard!'' Gogis eximed in his head, his fury building with each passing second.

    His anger was understandable as not only did Karda refuse to help him, but the old man also invited the other heads of base not to do so!

    ''You couldn''t just fuck off like the other bastard did?!'' Gogis thought in hatred, ''you will pay for this!''

    Gogis took a deep breath, attempting to quell the storm of anger within him. He understood all too well that his immediate concern wasn''t plotting his revenge against Karda; Survival had to be his first priority.

    However, before he could even utter a word, Alveidi also voiced her refusal to help him.

    "I''m going back to sleep," she dered. "But Tobias, I expect a call after you''ve sold that half-virax. Perhaps we could go out together," she suggested with a wink.

    Unfortunately, Tobias couldn''t see her gesture. The only one who could see it was Gogis, and it only fueled his anger.

    ''Bitch!''

    Before he could do anything, all the other screens began to blink out. Seeing this, Gogis''s first reaction was anger, but then it turned into despair as he understood that he and his men would be the ones to face Astarte alone.

    Gogis knew he shouldn''t have counted on the other heads of the base to help him; after all, all of them were bandits. Still, he hoped they would find it in their wretched hearts to at least assist him in his situation, but apparently, that was asking too much of them.

    Fortunately for him, one screen still remained active, disying the head of the ninth base: Tobias.

    "If you stayed just to boast about your half-virax, then you can go fuck yourself. I''m not in the mood to hear your crap," Gogis said with an annoyed expression.

    Tobias chuckled, "Contrary to what you think, I stayed because I wanted to help you."

    "Rea-"

    "Of course, it''s not free," Tobias rified.

    "Of course," Gogis snorted, "What do you want in return?"

    "Half of your treasury," Tobias replied.

    "If that''s your price, then you can fuck off. There''s no way Dinos will allow such a fortune to leave the treasury," Gogis said firmly.

    "Hmm, then you''ll owe me one. Whatever I ask of you, you''ll dly do," Tobias said.

    "Deal!" Gogis replied without hesitation.

    "We have a problem, though," Tobias interjected, interrupting Gogis, who was sighing in relief. "Our bases aren''t that close. It will take us at least weeks to reach your base. I doubt you''ll still be alive by then."

    As if to prove Tobias''s statement true, the sound of breaking ss reverberated through the entire base. When Gogis nced at the screen disying Astarte and her assault on the barrier, a chill ran down his spine at the sight of a sizable crack forming on its surface.

    ''Shit, she''s going to break through soon!'' Gogis panicked.

    "Can''t you ask Rangyl to help you get here?" Gogis questioned.

    "I could, but you know he''ll want something in return, right?" Tobias replied.

    "I already told you I can''t give you money-"

    "Oh, Rangyl isn''t interested in money," Tobias waved his hand.

    "Then what does he want?" Gogis inquired.

    "Subjects for his experiments," Tobias answered.

    "I see," Gogis nodded, "that could be arranged."

    "Good, I''ll prepare my men then," Tobias said before his screen blinked out.

    "I hope that decision won''te back to bite me in the asster," Gogis sighed.

    "Do you think the help of the members of Base Nine will be enough to defeat her?" a man approached Gogis and asked.

    Gogis'' eye twitched in irritation, "Go prepare yourself for the fight and don''t bother me!"

    ****

    On the barrier protecting the Tenth Base.

    ''A few more strikes will be enough to shatter it,'' Astarte thought as she observed thework of cracks spreading across the barrier.

    Despite its sturdiness, the barrier barely held up against Astarte''s relentless assaults for half an hour, and even then, she wasn''t exerting her full strength.

    Crack

    A sound of ss shattering echoed through as Astarte struck once again. Thework of cracks expanded, and with a final blow, a hole was punched through the barrier, marking its breach.

    In an instant, the mana barrier, the  shimmering veil of protection, disappeared as if it was never there to begin with.

    The previous purple pair of wings reappeared on Astarte''s back, stabilizing her in the air.

    Without hesitation, she began her descent.

    ''It''s literally a small town,'' Astarte thought with a marveled expression.

    Astarte had assumed that being underground, the base wouldn''t appear impressive, but to her surprise, it resembled a typical town, albeit one located beneath the earth''s surface.

    One building stood out the most in this town, an immense structure shaped like a fortress.

    ''Definitely not made by mere bandits,'' Astarte concluded.

    At the center of the small town, a wide za could be seen, and within it, Astarte noticed arge group of individuals gathered, their eyes fixed on her descending figure.

    ''Four level 5, ten level 4, and around fifty level 3,'' Astarte evaluated the strength of those in the za. ''Their military power rivals that of some minor noble houses.''

    ''They''re not attacking?'' Astarte raised a brow in surprise as she proceeded tond in the za, opposite the group.

    The moment her feet touched the ground, a man with spiky hair, one of the level 5 individuals, stepped forward and bowed.

    "Lady Astarte," Gogis greeted with the utmost politeness he could muster.

    "Oh, you know me?" Astarte raised a brow.

    "Of course, who wouldn''t know one of the best Aura masters on the entire continent," Gogis said, ensuring a hint of reverence seeped into his tone.

    ''Damn, she is beautiful,'' Gogis thought, a hint of desire igniting in his eyes as he stole a nce at Astarte.

    "May I know, Lady Astarte, what brings you here to the domain of mere citizens like us?" Gogis asked in a curious tone.

    After what he had witnessed mere minutes ago, Gogis hade to the conclusion that it was in their best interest to attempt negotiation with Astarte. He didn''t feel that the negociation will be sessful though.

    ''It''s still better than engaging inbat with this monster,'' Gogis thought.

    "Mere citizens, huh?" Astarte chuckled, her melodic voice making the heart of all the men in the vicinity skip a beat. "I highly doubt ''mere citizens'' could afford a mana barrier."

    "We-"

    "You know what? I don''t care," Astarte interrupted Gogis. "You''ve kidnapped a member of House Feynor. I''m here to return him to his family. Hand him over, and I''ll leave."

    The eyes of Gogis and all of his subordinates opened wide when they heard Astarte''s words. They couldn''t believe what they were hearing.

    "G-Go and bring Feynor with you!" Gogis ordered one of his subordinates.

    ''Will she really leave after we give her Feynor?'' Gogis wondered.

    Truth be told, he wasn''t certain if he could trust Astarte. She might go back on her words the instant the member of the Feynor house was safe. ''No, I won''t let that happen.''

    Secondster, the subordinate Gogis ordered to bring back their hostage returned with Feynor in his arms.

    "Here is the one you asked for," Gogis said, gesturing to Feynor and positioning him in front of himself. "Before anything, what guarantees me that you won''t attack us the moment we hand him over to you?"

    "Nothing," Astarte answered in an indifferent tone.

    "That''s what I thought," Gogis uttered, his polite expression leaving room to a cold one.

    With a menacing gesture, Gogis brandished a dagger, pressing it against Feynor''s throat. "Here''s how it will unfold," he dered, his tonemanding. "You will sign a soul contract pledging not to harm us, even after we deliver this boy to you. I''m certain you wouldn''t want any harm to befall him,  considering you''vee all this way to rescue him, right?"

    Astarte gazed at Gogis, the same indifferent expression on her face, "go along, kill him."

    "....!"

    The eyes of both Gogis widened in shock at Astarte''s words.

    "It''s true that I came here to rescue him," Astarte continued with a calm and unhurried tone, "but I never said that I needed to bring him back alive."

    Astarte''s expression suddenly turned somber. "Be warned, though. If I cannot bring him back alive, then I will seek vengeance."

    "In this case, that means destroying this base."

 Chapter 231 : The destruction of the tenth base (4)

    Chapter 231 : The destruction of the tenth base (4)

    "I never said that I needed to bring him back alive," Astarte said, "be warned, though. If I cannot bring him back alive, then I will seek vengeance, In this case, that means destroying this base."

    With that, Astarte had made her stance clear.

    Gogis had to make a decision. It was either harming Feynor and risking his life and the lives of his subordinates, or releasing Feynor. However, the problem if he did theter was that there would be nothing stopping Astarte from attacking them anymore.

    "So...what will it be?" Astarte wondered, a smile ying on her lips.

    Gogis clenched his jaw, pulled his dagger away from Feynor''s throat, and shoved him roughly towards Astarte.

    "Boss, this is a terrible idea. I don''t think we can trust her not to attack us," one of Gogis'' subordinates whispered urgently.

    "I know," Gogis affirmed with a nod, his gaze fixed on Feynor sprinting towards Astarte.

    Under normal circumstances, Gogis would have agreed that it was better to keep Feynor as a hostage. However, remembering the indifference in Astarte''s eyes as she spoke of Feynor''s death, he realized that even though she hade to rescue him, she didn''t really care whether he lived or died, then perhaps if he showed some good faith by freeing him, she would just turn around and leave.

    That was a really dumb idea.

    Secondster, Feynor had regrouped with Astarte and took cover behind her.

    Astarte nced at him and nodded, "let''s leave," she said.

    ''Is she really leaving?'' Gogis wondered, his heart pounding with a glimmer of hope.

    Unfortunately, just as Astarte was about to turn back and leave, her steps stopped.

    "Hmm, now that I think about it," Astarte mused, her tone innocent but her smile chilling, "even if I rescue him now, you guys could just kidnap him again, and I can''t allow myself to return. So, I believe it''s better to eliminate you all here and now."

    "That bitch!" The subordinate who had whispered to Gogis eximed, "I told you that was a bad idea!"

    He turned to the others and ordered, "Prepare to attack!"

    "A bitch..." Astarte murmured under her breath, a somber expression on her face.

    In that instant, it was as if the temperature in the za had dropped.

    "A bitch..." Astarte repeated, this time aloud.

    The purple aura around Astarte rippled and greatly expanded, resembling a swirling vortex of power, emanating an ominous energy that sent shivers down the spines of those nearby.

    Astarte raised her odachi and effortlessly swung her sword. It was a simple motion, yet the moment she did so, the head of the one who insulted her was cleanly severed from his body.

    In mid-air, the decapitated head was shed by a mysterious force, causing it to disintegrate into countless tiny pieces.

    "...."

    Gogis and his subordinates watched in terror as one of theirrades was killed without understanding how it happened. In an instant, someone at level 5 was crushed as if they were nothing more than ants before an elephant.

    A pure and unbridled fear gripped the hearts of the members of the tenth night base. The weakest among them stumbled and fell, while the strongest were frozen in ce, resembling stone statues.

    ''W-We can''t deal with her,'' Gogis thought, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum, his eyes wide with terror, a cold sweat trickling down his spine as he grasped the overwhelming power of their adversary.

    Simr to the one who had just been unceremoniously killed, Gogis was also at level 5, and just like his fallenrade, he didn''t see nor feel Astarte''s attack. That made him realize that if he had been Astarte''s target, he would be dead right now!

    ''I need to get out of here!'' Gogis thought, his mind racing, trying toe up with a way to escape this ce.

    At that exact moment, a mocking voice resounded in the za.

    "Look at them, like frightened mice. I never imagined the members of the tenth base to be such spineless wretches."

    When Gogis and his men turned in the direction the voice came from, they witnessed a group of around fifty men and women, all d in heavy armor, standing with confidence.

    "Quit joking, Todd," Tobias said to Todd, who was making fun of the men from the tenth base. "Although I have to agree, I didn''t expect to find you guys trembling because of a mere woman."

    "I want to see how you guys fare against that ''mere woman,''" Gogis replied with an annoyed expression.

    "Haha, don''t worry," Tobias chuckled, "we will show you why our base is better than yours."

    Tobias nced back at his subordinates, "You know what to do."

    Tobias'' subordinates nodded, and the following second, their bodies began to shake and change.

    A new pair of arms appeared for some, members elongated, and sharp ws appeared for others. In the blink of an eye, all the members of the ninth base had transformed into grotesque monsters. Some looked human, some others not really. Some of them were small, and some were gargantuan, yet the thing all of them had inmon was the feeling of danger that radiated from them.

    Their transformationplete, all the monsters lunged at Astarte, their collective assault sending shockwaves through the ground as they charged towards her with primal ferocity!

    "Support them!" Gogis ordered his men.

    Following his order, shards of ice, balls of mes, wind arrows, earth spears, and such appeared and were thenunched above the horde of monsters, their target: Astarte.

    With an indifferent gaze, Astarte observed the barrage of attacks and the horde of monsters converging upon her.

    With the same indifferent expression on her face, Astarte executed a single horizontal sh.

    The horde of running monsters and the salvo of elemental attacks froze. In the next instant, a series of explosions erupted in the air, while on the ground, the frozen bodies of the monsters, members of the ninth base, slid to the ground, each and every one of them cleaved in half.

    It didn''t matter how tall, how intimidating, how dangerous they were, or what level they had reached; the instant Astarte swung her sword, all of them had been doomed.

    "....!"

    The eyes of Tobias and his remaining subordinates constricted into pinholes as they stared in utter shock at the unbelievable scene before them.

    Gogis and the members of the tenth base, meanwhile, felt the despair that had briefly disappeared for a moment due to the appearance of the ninth base memberse back once again, stronger than ever.

    ''I definitely need to get the hell out of-''

    Gogis'' train of thought was interrupted as someone''s voice resounded in the za.

    "So, you are the one causing all this ruckus in my base?" Someone inquired, their tone calm and deliberate.

    As Gogis redirected their attention, they were astonished to see the speaker standing directly in front of Astarte.

    ''Dinos!'' Gogis eximed internally, a spark of hope reigniting.

    ''Peak level 5,'' Astarte assessed the neer''s strength, her gaze analytical and piercing. ''He is strong.''

    Standing directly in front of him, Astarte could feel a heavy aura around this man.

    "So, you are the supervisor of this base," Astarte remarked, her gaze flickering down to the man before her.

    Dinos, a man of short stature with wavy ck hair, furrowed his brow. "You seem to be well-informed about us."

    "I doubt I know enough," Astarte retorted.

    "Nevertheless, you know too much. I cannot allow you to leave," Dinos stated calmly.

    Hearing his words, Astarte chuckled, "it''s ironic you know, a few minutes ago, those guys behind you wanted me to leave, now you want me to stay here."

    Herughter ceased abruptly as she regarded Dinos with disdain. "The real question is: are you capable of preventing my departure?"

    "You''re clearly overestimating yourself for merely dispatching some ants," Dinos remarked, his calm demeanor unwavering. "It seems I must-"

    Dinos came to an abrupt halt as his left arm was cleanly cleaved off by Astarte.

    Dinos'' eyes widened in shock, utterly clueless about how Astarte had managed to sever his arm; he hadn''t even seen her move!

    "Someone here is clearly overestimating themselves, but I doubt it''s me," Astarte said, stepping closer to Dinos.

    Dinos explosively retreated, widening the distance between himself and Astarte in a split second.

    However, as he looked ahead, he was shocked to see that Astarte had disappeared from her position.

    "Too slow," Astarte said from behind Dinos.

    Dinos quickly turned around, his muscles coiling like springs as his fist, surged forward with the velocity of a thunderbolt, aiming directly for Astarte''s head.

    However, the following moment, Dinos'' right arm was separated from his body!

    "Arg..." Dinos groaned in pain and retreated from Astarte.

    Fortunately for him, this time, it seemed that she had no intention of following him; instead, she curiously stared at his left arm, which she held in her hand.

    "Aren''t you going to take your true form?" Astarte wondered after a moment.

    Dinos'' eyes opened wide in surprise, even more so than when his arm was severed.

    His expression turned cold and malevolent as he stared at Astarte. "How do you know so much about us? Are you one of them?"

    "''One of them''? Who are you talking about?" Astarte wondered.

    ''She doesn''t know?'' Dinos'' expression hardened. ''Then how does she know so much about us?''

    ''I will think about itter, for now, I need to leave,'' Dinos thought.

    Contrary to the likes of Rangyl, Dinos knew that he couldn''t allow himself to take his true form. Seeing as he waspletely and utterly dominated by Astarte, he knew that there was no way he could defeat her, unless he allowed himself to transform. But as it was exined, he would never do that.

    "You know," Astarte spoke as she casually walked towards Dinos, "I can see from here that you''re contemting running away. What happened? Weren''t you supposed to stop me from leaving?"

    Dinos didn''t fall for her taunt and immediately began his teleportation to his world.

    "Did you seriously think I would let you leave?" Astarte questioned as she swiftly closed the gap between herself and Dinos.

    Swift as a lightning bolt, Astarte''s sword thrust towards Dinos without hesitation. Unfortunately, just at that moment, he vanished into thin air.

    Halting in her tracks, Astarte exhaled deeply, "He slipped away."

    She nced at the tip of her odachi, where a stain of blood lingered, "I doubt he would get far with a wounded heart though."

    Astarte turned in the direction where Gogis and Tobias were and sighed once again, "I guess they also escaped."

 Chapter 232 : Third wheel

    Chapter 232 : Third wheel

    "I guess they also escaped," Astarte said as she nced at the spot where Tobias and Gogis had been a few seconds ago.

    Although she hadrgely dominated her fight against Dinos, she had to remain fully focused on him, as things might have taken a different turn if Dinos had assumed his true form. As a result, she didn''t know when or how the others had escaped.

    ''Well, it doesn''t matter,'' Astarte thought, shoving the concern to the back of her mind.

    Killing the members of Night wasn''t the reason she was here in the first ce.

    "Umm, t-thanks for rescuing me, Lady Astarte," Feynor said, his face flushing with embarrassment.

    ''Ah, I hadpletely forgotten about him,'' Astarte thought. She turned to Feynor and gave him a reassuring smile. "Don''t mention it."

    "Umm... can we leave now? This ce gives me the creeps," Feynor said, ncing nervously around the base.

    "Wait for me here, I won''t be long," Astarte instructed before taking off toward the immense structure shaped like a fortress.

    About thirty minutester, she emerged from the building with several people trailing behind her.

    "Other abductees?" Feynor mused as Astartended nearby.

    "Mmm," Astarte nodded, about to exin further when she paused.

    She pulled out amunication talisman and handed it to Feynor. "Imbue your mana into it."

    Feynor followed her instructions, infusing the talisman with his mana before returning it to Astarte.

    "Thanks," Astarte said before cing the talisman on her forehead. Immediately, a masculine voice resonated in her mind.

    ''Done with the Night''s base?'' the voice inquired.

    ''Yes, but the supervisor and some of the members escaped,'' Astarte exined.

    ''It doesn''t matter... does it?''

    ''Not really.''

    ''So, did you get ess to their treasury?'' the voice asked.

    ''Yes,'' Astarte replied.

    ''Yes, we are ri-''

    ''Hold on there, that money isn''t ours to spend,'' Astarte said, interrupting her excited interlocutor.

    ''Cough, cough, of course I know,'' the voice marked a pause before asking, ''Did you find the-''

    ''No, it wasn''t here.''

    ''I see... well, it''s not that bad, I guess,'' the voice responded, ''So, when are youing back?''

    ''Give me a few hours,'' Astarte replied, removing the talisman from her forehead.

    "Gather around here; we are leaving in a few minutes," Astarte announced.

    After uttering those words, Astarte set out to search for the monitoring room. Her motive was straightforward: she needed to locate the mechanism responsible for raising the base back up to the surface.

    While there was no guarantee that such a mechanism existed, she held onto hope. Luckily, her hopes were not in vain, as she discovered the mechanism within the monitoring room.

    However, that mechanism wasn''t the only thing she found in the monitoring room; she also found a certain woman named Olga.

    She was the very woman who had helped Gogis kidnap Feynor by making thetter fall for her.

    At first, she pretended to be an abductee of Night, but the instant Feynor''s gazended on her when Astarte returned, all her carefully constructed facade crumbled to dust.

    "That woman is a member of Night, Lady Astarte," Feynor informed. "In fact, it was because of her that I got kidnapped. That''s why I''m asking you, leave her to me!"

    Astarte nced at Olga, then at Feynor before nodding her head.

    "Thanks," Feynor bowed to her, then seized Olga by the arm and forcefully pulled her into a house in the town-like base.

    Seeing this, Astarte could only shake her head. She had an idea of what was going to happen to Olga, but she didn''t stop Feynor nheless. Instead, she began directing the base in its ascent to the surface.

    An hourter, the base had ascended to the surface and all the abductees had already descended from the base. Feynor and Olga had also descended, thetter wearing a pale expression on her beautiful face.

    Astarte spared them a nce before turning to stare at the enormous base in front of her.

    "A shame we have to destroy it," she sighed.

    Astarte raised her sword, its silver edge glinting in the dim light, and at that moment, the world around her shimmered with an intense purple hue.

    Astarte took a deep breath, and with a swift, decisive motion, she unleashed her strike, the de cutting through the air with a fierce momentum.

    At first, nothing happened, but then a fine and sharp line of purple energy materialized, crackling with raw power. As this line neared the base, it began to wildly expand, transforming from a mere crack to a gaping chasm, until it was double the size of the base!

    BOOOOOOMMMMM!

    As therge sh of purple energy collided with the base, a cataclysmic explosion rippled through the air, sending shockwaves reverberating across thendscape.

    Not even waiting to see the full scope of the destruction she had caused, Astarte turned to the people behind her, who all had eyes as widened as moons as they stared in awe at the devastation happening behind her.

    "Let''s depart."

    ****

    "So that''s what happened," Rangyl''s god murmured as he dismissed the holographic screen disying the destruction of the tenth base. "That Astarte, she is rather powerful," he remarked, his hand gently stroking his chin in contemtion.

    "Should we send someone to deal with her?" Disyo inquired, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

    "No, leave her be," the god answered decisively, his gaze fixed on some distant horizon. "Rather, concentrate on finding the one with the golden power."

    "As you wish," Disyo bowed.

    Rangyl''s god snapped his fingers, and Disyo disappeared from the temple.

    "Aura master Astarte," the god mused after Disyo left, "I should find a way to bring her over to work for me."

    He paused for a moment and added in a somber tone, "If that isn''t possible, then I should get rid of her."

    With that, the god closed his eyes and resumed his deep meditation, well he called it meditation; in fact, he was just sleeping.

    ****

    "Prepare the Jaiku #001 to be sent to Imperion," Disyo ordered.

    "What? You can''t be serious!" A man in ab coat eximed. "The Jaiku #001 is still unstable. We haven''t tampered with it enough. We don''t know how it will act if we release it into the human world."

    "It''s the chief''s orders; we can''t do anything about it," Disyo sighed. "Prepare the Jaiku."

    The man in theb coat felt a surge of frustration and concern, wanting desperately to argue against such a foolish decision. But ultimately, he clenched his jaw and set about executing the orders.

    Half an hourter, both Disyo and the man were standing in front of something that looked like an egg but not quite. The object had the general shape of an egg, but its exterior seemed to defy solidity, instead disying fluid-like properties that danced and shifted with an otherworldly grace.

    The egg rested atop a circr pod, emanating an intense ck glow.

    "Location?" The man in theb coat inquired.

    "The ninth base," Disyo answered.

    With a nod, the man activated the pod''s mechanisms, sending the liquid egg on its journey to the designated location.

    "Done," he informed Disyo.

    Disyo nced at the pod where the egg was ced just a second ago and nodded his head. "Let''s hope it won''te back to bite us in the ass."

    ****

    ''They look like sisters,'' Alex thought with a warm smile as he observed Amelia and Maya chatting and giggling together

    They were currently inside the smoke carriage he had created, with him sitting on one side while the two women sat across from him.

    Three days had passed since their departure for the Brazen auction house, and in that time, Amelia and Maya had formed a deep bond.

    ''Well, considering the difference in their ages, it would be more urate to say that they look like mother and daughter,'' Alex chuckled mentally.

    Pondering that thought, Alex wondered what would have happened had he not ended his rtionship with Amelia. ''Would we have had a daughter of our own?'' he mused.

    As fucked up as it was to think about having a child with his own sister, Alex couldn''t help himself from wondering how many they would have had by now.

    One thing both the previous Alex and Jack had inmon was their love of children, but while Alex had eight children, Jack didn''t have even a single one.

    It wasn''t because he couldn''t have one, but rather because he knew that as a soldier perpetually on the battlefield, his death wasn''t far away. He refused to bring a child into the world only to leave it orphaned by his own demise.

    Jack did have a girlfriend, though they weren''t very close. That''s probably why he never bothered to think about her even once.

    "Why are you smiling all alone there?" Amelia suddenly asked, her curiosity piqued.

    "Hm? Ah, it''s nothing," Alex waved his hand dismissively. "Just me feeling like a third wheel."

    "What are you on about? Of course you''re not a third wheel," Amelia reassured him with a giggle.

    She stood up gracefully, crossing the space between them to stand beside Alex. With gentle hands, she cupped his face and pressed her lips against his, right in front of Maya!

    ****

    There''s currently a poll to decide whether to change the title of the novel or leave it as it is. Here''s the Discord link for those interested in participating:

    /invite/MpxbDYx7

 Chapter 233 : Mysterious cave

    Chapter 233 : Mysterious cave

    "Mhm?" Alex released a startled sound as Amelia kissed him, but it onlysted for a split second. He wrapped his arm around his sister''s slender waist and pulled her closer to him, eagerly reciprocating her kiss.

    Their lips intertwined in a sensual dance, rubbing and caressing each other with an intense, electric passion.

    "Mmm," Amelia moaned in delight as Alex''s tongue slipped into her mouth, eagerly seeking out her own. Their tongues intertwined in a passionate, intimate dance, heightening the intensity of their kiss.

    As all of this was happening, Maya stared at the sibling with a blush of embarrassment on her face. She didn''t appear to be shocked by their intimacy, and why would she be? It wasn''t her first time witnessing the pair of brother and sister passionately locking lips.

    Because of their carelessness, whenever the couple got lost in a heated session with each other, theypletely forgot about the world around them. It was no wonder that Maya eventually caught them in the act.

    With a final, ragged breath, Alex and Amelia reluctantly separated, a thin strand of saliva still lingering between them.

    "No matter how many times I see this, I still find your ''family show of love'' weird," Maya voiced out.

    Hearing her, the sibling chuckled.

    During thesest few days, Alex and Amelia had learned many things about the young heiress. One of the most surprising revtions was her ability, which left Alex feeling quite shocked due to it being overpowered.

    Maya''s ability had to do with her mind, particrly her memories. To put it bluntly, the young heiress''s ability was that she couldn''t forget something....even if she tried. Her mind was akin to aputer.

    Due to this ability, she had spent a great deal of her life reading books and slowly building awork of information inside her mind. However, despite the enormous amount of knowledge she possessed, the young woman was still very naive. This was likely due to her being sheltered for the majority of her life.

    Using that naivety to their advantage, the shameless siblings presented their intimate moments, such as kissing each other, as a form of showing love in their family. They assured her that their kiss was just "a show of familial love" and nothing more.

    Maya felt that something fishy was going on, but due to her naivety and her great trust in the two of them, she simply turned a blind eye to the matter.

    Despite Maya being aware of their regr kissing, one might have expected that, as adults, they would have exercised restraint and kept their urges and lust for each other private, only indulging in such acts when the young heiress wasn''t looking. However, the reality was quite the opposite.

    Each time they kissed before Maya and she didn''t say anything to stop them, they grew bolder and began pushing things from a mere peck on the lips to a full-blown kissing session. They even started feeling each other''s bodies up.

    Alex furtively ced his hand on his sister''s round and juicy ass and lightly squeezed, earning him a moan from her.

    "Gods, I love hearing you moan, it''s so sexy," Alex whispered to Amelia, his striking silver eyes staring deeply into her exquisitely beautiful gray eyes.

    "That''s because I''m liking what you-"

    "Hey, what are you two whispering about over there?!" Maya eximed, her tone tinged with suspicion.

    Alex nced at Maya and grinned, "I was just suggesting to Amelia here that maybe you''re feeling a bit left out, so perhaps we could include you and demonstrate some ''familial love''."

    "Familial love?" Maya tilted her head in confusion, not quite grasping Alex''s insinuation. Then her eyes widened, and a deep blush spread across her face as realization dawned on her.

    "Y-Y-You m-mean you k-k-kissing me?" She stuttered, her voice trembling with shock and disbelief, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

    "Yeah, that''s what I meant," Alex nodded with a teasing smile on his face, "so are you on board?"

    "No!" Maya eximed, a little too loudly.

    "Such a fierce reaction," Alex noted, "am I so bad looking?" he wondered, looking at his sister for confirmation.

    Hearing that, Maya''s cheeks flushed even more, something that Alex thought wasn''t possible until it happened. "I didn''t mean to say that you were bad looking, you''re not that bad."

    "Not that bad?" Alex raised a brow.

    "I mean, you are handsome."

    "Careful there, young woman. Some men might take you calling them handsome as you hitting on them. Are you hitting on me?"

    "N-N-No..." Maya stuttered and came to a halt, her face glowing red.

    "I think that''s enough," Amelia giggled, "rx Maya, he''s just joking with you."

    "Am I though?" Alex wondered.

    "What are you on about?" Amelia asked, squinting her eyes.

    "Nothing," Alex replied, refusing to make eye contact with Amelia.

    "What do you��" Amelia stopped speaking abruptly, noticing her brother''s sudden change from amusement to seriousness.

    Alex pulled open the carriage window and gazed out at the horizon ahead of them.

    "A storm is brewing," Alex informed the girls, "a pretty big one."

    Up ahead of them, the horizon turned foreboding as the sky darkened, with massive, swirling clouds rising ominously. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves and carrying a slight chill. A deep rumble of thunder rolled across thendscape, and asional shes of light pierced through the thickening clouds.

    Alex sat back in his seat, pulled out a map from his space ring, and studied it.

    "We won''t be able to make it to the next town before the storm starts," Alex stated in a solemn tone.

    Alex didn''t know what would happen to his smoke carriage if it came into contact with a storm, and quite frankly, he didn''t want to find out. That''s why he lowered the smoke carriage until it hovered one or two meters above the ground, closed his eyes, and deployed the full extent of his senses, allowing them to travel dozens of kilometers from his current position.

    At the same time, Alex increased the speed at which the smoke carriage traveled.

    What he was searching for was obvious: a ce where they could take shelter until the storm passed.

    However, things were taking a turn for the worse as Alex couldn''t find anything that could serve as shelter. The environment around them was more or less barren, with a few scattered trees.

    On the other hand, the storm was dangerously approaching, its presence bing increasingly ominous with each passing moment. The rumbling of thunder sounded like a foreboding warning, echoing through the air.

    ''Nothing here,'' Alex thought with a grim expression, ''at this rate, we are going to get cau-''

    Alex stopped mid-thought as he finally noticed something.

    ''What is this?'' he wondered, a frown appearing on his face.

    Still frowning, he directed the smoke carriage toward the location he had sensed.

    "What is it? Why are you frowning so much?" Amelia wondered, seeing his expression.

    "Don''t you feel it?" Alex inquired.

    "Feel wha-" Amelia came to an abrupt stop.

    Simr to Alex, a frown appeared on Amelia''s delicate features.

    "What is it? What are you sensing?" Maya, who didn''t have senses as sharp as her siblings, inquired.

    "There''s a huge concentration of mana in the direction we are heading to," Amelia exined.

    "What do you think it is?" Maya questioned.

    "I don''t have a clue," Alex answered, staring through the window, "but it seems to being from a cave," he informed.

    A few secondster, Alex stopped the carriage right in front of a caverge enough for their whole carriage to pass through.

    Alex and the girls nced at each other and nodded. Soon, they got down from the carriage.

    "Overwhelming..." Maya murmured as she stood in front of the cave''s opening.

    Even though she didn''t have sharp senses, with her being so close to the cave''s mouth, she could still feel a huge amount of mana enveloping the cave.

    "What do we do? Enter this cave?" Maya wondered.

    "Obviously," Alex nodded, "I mean, that is, if you want to take cover from the storm."

    Alex cast a wary nce at the darkening sky and shook his head. "Yeah, I definitely don''t want to be caught by this storm. I''m heading inside."

    Alex dismissed the smoke carriage and walked towards the cave''s mouth, Amelia following behind him like a dutiful wife following her husband.

    Seeing that she was going to be left behind if she didn''t move, Maya hurriedly caught up with her twopanions.

    "I''m feeling ominous vibes from this cave," shemented as she caught up.

    "Don''t worry so much, kiddo," Alex reassured her. "We''re quite strong, you know. Nothing bad will happen to you under our watch."

 Chapter 234 : Dungeon exploration (1)

    Chapter 234 : Dungeon exploration (1)

    "Do you sense anything inside the cave?" Maya inquired.

    "No," Alex shook his head, a frown on his face. "In fact, I can''t seem to sense what''s going on inside this cave."

    "And you still want to enter?" Maya questioned, looking at Alex as if she couldn''t believe his decision.

    "It''s better than staying here waiting for the storm," Alex replied, his voice steady. He took a deep breath and proceeded to step inside the cave.

    Amelia and Maya, who had a wary expression on her face, followed right behind him and also entered the cave.

    The instant the three of them stepped inside the cave, it began to shake!

    Suddenly, the cave''s entrance disappeared, and they were left in utter darkness. The air grew thick with an unexinable pressure, and the sound of their own breaths became their onlypany.

    "I guess we have the answer as to why there is a huge concentration of mana in this cave," Alex sighed. "It''s not a simple cave at all, it''s a dungeon."

    "Hii," Maya let out a startled sound. "S-see? I warned you it was a bad idea to enter!"

    "Calm down," Amelia said, her voice steady. "We just need to clear all the floors to be able to exit."

    "What she said," Alex nodded. "I still believe it''s better than the storm outside."

    "Better? What if this is a high-grade dungeon?!" Maya eximed.

    "Stop shouting," Alex warned, "you might attract the monsters on this floor."

    Maya instantly mped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide with realization.

    "Anyway, let''s go. I''m curious as to what kind of treasures we will find in this dungeon," Alex said in a rxed and somewhat excited tone.

    "I don''t know how you are still excited about treasures after raiding the night''s base whole treasury," Amelia said with a wry smile.

    "We never have enough money, sis...never," Alex replied with a resolute tone, his eyes gleaming with determination.

    "If you say so," Amelia sighed, shaking her head with a resigned smile.

    She took out a few seeds from her space ring and scattered them on the ground.

    "Why are you nting seeds here?" Alex curiously inquired.

    "You will see," Amelia smiled and concentrated on growing the seeds.

    Pretty soon, the small seedlings began to grow at an astonishing rate. The stem shot upward, unfurling leaves that glistened with a vibrant green hue. Within seconds, the nts had grown to their full height, with their apex forming a unique, bulbous structure. This bulb, initially green and unassuming, began to swell and change color, bing translucent and luminescent, emitting a bright, white light that illuminated the surroundings with a soft, ethereal glow.

    "Ohh," both Alex and Maya marveled as they looked at the bioluminescent nts.

    However, while Maya was captivated by the nt''s beauty, Alex''s mind was already calcting the potential profits these nts could bring him.

    "Tell me, sis, did you create these nts?" Alex asked, wrapping his arm around his sister''s slender waist with a charming smile.

    "Mm," Amelia nodded, a proud smile adorning her captivating face.

    "Good, good, good," Alex nodded approvingly. "What happens if I detach the bulb from the rest of the nt?" he inquired.

    "The bulb will continue to glow for a few hours before wilting and losing its brightness," Amelia exined with a content smile, pleased that her brother was showing interest in her creation.

    Alex exhaled a plume of smoke and skillfully used it to detach the luminous bulb from the rest of the nt. As Amelia had said, it continued to glow brightly even after beingpletely separated from the nt.

    Holding the luminous bulb with his smoke, Alex ced it in front of them to illuminate their path forward.

    "Come, let''s venture further into the dungeon. With some luck, it won''t take us too long to clear it," Alex said to Maya while walking with his arm still around his sister''s waist.

    ''Why am I the only one nervous about this dungeon?'' Maya wondered as she walked behind the siblings, her gaze locked on Alex''s hand that was holding and lightly caressing Amelia''s waist. ''Is it normal for a brother to be so touchy with his sister?''

    Together, the trio walked further into the cave, with Alex and Amelia chatting andughing as if they were on vacation and not inside a deadly dungeon.

    It wasn''t long before the trio encountered a group of three monsters.

    The monsters in question were towering, two-meter-tall monstrosities, resembling lizards with vaguely humanoid forms. Their skin was covered in tough, scaly armor that glistened with a sickly green hue. Sharp, menacing ws extended from their powerful hands, each one capable of slicing through flesh and bone with ease. Their eyes, cold and reptilian, gleamed with predatory intelligence, and long, sinuous tails swayed behind them.

    "Lizardmen," Alex said with a thoughtful expression. ''These guys rarely show up in low-level dungeons. Plus, all three of them are at peak level 1. That''s pretty high for the first group of monsters.''

    ''Well, we will know this dungeon''s level and grade the further down we go.''

    Generally, dungeons were divided by level and grade. To determine the level, people usually relied on the amount of mana a dungeon released.

    Unfortunately, determining the grade of a dungeon wasn''t as straightforward, as the grade of a dungeon depended on the number of floors it possessed. Nevertheless, based on the dungeon''s level, it was sometimes possible to infer the dungeon''s grade.

    Hisssss

    The group of lizardmen hissed angrily at the appearance of intruders and charged at the trio.

    However, they barely crossed a few meters before their heads flew into the air, cleanly severed by Alex using his smoke element.

    He controlled his smoke to retrieve the monsters'' cores before motioning to Maya to continue.

    As they traveled further into the dungeon, its walls expanded, bingrger. The trio also stumbled upon other groups of lizardmen. These lizardmen had the same strength as the first ones they encountered, but their numbers were far superior.

    Unfortunately for the lizardmen, it didn''t seem to matter to Alex how many of them there were; the fight always ended a few seconds after it started, with the lizardmen''s heads rolling on the ground.

    ''Amazing!'' Maya thought as she watched Alex''s smoke element cut through nine lizardmen at the same time. ''I didn''t know the smoke element was this incredible.''

    Just like that, the three of them��well, Alexpletely killed all the monsters in their path until they appeared in front of a staircase that descended.

    This staircase led the three of them to the second level of the dungeon.

    The second floor of the dungeon was evenrger than the first. Even the rough and uneven walls of the first floor seemed polished inparison.

    Another changepared to the first floor was the level and number of lizardmen. Here, they were even more numerous than on the first floor, while their strength was at peak level 2.

    The number of monsters actually surprised Alex. He thought that the number of monsters would diminish the further down they went, because the higher the level, the fewer individuals reached that level.

    Alex tucked this away in the back of his mind, ughtered his way through the second floor, and together, the trio left the second floor barely thirty minutes after stepping foot on it.

    The same thing repeated itself on the third floor. Alex relentlessly eliminated all the lizardmen they came across and proceeded to go to the fourth floor.

    The speed at which the trio traveled plummeted once they stepped foot inside the fourth floor. That was because Alex''s smoke couldn''t pierce through the lizardmen anymore.

    The scales of the lizardmen on the fourth floor were simply too tough. Additionally, those monsters were at peak level 4, granting them greater sense and reaction time, causing Alex to frequently miss his targets.

    The worst thing was that on this floor, each wave of monsters contained at least thirty to fifty lizardmen!

    ''This dungeon is absurd,'' Alex thought, frowning.

    Usually, the further you proceeded in a dungeon, the more powerful the monsters became, and it''s true that their numbers increased ordingly. However, the increase of monsters in this dungeon was too insane!

    ''I hope this is thest floor before the boss''s room,'' Alex thought, wearing a grim expression, ''otherwise, I doubt we will emerge unscathed from this dungeon.''

 Chapter 235 : Dungeon exploration (2)

    Chapter 235 : Dungeon exploration (2)

    ''I hope this is thest floor before the boss''s room, otherwise, I doubt we will emerge unscathed from this dungeon,'' Alex thought with a grim expression.

    Right now they were on the fourth floor of the dungeon and the monsters they were facing were all peak level 4. The monsters on the previous floor were all peak level 3 and those on the second and first floors respectively were all peak level 2 and peak level 1.

    Following that pattern, there was a good chance that if there was another floor, the lizardmen there would all be peak level 5. If that was the case, then the group was in deep trouble as Alex had no illusion that they could clear this floor.

    Currently, Alex might be able to kill level 5 monsters like he had done in the forest where the Night base was hidden, but he could only kill low or mid level 5 monsters. He could perhaps kill a high level 5 monster if he pushed himself and went all out.

    However, facing peak level 5 monsters was an entirely different challenge.

    As previously exined, those at the peak of a level were beings just a step away from the next level. Their strengthpared to others tiers within the same level is significantly higher. This statement bes even more true the higher the level.

    What this meant was that the growth and the strength difference between low level 6 and peak level 5 waspletely different from the growth and strength difference between a peak level 4 and a low level 5.

    Alex wasn''t even certain of defeating a peak level 5 monster alone, so the thought of fighting a horde of them was enough to wipe the easygoing smile Alex had been wearing the whole time.

    The worst thing was that entering a floor teeming with peak level 5 monsters was not going to be theirst ordeal!

    Usually, each dungeon had a boss'' room that came up after you had cleared all the floors, and this boss was usually at least a level stronger than the monsters on thest floor, which meant that if there was another floor besides the fourth one, Alex and his twopanions would have to go against a monster at level 6!

    Just thinking about this possibility, Alex felt dread. He was confident in his strength and his sister''s, but there was no way they could defeat a level 6 monster at the moment.

    ''Let''s hope it won''te to that,'' Alex thought as he expanded a thick milky white smoke, forming a cloud.

    Controlling the cloud of smoke, he sent it towards the dozens of lizardmen preparing to charge at them.

    This white smoke had a sleeping attribute only made more potent by Alex, yet it still wasn''t enough to make the lizardmen lose consciousness, but it did make their movements sluggish.

    Taking advantage of their sluggishness, Alex charged at the group of lizardmen!

    He deflected a lizardman''s tail, sidestepped to avoid another sharp w, grabbed a third''s head, and smashed it against the head of another lizardman trying to sneak up on him before punching the first lizardman that attacked.

    Alex agilely weaved between the attacks targeting him, striking and dodging with precision.

    Although fighting the lizardmen wasn''t too troublesome for Alex, dealing with dozens of attacks simultaneously was quite annoying. Moreover, he had to make himself visible to the lizardmen in the smoke cloud so they wouldn''t target the two women behind him.

    ''Never thought I would cancel my invisibility in a smoky environment,'' Alex mused as he manipted the white smoke to dodge an attack from behind.

    As seconds passed and exhaustion began to overtake the lizardmen, more of them dropped to the ground. In contrast, Alex wasn''t breaking a sweat. In fact, he seemed to be elerating, bing more adept at ying the lizardmen.

    While before it took him around a dozen seconds to eliminate a few lizardmen, he now only needed one to eliminate that same number of lizardmen. In barely a few minutes, Alex hadpletely wiped out the whole group of lizardmen that attacked them.

    Yet, despite his crushing victory, Alex stood amidst the pile of mutted corpses, a frown on his handsome face.

    ''I was moving strangely by the end,'' he thought to himself, ''it was as if I was on...autopilot?''

    By autopilot, he didn''t mean that he couldn''t control himself. He was still the master of his movements, but at the same time, it felt as if his body was deciding how he moved, calcting the best path to take to eliminate the lizardmen.

    ''Come to think of it, this is the second time it has happened. The first time was when I sparred against Lilia,'' Alex recalled.

    At that time, he noticed that as the number of times they sparred increased, it became easier for him to read and react to his wife''s attacks. He didn''t dwell on it too much then, mostly because excessive contemtion during sparring with Lilia usually led to receiving a thrashing, but also because he believed it was just his own progress. After all, he was already a skilled fighter, thanks to Jack''s experience on Earth.

    ''But was it only because of that?'' Alex wondered.

    If Lilia had revealed her observation that his body seemed to always adapt to his opponent''s movements with him, he wouldn''t be pondering what was happening with him right now. However, at the time, Lilia didn''t want to risk telling him that, fearing he might be arrogant and not take his training seriously.

    "What are you thinking about so deeply?" Someone next to Alex inquired.

    Turning slightly to look at his sister, Alex smiled, "nothing too important."

    "You can tell me if something is wrong, you know," Amelia replied.

    "Of course I know, sis," Alex said, nting a kiss on Amelia''s forehead. "Anyway, we are done here," he added, ncing at his surroundings.

    "Yeah, about that," Amelia cast a nce around her at the pile of mangled corpses around them and sighed, "couldn''t you have killed them less brutally? Their corpses have lost some value now."

    "Haha, sorry," Alex chuckled before turning to Maya, who was busy collecting the lizardmen corpses and cing them in a space ring Alex had given her. "Hey kiddo, hurry up."

    "Okay," Maya nodded, elerating her work.

    Minutester, the trio continued on their way. The further they went, the more lizardmen attacked.

    However, Alex, all alone, took care of them. The girls, meanwhile, stood behind him, gazing at his back in awe as he obliterated his enemies.

    One thing the girls hadn''t noticed about him when he fought these lizardmen, though, was the fact that he had an unfocused expression on his face. The reason for that was the fact that he was trying toprehend what this ''autopilot'', as he called it, was.

    After several encounters, Alex finally came to understand what was going on with him.

    ''My body haspletely adapted to their fighting style,'' Alex noted. ''That''s why evading and counterattacking had be so much easier.''

    He didn''t understand how he could so easily adapt to the fighting styles of the lizardmen or Lilia, as neither the previous Alex nor Jack had possessed such an ability, but he weed it.

    Beside learning that his body could adapt to his opponent''s fighting style, Alex also came to realize that he needed something crucial: a movement technique.

    He had realized so when he remarked that although he could easily evade the lizardmen''s attacks, it was mostly because he was much faster than them. If it weren''t for this advantage, even if he hadpletely adapted to their fighting style, he would still have suffered some wounds.

    Unfortunately for him, although Lilia had trained him in how to fight, she never went into too much detail like footwork. Thus, he needed to find a movement technique, and a versatile one at that, if he intended to take advantage of his body''s adaptability.

    ''The more important thing, however, is that with this adaptability taken into ount, I can maybe defeat a peak level 5 monster!'' Alex thought excitedly.

    However, soon, his excited smile dimmed. ''Well, I can maybe defeat a peak level 5 monster... if I don''t get one-shot by it.''

 Chapter 236 : Dungeon exploration (3)

    Chapter 236 : Dungeon exploration (3)

    ''Well, I can maybe defeat a peak level 5 monster...if I don''t get one-shot by it,'' Alex thought with a bitter smile.

    Indeed, if he could draw the fight long enough for his body to adapt to his opponent''s, then there was a chance of him defeating a monster even if this monster was much stronger than him.

    However, monsters much stronger than him wouldn''t allow the fight to drag on in the first ce. Even if Alex could keep himself from being killed in the first seconds of the fight, he would need to engage in a physical fight against his opponent to adapt to his fighting style, which was foolish if he was too weakpared to his opponent.

    All of this is when ignoring the ring elephant in the room: Alex had absolutely no clue how this adaptability of his body functioned.

    ''I would rather not count on that until I know how this works,'' Alex thought.

    "It took you too long to eliminate this group," Amelia sighed as she appeared beside her brother, "let me fight with you. With the two of us, it won''t take us too much time to clear this whole floor."

    Alex nced at his sister and grinned, "which kind of man would let his woman fight when he can take on the enemies all alone?"

    Alex leaned and ced a tender kiss on her lips, "I won''t let you, my wife, dirty your hands while I can just kill those small fries alone, beside..." Alex''s expression shifted from the one of a loving husband to a cold one, "I feel that we will need your power soon, so it''s better to let you rest."

    Alex''s expression shifted back to that of a loving man once again, "so let me do all the heavy lifting until then."

    "Hey lovebirds," Maya, who was far behind the two, said in a mocking tone, "I don''t want to interrupt you, but I''m pretty tired, so let''s quickly clear this dungeon."

    "I agree with you on that," Alex nodded before wrapping his arm around Amelia''s waist and pulling her into his chest, "but I have to say, I''m pretty shocked to know that you discovered that the two of us were lovers."

    "As if," Maya snorted as she drew near the two, "I know that you two are siblings. Don''t take me for a clueless idiot."

    Maya had just called them lovebirds to irk them, but seeing that her mocking didn''t have any effect on them and Alex even seemed to joke about it, it got her annoyed.

    If only at that time she had known that Alex wasn''t joking or making fun of her.

    Minutester, they resumed their advances once again, dispatching every monster they encountered.

    At some point, the group came to a halt.

    "So, which path do we take?" Maya inquired as she nced at Alex.

    In front of the group, there were four separate paths leading in different directions.

    Alex closed his eyes in concentration and extended his senses. While his senses didn''t extend as far within the dungeon as they did outside, they still reached far enough this time to discern the true path.

    "The leftmost path is the correct one; all the others are dead ends," he informed, striding towards the rightmost path.

    "Then why are you going right?" Maya asked, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.

    "To eliminate the lizardmen in the other paths," Alex replied.

    "Why must you kill them? They aren''t even on our..." Maya trailed off, her words unfinished.

    Alex nced back at her and grinned, "for the loot."

    Just like that, the group traversed each of the paths, with Alex indiscriminately dispatching every lizardman they encountered.

    Half an hourter, they finally reached the leftmost path. There, they encountered even more lizardmen than on the previous paths, but they all met the same fate: ughtered by Alex.

    Hourster, they sessfully cleared the entire floor. Fortunately, instead of a staircase leading downward, they were greeted by a sizable wooden door adorned with golden engravings.

    Seeing this door, both Alex and hispanions felt an indescribable sense of relief washing over them. None of them had spoken about it, but it was clear from their reactions that all of them were feeling tense at the idea that there would be another floor.

    "So, this is a fourth-grade dungeon," Amelia remarked.

    "Apparently," Alex acknowledged, "we''ll rest and eat, then challenge the boss afterwards," he added after a moment, his toneced with determination.

    "Mmm," Amelia nodded, and Maya nodded in understanding.

    "Are you confident about taking on the boss?" Maya queried Alex during their meal.

    "Confident or not, does it matter? We are going to be facing the boss either way," Alex replied. "But to answer your question, I''m going to say that I''m fifty percent certain of killing it alone. If Amelia is added to the mix, then there is a ny-nine percent chance of winning," he added an instantter.

    "Ny-nine percent?" Maya pondered. "Why not just say one hundred percent?"

    "That one percent you see is in case something goes to shit," Alex exined, "don''t forget kiddo, there''s always a chance for all your ns and preparation to fail. Never forget that."

    Maya nodded in understanding.

    "Good," Alex acknowledged before turning to Amelia. "So, how shall we proceed?"

    As the siblings began strategizing, considering various scenarios, Maya slipped away from their camp and retrieved a lightweight sword.

    ''Oh, is it time?'' Alex wondered, watching her discreetly.

    Maya firmly held the lightweight sword, her face disying determination and focus. She assumed a straight posture and swung the sword. Well, she was supposed to swing it, but instead, her left knee buckled, causing her to lose her bnce and fall.

    "Pfft," Alex, who was observing her, abruptly burst intoughter at the sight of the young heiress falling face-first. "Finally, I was beginning to think I wouldn''t see this scene today," he eximed aloud.

    For some reason, the day after they departed from the Night base, Maya began to train in swordsmanship. However, much like what just happened, each time she attempted to swing the sword, she ended up either tripping, identally cutting herself, or even worse, stab herself!

    She had nearly killed herself one time, fortunately Amelia was there.

    At some point, observing the young heiress train became one of Alex''s favorite moments of the day. That''s because he was never bored when watching her.

    "Stop making fun of her atst, you will end up making the poor girl give up," Amelia chastised with a stern expression.

    "It''s not my intention to make fun of her," Alex admitted sincerely. "I just can''t control myself. I genuinely struggle to understand how someone can be so clumsy," Alex added with a hint of confusion.

    Standing up, he approached Maya, who was rubbing her face with a dark expression, and said with a smirk, "you suck with a sword."

    Maya red at him and retorted, "Thanks for reminding me for the hundredth time."

    "You''re wee," Alex grinned. "Seriously though, you might want to consider training with something other than the sword. It''s clearly not suited for you."

    Alex wasn''t a weapon master, but even he knew how to distinguish between someone who had talent with a weapon and someone who didn''t, and it was clear to him that Maya had absolutely no talent for the sword.

    "Well, I need to know how to defend myself, and this is the only wa��" Maya suddenly stopped mid-sentence, her expression brightening.

    "You''re really good at hand-to-handbat. Can you teach me?" She asked Alex, her eyes shining with anticipation.

    Until a few hours ago, Maya thought Alex could only fight using his smoke element. She knew many people relied solely on their elemental abilities and never learned to fight without them. It also didn''t help that Alex always solved everything using his smoke.

    However, remembering how he killed the lizardmen with his bare hands, Maya understood that Alex was a master at hand-to-handbat.

    "Yeah, instead of always teasing her, you should teach her," Amelia said, appearing beside Alex.

    "Um, no," Alex denied, "that''s impossi-"

    Amelia linked her arms with Alex, pressing her body close to his, and spoke in a seductive tone, "I''m the one asking, brother."

    ''Ugh, she is so damn sexy,'' Alex thought, his eyes fixated on Amelia''s chest pressed against him. The warmth of her body against his sending shivers down his spine.

    Summoning his willpower, Alex gritted his teeth and uttered, "why don''t you train her yourself, you are-"

    "You are more experienced than me," Amelia retorted as she pushed her breasts further against him, her touch sending waves of desire coursing through his veins. "You are not going to refuse me, right?" Her voice was a seductive whisper,ced with promise.

    She leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered with her bewitching voice, "if you ept, I will be giving you a rewardter today~"

 Chapter 237 : Dungeon boss (1)

    Chapter 237 : Dungeon boss (1)

    She leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered with her bewitching voice, "if you ept, I will be giving you a rewardter today~"

    That was the final nail in the coffin.

    Alex nced at Maya looking at him with bright expectant eyes and sighed, "okay, I will teach you how to defend yourself."

    "Yay!" Maya and Amelia eximed in unison, pping their hands against each other in joy.

    "I will make sure to pleasure youter as a thank you~" Amelia whispered to Alex and nted a kiss on his neck.

    "You better," Alex retorted, not really pleased with having to train Maya.

    However, it couldn''t be helped, he couldn''t refuse anything to either of his wives. Even if Amelia hadn''t promised to give him a reward, he would have still epted; that was how much he loved her.

    "Let''s start right away," Alex told the overjoyed Maya. "I will show you some moves on how you should act when being assaulted by someone... or when you need to attack someone."

    "Yes, I understand!" Maya nodded enthusiastically.

    ''The least you could say is that she is motivated,'' Alex thought as he did as he said, showing Maya some moves.

    The moves he showed her were absolutely basic. They were moves he had learned when he joined the army on Earth. Yet, from the expression she portrayed, she seemed to be impressed.

    As he adjusted her stance and observed her focused and determined expression, Alex couldn''t help but wonder how the heiress of the Drazen familycked even basic self-defense skills. Sure, the Drazen family focused solely on their auction house and making money, but Alex thought it was foolish not to let their heiress know at least the basics of fighting or at the very least how to defend herself.

    This was the mentality of an earthling who had practically grown in a world where war ravaged and where survival often hinged on such skills.

    Watching into Maya''s sparkling orange eyes, Alex thought, ''I''m curious though, how long will it take topletely master these moves?''

    Maya''s ability granted her a perfect memory. Based on that, it should normally be easy for her to recall every move Alex taught her, thus replicating them wouldn''t be too difficult for her.

    Indeed, barely half an hourter, Maya got the hang of it and Alex could finally focus on other things.

    ''Status,'' Alex called in his mind.

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 650

    Agility: 650

    Stamina: 550

    Defense: 500

    Mana Points: 90

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke sovereign;

    Soul Points: 2]

    ''Hmm, I don''t have many soul points left,'' Alex remarked.

    As he said, Alex had been progressively enhancing his stats. However, for the past few days he hadn''t done anything lustful with Amelia, so his soul points ie stalled greatly.

    ''That''s it. From now on, I won''t hold back and will focus on umting soul points,'' Alex vowed with determination.

    When he traveled with his three wives, Alex had to stop himself from touching them because Cedrix was there. Later on, he couldn''t touch Amelia because Maya was around.

    Looking back on it, Alex felt that that was stupid. With everything Lilia had told him about��the dangers of the sin''s game, the various forces that might be heading toward him��he was stalling his growth for what... cautiousness? To hell with that!!!

    Currently, the source of his power was the lust artifact, and the fuel for that artifact was sexual activities. If he didn''t want to remain weak for a long while, then he needed to engage in those activities.

    He didn''t care about whoever might hear him making love to his wife; it wasn''t a crime anyway.

    ''I will also need to find a way topare my physical prowess to others,'' Alex noted.

    Currently, Alex was confident that despite being at level 4, his physical strength surpassed that of others at the same level. Based on his assessment, he believed his strength fell between mid-level 5 and high-level 5. However, he wasn''t sure if that was urate, so he needed to find a way or, better yet, a rating scale that would help urately measure how strong he waspared to others.

    ''Well, that will have to wait until I finish with the boss,'' Alex sighed.

    He didn''t want to waste too much time and wanted to quickly defeat the boss so he could concentrate on other things like being with Amelia. Frankly, he had been getting bad vibes from this dungeon for a while, so he judged it was better to conquer the dungeon swiftly. It might be dangerous facing a peak level 5 with his current stats, but Alex was confident ining out on top, especially since he wouldn''t be fighting alone.

    "It''s time," Alex said to Amelia, who had been watching and cheering on Maya.

    "Mm," Amelia nodded and stood up.

    Seeing the solemn expressions on their faces, Maya understood what was going on.

    She stopped her training and was preparing to follow them when Alex inquired, "where are you going?"

    "Where would I go? Of course I''m following you," Maya answered.

    "Sorry kiddo, but it''s too dangerous," Alex denied without even thinking, "Amelia and I are the only ones going. Staying here is safer for you."

    It was at that moment that Maya understood why Alex went out of his way to eradicate every lizardman on this floor even if it took time. ''He did it so that I wouldn''t be in danger when they left me.''

    It was strange to Maya. No one besides her mother had ever shown her any love,passion, or even consideration for that matter��not even her own family. Yet, this pair of siblings she had just met a few days ago had been nothing but considerate. It felt really warm.

    "Plus, you are too weak. You will just end up holding us back. I don''t want to carry a dead weight," Alex said honestly.

    "Of course you had to ruin the moment," Maya snorted while Amelia giggled.

    "What? Why are you ring at me?" Alex wondered in confusion.

    "For nothing," Maya scoffed.

    "If you say so," Alex shrugged and turned to Amelia, "let''s go, sis," he said before walking to the door of the boss''s room with Amelia following behind him.

    Without hesitation, Alex pushed open the door to the boss''s room and stepped inside; momentster, Amelia followed him in.

    As the door was about to close, they heard a voice shout, "SHOW THE DUNGEON''S BOSS HELL!"

    "OF COURSE," Alex shouted back.

    A secondter, the door of the boss''s room closed, sealing them inside until Alex and Amelia either defeated the boss or met their end, allowing others to challenge it.

    "Now where��" Alex began to say when a bright light suddenly appeared in his vision. In the blink of an eye, an immense fireball four times Alex''s size hurtled towards them, its furious mes, destructive force and swiftness threatening.

    Not wasting a moment toprehend the danger they faced, Alex grabbed his sister and swiftly moved out of the fireball''s path, evading it with his utmost speed.

    A split secondter, the fireball collided with the ground where they had stood moments ago, causing a devastating explosion.

    ''Where is he?!'' Alex pondered as he extended his senses, trying to pinpoint the boss''s location.

    It didn''t take him long to locate the boss. Contrary to his expectations, however, the boss wasn''t rushing to attack them. In fact, it wasfortably seated on the ground with its eyes closed, seemingly deep in meditation.

    Unlike the other lizardmen Alex had encountered, the boss sported scales that gleamed dangerously red, reflecting the remaining mes of the explosion.

    Resting on the boss''p was a spear. This spear stretched three meters in length, boasting a rudimentary yet magnificent design. Its shaft was crafted from sturdy wood, and at the tip was a 50 cm de that gleamed with a sharp, dangerous allure. Despite its simplicity, the dungeon boss'' spear exuded timeless beauty, blending functionality with an elegant, handcrafted aesthetic.

    An eerie sense of calm permeated from the dungeon boss, but Alex knew this calm was merely the calm before the storm.

    It was because the lizardman exuded an oppressive and suffocating pressure that sent shivers down Alex''s spine, despite him not being near the dungeon boss.

    The lizardman''s eyes snapped open abruptly, revealing two vertical slits resembling dagger des, and it fixated on Alex and Amelia.

    In the next instant, a grating voice akin to ancient thunder reverberated within the boss''s chamber, tinged with a faint note of surprise.

    "Oh, I didn''t expect you to evade that attack."

 Chapter 238 : Dungeon boss (2)

    Chapter 238 : Dungeon boss (2)

    "Oh, I didn''t expect you to evade that attack," the dungeon boss uttered, a hint of surprise in his tone.

    Hearing his words, Alex froze in surprise. He wasn''t shocked by the fact that a monster was speaking; after all, he already knew that high-level monsters were intelligent. What truly caught him off guard was the fluency and rity of the dungeon boss''s speech. It was almost as if he was speaking to a fellow human, rather than a beast from the depths of the dungeon.

    Not only that, but the subtle mannerisms of the dungeon boss, like his raised brow as he spoke, unsettled Alex. These human-like gestures were unsettling. From just this sentence, Alex sensed that something was amiss with the boss, something beyond the usual dangers of a dungeon.

    To confirm his suspicion, Alex nced at the dungeon boss and smiled, "It''s not very nice of you to attack your guests."

    The boss chuckled at Alex''s words, "That''s true, it''s not nice to attack guests," the boss shed Alex a cold grin and continued, "But from my understanding, guests don''t usuallye into your home with the intention of killing you, right?"

    "I guess not," Alex chuckled. Yet, internally, he was frowning in confusion. ''It feels like I''m speaking to a human,'' he thought.

    He understood that at its level, the boss should grasp what he was saying, but still, its manner of speaking and reactions were disturbingly human-like, almost unnervingly so.

    Taking advantage of the boss''s clearck of aggressiveness, Alex cast a nce around the boss''s room. The architecture andyout of the room were going to greatly impact their ns after all.

    Finally concentrating on his surroundings, Alex couldn''t help but marvel at the beauty of the room.

    The boss chamber is a vast, circr room filled with an aura of majesty. Tall, gray pirs line the walls, their imposing presence supporting a high golden ceiling. Mounted on these pirs are lit torches, their mes flickering and casting a warm yet eerie glow throughout the room. The design is like a giant funnel �C as you step inside, you''re on the upper rim, and every step takes you lower and lower, towards the heart of the room. This bowl-shaped design funnels everything towards the middle, the lowest point in the chamber.

    "I never thought about it, but who created the dungeons and for what endeavor?" Alex wondered.

    What made Alex think of things like that was ultimately the architecture of this dungeon. It looked too grand, too majestic for it to have been created by mere lizardmen.

    ''Forget that, it''s not the time to think about such things,'' Alex thought, concentrating once again on the dungeon boss who was sitting exactly at the very middle of the chamber, staring at Alex and Amelia with a peculiar light in its reptilian eyes.

    cing Amelia down, Alex nced at her and nodded his head. She nodded back with a determined expression and concentrated on the dungeon boss.

    "Is it time to begin?" the dungeon boss asked, his grating voice echoing in the chamber.

    Alex didn''t respond; instead, he took a deep breath. When he exhaled, a familiar, ominous-looking purple smoke emerged. The smoke moved through the air as if it had a life of its own, swirling around Alex''s body with an eerie grace. Gradually, it enveloped himpletely.

    The dungeon boss raised a brow in surprise at this sight, but he made no effort to stop whatever it was Alex was preparing. It could only be said that this dungeon boss was peculiar.

    A few momentster, Alex''s figure reappeared once again, d in a purple armor that covered his entire body.

    The armor extended down his arms and legs, fitting snugly yet allowing for swift movement. At the tips of his fingers, the armor ended in razor-sharp ws that gleamed with an ominous purple sheen, ready to rend and tear at his enemies.

    The helmet of the armor was sleek and angr, concealing his features behind a visor. The only visible part of his body were the two shining orbs of silver behind the visor of his mask, staring straight at the boss monster with cold resolve.

    Multiple tentacles of smoke suddenly shot from the smoke armor and swiftly coiled around Alex''s surroundings, adhering to every surface with a chilling grip.

    Although the tentacles wereposed of smoke, their movements resembled those of stic material, stretching and contracting with surprising agility.

    Using the tentacles as a springboard, Alex propelled himself towards the boss. The ground under his feet did not shatter, nor was there a massive explosion apanying the force with which heunched himself. Yet, in what felt like a blink of an eye, Alex had crossed the dozens of meters separating him from the boss, his ws sweeping in a wide arc, intent on severing the lizardman''s head.

    However, at that moment, something odd happened.

    The closer Alex''s ws came to the lizardman, the slower they seemed to move, as if encountering resistance that defied normal physics.

    Just as Alex''s ws were about to reach their target, the dungeon boss''s hand flickered and the spear it held deflected Alex''s arm.

    The boss''s hand flickered once more, and the spear moved swiftly, aiming directly at Alex''s throat!

    In that split second, as the spear was about to pierce his throat, the smoke forming Alex''s armor shifted and coalesced into a shield, protecting him just in time.

    Bang!

    The spear passed right through the smoke shield, but Alex wasn''t there anymore!

    Taking advantage of the split second it took for the spear to break through the shield, Alex explosively retreated, putting as much distance as possible between himself and his opponent.

    ''He''s fast,'' Alex thought as he came to a stop, ''incredibly so, but it''s more than just speed. That sensation as my attack was about tond...'' Alex frowned behind his mask.

    He had deduced what that odd feeling was, but he found it hard to ept that the boss monster at the peak of level 5 could aplish such a thing.

    As one ascends through the levels, they begin to exert a pressure on those weaker than them. This pressure is something that can''t be controlled; ites naturally and often depends on one''s state of mind. If a person is angry, it''s more likely for that invisible pressure to leak out. On the other hand, someone who is calm is less likely to emit such a pressure.

    What remains consistent regardless of one''s state of mind is the fact that this pressure cannot be controlled. It affects everything and everyone in their immediate surroundings; if someone around them is significantly weaker, it''s not umon for them to be crushed by that pressure or experience a decrease in their movement speed.

    An example of such a thing was what happened between Alex and his uncle Robert when thetter asked him to free En from his suffering during thepetition. At that time, Alex couldn''t even lift a finger until he increased his strength with the system''s help.

    This was actually what happened a few seconds ago as Alex attacked the boss. The feeling of his arm swiping through a "swamp" was exactly what he experienced.

    However, there was a hitch: the dungeon boss was definitely not at level 6, so how could it have such high control of the pressure it emitted?

    The reason Alex was certain that it could control the pressure, at least far more than its level should allow, was because the range at which the pressure was deployed was just within the immediate surroundings of the boss. Even the pressure Alex could emit easily covered dozens of meters; it was difficult to believe that a peak level 5 monster couldn''t do as much.

    ''It means that it is either dangerously close to level 6, perhaps just a hair''s breadth away, or it had a method to control that pressure. Whatever the case may be, I don''t like it,'' Alex thought as he prepared his next move.

    Of course, if he had to choose, Alex would rather have it be that the dungeon boss was just a hair''s breadth from level 6 rather than the boss having a special way to control the pressure that he emitted. While in the former case his fight would be more difficult than he thought, he found it still better than fighting an opponent who might have a special way to control the pressure he emitted.

    Well, at the end of the day, it didn''t really matter which of the two cases was true; the oue of the battle was already decided before it even started, making all of this just a formality.

    Alex took a deep breath and exhaled a thick purple smoke that condensed into a ball of swirling mist.

    The ball of smoke hovered over Alex''s head for a moment before it began to ascend. As it rose higher, the ball grewrger until itpletely covered the entire ceiling of the room.

    Soon, the smoke ball started to shape itself, transforming into sharp and deadly needles each one meter long. Although made of smoke, each needle looked as solid as iron, glinting with a menacing aura.

    Without hesitation, Alex hurled hundreds of these needles towards the boss!

 Chapter 239 : Dungeon boss (3)

    Chapter 239 : Dungeon boss (3)

    Without hesitation, Alex hurled the hundreds of needles towards the boss!

    The sight of hundreds of needles falling from the ceiling, each one measuring a meter in length with a sharp end, was incredibly dreadful. Anyone who witnessed it would certainly feel a shiver running down their spine, but the dungeon boss seemed calm as it stared at this deadly rain.

    It was as if it couldn''t feel the threat of the oing attack and perhaps because it knew that this assault posed no real danger to him.

    With his head still raised, staring at the rain of needles, the dungeon boss opened its mouth wide.

    The air around its mouth began to heat up, the scales on its throat glowing faintly. An orange glow appeared at the back of its throat, and the air around its mouth started to shimmer with heat.

    Traces of fire danced around its mouth, signaling the intense heat building up, and it seemed ready tounch it towards the oing rain of needles in the following second. However, it didn''t act immediately. Instead, it waited until the rain of needles was just ten meters above him to strike. prepared to unleash in a devastating counterattack.

    At that moment, a torrent of fire escaped the boss'' mouth, scorching through the air like a zinget. The intense wave of fire quickly crossed the distance separating the boss from the needles and was about to engulf them when the lizardman caught sight of something peculiar happening.

    Just as the two elements were about to meet, the smoke''s color changed from purple to a sinister green.

    Before the dungeon boss could figure out what was going on, it happened.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    A series of explosions, each more devastating than thest, echoed inside the dungeon boss''s room the instant the immting fireunched by the boss interacted with Alex''s smoke.

    The explosions quickly spread, and in the blink of an eye, they were upon the dungeon boss.

    Unwilling to be caught up in the explosion, the dungeon boss swiftly got on its feet and began to run to escape the st, its expression no longer as calm as before.

    However, Alex appeared in the running lizardman''s view, his fist rapidly closing the distance to the boss''s face.

    At that moment, the boss seemed to realize that somehow, Alex had predicted that it would move exactly like he had.

    It was right in its thinking. Alex had indeed predicted that the boss would act like he did, or at least he had an inkling. Alex hadn''t forgotten that the boss had a fire ability and had counted on the boss actually using that ability to counter his rain of needles.

    Of course, the boss could have decided not to use its fire ability, but even then, it would have had to move to evade the needles and they would have ended right in this same situation. As for the boss using its pressure to stop the attack, Alex didn''t even consider that option.

    Controlling the pressure one emitted was useful, but it came at a cost. If used for too long, it would ultimately drain one''s mental strength.

    So Alex had more or less thought of every option the boss could have used to escape his attack and nned how he would move to take it off guard.

    What he didn''t anticipate, though, was that even when caught off guard with Alex''s fist so dangerously close to its reptilian face, the dungeon boss would still manage to dodge his attack.

    The boss sidestepped at thest moment, and Alex''s fist missed it by a hair''s breadth!

    Its grip on its spear tightened, and it counterattacked Alex by swinging the spear horizontally.

    Alex had to take a step back to avoid being cut by the spear, and just as he wanted to engage once again, the boss''s spear appeared right before his head, intent on piercing through it.

    Alex took a step back once again to evade, but not before the spear had grazed against his smoke mask.

    The point of contact where Alex''s mask and the spear met suddenly crumpled, and the spear dug a little into Alex''s cheek.

    However, the following second, the mask reconstructed itself, and Alex took a step forward and counterattacked.

    Unfortunately for him, he couldn''t get close to the lizardman and was forced to dodge another pierce of its spear.

    The same thing repeated each time Alex attempted to get close to deal a blow to his opponent. Using the long reach of its spear, the boss kept him from getting anywhere close. It was like he couldn''t step within a meter of the lizardman; each of his attempts was met with failure.

    On the other hand, each time the boss attacked, a new wound would appear on Alex. The worst thing was that each attack of the boss seemed to carry the weight of mountains while his spear''s strokes were fast enough to outpace Alex.

    Quickly, Alex found himself overwhelmed by the boss''s attacks. The astonishing part was that it wasn''t just because of the incredible strength and speed of the monster, though those yed a big part; rather, he was being overwhelmed by the technique of the lizardman.

    The dungeon boss was a true master of the spear. It was as if the spear wasn''t an external weapon but an extension of its body. Its strikes were fast, precise, and, most of all, absolutely deadly. Its spear moved through the air in an elegant dance andnded on Alex''s body with pinpoint uracy.

    Fortunately for Alex, thanks to his high defense stat, he could shrug off most of the wounds, but still, if things continued like this, it wouldn''t be long before he was cornered.

    ''It can''t continue like this,'' Alex thought as he blocked the tip of the boss''s spear with his forearm.

    The tip drove through his smoke armor and pierced Alex''s forearm, drawing blood.

    Taking advantage of the momentum behind his opponent''s attack, Alex explosively retreated, creating distance between them.

    However, the lizardman pressed forward and followed right after him, its spear''s strikes whistling through the air.

    Using his smoke, Alex managed to avoid getting wounded once again. He leapt backward, and in the blink of an eye, several walls made of smoke appeared between him and the dungeon boss.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    One after another, the walls of smoke were obliterated by the boss, but as soon as one wall was destroyed, another took its ce just as quickly.

    ''It won''tst long,'' Alex thought as he willed his smoke to keep coalescing into sturdy walls. He knew that those walls couldn''t keep the boss at bay for long. While constructs of smoke didn''t consume too much mana, if he kept creating so many in seconds, it wouldn''t be long before he depleted his reserves.

    However, Alex didn''t care and went all out in his attempts to stall the lizardman. Soon, the dungeon boss was nked on every side by five smoke knights, each wielding different weapons.

    Taking advantage of the few moments his smoke knights might be able to grant him, Alex dove his mind inside a spatial ring around his finger. Of course, he made sure to still focus on his smoke knights so they wouldn''t crumble. Thanks to the increase in his mind''s capacity, Alex could now focus on several things at the same time, and he didn''t hesitate to utilize that ability when needed.

    ''No, nothing here,'' Alex thought in disappointment upon seeing that what he was looking for wasn''t in the spatial ring he was holding.

    What he was searching for was a weapon. His smoke ws weren''t effective; they couldn''t even scratch the hard scales of the lizardman, let alone pierce through them. He needed a weapon solid enough to get past the boss'' natural defenses.

    As for the rings he was looking through, they were obviously the rings containing the Night''s base treasures. Alex didn''t carry any weapons in his own spatial ring, mostly because he thought he wouldn''t need them, relying on his smoke ability to create weapons with a snap of his fingers.

    During this battle with the boss, he hade to realize that he might have overestimated the strength of the smoke element. Thanks to his sovereignty, the smoke element was maybe the most versatile element he knew, but it ultimately wasn''t suited for offense nor defense, or at the very least, Alex didn''t know how to get the best out of those two fields.

    This was the reason why he needed a weapon right now. However, he scanned over three spatial rings and found no weapon in sight.

    It wasn''t until he was looking through the seventh ring that he caught sight of something. However, by that point, the dungeon boss had already obliterated the knights and the walls of smoke.

    Shooting past the knights before they could reform themselves, the lizardman lunged towards Alex. Its spear spun with deadly precision, and in the blink of an eye, it was in front of Alex, its spear thrusting towards him.

    Caught off guard, Alex couldn''t do anything but pull out the weapon he had caught sight of and defend himself.

    CLANG!

 Chapter 240 : Dungeon boss (4)

    Chapter 240 : Dungeon boss (4)

    CLANG!

    A clear sound of steel shing resounded in the dungeon''s boss chamber as Alex and the boss''s weapons collided.

    Sparks flew in the air as Alex was pushed back and forced to take a step away.

    Before he could stabilize himself, the lizardman attacked again. Alex tried to parry with the weapon in his hands. Unfortunately, he wasn''t aware of what kind of weapon he was holding, so the boss'' spear bypassed his defense and dug into his shoulder.

    Alex groaned in pain and retreated. At the same time, his smoke armor took on a yellow hue, and the wound on his shoulder began to close by itself.

    Taking the opportunity before the boss could attack again, Alex cast a quick nce at the weapon in his hands.

    The first thing he noticed was the twisted, serpentine shaft of dark metal, crowned by a small skeletal skull. From this macabre centerpiece extended two massive, silvery crescent des, curved like deadly wings or demonic horns.

    ''I guess that exins why I couldn''t defend against thatst attack,'' Alex remarked, his eyes tracing the weapon''s sinister curves. The dual des gleamed ominously in the dim light, their edges wickedly sharp. The twisted shaft seemed to writhe subtly in his grip, as if alive with dark energy.

    ''I need to change this scythe,'' Alex decided after a moment.

    If it was any other weapon such as an axe, a sword, or even better, a spear, Alex was confident he could at least defend himself and even attack. He had some basic knowledge about those weapons, but a scythe? He had never even held one before today, so there was no way he was going to beat the boss, a spear master, with a weapon he didn''t even have a clue how to defend himself with, much less attack.

    However, he barely had that thought before the boss monster finally decided to act. It lunged at Alex with stunning speed and in the blink of an eye, it was in front of Alex, its spear tip aimed at him.

    Caught off guard, Alex couldn''t do anything but defend himself using the scythe. However, with skillful precision, the lizardman''s spear tip that was thrusting toward Alex''s leg suddenly aimed higher at his torso.

    With an awkward movement, Alex parried the blow with the scythe, the curved de deflecting the spear. He then attempted an attack, swinging the scythe in a wide arc, aiming to slice the lizardman''s nk.

    The lizardman leapt back, pivoting on its heels to use the length of its spear to its advantage. It swung the spear around, aiming to disarm Alex with ateral strike.

    The scythe flew off from Alex''s hand and he was left defenseless. Taking advantage of this, the lizardman shed diagonally and ripped through the smoke armor protecting Alex, its spear digging into Alex''s flesh.

    "Agghhh...." Alex groaned in pain and explosively retreated. At the same time, a wisp of smoke retrieved the scythe in mid-air.

    Alex firmly gripped the scythe and managed to parry a spear strikeing at him just in time.

    ''He won''t let me change weapons,'' Alex realized as the boss kept pressing forward, its attacksing like a relentless tide.

    Left with no choice but to keep the double-headed scythe to fight with, Alex imbued it with his mana, intending to reinforce it.

    What he didn''t expect though was for the scythe to violently shake and dispel his mana.

    "What the...what kind of damn weapon is this?" Alex cursed under his breath as he sent another burst of mana into the scythe, yet, the result was the same. The scythe shook and dispelled Alex''s mana.

    Alex was seriously considering if he should buy himself time to find another weapon. It would surely cost him too much mana to dy the boss, but it was better than using a weapon he didn''t know how to handle and that didn''t want to be imbued with mana. Just then, the boss appeared before him once again, thrusting its spear at him.

    Alex controlled his smoke to pull himself out of the spear''s path. His expression turned cold as his grip on the scythe tightened.

    Since the boss wasn''t giving him enough time to change weapons, he decided he would fight using the double-headed scythe in his hands.

    However, a few exchangester, Alex was wondering if it was the right decision. His defense with the double-headed scythe was awkward at best. Meanwhile, he found it incredibly hard to control the scythe to attack effectively.

    On the other hand, the attacks of the dungeon boss came like a relentless storm, inflicting various wounds on Alex''s body.

    Alex endured the wounds piling up on his body and persevered.

    As the battle continued, something odd happened. The dungeon boss''s attacks began to miss more frequently, and the rate of wounds appearing on Alex''s body lessened.

    Slowly but surely, Alex was adapting to the lizardman''s fighting style.

    After what felt like an eternity of pain, woundspletely stopped appearing on Alex''s body. He weaved through the lizardman''s attacks with increasing precision.

    At some point, Alex made another discovery about the adaptability of his body. That discovery was that his body adaptability didn''t only apply to his opponent''s fighting style; it also worked with the weapon he used!

    In just a matter of minutes, Alex had gotten familiar with how to fight with the double-headed scythe!

    Using his newfound familiarity with both the scythe and the boss''s fighting style, Alex finally managed to push back the lizardman andnd a few attacks on it.

    Alex charged, the twin des slicing through the air toward the lizardman''s head. It ducked just in time, feeling the wind of the des'' passage above him. It then thrust the spear upward in a counterattack, but Alex deftly deflected it with the handle of the scythe.

    Alex lunged forward, swinging the scythe in a deadly arc aimed at the boss''s torso. The boss instinctively raised its spear horizontally, catching the twin des just in time. The impact sent a shiver down its arms, but it held firm, using the spear''s length to push Alex back slightly.

    The boss took a quick step back, keeping its spear between him and Alex. Alex, relentless, advanced again, the scythe slicing through the air in swift, lethal arcs.

    The boss moved fluidly, pivoting on its heels to parry each strike, the spear''s shaft a blur as he blocked the iing blows.

    Alex''s attacks were fierce and varied,ing from high and low angles in quick session. The boss expertly deflected a high strike and immediately had to lower its spear to block a follow-up sweep aimed at its legs.

    The twin des of the scythe scraped against the spear''s wood, creating a harsh, grating sound.

    The boss tried to create more distance, thrusting the spear forward in a counterattack aimed at Alex''s chest.

    Alex twisted to the side, the spear''s tip grazing his ribs but failing to prate. Taking advantage of the boss''s extended position, he swung the scythe in a low arc, forcing the boss to jump back quickly, but not before the scythe had sliced into its thigh, drawing blood.

    Alex grinned, seeing a new wound appear on his opponent''s body. He didn''t think he woulde to say it, but he quite liked the scythe.

    Plus, after a certain point, Alex could feel that the double-headed scythe had finally stopped going against him. He didn''t know what caused such changement, but he surely wasn''t going toin about it.

    Before the boss attacked once again, Alex imbued his mana inside the scythe. Unlike his first attempts, the mana ran smoothly inside the scythe and Alex could feel it being reinforced.

    He was also feeling something else; he wasn''tpletely sure what it was, but he had an inkling.

    Wanting to confirm his hunch, Alex imbued more mana inside the scythe. As he did so, the eyes of the skull crowning the scythe''s shaft ignited with a somber light.

    At that moment, Alex moved instinctively. He tightly gripped the double-headed scythe and swung it vertically toward the dungeon boss.

    However, the lizardman wasn''t in Alex''s immediate vicinity, so the only thing his scythe sliced apart was empty air. But it was at this moment that something extraordinary happened.

    A dark and sharp line of energy appeared where Alex had swung his scythe, projected toward the lizardman. The energy sh moved with incredible speed, cutting through the air with a menacing hiss. It streaked toward the lizardman, who barely had time to react as the dark energy cleaved through the space between them, aiming to bisect its target.

    The retreating boss frowned as it stared at the lineing at it. It didn''t need to know what that fine dark line was to sense its danger.

    Without hesitation, it opened its mouth wide and breathed fire at the oing attack.

    An instantter, the wall of mes met the dark line and stopped it. Before the boss could feel relieved, its eyes constricted into pinholes as the dark line began slicing apart the fire!

    In the blink of an eye, the dark line was upon it.

    BANG!

    A cloud of dust was kicked up at the point of collision between the boss and the dark line.

    A few momentster, in tense silence, the dust finally settled, revealing the standing figure of the lizardman.

    Alex was feeling disappointed when he noticed something.

    The dungeon''s boss'' left arm...it was gone!

 Chapter 241 : Dungeon boss (5)

    Chapter 241 : Dungeon boss (5)

    The dungeon''s boss'' left arm...it was gone!

    Alex''s eyes opened wide in surprise at this incredible sight. Under no circumstances did he think that this dark energy emitted by the double-headed scythe he was holding would cleave the boss''s arm. In the first ce, he only followed that hunch he had the instant his mana prated the scythe.

    Before Alex could feel ted, though, he suddenly felt a wave of fatigue hit him. His legs buckled, and he fell to his knees, coughing and wheezing. It felt as if all his energy had been drained in an instant.

    Suddenly, it felt to Alex as if he had run a marathon. His breathing became ragged, and his chest hurt, each breath a struggle.

    ''Damn, what is going on,'' Alex wondered, his mind racing to make sense of his sudden weakness.

    It didn''t take long for him to realize the source of his exhaustion.

    It was obviously the price he had to pay for that powerful attack he hadunched seconds ago.

    ''I didn''t expect that to happen,'' Alex thought as he attempted to stand up, ''that attack sure was something, but if this is the price to pay every time I use it, I''m not sure I''m that interested.''

    Meanwhile, across from him, the dungeon boss was looking down at its severed arm, its reptilian eyes reflecting a mix of pain, confusion, fear, and anger.

    There was also another emotion, an emotion much more potent than the others. That emotion was an unfathomable and seething fury.

    The slits in the lizardman''s eyes turned into razor-thin lines, looking like slivers of pure malice. Its gaze locked onto Alex with hatred, and in that moment, it seemed as if any semnce of intelligence it had had vanished. If one looked into the lizardman''s eyes right now, they would feel a cold shiver run down their spine, sensing the primal rage that now controlled the beast.

    Uncaring of the blood pouring from the stump where its arm had been severed, the boss lunged at the hateful human on the ground.

    Due to its wound, both the boss''s speed and bnce had dropped, but even then, in what felt like the blink of an eye, it had covered more than half the distance separating it from Alex.

    However, right at that moment, its instincts screamed, warning of iing danger.

    The boss abruptly halted, its head snapping upward. It was then that it saw her.

    Up there, near the chamber''s door, the woman who it had dismissed as useless due to her inactivity throughout the fight, had her hands outstretched. Hovering just a few centimeters in front of her was a massive ball of what looked like to be concentrated energy.

    The ball shimmered and shifted with multiple lights and colors, it''s size half the woman''s.

    The boss could clearly sense it; this ball of concentrated energy was the source of the danger. The threat it posed was easily ten times greater than the dark de that had severed its arm.

    Though it didn''t understand what the hovering ball was, it was unwilling to face it. It resisted the urge to shred Alex to pieces and changed its trajectory, charging straight at Amelia.

    But would Alex let it do as it pleased? Absolutely not!

    From the beginning of the fight, Alex was never meant to y the dungeon boss. His role was simply to distract it while Amelia umted all the residual energy in the chamber. That was why he had to analyze the chamber beforemitting to this n. If the chamber wasn''t vast, the whole n would fail as they would be caught up in the explosion they had caused. Thankfully, not only was the chamber vast, its structure also favored their n.

    Alex appeared right in front of the charging monster and tightly wrapped his arms around it, holding it in a vice-like grip.

    "Get off my back, bastard!" the dungeon boss snarled.

    If it were before it lost its arm, the boss could have easily shrugged Alex off. But right now, with a missing arm and a mutted body, it seemed impossible using brute force alone.

    It opened its mouth wide, preparing to breathe fire when Alex head-butted it.

    Bang!

    The boss'' head snapped back and a wave of fire erupted towards the ceiling, illuminating the room with an ominous orange glow.

    Ignoring the paining from his bleeding forehead, Alex nced back at Amelia and shouted, "NOW!"

    Without hesitation, Ameliaunched the ball of residual energy straight towards the entanglement of Alex and the boss.

    Seeing the balling at them and feeling the cold breath of death brushing its neck, the boss seemed to have finally snapped back from it''s furious state.

    Its eyes turned calm once again, it stared at Alex and in thosest few seconds before what seemed to be his death, he asked, "Are you going to sacrifice yourself just to take me down?"

    The smoke mask Alex was wearing dissolved, revealing a wicked grin stered all over his face. "Of course not. I have far too many great things to aplish to perish in this godforsaken dungeon!" he replied with unwavering confidence.

    A split secondter, the ball of residual energy was upon them.

    Just before the imminent impact, Alex mouthed "goodbye" to the boss before snapping his fingers, a gleam of triumph in his eyes.

    Immediately after he did so, he appeared next to Amelia, leaving the boss alone to face the impending destruction.

    In the following instant, he wrapped his arms around his sister, shielding her from the oing explosion.

    His smoke armor rippled, separated from his body and expanded into a dome above the siblings. As if that wasn''t enough, a part of the dome separated and expanded to form its own dome above the first dome, and then the same thing happened once again and again. In the blink of an eye it took the ball of residual energy to collide against the dungeon''s boss, severalyers of protective domes formed of solidified smoke were shielding Alex and Amelia.

    And then it happened.

    BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!

    An enormous and devastating explosion went off inside the dungeon''s chamber. It was so violent and destructive that the entire chamber shook under its immense force, its very foundation threatening to copse. The st sent shockwaves through the ancient stone walls, causing cracks to form and spread like spider webs across the floor. Debris rained down from above as the chamber groaned under the strain of containing such raw, unleashed power.

    Alex and Amelia didn''t know it, but the explosion caused by Amelia''s residual st ability was so devastating that its effects even spread outside.

    ****

    Maya, who was outside of the boss'' chamber diligently practicing the intricatebat moves Alex had taught her, suddenly stumbled and fell to her knees as the ground began to violently shake. The force of the tremor caught herpletely off guard, interrupting her focused training session and sending a jolt of rm through her body.

    "W-What is going on?" Maya wondered aloud, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and confusion as the whole floor continued to quake beneath her. The vibrations intensified, causing loose debris to fall from the ceiling and creating an ominous rumbling that echoed through the corridor.

    Slowly, her gaze turned to therge, imposing door of the boss'' chamber. She mumbled with a solemn expression, her eyes filled with worry and determination, "I hope they are safe."

    ****

    Inside the boss'' chamber, the explosion of residual energy was propagating in every direction and soon, it collided with the dome of protection Alex had meticulously crafted.

    The instant it happened, Alex felt that the severalyers he had made were being quickly destroyed. In the blink of an eye, more than half of them were gone. However, at the same instant they were destroyed, Alex was creating new ones with fierce determination. He could feel his mana, the small bit that remained, being rapidly drained, but he held on, his jaw clenched and sweat beading on his brow. He was acutely aware that if he were to allow themselves to be caught in the explosion, there was no way to know what catastrophic consequences they might face.

    Fortunately, while the explosion didst quite a while, it had died out before Alexpletely ran out of mana. That wasn''t to say that he was in a good condition though.

    Alex copsed to his knees, his body and clothes drenched in sweat and blood. He violently coughed, blooding out of his mouth in rming amounts. His body was already at its limit after he hadunched that dark de that severed the boss'' arm; forcing himself to stand up to stop the boss and then teleporting himself had increased the burden on his body exponentially, and he was currently paying the price. He could feel that his inner organs were severely damaged, suffering wounds that even his healing smoke couldn''t mend.

    The pain was excruciating, threatening to overwhelm his senses.

    The dome above them shattered as Alex lost control of the smoke forming it, the particles dissipating into the air like ash. He was feeling drowsy and was in a precarious state, teetering on the edge of consciousness, but he stubbornly refused to close his eyes until he had confirmed the boss'' death.

    Ignoring the chaotic state of the partially destroyed chamber, with its crumbling walls and debris-strewn floor, Alex focused his senses on the humongous crater in the center of the chamber, right where the boss had been when the explosion happened.

    The air was thick with dust and the acrid smell of destruction.

    Several seconds passed in tense silence as both Alex and Amelia, who had a pale face as if she had been drained of her blood, stared down inside the crater, waiting to see if the boss would emerge. The atmosphere around them was charged with anticipation and dread. But even after a full five minutes had passed, with each second feeling like an eternity, the boss never appeared. The silence was deafening, broken only by the asional sound of settling debris.

    "It''s dead," Alex announced with a visibly relieved expression, his voice barely above a whisper due to his weakened state.

    "Yes. It sure was-" Amelia was replying when she immediately moved to catch Alex, who lost consciousness just after he spoke.

    "Alex!"

 Chapter 242 : Cell master

    Chapter 242 : Cell master

    ''What is this feeling?'' Alex wondered, feeling something of iparable softness beneath his head.

    Slowly, his eyes fluttered open and what came into his sight could only be called divine.

    Just a few centimeters from his face, he witnessed the beautiful and sleeping face of a woman. From her delicate nose to her soft, full lips, this woman''s face was angelic and a pure delight to the eyes. Her skin was wless, with a gentle, radiant glow, and her long, dark eyshes rested peacefully against her cheeks.

    Her high cheekbones framed her face perfectly, and her cascading hair, like spun silk, added to the ethereal beauty. Most captivating of all were her closed eyes, hinting at a serene and dreamlike state, promising an even more mesmerizing gaze once they opened.

    "Beautiful..." Alex mumbled with an absentminded expression. It wasn''t the first time he was seeing Amelia''s stunning face, but in this moment, Alex could once again feel how lucky he was to have such a charming woman as his wife.

    A wide, goofy grin spread across his face, lighting up his tired features.

    "Thanks for thepliment," Amelia suddenly spoke, her eyes still sealed shut.

    "I''m only stating the truth," Alex replied, gently rubbing his head against Amelia''s pillowyp.

    Amelia let out an exhausted chuckle at her brother''s antics, "You should avoid moving too much. I might have healed your wounds, but your body is still severely exhausted."

    "You don''t seem to be doing much better," Alex remarked.

    Although she was as beautiful as ever, Alex could see the dark bags under her eyes, hinting at how tired she was.

    "Mmh," Amelia nodded, her eyes still closed. "Since I wasn''t certain how big I should make the orb of residual energy to harm a peak level 5, I made it as big as I could. But as you know, my residual st ability consumes my stamina instead of mana."

    Amelia sighed and opened her eyes, revealing her beautiful but tired gray eyes. "After that, I had to heal all your wounds, which were too many," she said with a gentle smile, lightly stroking Alex''s face. "You should be more careful in your fights; it tears me apart to see my husband being so wounded."

    "That''s because I know you''ll always be there to heal me that I don''t mind it even when I''m being wounded," Alex paused before continuing in a loving tone. "But since I don''t want to sadden my lovable wife, I promise to avoid being wounded as much as I can... but on one condition."

    Amelia raised a brow and inquired, "What condition?"

    "I get to have a kiss whenever I want," Alex grinned.

    A chuckle escaped Amelia''s lips, "I already belong to you and you can do whatever you want with me, so there''s no need for such a condition."

    As if to prove her words, Amelia bent her face and pressed her full, luscious lips against Alex''s for several seconds before pulling back, leaving a warmth that lingered.

    "I''m so going to make love to you the instant I recuperate," Alex said with a grin.

    "I''ll be waiting then,e at me with everything you''ve got, big boy," Amelia replied.

    The two of them burst intoughter for a moment before a peaceful silence settled around them.

    After a long while, Alex spoke once again, "Say, can you help me increase my mana reserves?"

    Amelia tilted her head in confusion, "How am I supposed to do that?"

    Alex then exined to Amelia the idea he had when discussing his mana reserves problem with Lilia.

    "So what you''re asking me is to use my cell master ability to make your heart act like... a monster''s core?" Amelia wondered.

    "Yeah, something like that," Alex nodded, "Is it possible?"

    Amelia remained quiet for a while, a thoughtful expression on her face before hesitantly nodding, "It sounds like something that might be possible, but I''m not confident enough in my skills regarding cell control to pull it off."

    Among all of her three abilities, Amelia''s cell master ability was actually the one she had the least familiarity with. The reason was that she spent a lot of time training to control her residual st ability.

    As exined earlier, her residual st ability consumed her stamina each time she used it, leaving her body too exhausted to do anything afterward. It would take her weeks or even months before she could continue her training, and since their father judged that the residual st ability was too dangerous, he made Amelia focus solely on mastering that ability. As a result, her other abilities stalled.

    Once she finally got the hang of using her ability without risking harm to herself or others, Amelia began focusing on her other abilities. However, the ability she trained the most after that was her nt control ability.

    The result was that, although her cell master ability was a very precious and extraordinary ability, she was the least familiar with it. The only things she knew how to do were healing or killing a being by ordering its cells to either destroy, reproduce or transform themselves.

    Oh, she also knew how to modify her nts to make them gain characteristics their natural form wouldn''t allow them to have, such as the nt that birthed the luminous bulb they had been using to light up their path in the dungeon''s upper floor.

    However, it was obvious to Amelia that she had yet to scratch the surface of her ability.

    "Plus, if I want tomit to such a risky n, I would need to have a very deep knowledge about the entire human body and the heart in particr," Amelia exined.

    What Alex was asking of her required very fine control of her ability coupled with medical knowledge, and right now, even if she could manage to finely control her ability, she simply did not possess the required medical knowledge.

    "So if you were to obtain the necessary medical knowledge, you could do it?" Alex wondered.

    "Not really," Amelia shook her head, "Even if I were to obtain such knowledge, I would need to research and find how manipting and transforming your cells would impact your heart in the way we want while not being dangerous. You probably guessed it, but even a small mistake on my part could cause your death."

    "I''m certain that won''t happen," Alex gave Amelia a reassuring smile, "Have some faith in your skills. Oh, that actually reminds me, what happened inside that circr room in the Night''s base before we came? Anna told me about an individual that attacked you before leaving."

    "Oh, you speak of that psycho?" Amelia''s tired eyes shed with an annoyed expression, "That guy spoke nonsense, used his pressure on us before disappearing to gods know where."

    "You don''t sound as shaken as Anna had been," Alex remarked.

    Although Amelia was speaking in a harsh tone, her face portraying a slightly enraged expression, to Alex, she just looked cute right now. However, beneath that affection, he harbored a burning resolve. If he were to meet that Rangyl, he would make the guy pay for what he did. How dare he harm his wives? No one threatened or hurt his loved ones without facing the consequences!

    "From what Anna told me, he said that you had some special power, right?" Alex wondered, his expression turning curious.

    "Mm," Amelia hummed in agreement. "He didn''t react when I used my nt maniption ability, so I guess he was speaking about my cell master ability."

    "It''s true that your ability to control the cells is extraordinary," Alex said, admirationcing his voice.

    He never really stopped to think about it, but now that he did, the power to control cells was actually pretty overpowered. He always knew about this fact, but the more he thought, the more potential he could see in this ability. The implications of such control were vast and, in the right hands, incredibly powerful.

    ''Well, I have a way to identify its value... more or less,'' Alex thought to himself.

    By using the number of points it would cost him to copy Amelia''s cell master abilitypared to how much it had cost him to copy the smoke element, he could more or less deduce the ability''s worth. If the point difference was significant, it would confirm just how powerful and valuable her ability truly was. The higher the cost, the greater the potential and versatility of her cell master ability.

    Thus, he asked the system how much soul points he needed if he wanted to copy Amelia''s ability.

    Thus, he asked the system how many soul points he would need to copy Amelia''s cell master ability.

    A momentter, the system''s response appeared before his eyes.

    When he saw the price to copy the cell master ability, Alex''s eyes constricted into pinholes, a sharp intake of breath the only sound he made.

 Chapter 243 : Someone

    Chapter 243 : Someone

    ''What the hell is that price?!'' Alex wondered with a stunned expression.

    Before him, floating in the air, a translucent blue screen hovered, disying a string of words:

    [Ability: Cell Master

    Grade:???

    Points needed to copy: 1,000,000,000 soul points]

    Alex rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn''t seeing things.

    ''Surely it must be that I took a hit to my head and it''s making me hallucinate,'' Alex nodded his head, ''there''s no way I''m seeing that I need one billion soul points to copy this ability.''

    Unfortunately for Alex, no matter how much he rubbed his eyes, the billion soul points needed to copy the ability didn''t decrease.

    ''Don''t tell me it''s the real price,'' Alex thought in dread.

    As a reminder, the ability to control the smoke element that he copied from Lilia cost 200 soul points, 200!

    Using the difference in points needed to copy the two abilities, the system was basically telling him that next to Amelia''s cell master ability, his smoke ability was utter trash!

    Of course, if one were to take into ount his sovereignty, then the cost to copy his ability would skyrocket. But, Alex doubted that one could copy a sovereignty in the first ce; after all, one needed to link their soul to that of the spirit of the element they wielded to be a sovereign.

    Still, even in the highly improbable case that one could copy a sovereignty, Alex doubted that it would cost a billion.

    He didn''t have in mind to copy Amelia''s cell master ability right now, mostly because he didn''t know how effective it was and how it worked, only having an inkling, but even then he felt utter dread at the thought of how much time it would take before he could copy that ability.

    ''Probably hundreds if not thousands of years,'' Alex remarked, ''no, it might take less time,'' he thought a momentter.

    To quickly gather points, he just needed to do actions that earned him additional points.

    At that moment, the exquisite face and sinuous body of a woman with gray eyes and hair shed in Alex''s mind.

    He had already shed his inhibitions about a romantic rtionship with Grace. If he managed to make her his, there was no doubt that he would obtain a massive amount of points. Besides her, there were also some other women in his family that he had his eyes on. If he managed to win their hearts, saving one billion points wouldn''t be impossible.

    This realization was like a beacon of hope in the overwhelming darkness that was the cost for copying Amelia''s cell master ability.

    ''Plus, I''m certain that not every ability is this expensive,'' Alex noted.

    To confirm his thoughts, Alex decided to ask the system.

    ''Is Amelia''s cell master ability the most expensive ability among those I could copy?''

    A secondter, the monotone voice of the system resounded in Alex''s mind, and its answer could only be described as stunning.

    [The cell master ability is the second most expensive ability you can copy.]

    Alex froze, his eyes widening, his pupils flickering with shock.

    The system''s answer was just a single sentence, but this sentence was the most stunning thing Alex had heard in a long time.

    Gathering one billion points was already enough to make him feel dread, but now he was hearing that there was another ability that cost more?!

    Even if he had numerous wives who were all immensely powerful and who loved him dearly, wouldn''t his dick fell off before he gathered enough soul points?!!

    ''But what about those question marks?'' Alex wondered. ''Does that mean the system doesn''t know the ability''s grade?''

    He asked the system about it, but as he expected, there was no response, hinting at the fact that the system indeed didn''t know the cell master''s grade. This realization struck Alex and made him understand that even now, both he and Amelia had no clue about the true potential of her ability.

    He lingered for a moment, then with a shaky breath, he inquired, ''Who among my harem members has the most costly ability and what is that ability?''

    [The most expensive ability to copyes from "Lilia Eswald".]

    ''Figures,'' Alex nodded.

    The system''s interface then changed from Amelia''s cell master ability to a new string of words.

    [Boundless de (Sealed): Create a de that can cut anything apart.

    Grade: ???

    Soul points needed to unseal: 50

    Soul points needed to copy: 2,000,000,000

    Warning: This ability is currently missing a crucial part. Without that part, the ability won''t activate even if the host were to copy it.]

    ''It''s missing a part?'' Alex wondered with a bewildered expression.

    He merely cast a nce at the exorbitant price of the ability before shifting his focus to other things. He already expected the cost to copy this ability to be astronomical, so it didn''t surprise him much. In fact, the price was slightly less than what he had expected; it''s not to say that it was cheap, though.

    Also, as he expected, this ability''s grade was also unknown to the system.

    What intrigued him most, though, was the system''s warning and the ability''s description.

    ''A de that can cut anything apart?'' Alex mused. This exnation seemed quite exaggerated, he thought. After all, a de that could cut anything could potentially kill gods, but Alex doubted that such an ability existed.

    ''But why does this ability sound familiar?'' Alex wondered, furrowing his brows. He was certain that Lilia had never spoken about this ability, but for some unknown reason, it felt as if he had always known about this ability.

    ''Weird,'' Alex thought. Then he asked the system, ''What is the crucial part that is missing that you mentioned?''

    Several seconds passed, but the system didn''t reply, making Alex understand that it didn''t know the answer to his question.

    ''I guess I will have to ask Lilia,'' Alex concluded.

    He finally focused on Amelia, about to ask her something, but closed his mouth upon seeing that she had returned to sleep.

    ''I should also do the same,'' Alex thought as he closed his tired eyes.

    ****

    An unknown amount of timeter, Alex''s eyes fluttered open, greeted by the stunningly beautiful face of Amelia.

    Alex admired her face for a while before slowly sitting up. As he moved, he could feel his muscles protest. Amelia had healed his wounds, but it seemed he wouldn''t escape the pain of having his overextended body.

    ''Well, it''s better than being dead,'' he told himself, slowly pushing himself up.

    He staggered for a moment before managing to stand firm. ncing down at the sleeping Amelia, Alex smiled lovingly and murmured, "I''ming for you."

    After that, he walked to the edge of the upper part of the boss''s chamber and stared around.

    ''Damn, that''s one hell of an explosion,'' Alex thought as he finally took in the state of the room.

    He couldn''t help but nce at Amelia, wondering how such an adorable woman could cause so much destruction.

    ''Fortunately, I wasn''t the one at the receiving end of this explosion,'' he sighed in relief.

    He stared at the chamber some more before taking a step downward.

    Leaping over the rocks and debris that had fallen from the ceiling, Alex quickly descended to the center of the chamber where an extraordinarilyrge hole extended hundreds of meters downward, darkness swallowing the bottom.

    Staring at the abyss the explosion caused, Alex shook his head and sighed, "A pity its body has beenpletely disintegrated."

    If the boss''s body was still there, he would have extracted its core, which would have earned him quite a massive amount of money if sold.

    However, Alex understood that it was for the best. If the explosion hadn''t been powerful enough to obliterate the boss''s body, there was a chance that the creature might have survived. If that had happened, Alex and Amelia would likely be the ones dead right now.

    Still, it didn''t stop Alex from feeling bad about the lost money!

    Just as he was sighing once again, something on the ground glinted, catching his attention.

    When he nced over, Alex was pleasantly surprised to find the double-headed scythe he had wielded during his fight against the boss.

    Earlier, when the boss had charged at Amelia, Alex had been forced to act quickly, ignoring the weapon that had slipped from his hands as he copsed to his knees.

    ''I didn''t expect it would still be intact, given how close it was to the explosion,'' Alex thought as he picked up the scythe.

    He didn''t know where the member of Night had found such a weapon, but Alex was certain that this double-headed scythe held many secrets that he wouldn''t mind unearthing.

    That would have to wait, though.

    Storing the scythe away in his personal space ring this time, Alex took onest nce at the sizeable hole before leaping back up.

    However, he didn''t take the same path he had taken to descend, heading in the opposite direction instead.

    Secondster, he stood before arge wooden door, a wide grin on his face.

    This wooden door had not been there when Alex and Amelia first stepped through the boss''s chamber. The reason for that was that the this door only appeared after the boss was defeated.

    The chamber beyond this door was none other than the fabled treasure room.

    Imagining all the treasures waiting for him behind that door almost made Alex forget about the money he had lost due to not being able to collect the boss''s core.

    Almost!

    What Alex hadn''t anticipated, however, was that the moment he took a step toward the door, it would abruptly swing open and someone would step out of it.

 Chapter 244 : That’s it?!

    Chapter 244 : That��s it?!

    Alex immediately took a fighting stance, his expression shifting from carefree to utterly serious in the blink of an eye.

    The first thing he thought was that the boss monster had somehow survived the explosion and hidden in the treasure room, but he quickly dismissed the idea. If that were the case, the treasure room door wouldn''t have appeared in the first ce.

    Granted, he hade to realize as they traveled through this dungeon that something wasn''t quite right; this dungeon was different from how the usual dungeons were depicted in the books he had read as a child.

    Alex didn''t know what was going on right now and who this person emerging from the treasure room was, but he was prepared nheless to defend himself and his sister if need be.

    However, as the person on the other side of the door came fully into view, Alex was stunned to see who it was.

    "Maya?!" Alex eximed, his body rxing. "What are you doing here? And why are you..." Alex''s words trailed off as he fully took in Maya''s attire.

    Before Alex, Maya stood, her damp body wrapped in a clinging white towel. Her ample bosom,rger than average, was barely contained by the fabric, creating an enticing disy of cleavage. The towel hugged her curves, entuating her hourss figure as she ran her fingers through her wet hair, beads of water trickling down her neck and between her full breasts. Her skin glowed with a fresh, post-shower radiance, and her eyes sparkled with a captivating allure.

    Alex felt a sudden stirring in his pants. His manhood began to swell, pressing insistently against the confines of his pants. A wave of desire washed over him as his eyes observed Maya''s body.

    ''What beautiful breasts,'' Alex gulped in desire.

    He had remarked it the first time he met Maya, but that girl definitely had beautiful tits. They appeared to be firm yet soft at the same time, inviting his gaze as they strained against the thin fabric of her towel. Her nipples, barely visible through the material, seemed to beckon him, sending a jolt of arousal through his body. He couldn''t help but imagine what it would feel like to run his hands over her supple curves, to feel the weight of her breasts in his palms as he explored every inch of her enticing form.

    ''Get a hold of yourself, fool!'' Alex scolded himself, feeling his lust beginning to affect him.

    He didn''t want to think sexually about Maya. The reason for that was that she was almost the same age as his daughters and, more than that, she greatly resembled his daughter Scarlett, both in terms of body and intelligence.

    Although he had decided that he would pursue his mother, aunt, and grandmother, Alex didn''t extend his lust to his daughters. They were thest line that he had vowed never to cross, not only because of Lilia''s warning but also because he didn''t want to fall into such depravity.

    Although Maya wasn''t his daughter, Alex felt that if he allowed himself to fantasize about her body, it wouldn''t be long before he fantasized about his own daughters, and that was something he couldn''t allow himself to do!

    Hearing his voice, Maya shrieked in fear, stumbled, and fell backward. As she did so, the towel that was covering her body flew off, and she fell on her back, her legs spread out in front of Alex.

    Alex''s eyes widened as he took in the sight of Maya''s naked body, her full breasts exposed to his view, her legs spread open, showing off her bare, smooth, and inviting pussy.

    No matter how much Alex tried to control himself, at that moment, his dick hardened, and a bump appeared in his pants. A lustful expression appeared on his face, and at that moment, he felt the urge to im Maya and make her his own.

    ''Goddammit, I look like a teenager, getting hard at the sight of a pussy,'' Alex shook his head, feeling a bit disappointed in himself.

    However, he knew that it wasn''t entirely his fault. It had been many days since hest had sex, and the consequence of that was that, just like what happened that one time with Grace, he felt his lust getting control of him.

    ''Calm down. I''m the carrier of the lust sin, I''m supposed to control it, not the other way around,'' Alex told himself. He managed to douse his arousal, his dick turningid once again before Maya could see the tent in his pants.

    Maya cried out in panic upon realizing she was naked. Scrambling to her feet, she bent down to pick up her fallen towel, her enticing curves now fully on disy for Alex.

    ''If I didn''t know better, I would think she''s trying to seduce me,'' Alex sighed, forcing himself to avert his eyes from the tempting sight.

    Maya swiftly wrapped the towel around her body and turned to look at Alex, her face flushed a deep crimson from embarrassment.

    "I''m s-sorry, I-I..." Maya''s words trailed off, feeling too embarrassed to even form a sentence.

    Seeing Alex suddenly appear before her had scared her, and because of that, she tripped, and now he had seen her in her birthday suit. It was simply her most embarrassing day. If she could, she would probably dig a hole to hide from him!

    Seeing Maya''s state, Alex decided to help her out by asking, "What were you doing here?"

    "Oh, umm, well, after that sudden explosion, the door of the boss''s chamber opened, and since I was worried about you guys, I rushed in to see how you were doing," Maya said, the blush on her face disappearing the more she spoke.

    Maya sighed and continued, "Seeing that you guys were safe, I decided to wait until you woke up. However, hours passed and you didn''t wake up, and I ultimately got bored. It was at that moment that I noticed the treasure room. My curiosity got the better of me, and I entered it. Sorry."

    Alex squinted his eyes at her and inquired, "Did you take anything inside?"

    "There''s nothing inside to take anyway," Maya mumbled.

    "What did you say just now?" Alex asked, his voice sharp.

    "Nothing, nothing, you''ll see for yourself. Anyway, to answer your question, no, I didn''t take anything inside."

    Alex didn''t say anything and just continued to stare at her with squinted eyes, making Maya feel ufortable.

    "I didn''t take anything, I''m not a thief!" Maya eximed indignantly.

    "Need I remind you that the motto of your family is ''the only thing that matters is profit''? I wouldn''t be surprised if you, the heir of such a family, are adept at deceiving people," Alex said, his tone teasing.

    "Who are you calling a deceiver?! I have been nothing but sincere with you guys the whole time!" Maya cried out, her orange eyes zing with an intense color as she wondered how Alex could even doubt her.

    Unbeknownst to her, Alex never doubted her. He had traveled and spent enough time with the young heiress to know that she wasn''t a thief. In fact, she could only be said to be a sweetheart. It was just that he liked to tease her and observe her reactions.

    ''She looks like a cat whose tail has been stepped on by someone. Cute,'' Alex thought inwardly.

    "Now, now, calm down, Maya. He''s just teasing you," a sudden voice sounded behind Alex.

    "Why do you always have to ruin my fun?" Alex sighed as he heard his sister.

    "Hehe," Ameliaughed and wrapped her arms around her brother''s chest. She lightly kissed the back of his neck and whispered seductively in his ear, "Sorry, sorry. You aren''t mad at me, right?"

    "How could I ever be mad at you?" Alex smiled, turned his head, and nted a quick kiss on Amelia''s lips. "How are you feeling?"

    "Exhausted," Amelia sighed. She peeked out from behind Alex''s shoulder and waved at Maya. She was about to ask her how she was doing when her eyesnded on Maya''s towel-d figure.

    "What are you doing in a towel?" Amelia asked, a puzzled expression on her face.

    "You''ll understandter," Maya replied with a mysterious grin.

    "Won''t you��"

    "Wait," Alex interrupted, cutting off Amelia. "We can continue that chit-chatter, after we''ve checked out the treasure room."

    With that, Alex strode to the treasure room door, with Amelia and Maya following close behind, and stepped inside.

    Secondster, a disappointed shout echoed from the treasure room, "That''s it?!!"

    ****

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/F52tHyFf

 Chapter 245 : Treasure room

    Chapter 245 : Treasure room

    "That''s it?!!" Alex eximed, his eyes reflecting deep disappointment.

    He had stepped inside the treasure room, expecting it to shine golden from mountains of stacked gold coins. Instead, what he saw caused him to feel a profound disappointment he hadn''t felt in a long time.

    Is this what he had risked his life for, facing a monster way above him in terms of level?

    Before the group, the treasure room stretched as far as the eye could see. However, instead of the expected golden hue, the chamber was bathed in a soft purple light.

    This purple light came from crystals that emitted a soft, enchanting glow. Their luminescence bathed the entire space in a mystical, ethereal light, casting delicate shadows and creating an otherworldly ambiance. The crystals seemed to pulse gently, as if alive, filling the room with a serene and magical atmosphere.

    They littered the entirety of the treasure room. Be it on the ground, on the walls, or even on the ceiling, they were everywhere.

    However, besides those crystals, there was nothing more. No mountains of gold, no enchanted weapons, no supernatural potions.

    "What are those? They don''t look like mana crystals," Alex said as he approached a crystal on the ground.

    Mana crystals, as the name indicated, contained pure mana and were very simr to monster cores as they allowed one to increase their level by absorbing the pure mana inside.

    The difference between the two was that a monster core came from a in monster, while a mana crystal formed from the condensation of ambient mana.

    Mana crystals were expensive��he expensive. That was simply because they didn''te with limitations like beast cores.

    Until one attained level 5, it was impossible to absorb mana from the core of a monster with a higher level than theirs.

    This limitation didn''t exist for mana crystals. One could absorb the mana inside a mana crystal regardless of its grade.

    However, the true reason why mana crystals were so expensive was that those at or above level 5 hoarded them.

    As it was exined earlier, the higher level monsters attained, the more intelligent they became, and the harder it was to stumble upon them.

    High-level monsters were effectively hard to find and kill. As a result, higher-level human progression would often stall due to theck of quality monster cores.

    Their only options were to absorb mana from lower-level beast cores, which provided minimal strength, or to absorb mana from mana crystals.

    Most high-level humans did absorb mana from both sources, but since many of these powerful individuals had descendants, they couldn''t hoard everything. They left monster cores for others and concentrated on absorbing mana from mana crystals, which provided slightly more mana than most monster cores.

    Alex crouched down and ced his hand on the glowing crystal. He could feel mana coursing through it, so he attempted to draw it toward himself. However, nothing happened; the crystal''s glow dimmed for just an instant before returning to its previous brilliance. He tried again, but the result remained the same, making him realize that, even though there was mana inside the crystal, he couldn''t absorb it.

    By now, after resting for hours, though his body was still exhausted, his mana reserves were already replenished. So, since he couldn''t absorb the mana inside the crystal, Alex did the opposite and injected his own mana into the crystal.

    The crystal''s glow intensified, but besides that, nothing happened.

    However, Alex didn''t stop and injected even more mana into the crystal, causing its glow to continue intensifying.

    Secondster, he finally noticed a change in the crystal.

    "It grew an inch longer," Alex observed, a hint of excitement in his voice.

    To confirm it, Alex applied pressure on the crystal and broke off a piece. Then he poured more of his mana into the piece in his hand. Under his and the girls'' astonished eyes, the piece began to grow more prominent until it was the same size as the crystal it was taken from.

    "It increases in size the more mana it absorbs. I have never heard of such a mineral," Maya said as she practically snatched the crystal from Alex''s hands, her breasts jiggling under her towel as she did so.

    "You''re knowledgeable about minerals?" Amelia inquired, curiosity evident in her tone.

    "I''m knowledgeable about many things," Maya replied with a boastful smile.

    "Tsk, show off," Alex clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mild amusement.

    However, he understood that with the ability she held, her im couldn''t be more true. Even if Maya herself wasn''t someone who wanted to spend all her time in a library, there was a good chance that her family elders would have forced her to spend a considerable amount of time there.

    In their line of work, in any line of work actually, having someone who could remember anything was extremely precious. Whether it was evaluating the quality of rare treasures, deducing the value of unique artifacts, or recalling the intricate histories of ancient items, Maya''s eidetic memory was invaluable. She could effortlessly authenticate items, recall bidding patterns, and even strategize on the best way to present items to fetch the highest prices.

    "This mineral is not listed among the known ones in Imperion," Maya observed, "so if you were to document and report your findings to the Magimunity, you would obtain a hefty amount of recognition and potentially significant financial rewards."

    "The Magimunity? Since when have they taken an interest in minerals?" Alex wondered.

    The Magimunity is a group of people entirely devoted to research on mana and its various applications. They spend all their time secluded in their tower, known as the Magi Tower. These towers are spread all over the continent, present in the majority of the kingdoms and empires. They never meddled with the politics of the territories they resided in, and in return for allowing them to stay in their territory, they shared the results of their research with the rulers of those territories.

    In sum, they are a group of hermits whose only interest lies in mana. That''s actually why Alex couldn''t understand why they would be interested in minerals.

    "They are a group of people who are interested in every aspect of mana. A mineral that grows when in contact with mana would obviously pique their interest," Maya exined.

    "I see," Alex nodded.

    He thought about what she said for a moment before shaking his head, "I don''t think I will report this finding."

    Alex''s reasons for this decision were simple. For now, he didn''t know if this new mineral had other characteristics or even how to perfectly use it. Instead of giving it to others, he would conduct his own research to determine if this mineral was worth something or not.

    Of course, he wouldn''t be the one doing the research.

    ''I will give it to Scarlett to study and make it seem like a reward. That way, I will both obtain information about this mineral while making Scarlett feel grateful,'' Alex smiled inwardly.

    "Your call," Maya nodded as she dropped the crystal she was holding into her hands.

    "I''m still wondering," Amelia suddenly spoke, "why are you in a towel?"

    "Oh, I forgot," Maya turned and began to walk further inside the treasure room, "follow me," she said a momentter, ncing at the siblings.

    Alex and Amelia looked at one another before shrugging and following behind Maya.

    It wasn''t long before a frown appeared on Alex''s face. He nced at Amelia walking beside him and asked, "Are you also feeling it?"

    "Mm," Amelia nodded, "the further we advance, the hotter it gets."

    "Hey, Maya, where are you tak..." Alex''s words trailed off as he took in the breathtaking sight before him.

    Before the group of three, there, in what was supposed to be the treasury of a dungeon,y a smallke, its surface sparkling with an almost unnatural rity. The water was so clean it seemed to glow with purity.

    Wisps of steam rose steadily from theke, hinting at its surprising warmth. This vapor created an ethereal mist that enveloped the entire area, giving the scene an otherworldly, almost magical ambiance.Coupled with the violet light of the crystals all over the room, the atmosphere was even more fantastical.

    Around theke, a small vegetation of grass with a purple hue added to the surreal and enchanting environment.

    "It''s... beautiful," Amelia murmured, feeling the sudden need to take a bath in theke.

    "It''s not only beautiful," Maya replied, her voice edged with excitement. "I don''t know how, but the water in thiske can invigorate your body and wash away your exhaustion!"

 Chapter 246 Lets check it out (R-18)

    Chapter 246 Let''s check it out (R-18)

    "Ahh, it feels so good," Alex murmured, a content and pleased expression spreading across his face.

    He had waited for hours as Amelia and Maya, who had decided to take a dip once again, enjoyed their baths in this hot paradise, but now, as his body drifted aimlessly on theke, he could say that the wait was definitely worth it.

    Feeling the pleasant warmth of the water enveloping his body, he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh of contentment. The gentle waves caressed his skin, and the faint murmur of the water resonated in the background, creating a serene symphony that lulled his mind into a state of deep rxation. Each breath he took was filled with the delicate scent of the mist, enhancing the feeling of tranquility.

    He hadn''t realized it before, but right now, he understood that this kind of rxation was exactly what he needed to forget the harrowing battle he had fought.

    Hundreds of meters away, he could sense the presence of Amelia and Maya next to each other. It wasn''t their physical presence he felt, but rather, their souls. This was an ability he had gained after the ck heart had shot through his chest.

    Well, Alex didn''t think that "gained" was the right way to put it. He felt that he always had this ability; it was just that after the ck heart had reinforced and nurtured his soul, it became more prominent, almost like a sixth sense.

    It wasn''t just the souls of others he could feel though. He could also feel his own soul, and it felt much clearer to him than others''. Well, that was normal; it was his soul, after all.

    Remembering the two halves of his soul that seemed to want to separate, the peaceful expression on Alex''s handsome face disappeared, reced by a deep frown.

    Even now, the voice of the goddess of lust seemed to resound in his head, informing him that if he didn''t do something, there was a chance that his soul would be split in two.

    ''She said that the solution wasn''tplicated, simple even, but I don''t see what this solution might be,'' Alex thought with his eyes still closed.

    Each part of his soul represented one of the two beings that had fused their respective souls to create one whole soul. One part of his soul was significantlyrger than the other, and if Alex had to guess whose soul thisrger part came from, he would undoubtedly affirm that it was the previous Alex''s soul.

    The reason Alex thought so was evident. Despite his strength and capabilities, Jack was for all intents and purposes a mundane human, while even though the previous Alex was azy ass, he still possessed a soul-based ability which granted him a far sturdier and more powerful soulpared to even other wielders of abilities. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Many aspects of his current character and mannerisms came from the previous Alex. For example, there was his yfulness. While Jack could crack a few jokes if he was in the right mood, he was ultimately not someone who was very cheerful��and how could he be when he spent his days fighting someone else''s war and burying fallenrades? On the other hand, the previous Alex, despite having his own fair share of nightmares caused by not being able to level up, still managed to have a good life. His family had both money and power, allowing him to do nothing and still live a peaceful life.

    ''It''s probably because of that that I feel more like Alex than Jack,'' the current Alex thought, feeling that Jack had been cheated.

    Many aspects of his current character and mannerisms came from the previous Alex. For example, there was his yfulness. While Jack could crack a few jokes if he was in the right mood, he was ultimately not someone who was very cheerful��and how could he be when he spent his days fighting someone else''s war and burying fallenrades? On the other hand, the previous Alex, despite having his own fair share of nightmares caused by not being able to level up, still managed to have a good life. His family had both money and power, allowing him to do nothing and still live a peaceful life.

    ''Now that I think about it, they livedpletely different lives,'' Alex thought, feeling a bit weird speaking of the previous Alex and Jack as if they were two people separate from him.

    ''Well, truth be told, I have also inherited some things from Jack, so it''s... alright, right?'' he wondered after a long while.

    ''Still, knowing all of this doesn''t tell me how to make these two parts fuse together,'' Alex sighed.

    "What are you thinking about?" asked someone with an angelic tone.

    "Of course, I was thinking about you," Alex replied as he opened his eyes to stare at Amelia standing at the edge of theke, naked.

    Taking in her nakedness, Alex couldn''t help but have his breath taken away.

    Amelia''s raven ck hair cascaded down her back in waves, drawing attention to her wless, blemish-free skin. Herrge breasts stood proudly, unencumbered by any clothing, and her thick, shapely thighs entuated her voluptuous figure. Her curves were pronounced and alluring, making her a sight to behold.

    Just a nce at her and Alex could already feel himself getting aroused, his desire and longing to feel her body against his skyrocketing. The sight of her naked form stirred a primal yearning within him, his breath quickening a bit as his eyes traced every inch of her enticing silhouette.

    "What''s Maya doing?" Alex inquired as he swam towards Amelia, akin to a moth to a me.

    He didn''t particrly care if Maya caught the two of them anymore, but he knew that wasn''t the case for his sister. Amelia still felt a bit conscious about Maya knowing the true nature of their rtionship. He wondered why that was.

    "She trained the moves you showed her until exhaustion and is currently sleeping right now," Amelia replied as she sat on the edge of theke.

    A momentter, Alex reached the edge of theke, stopping right in front of the seated Amelia.

    "Hello, beautiful," Alex whispered as he nestled himself between Amelia''s thighs.

    "Hi, handsome," Amelia giggled, lowering her head to nt a kiss on Alex''s lips.

    The two shared a tender kiss, their lips meeting in a soft, intimate embrace. Amelia''s arms wrapped around Alex''s neck, pulling him even closer as she deepened the kiss, her fingers threading through his wet hair.

    The warmth of theke''s waterbined with the heat of their bodies created an intoxicating blend of sensations, making the moment even more magical. They savored each other''s presence, momentarily forgetting everything else around them.

    "Yourplexions have returned, I''m d," Alex said as he finally pulled back.

    "Yeah, despite feeling exhausted, I''ve recuperated a great deal," Amelia replied with a smile. "I don''t know what kind of water this is, but it''s divine!"

    "The only thing divine here is you," Alex replied as he sealed Amelia''s lips once again.

    Amelia responded to his advances, deepening their kiss. Very soon, they were lost in a passionate embrace.

    Their tongues battled with each other as they explored each other''s mouths with fervor. Alex''s hands roamed freely around Amelia''s body, carefully tracing the curves of her waist and hips before moving up to cup her full, firm breasts.

    Amelia let out a soft moan as Alex''s fingers brushed against her nipples, sending a jolt of pleasure through her body. She arched her back, pressing herself more firmly against him as she ran her hands through his hair, pulling him closer still.

    Alex smiled inwardly, feeling satisfied that his sister reciprocated his desires. He broke away from their kiss and moved his lips to her graceful neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses and asional light nibbles.

    Amelia let out a soft gasp as Alex''s teeth grazed her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. She tilted her head back, giving him better ess as she closed her eyes and savored the sensation.

    Taking advantage of the moment, Alex wrapped his arms around Amelia''s waist and pulled her into the hot water with him, catching her off guard. She let out a small yelp of surprise, but her protests were short-lived as Alex''s hands began to explore her body under the water.

    His fingers trailed down her back, sending shivers down her spine before finallying to rest on her soft, round ass. He squeezed gently, pulling her closer to him as he felt his desire growing stronger.

    "I want you, sis..." Alex whispered in Amelia''s ear, his voice dripping with raw desire.

    His massive cock was so hard that Alex was beginning to feel a little bit of pain. He wanted, no, he needed to feel Amelia''s tight pussy wrapped around his dick.

    Amelia was like an aphrodisiac to him. Just her presence and the warmth of her body was enough for Alex to get horny in an inexplicable way, and if he usually controlled himself, right now, he simply couldn''t. His hardened member began rubbing against his sister''s thighs.

    "If you want me so much then..." Amelia suddenly unwrapped her legs and arms from Alex''s body and pulled away from him. With a swift movement, she stepped out of the warm water while wiggling her big ass to her brother, e get me."

    She attempted to run away, but even before she could take one more step, Alex stepped out of the water and caught her from behind, his body pressing against hers.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, you aren''t going anywhere," Alex whispered into Amelia''s ear, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine, "I have been waiting too long to have you, sis. I don''t want to waste any more time."

    As he spoke, Alex moved his waist, rubbing his cock between Amelia''s ass cheeks.

    Mmmm~

    Amelia moaned in delight and smiled teasingly, "and here I thought you had great self-control, brother. I have to say, I''m quite disappointed."

    "Says the one who is moaning and leaking because of a few kisses," Alex grinned.

    His right hand lightly caressed Amelia''s waist before going down towards her pussy lips.

    "Hoh, you are wetter than I thought," Alex teased as his fingers danced around his sister''s honey pot, "and you dare speak about self-control."

    A sigh of pleasure escaped Amelia''s mouth, and she shook her head, "I don''t know what you''re feeling, but it''s just the wetness of the water you''re feeling right now."

    "Is that so?" Alex''s grin turned mischievous, "then let''s check it out."

    His middle finger parted Amelia''s lower lips and with a decisive move, prated her dripping cunt.

    Annh~

    ****

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/F52tHyFf

 Chapter 247 Lets check it out (R-18)

    Chapter 247 Let''s check it out (R-18)

    "Ahh, it feels so good," Alex murmured, a content and pleased expression spreading across his face.

    He had waited for hours as Amelia and Maya, who had decided to take a dip once again, enjoyed their baths in this hot paradise, but now, as his body drifted aimlessly on theke, he could say that the wait was definitely worth it.

    Feeling the pleasant warmth of the water enveloping his body, he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh of contentment. The gentle waves caressed his skin, and the faint murmur of the water resonated in the background, creating a serene symphony that lulled his mind into a state of deep rxation. Each breath he took was filled with the delicate scent of the mist, enhancing the feeling of tranquility.

    He hadn''t realized it before, but right now, he understood that this kind of rxation was exactly what he needed to forget the harrowing battle he had fought.

    Hundreds of meters away, he could sense the presence of Amelia and Maya next to each other. It wasn''t their physical presence he felt, but rather, their souls. This was an ability he had gained after the ck heart had shot through his chest.

    Well, Alex didn''t think that "gained" was the right way to put it. He felt that he always had this ability; it was just that after the ck heart had reinforced and nurtured his soul, it became more prominent, almost like a sixth sense.

    It wasn''t just the souls of others he could feel though. He could also feel his own soul, and it felt much clearer to him than others''. Well, that was normal; it was his soul, after all.

    Remembering the two halves of his soul that seemed to want to separate, the peaceful expression on Alex''s handsome face disappeared, reced by a deep frown.

    Even now, the voice of the goddess of lust seemed to resound in his head, informing him that if he didn''t do something, there was a chance that his soul would be split in two.

    ''She said that the solution wasn''tplicated, simple even, but I don''t see what this solution might be,'' Alex thought with his eyes still closed.

    Each part of his soul represented one of the two beings that had fused their respective souls to create one whole soul. One part of his soul was significantlyrger than the other, and if Alex had to guess whose soul thisrger part came from, he would undoubtedly affirm that it was the previous Alex''s soul.

    The reason Alex thought so was evident. Despite his strength and capabilities, Jack was for all intents and purposes a mundane human, while even though the previous Alex was azy ass, he still possessed a soul-based ability which granted him a far sturdier and more powerful soulpared to even other wielders of abilities.

    ''It''s probably because of that that I feel more like Alex than Jack,'' the current Alex thought, feeling that Jack had been cheated.

    Many aspects of his current character and mannerisms came from the previous Alex. For example, there was his yfulness. While Jack could crack a few jokes if he was in the right mood, he was ultimately not someone who was very cheerful��and how could he be when he spent his days fighting someone else''s war and burying fallenrades? On the other hand, the previous Alex, despite having his own fair share of nightmares caused by not being able to level up, still managed to have a good life. His family had both money and power, allowing him to do nothing and still live a peaceful life.

    ''Now that I think about it, they livedpletely different lives,'' Alex thought, feeling a bit weird speaking of the previous Alex and Jack as if they were two people separate from him.

    ''Well, truth be told, I have also inherited some things from Jack, so it''s... alright, right?'' he wondered after a long while.

    ''Still, knowing all of this doesn''t tell me how to make these two parts fuse together,'' Alex sighed.

    "What are you thinking about?" asked someone with an angelic tone.

    "Of course, I was thinking about you," Alex replied as he opened his eyes to stare at Amelia standing at the edge of theke, naked.

    Taking in her nakedness, Alex couldn''t help but have his breath taken away.

    Amelia''s raven ck hair cascaded down her back in waves, drawing attention to her wless, blemish-free skin. Herrge breasts stood proudly, unencumbered by any clothing, and her thick, shapely thighs entuated her voluptuous figure. Her curves were pronounced and alluring, making her a sight to behold.

    Just a nce at her and Alex could already feel himself getting aroused, his desire and longing to feel her body against his skyrocketing. The sight of her naked form stirred a primal yearning within him, his breath quickening a bit as his eyes traced every inch of her enticing silhouette.

    "What''s Maya doing?" Alex inquired as he swam towards Amelia, akin to a moth to a me.

    He didn''t particrly care if Maya caught the two of them anymore, but he knew that wasn''t the case for his sister. Amelia still felt a bit conscious about Maya knowing the true nature of their rtionship. He wondered why that was.

    "She trained the moves you showed her until exhaustion and is currently sleeping right now," Amelia replied as she sat on the edge of theke.

    A momentter, Alex reached the edge of theke, stopping right in front of the seated Amelia.

    "Hello, beautiful," Alex whispered as he nestled himself between Amelia''s thighs.

    "Hi, handsome," Amelia giggled, lowering her head to nt a kiss on Alex''s lips.

    The two shared a tender kiss, their lips meeting in a soft, intimate embrace. Amelia''s arms wrapped around Alex''s neck, pulling him even closer as she deepened the kiss, her fingers threading through his wet hair.

    The warmth of theke''s waterbined with the heat of their bodies created an intoxicating blend of sensations, making the moment even more magical. They savored each other''s presence, momentarily forgetting everything else around them.

    "Yourplexions have returned, I''m d," Alex said as he finally pulled back.

    "Yeah, despite feeling exhausted, I''ve recuperated a great deal," Amelia replied with a smile. "I don''t know what kind of water this is, but it''s divine!"

    "The only thing divine here is you," Alex replied as he sealed Amelia''s lips once again.

    Amelia responded to his advances, deepening their kiss. Very soon, they were lost in a passionate embrace.

    Their tongues battled with each other as they explored each other''s mouths with fervor. Alex''s hands roamed freely around Amelia''s body, carefully tracing the curves of her waist and hips before moving up to cup her full, firm breasts.

    Amelia let out a soft moan as Alex''s fingers brushed against her nipples, sending a jolt of pleasure through her body. She arched her back, pressing herself more firmly against him as she ran her hands through his hair, pulling him closer still.

    Alex smiled inwardly, feeling satisfied that his sister reciprocated his desires. He broke away from their kiss and moved his lips to her graceful neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses and asional light nibbles.

    Amelia let out a soft gasp as Alex''s teeth grazed her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. She tilted her head back, giving him better ess as she closed her eyes and savored the sensation.

    Taking advantage of the moment, Alex wrapped his arms around Amelia''s waist and pulled her into the hot water with him, catching her off guard. She let out a small yelp of surprise, but her protests were short-lived as Alex''s hands began to explore her body under the water.

    His fingers trailed down her back, sending shivers down her spine before finallying to rest on her soft, round ass. He squeezed gently, pulling her closer to him as he felt his desire growing stronger.

    "I want you, sis..." Alex whispered in Amelia''s ear, his voice dripping with raw desire.

    His massive cock was so hard that Alex was beginning to feel a little bit of pain. He wanted, no, he needed to feel Amelia''s tight pussy wrapped around his dick.

    Amelia was like an aphrodisiac to him. Just her presence and the warmth of her body was enough for Alex to get horny in an inexplicable way, and if he usually controlled himself, right now, he simply couldn''t. His hardened member began rubbing against his sister''s thighs.

    "If you want me so much then..." Amelia suddenly unwrapped her legs and arms from Alex''s body and pulled away from him. With a swift movement, she stepped out of the warm water while wiggling her big ass to her brother, e get me."

    She attempted to run away, but even before she could take one more step, Alex stepped out of the water and caught her from behind, his body pressing against hers.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, you aren''t going anywhere," Alex whispered into Amelia''s ear, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine, "I have been waiting too long to have you, sis. I don''t want to waste any more time."

    As he spoke, Alex moved his waist, rubbing his cock between Amelia''s ass cheeks.

    Mmmm~

    Amelia moaned in delight and smiled teasingly, "and here I thought you had great self-control, brother. I have to say, I''m quite disappointed."

    "Says the one who is moaning and leaking because of a few kisses," Alex grinned.

    His right hand lightly caressed Amelia''s waist before going down towards her pussy lips.

    "Hoh, you are wetter than I thought," Alex teased as his fingers danced around his sister''s honey pot, "and you dare speak about self-control."

    A sigh of pleasure escaped Amelia''s mouth, and she shook her head, "I don''t know what you''re feeling, but it''s just the wetness of the water you''re feeling right now."

    "Is that so?" Alex''s grin turned mischievous, "then let''s check it out."

    His middle finger parted Amelia''s lower lips and with a decisive move, prated her dripping cunt.

    Annh~

    ****

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/F52tHyFf

 Chapter 248 Fucking Brother and Sister (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 248 Fucking Brother and Sister (1) (R-18)

    Amelia''s body trembled as Alex''s finger pushed deeper inside her, his touch sending waves of pleasure coursing through her. She bit her lip to stifle a moan, but it escaped her lips anyway, betraying her desire.

    "I see that you are still as tight as our first time," Alex said, his voice low and husky as he felt Amelia''s insides wrapping around and tightening against his finger.

    "Of course- Annh~" Amelia''s words got cut off as Alex''s finger pushed against her pussy muscles and went further inside her hot pussy. She could feel herself getting wetter with each passing second, her body aching for more of his touch.

    "Didn''t you say that you weren''t wet?" Alex questioned, a smirk ying on his lips as he began finger fucking his little sister, "it''s not what I''m feeling right now. Were you lying to me?"

    Mmmm~ Ahh~ Uuh~

    Amelia couldn''t find the words to respond to him, lost in the pleasure of his touch. It had been too long since thest time they were together, and she had craved his touch so much. Right now, all she wanted was to feel even more of him.

    "It''s bad to lie to your husband like that," Alex said, his breath hot against her ear as he leaned in and licked the back of Amelia''s neck. "You should be punished."

    Amelia gasped as Alex''s free hand slithered towards her breasts and took hold of one of her tworge mounds. With a firm and forceful hand, he began to massage her breast, his fingers teasing her nipple until it hardened under his touch.

    Meanwhile, his other hand never stopped moving. It went in and out of Amelia''s warm cave in a steady rhythm. When he felt that her pussy muscles had rxed a little, he thrust forward a second finger inside, stretching her out.

    Amelia gasped as she felt the sudden intrusion, her body tensing up for a moment before rxing again. Alex began to move his fingers in and out of her, scissoring them apart to stretch her even further.

    "Oh god, Alex...that feels so good," Amelia moaned, her head falling back as she surrendered herself to the pleasure.

    Alex grinned, feeling his own arousal growing as he watched his sister squirm and writhe beneath him. He could feel her pussy getting wetter and wetter, her juices coating his fingers as he continued to work them in and out of her.

    "You like that, don''t you?" he whispered in her ear, his voice low and husky. "You like it when I finger fuck your tight little pussy."

    "Uhh... brother... Anng... ahh," Amelia''s breath quickly became ragged.

    Amelia whimpered, unable to form a coherent response as Alex''s fingers continued to work their magic. She could feel herself getting closer and closer to the edge, her body tensing up as she prepared toe.

    "That''s it, e for me," Alex urged her on, his fingers moving faster and faster as he felt her walls beginning to clench around him.

    "I''m so gonna enjoy making love to you tonight," Alex licked his lips as he gazed at Amelia''s sublime body, akin to a predator eyeing his prey.

    "Come here," Alex''s hand that was massaging Amelia''s breast pulled her head towards him, and he nted a passionate kiss on her tempting lips.

    Amelia kissed him back with equal passion and desire. She stuck out her tongue and invaded his mouth, seeking Alex''s tongue. Alex was momentarily stunned by her aggressiveness as she kissed him like it was thest thing she could do. But when he thought back to their first time, he was reminded that this was how his sister always was.

    She was always hungry and wanted nothing more than to be close to him, both physically and mentally. Alex increased his speed, his fingers plunging in and out of Amelia''s pussy in quick session. A squelching sound echoed as her love juice sshed all over Alex''s fingers.

    Amelia''s body began to shake, announcing her impending climax. Feeling this, Alex''s hand moved even faster, his fingers curling up to hit her sweet spot. He could feel her walls tightening around his fingers, and he knew she was close.

    "Cum for me, sis," Alex whispered against her lips, his fingers moving faster and faster.

    "Anhh... Uhhf... iiiiinnnggg~"

    Amelia''s body trembled as she felt Alex''s fingers slipping out of her. With onest moan that was more of a shout, she squirted all over Alex''s hand, her orgasm more intense than she had expected.

    The flood of love juice escaping her cunt caused Alex''s fingers to slip out of her, leaving her feeling empty and satisfied. Her legs buckled underneath her, and she fell to the ground, but fortunately, Alex was there to catch her before she hit the ground.

    He gently ced her on the soft grass and took a moment to observe her shaking body.

    "That...was...great!" Amelia slurred, still feeling the waves of pleasure coursing through her.

    Alex nodded his head with a pleased smile, gazing down at his hand drenched with his sister''s love juice.

    ''Divine,'' he thought as he brought it to his lips, licking it as if it were some exquisite nectar.

    ''I need more,'' he thought, his desire for her growing stronger. Without wasting a second, he dropped to his knees and crawled toward his sister''s body, his gaze locked onto herrge and plump butt.

    Among all his wives, she certainly had the biggest ass. It was not only big but smooth and most importantly, as soft as a pillow. Each time he gazed at her naked figure, Alex couldn''t help but wonder how much of a fool he had been when he stopped their rtionship.

    How could he have passed up on such an amazing and alluring woman?

    Well, it couldn''t be helped. At that time, he was madly in love with Lilia, and he still was, but at least now, he could share that love with other women.

    He could only sigh in relief knowing that his sister had waited for him all this time and that no other man had imed her besides him.

    Alex ced his hands on Amelia''s thick hips as he positioned himself in front of his target: Amelia''s perfect ass. He licked his lips, a lustful expression on his face as he gazed at the perfectly smooth and tender derri��re of his sister.

    Now that he looked even closer, his sister''s butt could only be dered as a masterpiece crafted by the gods themselves. No, even the gods couldn''t be able to create such a fine art. Saliva was practically dripping down Alex''s mouth as he gazed at Amelia''s butt cheeks, his eyes filled with desire.

    He ced shaky hands on her butt cheeks and couldn''t help but smile in marvel as his hands sank into Amelia''s tender ass. "What a perfection..." Alex mumbled under his breath as his hands massaged and molded Amelia''s ass, looking like a kid that had just discovered a new toy.

    "Thanks, brother," Amelia smiled sweetly as she caught her brother''s words. But Alex didn''t even hear her, hisplete attention stolen by the pair of absolute tenderness below him.

    Not being able to bear it anymore, Alex''s hands parted Amelia''s soft cheeks and gazed at whaty beyond. As he stared with increasingly more desire, a cute pink and puckered hole appeared before him, and just a few centimeters down, Amelia''s pussy lips glistening with love juice slightly parted.

    Alex gulped in anticipation.

    Unable to contain himself anymore, he dived down and buried his face between Amelia''s cheeks. Amelia let out a lewd moan as Alex''s tongue brushed against her lower lips. His tongue circled around her wet cave, licking all the love juice smeared there like a man possessed.

    Mmmm~

    Amelia moaned once again as the tip of Alex''s tongue prated her cunt. The soft, spongy and wet sensation of his tongue waspletely different from his fingers, and in a way much more stimting. All the more so when she thought that the one going down on her was her brother.

    Alex, on the other hand, wasn''t thinking that much. His whole focus was on devouring that sweet cave before him. His tongue slithered further into his sister''s slick pussy and began to move in a rhythmic motion, massaging the walls of her insides.

    "Ohhh~" Amelia released a particrly sensual moan, and her head that was facing the green grass lifted up, revealing the blissful expression on her face. Her cloudy eyes expressed the state of pure ecstasy she was experiencing.

    "Ang...haaa...uunh~" Alex''s tongue moved in circles inside Amelia''s pussy, causing her body to shiver with pleasure. Each time he did it, more love juice poured from her pussy, which he readily drank.

    After a moment, Alex abruptly stopped licking his sister''s dripping cunt and lifted his head to stare at her cute little asshole. "It''s time to give some love to this hole."

    ****

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/F52tHyFfn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 F*cking Brother and Sister (3) (R-18)

    F*cking Brother and Sister (3) (R-18)

    "Aannh, I feel like I''m being filled up," Amelia moaned lewdly, her voice filled with pleasure.

    "Mmm, you feel really good sis," Alex said, his voice husky with desire. "I love how your naughty pussy clings to my cock."

    Alex pulled out once again, then forcefully rammed himself inside his sister, his powerful thrust causing her plump and juicy ass to jiggle.

    "And I absolutely love how your soft ass jiggles," Alex licked his lips, his eyes fixed on Amelia''s bouncing flesh.

    He lowered himself until his chest was practically glued to Amelia''s back, his hot breath against her ear sending shivers down her spine. He ced his hands over Amelia''s, firmly pinning them against the ground.

    "Prepare yourself sister, because I''m about to fuck you like there is no tomorrow," Alex whispered, his voice filled with lust as he took a whiff of her intoxicating scent.

    "Then do it...fuck me!" Amelia said in a pleading tone, her body aching for more.

    "With pleasure," Alex grinned, his eyes shing with desire.

    Alex then began to fuck his sister, his hips moving in a steady rhythm. The sound of flesh colliding filled the air, growing stronger as Alex kept increasing his thrusting speed.

    "My dick fits so well inside you," Alex whispered, his hips never stopping to move. "It''s like you were made just for me."

    "That''s the case," Amelia replied, her voice filled with desire as she nced back at her brother. "I only belong to you, and you are the only one worthy of me, brother."

    Alex''s cock pulsed inside Amelia as those words registered in her mind. "I like the sound of that," he growled, his hips moving faster and harder.

    Amelia moaned and grunted, her mind turning fuzzy once again as she allowed herself to sink in and enjoy the pleasure of the flesh. The lewd sound of flesh colliding grew louder, echoing throughout the room as Alex continued to thrust inside her.

    Alex''s hands tightened around Amelia''s, his fingers intertwining with hers as he pounded into her with wild abandon. His body was slick with sweat, his muscles straining with each powerful thrust.

    Amelia''s body trembled beneath him, her moans growing louder and more desperate as she approached the edge of release. Alex could feel her pussy clenching around his cock, and it drove him wild with desire. He forgot everything else, his only focus was on making her feel good and iming her as his own.

    Amelia wanted nothing more than to feel more of her brother, to feel more of his warmth. She wanted nothing more than to be fucked and dominated by him. The siblings thus fell into a state of mind where the only thing that mattered for them was each other and nothing else, stuck in their own little world as they enjoyed and indulged in a forbidden act.

    ***

    Hundreds meters around the couple location, Maya who had been peacefully closed abruptly snapped open.

    ***

    "I''m...a-a-about to...cum~" Amelia moaned, her body tensing up as her orgasm drew near.

    "I''m also going to cum," Alex said as he felt a familiar warmth building up in his lower abdomen. He thrust deeper and harder into Amelia, his cock hitting her cervix with each thrust.

    He leaned in closer to Amelia''s ear and whispered, "I''m going to cum inside you sis...bear my children~".

    Amelia''s body shivered at the sound of his words, feeling his cock throb inside her as he continued to thrust deeper and harder. She could feel his hot breath against her neck, sending shivers down her spine as he grunted and groaned with pleasure.

    "Yes!...yes!...yes! Cum for me.... impregnate me!" Amelia cried out, her words pushing Alex over the edge. He shoved his cock deep into Amelia''s warm pussy until the head slipped into her womb, grunted, and released his essence into his sister.

    He groaned in pleasure as he unleashed spurt after spurt of hot sperm right into her womb.

    The feeling of her brother''s semen filling up her womb caused Amelia to go over the edge. Her fingers clenched the grass beneath her more firmly as she arched her back upward. "Aannnnhhhhh~" she let out a deep grunt as her orgasm washed over her.

    A great amount of love juice gushed out of Amelia''s tight cave as her orgasm continued for several seconds. The same went for Alex, despite the fact that more than thirty seconds had passed since his ejaction began, he didn''t show any sign of stopping. It was as if he wouldn''t be fully satisfied until he had filled his sister with his cum.

    Around a minuteter, both Alex and Amelia''s orgasm finally stopped. Amelia slumped on the grass while Alex slumped on her back, his cock still buried deep inside her. "Damn....that was something," Alex said through his ragged breathing.

    "Yeah...that was amazing," Amelia said, her mind still fuzzy from the intense orgasm. Both of them remained silent for a good while, catching their breath, then Amelia abruptly asked, "did you mean it?"

    "Hm?" Alex grunted, still trying to catch his breath.

    "At the end, you asked me to bear your child, did you mean it?" She wondered.

    "Of course I meant it," Alex confirmed, gently caressing her back. "Don''t you want to?" He asked, although he already knew the answer.

    Amelia''s eyes sparkled with emotion as she eximed, "Of course I want to bear your children! That''s the second best thing I could ever wish for in my life!"

    Alex, curious, raised an eyebrow and asked, "What''s the first best thing, then?"

    "Being with you, of course," Amelia replied matter-of-factly.

    Alex grinned, "then let''s conceive those children." He paused before adding, "of course without using your ability."

    Alex knew that with her Cell master ability, Amelia could actually cause herself to be pregnant whenever she wanted, as long as they had sex a few hours prior.

    "Why? It might take longer if I don''t use my ability," Amelia replied.

    "Then let it take time," Alex whispered, "I want you to be pregnant of my children naturally however time that might take," Alex paused before adding, "that way, perhaps by the time you do finally get pregnant, you will be able to prevent any anomaly from seizing our future children."

    "You do realize that if I stop preventing myself from getting pregnant, it won''t be long before I fall pregnant, right? I''m incredibly fertile, you know!"

    Alex burst intoughter, "Well, in that case, you better start researching how to make it happen."

    "Absolutely!" Amelia nodded with determination.

    ''Cute,'' Alex thought as he observed her.

    A momentter, Amelia''s cheeks flushed slightly as she confessed, "all this talk about children is making me horny."

    Alex''s eyes widened in surprise hearing her words, that was because these words were the very ones he had uttered when he was discussing having kids with Anna.

    ''We are definitely siblings,'' Alex chuckled mentally.

    Alex focused back on his sister and whispered, "If my little sister is feeling horny, I guess it''s my responsibility as her older brother to satisfy her needs, right~" in a sultry tone.

    Amelia responded with a seductive slur, "Yes~ that''s definitely your duty to please me."

    "Then let me get back to work," Alex replied as he rose himself, transitioning to a kneeling position. As he did so, his dick slipped out of his sister, and a mixture of his cum and Amelia''s love juice leaked out of her freshly fucked pussy.

    Alex ced his hands on either side of Amelia''s slender waist and gently pulled her up. He positioned her in a doggystyle position, her body angled, her hips raised, her back arched, and her bare big ass provocatively sticking out.

    His hands sensually caressed her sumptuous curves before ending up ced on her pillowy butt cheeks. ''The gods are really wicked,'' Alex thought as his hands molded Amelia''s perky ass, ''giving me such a beautiful and hot sister and expect me not to do anything with her, watching as anotherys his dirty hands on her.''

    Pak!

    Alex''s hand pped Amelia''s ass, a satisfied grin appearing on his face as he watched her bubble butt jiggle. ''But shame on you,'' Alex thought as he licked his lips, ''Not even her being my sister will stop me.''

    ****

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/RarEvkBF

 F*cking Brother and Sister (4) (R-18)

    F*cking Brother and Sister (4) (R-18)

    Alex raised his hands and pped Amelia''s ass once again, causing her to moan softly. She looked back at him with a seductive gaze and swayed her voluptuous hips from left to right, tempting him further.

    At the sight of her hypnotizing movements, Alex''s cock pulsed in anticipation, eager to be inside her. He took hold of his raging boner and positioned it at Amelia''s wet entrance. "Is this what you''re waiting for?" he asked in a low, dominant tone.

    Aaahh~

    Amelia let out a lewd moan as she felt the head of his cock tease her entrance. "Mmm, yes, that''s exactly what I want," she replied, her voice filled with desire.

    Alex began to rub his cock against her pussy lips, driving her wild with need. "Then you know what to do," he said, his voiceced with lust.

    "Please~" Amelia slurred, begging for him to fill her. "Give it to me~"

    "Begging to be fucked by your brother, what a lustful woman you are, sis," Alex growled, firmly grasping her waist. With a powerful thrust, he buried his cock deep inside her, making her cry out in pleasure.

    Annnhh~

    Alex began to move in and out of Amelia, his hips pping against her ass as he imed her body. Amelia on the other hand met his thrusts with her own, her body writhing beneath him as they both surrendered to their forbidden desires.

    Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

    With each powerful thrust of his hips, Alex pounded into his sister, his massive dick plunging deep inside her and reaching ces that made her toes curl. His hands firmly gripped her waist, controlling the pace and intensity of their lovemaking.

    Sometimes, he would drive into her with a deep, forceful thrust that made her gasp and moan, his balls pping against her ass. Other times, he would slow down and stroke inside her with a gentle, teasing thrust, always keeping her on the edge and begging for more. He expertly alternated between the two, building up their pleasure until they were both panting and sweating.

    Amelia''s body trembled beneath him, her moans growing louder and more desperate as she approached the edge of release. Alex could feel her pussy clenching around his cock, and it drove him wild with desire.

    "Amm~unng~haaa~"

    Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

    ''Ahh, I love her and I love this feeling, it feels good, she feels good,'' Alex thought as he watched with a lust filled face as his cock prated his sister.

    In a matter of seconds, the sound of moaning and lewd pping of skin against skin once again filled the treasure room as the sinful siblings indulged in their forbidden act. Alex watched with a lust-filled face as his cock prated Amelia, his sister''s ass cheeks jiggling with each thrust.

    He couldn''t exin it, but the fact that it was his blood sister that he was screwing brought him an immense pleasure. The taboo nature of their actions only added to his excitement, and whenbined with the love and lust he had for Amelia, he couldn''t control himself anymore.

    His eyes shifted to an intense pink color as he increased his speed, his movements bing a blur as he pounded into Amelia.

    "I love you," Alex confessed, his thrusts bing even faster. "I love you so much, Amelia."

    "YES~ give me more of your love!" Amelia almost screamed, her eyes rolling back in pure ecstasy.

    "Unnh~ahh~fuuuukk~"

    Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

    The sound of skin pping against skin echoed through the room as Alex gripped Amelia''s waist tighter, his strong hands leaving marks on her soft flesh. But Amelia didn''t care, lost in the pleasure of the moment. Her usual calm demeanor was gone, reced by a wanton desire as she moaned lewdly, sounding like a woman possessed.

    As Amelia yielded to the intense sensations, her body melted under her brother''s touch, every nerve ignited by the rhythm of his thrusts. Her hands grasped the grass beneath her, fingers clenching with every thrust, anchoring her as she surrendered to the pleasure coursing through her veins. Her hair cascaded down her back, swaying with each movement, adding to the primal allure of their intimate encounter. With each deep pration, waves of pleasure surged through her, building to an unstoppable climax, her moans of pleasure mingling with the lewd sounds of their lovemaking.

    The treasure room was filled with the sound of their passionate encounter, the ground beneath shifting slightly with each movement, the atmosphere thick with the scent of their desire.

    Meanwhile, as Alex thrust deeply into Amelia, he felt an overwhelming surge of primal satisfaction. With her perfectly raised hips and her arched back, he had amanding view of her beautiful form. His hands gripped her waist firmly, fingers sinking into her soft flesh, as he controlled the rhythm of their lovemaking, the sounds of Amelia''s lewd moans driving him to thrust harder and deeper.

    Alex waspletely consumed by the sensation of being inside his little sister, his senses overwhelmed by the heat and intensity of their connection.He could clearly see it as every powerful thrust of his sent ripples through her body, and he could also feel her responding, the tension building within her as she neared her climax.

    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

    "Unm~ ahh~ annnn~~~~"

    As Alex relentlessly pounded into Amelia, he felt her body start to tremble. Her moans became a symphony of desperate pleasure, echoing around them as she neared her climax. "Oh yes, just like that," she gasped, her voice dripping with need. Encouraged by her lustful moans, Alex''s hands gripped her waist tighter, driving into her harder.

    Amelia fingers wed at the grass, her back arched more as she surrendered to the intense sensations. "I''m so close," she panted, the words barely coherent through her moans.

    "I''m...CUUUUMMINGGG~"

    With one final, powerful thrust of Alex, Amelia let out a loud, primal scream as her orgasm tore through her. Her body convulsed, her inner muscles tightening around Alex''s shaft in rhythmic contractions. The raw ecstasy consumed her, leaving her trembling and breathless as the intensity of her climax washed over her and wave of love juice was released from her cunt.

    As Amelia''s orgasm subsided, Alex continued to thrust into her, his own pleasure building with each movement. He could feel her tight walls clenching around his shaft, milking him for all he was worth. The sound of their bodies pping together filled the air, mixing with their moans and groans of pleasure.

    With a final grunt, Alex buried himself deep inside Amelia, his cock pulsing as he released his own orgasm. He could feel his hot seed filling her up, mixing with her love juice as it spilled out onto his thighs.

    "Fuck, Amelia," Alex panted, his body trembling as the intensity of his own climax washed over him. He copsed onto her back, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

    Amelia let out a soft moan as she felt Alex''s weight on top of her, his cock still twitching inside her. She could feel his warm seed filling her up, and it sent a shiver of pleasure through her body.

    As theyy there, panting and sweaty, Alex gently kissed the back of Amelia''s neck. "It was fantastic, sis," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.

    Before Amelia could reply, Alex added, "but we are not done here."

    Alex pushed himself up onto his knees, taking a moment to admire the sight of his glistening cock slipping out of Amelia''s pussy. He watched as a mix of his sperm and her love juice oozed out of her, coating her thighs and dripping onto the bed beneath them. With a primal urge, he flipped her onto her back and prated her once again, eliciting a gasp from Amelia''s lips.

    He began to move inside her, slowly at first, but gradually picking up speed as he gazed down at her beautiful face contorted in pleasure.

    "Ahh~ w-wait," she attempted to stop him, but Alex paid her no mind. He began to thrust into her with a steady rhythm, his eyes locked onto hers. Amelia''s hands gripped the grass beneath her as she tried to match his pace. Her legs locked around Alex''s waist, pulling him closer as he continued to thrust in and out of her.

    Alex leaned down, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss as he continued to thrust into her. His tongue explored her mouth, tasting and teasing her. He could feel her body responding to him, her walls tightening around his cock as she moaned into his mouth.

    As they kissed, Alex''s hands roamed over Amelia''s body, squeezing and massaging her full breasts before moving down to her hips. He pulled back slightly, breaking the kiss, and gazed down at Amelia with a lustful expression.

    "I can''t get enough of you, sis~" he murmured, his voice husky with desire.

    Amelia moaned in response, her body arching up to meet his thrusts. Alex began to move faster, his hips mming into hers with a wet, pping sound. Amelia''s moans grew louder, her breathing in short gasps as the pleasure built inside her.

    After a few minutes, Alex broke the kiss and began to trail kisses down Amelia''s neck, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin. Amelia moaned and arched her back, urging him on. Alex obliged, moving lower to take one of her nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the hard bud before sucking it gently. He could feel her body trembling beneath him, her breath hitching as he continued tovish attention on her breasts.

    Alex moved to the other nipple, giving it the same treatment as he continued to thrust into her.

    Feeling Amelia''s walls beginning to tighten around him, Alex knew she was close to her orgasm. He reached down between their bodies and began to rub her clit in time with his thrusts, causing Amelia to cry out even louder.

    "Oh god, Alex, I''m going toe!" she gasped, her body trembling beneath him.

    Alex increased his pace, drilling into her harder and faster as he felt her walls clench around him. With a final, powerful thrust, Amelia let out a loud, primal scream as her orgasm tore through her. Her body convulsed, her inner muscles tightening around Alex''s shaft in rhythmic contractions.

    But Alex didn''t stop there. He continued to move inside her, his own pleasure building as he watched Ameliae undone beneath him. He could feel her slick walls gripping him tightly, milking him as he thrust in and out of her.

    Amelia''s orgasm subsided, but Alex didn''t give her a chance to catch her breath before he was building her up again. He could feel her body tensing beneath him, her breathing in short gasps as he continued to thrust into her.

    "Alex, I-I can''t...oh god!" Amelia cried out as another orgasm washed over her, even stronger than the first.

    This time, Alex couldn''t hold back any longer. With a guttural groan, he buried himself deep inside Amelia until the head of his cock kissed the entrance of her womb, his body shuddering as he released his essence. He could feel his hot seed filling her up, mixing with her own juices as they spilled out onto the grass beneath them.

    Unaware, the sibling didn''t know that as they indulged into their sexual encounters, a pair of beautiful orange eyes were observing them, disbelief reflecting in those eyes.

 F*cking Brother and Sister (5) (R-18)

    F*cking Brother and Sister (5) (R-18)

    ''W-What is going on here?!'' Maya wondered with a shocked expression, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her.

    Before her, Alex and Amelia were lost in pleasure. As Maya watched, her eyes slowly bulging in utter disbelief, Alex gripped Amelia''s waist tighter, leaving traces on her soft flesh, then he thrust his hips forward, burying himself deep inside his sister.

    The sound of flesh pping against flesh filled the surroundings, apanied by the wet sound of Alex''s thick cock thrusting in and out of Amelia''s tight pussy.

    Amelia''s moans, those very same moans that had awakened Maya, grew louder and lewder. The sibling was so lost in pleasure that they didn''t even notice that there was an intruder staring at them.

    Maya''s mind was racing with thoughts, trying to make sense of the situation. She felt a mix of shock and disbelief crash through her being as she heard the obscene sounds of their lovemaking.

    Her hand flew up to cover her mouth, stifling a gasp as she quickly hid behind arge crystal.

    ''T-They are...they are having s-sex?'' Maya thought to herself, her heart pounding in her chest as she continued to stare at the forbidden scene before her. ''B-but they are siblings,'' she thought, feeling a sense of wrongness wash over her.

    Suddenly, everything clicked for Maya. The kisses, the fondlings, and other things she hade to ept as Alex and Amelia being just close siblings were anything but. In fact, from the very beginning, all the evidence was there. They never kissed as siblings, and since when was fondling your sister''s ass an act of brotherly love?

    Maya was suddenly feeling very naive and stupid to have bought their nonsense.

    ANNHHH~

    Just as she was admonishing herself, she heard a loud moan and focused once again on the siblings. She saw Amelia''s body violently shake before she went limp, her eyes rolling back in her head as Alex thrust his hips forward once more, grunting loudly as he released himself inside his sister. The sound of their heavy breathing filled the room, mixing with the wet sound of their bodies separating.

    Maya watched all of this happen, her mouth agape, ''won''t she get pregnant if he...inside her?'' She never had any contact with a man and was a virgin, but it didn''t mean that Maya wasn''t knowledgeable about human reproduction. She knew everything there was to know about this subject, so she understood the dangers of having Alex release himself inside Amelia.

    ''Are they not fearful of what might happen?'' Maya wondered with a curious glint in her eyes, the shock having apparently disappeared from her eyes.

    Under her watchful eyes, both Alex and Amelia slumped on the grass next to each other, heaving and panting, their bodies slick with sweat. The two seemed to discuss with each other, but she was too far from them to hear what they were saying.

    Just as she thought that it was time for her to leave before the two were to notice her, something that would have happened if they hadn''t been too enamored with each other moments ago, Maya saw Alex prop himself to sit and lean on a crystal near the two of them.

    Maya could only see Alex''s back during his intercourse with Amelia, but at that moment, she finally caught sight of his body and she could only describe it as perfect. Despite his long and disheveled silver hair, Alex had a dreamy face that would make every woman swoon. Once one added his chiseled body slick with sweat, Alex looked almost divine.

    Maya''s eyes were practically glued to his body, her expression filled with desire and her cheeks red. She had never felt desire for any man throughout her life, but right at this moment, she was feeling an unfamiliar heat inside her body, her orange eyes zing with the fire of lust.

    Just at that moment, Alex''s head whipped around and he stared in her direction. Maya quickly hid behind the crystal, her heart pounding in her chest as she feared that she might have been caught. However, even after several seconds, she hadn''t been called out for, so she tentatively peeked over.

    What she saw as she nced was Amelia kneeling before her brother, her gaze and whole focus directed between his legs. Maya couldn''t see what she was looking at, but she was certain that it must be a sight to behold based on Amelia''s expression.

    Alex could be seen smiling as he stared at his kneeling sister. He opened his mouth to say something and under Maya''s astonished expression, Amelia moved her head to hisher region.

    ''What is she going to do?'' Maya wondered, unknowingly moving a bit further from her hiding spot just to be able to see better. Her curiosity was getting the best of her, and she couldn''t help but want to see more of what was happening between Alex and Amelia.

    She may not be able to see what was happening, but Maya was certain that Amelia had just taken what was between Alex''s legs in her mouth. The sight of Amelia''s head bobbing up and down in a slow and delicate way made Maya''s whole head flush crimson with embarrassment and desire.

    Alex grunted and Maya could see him ce one of his hands on Amelia''s head as if he was guiding her. His hands moved her head up and down, controlling the pace of the movement. Maya watched all of this happen with crimson cheeks, her breath bing shallow and ragged as she felt a warmth spreading between her legs.

    Without her knowledge, a wetness had begun to seep through her underwear, soaking the fabric. Looking at the pleasured expression that began to appear on Alex''s face as he closed his eyes, Maya bit her lower lip, her body heating up with arousal.

    Because she ventured out of her hiding ce, curious to see more of the unfolding events, Maya didn''t notice the shard of crystal in her path. She stumbled and fell, her crash echoing loudly around her.

    Amelia immediately stopped what she was doing and nced in her direction. Fortunately for Maya, by the time Amelia managed to get Alex''s shaft out of her throat, she scrambled to her feet and returned to her previous hiding spot.

    Not before Alex could see her though, but for some reason, he only smirked at her and said nothing.

    After that, Maya judged that it was time to leave and sneaked away as quietly as she could. Thankfully, Amelia wasn''t looking in her direction anymore, and she was able to escape without any further incidents.

    ***

    ''Oh, she''s leaving? I thought she might have wanted to stay,'' Alex thought, feeling a strange sense of disappointment.

    At first, he hadn''t noticed Maya watching them, he was too focused on his sister. But something had jolted him out of his trance-like state.

    The feeling that had awakened him was all too familiar - lust. Lust directed at him, but noting from his sister. It was insteading from another person, and it was aimed at him. That was when he noticed Maya''s flushed face and the way she was looking at him.

    "Did you hear a noise just now?" Amelia asked, snapping Alex out of his thoughts.

    "Nah, it was nothing," Alex replied with a smile, trying to hide his momentary distraction. "Nowe back here and continue what you started," he ordered, cing his hand on his sister''s head.

    Applying gentle pressure, he guided her head towards his throbbing cock. Amelia willingly obliged, parting her lips and taking the length of his manhood into her mouth.

    Alex let out a soft moan as he felt a surge of pleasure as Amelia''s warm mouth was around his cock, her tongue skillfully swirling around the sensitive head of his cock, teasing the slit where a drop of precum had already formed. Amelia''s mouth was warm and wet, and Alex could feel her saliva coating his shaft as she bobbed her head up and down, taking him deeper into her mouth with each pass.

    Alex''s hand tightened in Amelia''s hair as he let out a low groan, feeling his cock hit the back of her throat. He was impressed by how well she was handling his size, her gag reflex seemingly non-existent as she took him deeper and deeper.

    Amelia''s tongue continued to work its magic, swirling and flicking against the underside of his cock as she sucked and slurped on his length. Alex could feel his balls tightening as the pleasure built, his hips involuntarily thrusting forward to meet Amelia''s mouth.

    "Fuck, that feels so good, sis," Alex groaned, his eyes rolling back in his head as he gave himself over to the pleasure. "Your mouth is amazing."

    Amelia hummed around his cock, the vibrations sending shivers down Alex''s spine. She could feel him getting closer, his cock swelling and pulsing in her mouth. She redoubled her efforts, sucking harder and faster, her tongue working overtime to bring him to the brink.

    Alex let out a strangled cry as he felt his orgasm approaching, his hand tightening in Amelia''s hair as he held her in ce. With a final thrust, he spilled his seed into her mouth, his cock pulsing as he emptied himself into her.

    Amelia swallowed everyst drop, her tonguepping up any stray cum that escaped from her lips. She looked up at Alex, her eyes shining with lust and satisfaction as she licked her lips.

    "Did I do good, big brother?" she asked, a mischievous grin ying on her lips.

    Alex chuckled, his hand gently stroking her hair as he caught his breath. "You did amazing, sis," he praised, a wide grin spreading across his face. "I couldn''t have asked for anything better."

    "I''m d, but I hope you''re not too exhausted," Amelia purred as she crawled towards Alex on all fours, a sultry smile tugging at her lips, her eyes glinting with mischief.

    "You irresistible subus,e here."

 F*cking Brother and Sister (6) (R-18)

    F*cking Brother and Sister (6) (R-18)

    "Ahh, this feels nice," Amelia moaned in contentment, her eyes closed in rxation.

    She was in the warm waters of the rejuvenatingke, her back facing Alex, who was sitting on the edge of the water. He was gently washing her hair and asionally massaging her body, his touch soothing and tender.

    "Lilia must have really enjoyed her time, having such a treatment for years," Amelia whispered. "Meanwhile, poor me was left all alone for so long," she added, pouting like a child.

    "Stopining; I''m taking care of you now, aren''t I?" Alex replied, his hands working through Amelia''s hair, applying gentle shampoo.

    "You sure are," Amelia said with a pleased smile. "Now, less talking and more washing. And don''t forget to massage my body��I''m sore all over from your ''attacks''st night."

    "My what?" Alex said with a baffled expression. "I think you have it wrong; it was I who endured your relentless, lustful advances all night long!"

    "So who kept ramming his dick inside me even when I was pleading him to stop and couldn''t stop fondling and teasing my breasts the whole night?" Amelia inquired, ncing back at Alex.

    "Cough, cough, I don''t seem to remember such events," Alex said with a sheepish expression, his hands never ceasing their careful work through Amelia''s hair.

    "Yeah, right," Amelia giggled and turned back around. "Still, I''m d that you can''t seem to get enough of my body. It makes me feel desired," she added with a delighted tone.

    "Of course you are desired," Alex affirmed as he leaned in and nted a kiss on Amelia''s shoulder. "I don''t think I could ever stop thinking about you."

    "And it only took you nearly two dozen years to realize this," Amelia pouted.

    "Quitining," Alex whispered in her ear. "The only thing that matters is that you''re mine now," he added, lightly nibbling on Amelia''s ear.

    "I don''t think that''s something a brother should say to his sister," Amelia replied in a chastising but yful tone.

    "Oh please, we''re past that point now," Alex chuckled as he stepped into theke, closing the distance between them. As his ever-present arousal pressed against Amelia''s back, he whispered, "If you were so concerned about our sibling rtionship taking such a turn, maybe you shouldn''t have spread your legs for your brother, letting him fuck you and release his seed inside your womb. Now it''s toote."

    "It seems to be," Amelia sighed, "now I have be one of his wives."

    "And you absolutely love it," Alex added.

    "That I do," Amelia giggled.

    The two of them continued talking andughing, their bodies pressed closely together. At some point, Alex''s hands had moved from Amelia''s hair to her ample chest, his fingers sinking into the soft flesh of her breasts.

    "You really seem to like them," Amelia giggled.

    "No," Alex shook his head, "I love them!" He exined as he continued to fondle the soft breasts beneath his fingers.

    "Then you will love them more after this," Amelia said, turning to face Alex and abruptly pressing one of her hard nipples into his mouth.

    Alex seemed surprised by Amelia''s bold move, but he didn''t resist. Instead, he instinctively began sucking on the pink bud.

    Soon, Alex''s eyes widened as a warm liquid filled his mouth. His eyes widened even more as he tasted it.

    ''Heavenly,'' Alex thought as the liquid filled his mouth. Before he could think further, he instinctively gulped it down.

    ''Truly divine!'' Alex eximed internally as he sucked harder on Amelia''s nipple, extracting the warm milk that could only be described as exquisite.

    "I didn''t expect such eagerness," Amelia moaned with flushed cheeks as her brother licked and sucked at her nipple, drinking her breast milk.

    Alex only nced at her before focusing intently on her hard nipple, sucking with increasing fervor.

    Secondster, he finally released her nipple only to envelop her other one. He nibbled on it lightly, teasing it before sucking it and drawing out more milk.

    Throughout, Amelia moaned in pleasure as she was breastfed by her brother.

    Minutes passed, and Alex was still at it, asionally switching between breasts as he savored the nectar from his sister''s body, like a parched man who had stumbled upon water in the desert.

    "I''m already feeling bad for our future babies," Amelia giggled. "Their father might end up drinking all their mother''s milk before they get their fill."

    Her words made Alex choke on her breast. He pulled away and began to cough loudly, while Amelia burst into uncontrobleughter that filled the room.

    "I wonder what Alice would say if she heard what you were doing just now," Amelia said through her giggles.

    "You wouldn''t dare!" Alex growled at her.

    "And why wouldn''t I?" Amelia teased with a yful smile.

    "Because I''m your husband! You should do as I say!" Alex said with a mock sternness.

    "Let me think about it," Amelia mused, "no, I don''t think I will be able toply with that order... my beloved husband," she said, her plump lips curling into a yful pout.

    "You leave me no choice then," Alex said as he forcefully seized Amelia''s body, turned her around and pressed her against theke''s edge, "as your husband and older sibling, I will now discipline you."

    Amelia''s breath hitched as she felt Alex''s hard cock press against her ass, and she bit her lower lip in anticipation. "Do your worst," she moaned, her eyes shing with desire.

    Alex smirked and ran his hand over Amelia''s ass, squeezing it firmly before delivering a sharp smack that echoed through the air. Amelia yelped in surprise and pleasure, her pussy clenching with need.

    "Prepare yourself to be disciplined, young woman," Alex uttered, cing the tip of his massive manhood at his sister''s leaking cunt entrance.

    Without further ado, Alex pushed forward, his dick tearing through Amelia''s pussy and carving its way to her womb. He felt Amelia''s pussy muscles clench around his shaft, trying to stop its advances, but Alex just thrust forward harder, burying himself to the hilt.

    A loud moan escaped Amelia''s mouth, and before she knew it, Alex was ramming his dick into her. He fucked her hard, his dick plowing into her pussy with such force that her whole body shook. Alex gripped Amelia''s hair, pulling her head back as he pounded into her, his other handing down to deliver another sharp smack to her ass.

    "Annhhh~"

    Amelia cried out, the pain and pleasure mixing together in a delicious cocktail that drove her wild.

    Smack! Smack! Smack!

    Alex continued to spank her, each smack sending shockwaves through her body and making her pussy clench around his cock.

    Amelia''s moans grew louder as Alex continued to thrust into her, his dick filling her uppletely. He could feel her pussy clenching around him, trying to milk him of his cum, but he wasn''t ready to give in just yet. He wanted to make her feel even more pleasure before he allowed himself toe.

    As he fucked his sister, his hand that had been spanking Amelia''s big butt reached forward and Alex attempted to insert his thumb into Amelia''s tight asshole, making Amelia gasp at the sudden intrusion. He couldn''t get it inside at the first try, but with a little more force and under Amelia''s whimpers of both pain and pleasure, his thumb prated her tight hole.

    He began to fuck her ass with his thumb, matching the rhythm of his dick in her pussy. Amelia''s moans turned into screams of pleasure as she felt herself being filled up in both holes. Alex could feel her pussy getting even wetter, her juices dripping down his balls as he continued to pound into her.

    The sight of his thumb disappearing into Amelia''s ass and the feeling of her tight hole clenching around it drove Alex wild. He began to fuck her harder, his dick mming into her pussy with such force that it made her whole body shake.

    Amelia''s screams of pleasure only turned him on even more, and he could feel himself getting closer to the edge. He knew he wouldn''t be able to hold out much longer, but he wanted to make sure Amelia came first.

    Reaching around with his other hand, he began to rub Amelia''s clit in time with his thrusts. Thebination of his dick in her pussy, his thumb in her ass, and his fingers on her clit was too much for Amelia to handle. She threw her head back and screamed as she came hard, her pussy clenching around Alex''s dick and her ass clenching around his thumb.

    Feeling here around him was enough to push Alex over the edge. With a few more hard thrusts, he buried himself deep inside her and came, filling her up with his hot cum.

    As they both came down from their highs, Alex slowly pulled his thumb out of Amelia''s ass and his dick out of her pussy.

    "I hope you''ve learned your lesson, little sister," Alex murmured through his panting, a smirk ying on his face.

    "If this is your idea of punishment... then I might actually continue to be a bad girl," Amelia replied, an exhausted but satisfied smile spreading across her sweating face.

    Alex blinked before bursting intoughter. "What a sex-crazed woman you are," he said as he nted a deep kiss on Amelia''s lips, his tongue exploring her mouth as they both panted for breath.

    "Nowe on, let''s shower and head out; we''ve lost enough time in this dungeon."

 Chapter 253 : Leaving the dungeon

    Chapter 253 : Leaving the dungeon

    "Nowe on, let''s shower and head out; we''ve lost enough time in this dungeon," Alex said as he straightened himself and extended his hand to Amelia.

    "Mm," Amelia nodded, grabbing onto Alex''s hand to steady herself.

    "We''ll just shower, though, nothing else," Alex stated firmly.

    "Understood," Amelia agreed with a nod.

    By the time they finished cleaning themselves, they had ended up making love twice more. It was difficult for them to resist each other.

    "Let''s hope the storm outside has stopped," Alex sighed as he retrieved a new pair of clothes from his space ring.

    "Wait!" Amelia called out. "Wear this instead," she said, handing Alex another set of clothes. "Here, try this on."

    Alex nced at the set of clothes, then back at Amelia, and nodded, beginning to dress himself. When he finished dressing and looked down, he couldn''t help but whistle in appreciation. The clothes Amelia had chosen for him were far more striking than the ones he had originally nned.

    The outfit was magnificent. He wore a long, silver robe that nearly reached the ground, featuring a high cor made from rich, silky fabric. The robe fastened at the front with a diagonal wrap-style closure, reminiscent of traditional Asian garments. A wide, matching silver belt cinched the robe at the waist, entuating his strong, muscr build. The sleeves were long and silver, blending seamlessly with the robe to create an elegant look.

    Decorative gold elements adorned the cor, chest, and sleeves, adding a touch of opulence. These elements, possibly buttons or ornamental sps, stood out vividly against the silver fabric. The edges of the sleeves and other parts of the robe featured intricate gold trim or embroidery. The fabric had a slight sheen, suggesting it was made of silk or a simrly luxurious material.

    As he admired the ensemble, he noticed how the colorbination of silver and gold perfectlyplemented his silver eyes, making them shine with even more brilliance.

    "Those clothes are really great, whe��" Alex began, but his jaw dropped as he turned and took in the sight of his sister, who looked absolutely gorgeous. She was wearing a simr outfit, and their clothes matched perfectly. If Alex had thought his attire highlighted his features, Amelia''s look left him speechless.

    The silver and gold outfit clung gracefully to her sinuous curves, entuating her ample chest and slender waist. The silver fabric made her gray eyes shine with mesmerizing brilliance, while the gold ents created a striking contrast with her flowing ck hair. Every movement she made enhanced her breathtaking beauty, leaving Alex in awe.

    Just standing there and staring at her, Alex felt his heart race. His sister was too beautiful, too enchanting, too divine!

    An indescribable pride surged within him, knowing that the irresistible woman before him was his wife, his and his alone.

    "Good, this outfit suits you perfectly," Amelia said, her eyes practically devouring Alex. Just like him, Amelia felt that Alex was the most handsome man she had ever seen and was practically giddy that he was her partner. Her cheeks flushed pink, and she looked almost ready to drool. At that moment, Alex took a step toward her and wrapped his arm around her waist in a gentle embrace.

    The two of them gazed into each other''s eyes before slowly leaning in, their lips meeting in a gentle but passionate kiss.

    Secondster, they pulled back slightly but kept their foreheads touching, staring into each other''s eyes with unconditional love. "You are gorgeous," Alex managed to say after a moment. "If we didn''t need to leave right now, I would have stripped you naked and made love to you until we both copsed."

    "Mmm~" Amelia moaned softly. "You don''t know how wet you''re making me right now," she said, her breath warm against his skin. "How about onest round~?"

    Alex felt torn by her proposition. He wanted more than anything to bend her over and make love to her again, but he knew they needed to leave��they had wasted too much time.

    However, all his logical thinking flew out the window the moment Amelia sealed his lips with another kiss.

    Without hesitation, he scooped her up and began to strip her down. Amelia wasn''t idle either and quickly worked to remove Alex''s clothes. In a matter of seconds, the siblings were lying on the ground, exploring each other''s bodies as they became one once again.

    ****

    "What''s wrong with you? Why are you so quiet today?" Amelia asked Maya, who was walking beside her with her head lowered and a pensive expression on her face.

    It was after she and Alex had regrouped with Maya. They had ended up spending around two hours making love, only stopping because Alex insisted they leave. If it had been up to Amelia, they might still be at it. Her desire was so overwhelming that one might wonder if she was the true carrier of the Lust Sin.

    After regrouping and deciding to leave the dungeon, Maya had been unusually silent, which worried Amelia.

    "Ah!" Maya eximed, startled. "I-I mean, it''s nothing," she said, waving her hand and forcing a meek smile.

    Alex, walking ahead of the two women, nced back at Maya and said in a calm tone, "I guess she''s like that  because she saw us having sex."

    Both Amelia and Maya tensed,ing to a stop for different reasons. Amelia was shocked that Maya had seen them, while Maya was surprised that Alex had revealed it. Since he didn''t say anything when he noticed her at the time she was spying on them, she had hoped he wouldn''t mention it!

    Amelia and Maya exchanged nces before turning to Alex, who was calmly looking back at them, a light smile on his handsome face.

    Maya blushed and hesitantly nodded, confirming Alex''s earlier im.

    "Thought so," Alex chuckled before turning to look ahead and continuing to walk, leaving the two women behind him.

    He would undoubtedly tease Maya about being a peeping Tom, butter. For now, he decided to let them have their conversation.

    After a moment, Amelia shook her head and sighed. "I guess it''s understandable that you saw us. We''ve been at it for hours, so you must have woken up and stumbled upon the scene."

    Maya nodded and said, her voice barely above a whisper, "W-Why are you doing this?"

    Amelia blinked before chuckling. "I mean, it''s obvious. It''s because we love each other."

    "B-But siblings aren''t supposed to love each other that way," Maya replied, her tone shy.

    "But we do," Amelia retorted, her voice colder than she intended, startling Maya.

    "S-Sorry, I shouldn''t have asked. Alex is already leaving us behind; let''s continue��"

    "Wait," Amelia said, reaching out to grab Maya''s arm to stop her.

    She took a deep breath and sighed. "Sorry if I sounded a bit upset," she said with an apologetic smile.

    "Mm," Maya nodded and stopped.

    "Where was I? Ah, yes. I was saying that it''s because we love each other, not just like brother and sister, but as a woman and a man."

    "Isn''t that forbidden?" Maya asked, then hurriedly added, "I mean, it''s forbidden elsewhere. Here in Imperion, it''s legal."

    "Well, forbidden or not, we''re already engaged," Amelia shrugged.

    "But..." Maya seemed to hesitate, almost saying something but then holding back. Amelia raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

    "Go on, you can ask me anything," Amelia encouraged.

    "Well, doesn''t he already have two wives? Do they��"

    "Do they know about us? Of course," Amelia nodded, feeling amused that the first question people always asked was whether Alex''s wives knew about their rtionship.

    "Also, you''re mistaken about something," Amelia said suddenly. "He doesn''t have two wives; he has three. I''m also one of his wives," she said with a proud smile and stars twinkling in her eyes.

    "I...see," Maya nodded absently, watching Amelia smile and giggle to herself.

    "In any case, you can count on me to keep your secret!" Maya said enthusiastically, her small hands balled into fists and a determined expression on her face. Despite finding their rtionship unusual, she was not going to betray them. They were her saviors and the only ones who had shown her kindness, aside from her mother and a few family members.

    "T-Thanks," Amelia said,ing out of her reverie. ''Though I doubt it will remain a secret for long,'' she thought to herself.

    With Alex''s increasing carelessness about secrecy, their rtionship would likely be known soon. ''Perhaps it''s for the best,'' she mused.

    "Come on, let''s catch up with Alex," Amelia said, pulling Maya''s arm.

    Soon, they caught up with Alex and walked together towards the dungeon''s entrance, chatting andughing on the way.

    Since they hadpleted the dungeon, the entrance, which had disappeared when they entered, had reappeared. However, they still couldn''t exit due to a translucent white energy barrier blocking their way.

    Immediately recognizing the barrier, Alex stepped forward, ced his hand on it, and sent a pulse of his mana inside.

    As soon as he did, the translucent barrier cracked and shattered into multiple shards. In the following seconds, the shards shot towards Alex!

 Chapter 254 : Nothing wrong

    Chapter 254 : Nothing wrong

    As the shards of broken energy hurtled towards his head, Alex stood motionless, unflinching, allowing the shards topletely engulf him.

    A momentter, a brilliant white light burst from his body, illuminating the cavern for just a few seconds before vanishing.

    Simultaneously, a torrent of information flooded Alex''s mind. He already knew or deduced the majority of those pieces of information, though.

    ''So that''s how it feels to be a dungeon owner,'' Alex thought as he processed the information that had been directly imnted in his mind.

    In most cases, even after a dungeon is conquered, it doesn''t vanish instantly. The conquerors of the dungeon could then be its owner by doing exactly as Alex did. By bing a dungeon owner, a link was forged between the individual and the dungeon, granting them the power to decide whether to keep it open or seal it, preventing any intrusions. This link allowed the dungeon master to exploit the dungeon''s resources at their discretion without fear of theft.

    This was precisely why Alex had only taken a handful of the purple crystals from the treasure room. Once Scarlettpleted her research and he fully understood their value, orck of value, he nned to return and harvest the rest of the crystals.

    What Alex hadn''t expected, though, was that he could do more than just seal the dungeon entrance.

    "Come on, let''s get out of here," he urged the girls, stepping out of the dungeon.

    "It''s freezing," Maya remarked, a shiver running down her spine as the cold air outside the dungeon enveloped her.

    "Mm, it seems to have snowed while we were inside the dungeon," Amelia nodded as she opened her hand and observed as a delicate ke of snownded on her palm.

    All around them, thendscape was a nket of white. Snow continued to fall steadily, the wind blowing it into swirling patterns. The once barrenndscape was now softened by the snowfall, though only a few skeletal trees stood, their branches heavy with the weight of the fresh snow. The air was frigid, each gust of wind cutting through like a knife, making the chill almost unbearable.

    Ignoring the women''s conversation, Alex closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated on the newly created link between him and the dungeon. Then, hemanded the dungeon to seal itself.

    Alex felt a small trickle of his mana being consumed as he issued the order. The ground beneath him rumbled, and the previous translucent barrier reappeared, but this time it was much thicker, resembling an opaque, milky white wall.

    However, Alex wasn''t finished. He ordered the dungeon to hide itself, and immediately, a deep rumble shook the surroundings. The dungeon entrance, which resembled the mouth of a cave, copsed in a shower of rocks and debris. Momentster, the falling snow swiftly covered the rubble,pletely hiding the dungeon''s entrance.

    "A dungeon that can conceal itself? That''s pretty rare," Amelia noted, standing beside Alex and watching the scene unfold.

    "It''s not just that," Alex replied thoughtfully. "I''m sure this dungeon can do more than just conceal itself, but for some reason, I can''t ess any other functions... it''s strange."

    "We''ll think about thatter. Right now, can we please get out of here? I''m freezing," Maya said, her body trembling from the cold.

    "Oh, you''re cold?" Alex grinned, giving Maya a teasing nce. "If you want, I can warm you up��"

    "That would be grea��"

    "��with my body."

    "No thanks, I''ll pass," Maya scowled, shooting Alex a look that suggested he was acting like an old pervert.

    Alex burst intoughter and conjured a smoke carriage out of thin air.

    "Come on, hop in," Alex said as he helped Amelia get inside before stepping in himself.

    Momentster, the smoke carriage lifted off the ground and soared into the sky, carrying them swiftly toward the Drazen auction house.

    ***

    "Baron!" a young man with dark brown hair, adorned in shining golden armor, cried out as he barged into the room.

    "Sigh, how many times do I have to tell you not to barge into my office?" a tired voice echoed throughout the room, addressing the young intruder.

    The speaker was a man who appeared to be in histe fifties. Despite his aged face though, the old man hair and beard were of a vibrant golden color. His hair flowed over his shoulders like a lion''s mane, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle''s, piercing and attentive.

    "S-Sorry, sir, but it''s urgent!" the young man stammered, his voice trembling with urgency.

    The old man raised a brow and urged the young man to continue.

    "We just received a letter from the Eswald family saying that someone will visit soon," the young man informed.

    "The Eswald family?" the old man repeated with a frown. ''What do they want from me this time? They are not going to increase the taxes again, are they?'' the old man wondered, a deep scowl forming on his face.

    As ofte, the taxes the Eswald family required from the lesser noble houses in their territory had been steadily increasing to unreasonable levels, negatively impacting their economy. This exined why the old man was displeased to hear that a member of the Eswald family was visiting.

    "Who ising," the baron inquired.

    The moment the young man answered his query though, the baron realized that what awaited wasn''t just an economic burden; it was worse.

    "The one visiting is Grace Eswald," the young man answered.

    The instant he heard the name "Grace," the old man closed his eyes and released a deep breath. ''What does this woman want with me?'' the old man wondered with a slightly distressed expression.

    Grace Eswald was the governor of thends near his own, so it might be considered a friendly gesture for her to visit a neighboring lord, but the old man knew her too well to believe that. Grace never visited her neighbors, ever!

    Usually, such behavior would be met with resentment from the other noble houses, but in this case, all of them were happy that this woman never visited them. In fact, like this old man, all of them dreaded her visit!

    Thest time Grace had visited a noble house that dared toin about her, it ended disastrously for that house. Since dealing with her would cost the empire significant resources, the imperial family chose to turn a blind eye to the event, further increasing the lesser nobles'' fear of her.

    ''I don''t remember ever offending her or any of her branch members, so why is she suddenly visiting?'' the old baron wondered, feeling that something fishy was going on.

    Of course, he knew that Grace wasn''t as bad as the rumors about her painted her to be. He had known the woman for a while now, which made him understand that someone, probably the imperial family, was trying to make people see her as a bad person.

    However, the baron also understood Grace''s temperament. That woman was uncontroble, and he wouldn''t bet his money on her just visiting to chit-chat about something mundane such as neighborly affairs.

    "When did she say that she would visit?" the baron asked.

    "That''s the thing," the young man scratched his head, "she said that she would being in an hour."

    Hearing the young man''s answer, the baron released another deep sigh. ''In an hour? Who does that?'' he wondered.

    Usually, before formally visiting a noble family, even if you were a noble yourself, you would send a letter informing the family of your visit a few weeks or even months in advance. But Grace just stated that she would be visiting in an hour as if the whole ce was her backyard.

    "Make all the preparations to wee her," he ordered. Just as the young man turned and was about to head out, the baron added, "Also, send a message to the strongest of our guards. I want them all here in half an hour."

    The young man nodded and quickly left the office to carry out the orders.

    ncing at the ceiling of his office, Baron Golddark sighed, ''I truly hope there''s nothing wronging my way.''

 Chapter 255 : A warning

    Chapter 255 : A warning

    An hour after Isaac and the young man''s conversation, a flying carriage pulled up in front of the Golddark family estate. From that carriage descended a tall and stunningly beautiful woman with piercing gray eyes and shimmering silver hair.

    The woman, Grace, wore a cold expression on her face as she strode forward toward a group of people seemingly awaiting her arrival.

    At the front of this group was Baron Golddark, while behind him stood the other members of his family.

    Witnessing the icy expression on Grace''s face, the baron''s heart tightened as he wondered if he had somehow offended her.

    When Grace stopped directly in front of him, the baron bowed curtly and said, "I, the head of the Golddark family and lord of thisnd, wee Lady Grace to my estate. I hope your journey here was pleasant."

    The old baron felt a twinge of bitterness in his heart as he had to bow to another baron, but it couldn''t be helped. Although Grace was a baroness like him, her strength demanded such respect.

    Grace said nothing and simply stared at the baron in silence.

    Sweat quickly formed on the old man''s forehead as he felt the pressure of her gaze.

    As the baron wondered if he should say something, Grace finally spoke.

    "Why are you so formal with me now, little Isaac?" Grace asked, patting the baron''s shoulder with a mischievous grin on her face. "Did you forget the time you brat used to call me big sis and shout everywhere that you would surpass me?"***

    The baron and all the people behind him froze in an instant.

    Without him realizing it, an embarrassed blush spread across the baron''s face.

    ''D-Did she just call me a brat in front of my descendants?'' Isaac wondered, his expression stunned.

    At that moment, his ears picked up on a faint chortle behind him. ncing slightly over his shoulder, he caught sight of a cute young girl with golden hair and sapphire blue eyes��his granddaughter��covering her mouth with her small hands, trying to stifle herughter.

    Thankfully for him, the others were better at hiding their amusement, though he could still see the corners of their mouths curving upward in suppressed smiles.

    Isaac coughed and nced at Grace once again, about to say something, but he was caught off guard when he saw that she was no longer in front of him.

    Before he could panic, he heard her voice resound behind him, "Oh, what a cutie~."

    ncing back, he witnessed Grace yfully pinching his granddaughter''s cheeks.

    The young girl seemed to enjoy the attention. She shed Grace a childish grin and pounded her chest. "Mm, my grandpa says that I''m the cutest girl around."

    "Your grandpa might be right," Grace smiled, "and may I know the name of the cutest girl around?"

    "Sasha," the young girl replied, "Sasha Golddark."

    "Well then Sasha, would you mind showing me around?" Grace leaned in and whispered in the young girl''s ear, not so subtly, "It''s supposed to be your grandpa showing me around, but he''s too old. I''d prefer yourpany instead."

    ''Too old? Didn''t you call me a brat moments ago?'' Isaac thought indignantly.

    "Yes!" Sasha replied energetically, her sapphire eyes brightening as she took Grace''s hand and led her inside the mansion. "I will show you all the best ces in the mansion!" she eximed cheerfully.

    ***

    "Your granddaughter is adorable," Grace said, sitting on a luxurious sofa.

    She took a sip of the tea served to her and thought to herself, ''Damn, this tastes bad.''

    "Yeah, she is my most precious treasure," Baron Golddark replied, a proud smile finding its way onto his face.

    The two of them were in the baron''s office, sitting across from each other.

    After the baron''s reply, a long silence settled between them before he cleared his throat, his expression bing serious.

    "May I know the reason for your visit?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

    "Why do you sound so suspicious? Can''t it be that I just decided to visit my neighbor?" Grace asked with a chuckle.

    Isaac remained silent. He wasn''t buying Grace''s story for a second, but he also didn''t dare to call her out on it.

    "Well, since it seems that I''m not really wanted here, I will be leaving," Grace suddenly said, stunning Isaac.

    "W-What? I never said that!" Isaac hurriedly spoke, appearing flustered.

    "I''m just kidding. I was already supposed to leave an hour ago," Grace said as she stood up. "No need to see me off."

    She walked to the office door, but as she grabbed the handle, she nced back at Isaac, her gray irises shing with a knowing glint. "You know, now that I think about it, that family motto of yours is a really great one. You should continue to abide by it."

    With that, Grace opened the door and left the office, leaving a frowning Isaac behind.

    ''I should continue to abide by the family motto?'' Isaac repeated Grace''s words in his mind.

    Suddenly, he felt a cold sweat matting his back as he finally realized why Grace had visited.

    ''She was here to warn me,'' he concluded.

    The Golddark family had an irond rule that every family member, including the head, had to follow: "Unless your hands are tied, steer clear of anything that could potentially bring harm to the family. Always mind your business!"

    Thanks to this way of life, the Golddark family managed to maintain their baron status for hundreds of years without making a single enemy among the other noble families.

    From Isaac''s point of view, Graceing herself and telling him to continue abiding by this rule could simply be considered a warning.

    "Mind your business," that was practically what Grace meant.

    If he wasn''tpletely sure before, now Isaac had confirmation: something fishy was going on!

    It wasn''t long before he was proven right.

    "A convoy of carriages carrying hundreds of people has been spotted traversing the territory from the south," the young man reported to Isaac. "This convoy seems to be heading towards Zindal," he added.

    "A convoy of carriages carrying hundreds of people heading towards Zindal, huh?" Isaac repeated in his mind, massaging his temples.

    "Should we report this to the imperial family?" the young man wondered.

    The imperial family had ordered all noble houses neighboring the territory ruled by Grace to monitor and report anything that caught their attention entering or exiting her territory.

    "No, don''t report anything. In fact, don''t ever bring that matter up, do you hear me?" Isaac instructed.

    "Yes," the young man nodded.

    "Good," Isaac nodded, "you can go now."

    The young man bowed to him and left the office.

    Just as the office door closed, Isaac slumped in his chair, feeling a sudden wave of fatigue hit him. He had just gone against the imperial family''s order, and just that made him feel as if he had aged a few more years.

    Ultimately, he still felt that his decision had been the correct one. Although the imperial family was much more powerful than Grace alone, he judged her to be much more dangerous, at least to him.

    While the imperial family resided thousands of kilometers from his territory, Grace lived just in the neighboring territory. If she decided to harm him or his family for spilling the beans, she would do so long before the troops of the empire came to save them��if the empire bothered to send someone in the first ce.

    Plus, he had a good impression of Grace from years ago, so if he could avoid creating trouble for her by turning a blind eye to the situation, he would do so.

    As he was lost in thought, Isaac heard the door of his office slightly open, and the adorable head of his granddaughter peeked inside, her round and childish eyes scanning around. When she saw that only her grandfather was inside the room, she opened the door and darted toward him before leaping into his arms.

    "Oof, you are heavy," Isaac faked a pained groan as he caught Sasha.

    "Nuh-uh, that''s false. I''m light as a feather," the little girl retorted, pouting.

    "If you say so, little one," Isaac said with a fond smile. "So, why did you decide to visit me this time?" he wondered as he patted Sasha''s head.

    "I came to show something to the prettydy," Sasha revealed as her eyes darted across the office, "but apparently she left," she added with a disappointed expression.

    "D-Don''t worry, little one. I''m certain you will see herter," Isaac hurriedly spoke when he saw the sad expression on Sasha''s face. "In the meantime, why don''t you show grandpa what you wanted to show her?"

    "Hmm..." Sasha thought about it for a moment before her eyes brightened, and she joyously eximed, "Okay!"

    Seeing the happy expression on his granddaughter''s face, Isaac thought he had indeed made the right decision. After all, why would he involve himself in a war that had nothing to do with him?

 Chapter 256 : Distraction

    Chapter 256 : Distraction

    ''So, what do you think, is there a chance that he��''

    ''No, I don''t think so,'' Grace said, cutting off Candace. ''Isaac is too intelligent to do that. Plus, that guy rarely goes out of his way for something that doesn''t directly concern him. He''s very simr to his father in that sense,'' added Grace.

    Currently, she had amunication talisman pressed against her delicate face as she flew through the air, traversing Isaac''s territory and catching up with the convoy led by Lilia and Anna.

    ''Did you arrange a good ce where we can receive those guys without anyone noticing?'' Grace wondered.

    ''Yes,'' Candace confirmed before adding in a mischievous tone, ''Oh, I forgot to mention, today you''re making an official statement in Zindal.''

    ''Why would I do that?'' Grace frowned.

    ''It will serve as a distraction so the others can sneak in without being noticed,'' Candace answered brightly.

    ''You''re hailed as a great strategist, and this is the only distraction you coulde up with?'' Grace asked, her expression irritated.

    She hated doing public announcements��not because she had stage fright; she had lived too long to be scared ofrge crowds. The thing is, she had never really been good at riling up people. She preferred to just move on to action; it was much more fun anyway.

    Candace knew this. Still, the distraction she arranged required Grace to make an official statement before a crowd? Obviously, Candace was just doing this to amuse herself at Grace''s expense.

    ''I mean, what better excuse is there to gather both the citizens and the clutter of spies we have here than telling them that the baron is going to make an official statement?" Candace replied in a serious tone, though Grace could still hear a trace of tion in her voice.

    ''And what am I supposed to say?'' Grace asked through gritted teeth, imagining how satisfying it would be if Candace were standing right in front of her. She would have crushed her!

    What she momentarily forgot was that, at this moment, Candace could hear her thoughts as clearly as if Grace were saying them out loud. This only made Candace''s smile widen with amusement.

    ''Don''t ask me, I''m sure you''ll improvise ande up with a great speech,'' Candace answered in an encouraging tone. ''Oh, and before you ask to cancel the event, I should mention that I informed the inhabitants of Zindal a few days ago. They''ve been eagerly awaiting this speech of yours, so you wouldn''t want to disappoint them on the big day by refusing to speak, right?''

    "....."

    ''Good, I''ll be waiting for your arrival,'' Candace added in a cheery tone before ending themunication and putting away her talisman.

    Grace stared straight ahead for a long time after the connection was cut, a thoughtful expression clouding her features.

    ''I will kill her!'' she thought to herself, but then reconsidered. ''No, if I kill her, then I''ll have to do my work myself,'' Grace reasoned, sighing in resignation.

    ''I''ll find a way to get back at herter,'' she finally decided with a small, determined nod.

    With that, she continued flying in the direction Lilia and Anna had taken, her usual easygoing smile gradually returning as the cool wind caressed her face, lifting her spirits a little.

    It wasn''t long before Grace spotted the convoy of carriages below.

    "What is this?" Grace wondered, a curious glint shing in her eyes as theynded on Lilia, who was seated atop the leading carriage.

    However, it wasn''t Lilia''s figure itself that caught Grace''s attention, but rather the scarlet aura enveloping her.

    Even from this altitude, Grace could feel a faint pressure emanating from Lilia, something that was quite surprising considering the significant difference in power between the two of them.

    Of course, the pressure wasn''t threatening to Grace in the slightest, but still, it was enough to pique her curiosity.

    "Interesting," Grace murmured to herself, her smile widening slightly as she descended toward the convoy, eager to uncover what exactly was going on with Lilia.

    However, she wasn''t done being surprised. The instant the red aura emanating from Lilia''s body touched the air around Grace, it surged toward her with rming speed, like a predatory wave intent on harming her.

    ***

    However, at that moment, Lilia''s eyes snapped open, and the attacking energy flickered out. "How did it go?" Lilia inquired as Gracended on the carriage roof.

    "About as expected," Grace replied, sitting down next to Lilia.

    Well, she hadn''t anticipated spending more than an hour in thepany of Isaac''s granddaughter, but aside from that, everything had gone as nned. She was confident that Isaac would remain passive and turn a blind eye.

    "I''m d then," Lilia said with a nod.

    Before Grace could ask about the energy that had surrounded her earlier, Lilia closed her eyes and resumed her meditation.

    Grace''s lips twitched in irritation seeing this,  but she chose not to interrupt Lilia. Thankfully, as Lilia resumed her meditation, the familiar scarlet energy reappeared, but this time it moved around Lilia in a peaceful manner, withoutshing out at Grace.

    With nothing better to do, Grace decided to observe the peculiar energy surrounding Lilia.

    A couple of hourster, the convoy of carriages finally reached the outskirts of Zindal.

    At that moment, Grace contacted Candace, who instructed them to wait a few minutes before proceeding with the n they had established with Alex before they parted ways.

    The n was as simple as it could be: sneak a carriage into Zindal one at a time without anyone seeing either the carriage or the people it transported. Anna''s ability to be invisible and render anything she touched invisible was crucial for this operation.

    Even with that, there was still a risk of being spotted. Zindal was simply teeming with spies. That''s why a distraction was necessary to divert attention. Although Grace disliked the distraction Candace hade up with, she had to admit it was effective. As Candace had pointed out, what better distraction could there be than Grace giving an official statement at such a crucial moment?

    It''s important to remember that the Eswald heirpetition was approaching. Since Grace couldn''t participate, she had to appoint someone else as the branch leader. Only a branch leader was eligible to be a baron.

    Most people would infer from the sudden announcement of an official statement by Grace, just over two months before thepetition, that a new baron was being appointed. This would undoubtedly attract significant interest from both citizens and spies.

    Unfortunately for them, they were bound to be disappointed as Grace had no intention of discussing this topic. In fact, she didn''t even know what she was going to say and nned to improvise on the spot.

    Once they received Candace''s signal, Grace separated from the convoy and flew toward the city. It was time for her to give her speech.

    Simultaneously, the n to infiltrate Alex''s new subordinates into Zindal was set into motion. Boarding a carriage, Anna, with a focused expression, activated her ability and rendered the carriage invisible. Without dy, she directed the horses toward the city.

    ***

    As Anna approached the city gate, Grace gracefullynded on a raised tform set up in the city center.

    When the thousands of people gathered around the tform saw her, they erupted into cheers.

    "You''re quite popr for someone who delegates all the city''s administrative work," Candace remarked as she walked toward Grace with a light smile.

    Grace shot Candace a re and gritted her teeth. "I''ll find a way to get back at you."

    "Sure," Candace replied with a nonchnt smile. "I''ll be waiting."

    Seeing the rxed smile on Candace''s face, Grace could only sigh. For some reason, she was certain that any n she came up with to get back at Candace wouldn''t seed anytime soon.

    "Whatever, let''s get this over with," Grace said, preparing to address the crowd.

 Chapter 257 : Grace and Candace discussion

    Chapter 257 : Grace and Candace discussion

    "Let''s get this over with," Grace uttered as she walked towards the edge of the raised tform, her gait confident and devoid of any hesitation.

    Meanwhile, Candace discreetly slipped away from the tform, blending effortlessly into the background.

    As the cheering crowd noticed that Grace was about to begin her speech, the noise gradually subsided, leaving only the soft, rhythmic sound of Grace''s footsteps echoing through the evening air.

    Nodding in satisfaction to the crowd below, Grace shed a light and warm smile that made the hearts of all the men in the audience race, while the women looked upon her with envious gazes.

    ''She is so... beautiful,'' was the thought that spread like wildfire through the minds of the majority in attendance, filling them with pride to have such a mesmerizing figure as their lord.

    Pleased to have captured her audience''s undivided attention, Grace cleared her throat and began her speech, "Citizens of Zindal, good evening..."

    ***

    As Grace began her speech, the first carriage transporting the former abductees from Night, rendered invisible by Anna''s ability, sessfully infiltrated Zindal.

    The guards stationed at the gates were only low-level fighters, mostly around levels 2 and 3, with the more powerful guards having been deployed around the city za to ensure nothing happened to Grace during her speech. As a result, no one noticed Anna''s presence.

    Anna, who had already discussed the n with Candace, knew exactly where to drop off the people she was leading. Wasting no time, she headed straight to the location Candace had prepared to safely hide the new subordinates.

    A few minutester, she stopped the carriage in front of an unassuming, nondescript shop a bit far from he city''s gates.

    In front of the shop, Candace, who had left the central za before Grace even began her speech, was waiting patiently for them.

    Despite seeing Candace, Anna didn''t immediately deactivate her ability. Instead, she carefully scanned the surroundings to ensure there was no one else nearby who might witness their arrival.

    "You don''t have to worry, no one besides us is here," Candace assured Anna, looking directly at her with unwavering confidence.

    Anna nodded and deactivated her ability, not at all surprised that Candace could see through her invisibility.

    "Lady Candace," Anna greeted with a respectful bow, her tone warm.

    "How are you, my sweet child?" Candace asked with a gentle smile, her voiceced with genuine care.

    "I''m well," Anna replied, a small smile touching her lips. "Here''s the first batch. I''ll go back to bring the others."

    Candace nodded in understanding and gestured for the people inside the carriage, who were eyeing her curiously, to follow. "Come along, we don''t have time to waste," she said, pushing open the door to the shop.

    The former abductees descended from the carriage and followed behind Candace, but not before offering Anna onest heartfelt thank you.

    Inside the shop, Candace led the men and women to a hidden passage that descended into an underground base. This would be their new home for a long time toe.

    Outside, after steering the now-empty carriage into a discreet corner of the city, Anna swiftly exited Zindal to retrieve the remaining abductees.

    ****

    "Ugh, that was exhausting," Grace groaned as she slumped onto the plush couch in her office, letting out a weary sigh.

    "Your speech was dreadful to listen to," Candace quipped sharply, her words hitting Grace like a jab in the jaw.

    "..."

    "It''s a good thing the poor souls in that crowd adore you��well, most of them, anyway��otherwise, I doubt they could have endured your rambling," Candace continued, her tone light but her critique relentless.

    "...."

    Grace gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to snap back, as Candace continued her relentless teasing.

    In the end, Grace had done exactly as she''d nned��she improvised on the spot. And despite what that third-eye witch might say, Grace was certain she had done well.

    The topic she had chosen was of utmost importance and one that was on everyone''s lips: the escting war at the empire''s border. It was a subject of intense discussion among people from all walks of life, making it the perfect choice for her speech.

    She had enough knowledge on the subject to keep the distraction going for a while, advising her people to stay vignt and support the empire''s efforts while ensuring the safety of their own borders.

    In the end, the ordinary inhabitants of Zindal returned home with a sense of reassurance, believing their lord genuinely cared for them, while the spies left disappointed, realizing no valuable information had been disclosed.

    "Hey, where are Lilia and Anna?" Grace asked after a while, noticing their absence.

    "They left right after dropping those people off," Candace replied as she settled into the couch opposite Grace''s, her expression thoughtful.

    "So soon?" Grace raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "I guess they were in a hurry."

    "Hmm," Candace nodded in agreement, then leaned forward slightly. "So, what happened out there?" she asked, her gaze piercing as she looked directly into Grace''s eyes.

    "Ah, nothing much happened," Grace replied, waving her hand dismissively.

    Candace''s lips twitched slightly at Grace''s nonchnt attitude. "You rushed out of the mansion in a hurry, then contacted me hourster asking to find a secure location in the city to hide hundreds of people, and yet you''re telling me that ''nothing much happened''?" Candace''s smile was more of a challenge than anything else.

    "Okay, okay, I''ll tell you what happened, so calm down," Grace said in a soothing tone, knowing full well that Candace hated being left in the dark and not having all the information. Since Candace was the one who handled all the details, Grace didn''t want to annoy her.

    "Well, after I left the mansion..." Grace proceeded to recount to Candace the events that unfolded after she rejoined Alex''s group.

    Of course, she made sure to omit certain details, like the fact that she and Alex had kissed.

    "So that''s where you got all those people," Candace mused, her hand propping up her chin. "This Night group isn''t as simple as it appears," she added after a moment, her alluring golden eyes shing briefly before returning to their usual calm.

    "Is that all? You didn''t forget or leave anything out?" Candace asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

    ''Damn, she''s onto me,'' Grace thought, feeling a twinge of anxiety.

    Grace hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell Candace about what had happened between her and Alex. Candace was her best friend and confidante, so Grace was certain she wouldn''t share this information with anyone��unless Grace wanted her to.

    "..."

    "Why are you looking at me like?!" Grace asked, feeling increasingly ufortable under Candace''s intense gaze. "Say something!"

    "I mean, I was certain that whatever you were leaving out would be something significant, considering how much you hesitated to tell me. Bute on, fantasizing about your grandson?" Candace teased, a yful glint in her eyes.

    "Hey! Don''t twist my words," Grace eximed indignantly, her voice rising in frustration. "I never said I was fantasizing about him, I merely told you we kissed! And even then, he was the one who kissed me!"

    "You''re much faster than him, so how could he catch you off guard?" Candace asked, her expression skeptical, clearly unconvinced.

    "What can I say? I didn''t expect him to pounce on me! And for your information, he''s pretty fast for a level 4!" Grace replied, her tone carrying the unmistakable edge of someone on the verge of throwing a tantrum, her arms crossing defensively.

    "Still, you could have just pushed him away. Why did you let the kiss linger?" Candace reclined back on the couch, a hint of amusement in her tone. "To me, it sounds like you were enjoying his caresses."

    "You know, incest is legal in this empire, so I won''t judge you. If you want to spend your remaining days fooling around with Alex, who''s also your grandson, who am I to stop you?" Candace added with a smirk, her words dripping with yful sarcasm.

    "...." Grace fell silent, unable toe up with a rebuttal. It was true that she had indeed enjoyed the moment and had indulged herself, even if just briefly. But Candace''s smug expression was starting to irritate her, and she desperately wanted to wipe that look off her face, yet nothing came to mind.

    Then, an idea struck her, and a teasing smile spread across her luscious lips. "You know, Alex still has a crush on your daughter," Grace said, her voiceced with mischief. "And from what I witnessed, he''s definitely going to pursue her. My grandson has be quite the handsome man, you know. I''m certain it wouldn''t take long before Eleanor is head over heels for him. I guess they''d have your blessing in their new rtionship, right?" Grace finished with an evil grin.

    However, instead of the distressed expression she expected, Candace''s eyes actually brightened, like those of a child who had just found a new toy.

    "That''s it!" Candace eximed with a wide smile. "I''ve been after that girl for years to find a man. After all, I also want to see my grandkids before I die, but that stubborn girl always refuses to hear me out. Perhaps little Alex could help me out in that regard!"

    Candace''s mind seemed to be racing as she mumbled to herself, "Hmm, but with things as they are, it''s not going to happen soon. I''ll have to step up and help him a bit. In fact, I''ll start right now!" She suddenly stood up from the couch and made her way towards the office door.

    "Hey, where are you going?" Grace asked, puzzled, as she watched Candace about to leave.

    "I''ll see youter. I have some things to prepare," Candace replied cryptically before walking out, leaving Grace alone in the office.

    Long after Candace had left, Grace was still staring at the office door, trying toprehend what had just happened. "What did I do?" she wondered aloud, her thoughts spinning. Then, her eyes fell on the pile of reports stacked on the office table.

    "Wait...who''s going to do all that work?!" Grace suddenly bolted upright and dashed after Candace. "HEY, COME BACK HERE, YOU HAVE WORK TO DO!!!" she screamed,pletely forgetting that it was originally her work, and Candace had only been helping her out.

 Chapter 258 : En’s proposal

    Chapter 258 : En��s proposal

    In the morning, as the first rays of the sun appeared on the horizon, a flying carriage, guided by a beautiful woman with long, flowing brown hair and captivating, but tired, almond-shaped eyes, pulled in front of a big mansion.

    After overusing her ability to help sneak all the abductees into Zindal, Anna had to return the carriage to the mansion next. Luckily, Zindal wasn''t far from Alex''s mansion, which was conveniently situated between the two cities of their territories. Still, the former maid was utterly exhausted, and the dark circles under her eyes were proof of her weariness. She had pushed herself to the limit, and it showed in the way she slumped against the carriage seat, fighting to keep her eyes open.

    As soon as the carriage rolled to a stop, Lilia, who had been meditating atop it, gracefully leapt to the ground, her movements fluid despite her time spent in stillness.

    "Good morning, Lad��" Anna began to greet Lilia, but stopped mid-sentence as the red-headed woman turned a sharp re in her direction. "G-Good morning," Anna hurriedly corrected herself.

    "I''ve told you before, stop being so formal around me. You''re not a maid anymore. Plus, you''re also Alex''s wife, so start acting like it," Lilia advised, stretching out her limbs. "And good morning to you too," she added, a bit softer this time, with a small nod of acknowledgment.

    As the two women spoke, several men nearby, mostly guards and a few members of Alex''s family, turned their curious gazes towards them.

    Among the family members present were Nox, En, Zo, Ector, and Jonathan. The five of them had been training in the garden when they noticed the carriagending at the gates. Recognizing the carriage that Alex had supposedly left in, they halted their training, their eyes fixated on the scene unfolding before them as Alex''s wives stepped out of the carriage.

    While some were merely curious, others like Nox and En wore vicious expressions, eager and ready to challenge Alex. The two of them, along with the others, had been training relentlessly for weeks, pushing their limits day and night. They were itching for the chance to take their revenge on Alex for the humiliation he had dealt them during thepetition.

    What they didn''t realize, however, was that Alex wasn''t even in the carriage; he was instead hundreds of kilometers away.

    Their anticipation quickly turned into surprise, but not due to Alex''s absence. Rather, it was because their attention waspletely stolen the moment Anita descended from the carriage.

    Nox, En, and every other man in the vicinity froze the instant their eyesnded on Anita. She was, without a doubt, one of the most breathtakingly beautiful women they had ever seen.

    Seeing her chatting andughing with Lilia and Anna, the men were captivated, their eyes drawn to her dazzling smile and pearly white teeth. In that moment, many of them felt their hearts skip a beat as they fell under her spell.

    "W-Who is that?" Nox stammered, turning to ask En, but received no reply.

    ncing around, he noticed En was no longer beside him. Scanning the area, Nox''s eyes widened in shock as he spotted his brother kneeling before Anita, his hand outstretched as though he was proposing to her.

    It wasn''t just as if he was proposing to her; he was legit proposing to her, right there on the spot.

    "I don''t know your name yet, mydy, but I can confidently say that you have already conquered my heart. Would you do me the honor of bing my wife?" En proposed with the most sincere and devoted expression he could muster.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    The whole world seemed to fall into a sudden, eerie silence, with the only sound being the echo of En''s voice hanging in the air.

    Everyone who witnessed En''s proposal was left with a mix of shock and awkwardness stered across their faces. Some were bewildered, others slightly amused, but most were just inly ufortable with what they had just seen.

    ''Oh gods, please no, don''t tell me he just did that,'' Zo thought in utter despair as he watched his twin brother kneeling on the ground with a ridiculous, goofy expression, his hand outstretched towards Anita. In moments like these, Zo truly hated the fact that he was a carbon copy of his brother!

    Meanwhile, Anita, the one receiving the unexpected proposal, looked back at En with a distressed expression, unsure of how to respond. She had never been in such a situation before!

    The only thing she knew for certain was that she didn''t want to marry this man��whoever he was��because she already liked someone else.

    Seeing Anita''s difort, Lilia decided to step in and rescue the half-Virax.

    "She is but amoner, you know," Lilia addressed En with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you despisedmoners."

    En nced at her, gritting his teeth, but then quickly refocused on Anita. "I don''t mind yourmoner origins, mydy. The only thing that matters is the love I feel for you."

    "What a hypocrite," Anna spat out loud, her face twisting in disgust.

    En had been the very one who mocked her and tried to humiliate Alex in front of the family for expressing his love for her. So, Anna didn''t hold En in her heart and made no effort to hide her disdain.

    "You��" En started, ready tosh out at Anna, but he froze as Lilia shot him a re, her scarlet eyes locking onto him like a predator cornering its prey.

    Under her gaze, the fiery anger that had sparked in En''s eyes was instantly extinguished. For some reasons, he felt that that already scary woman had be even more scary and it was better for him to not cross her.

    Gritting his teeth, he tried to regain hisposure and focus on Anita again, but when he saw her take a step back from him, his heart sank.

    "Sorry, but I''m already engaged to someone else," Anita said, her tone turning cold.

    She had noticed how En had been about tosh out at Anna, and it made her feel that he wasn''t a good person. Remembering what Lilia had said about his disdain formoners, Anita became even more certain that she wanted nothing to do with him.

    "Whoever the guy you''re engaged to, he doesn''t deserve someone like you," En replied, his tone dripping with arrogance.

    The instant he said that, Anita''s eyes glowed intensely for a split second, and she spat out, "He is still better than you!"

    A momentter though, she came to a stop and wondered to herself why she was reacting so fiercely.

    Meanwhile, En continued speaking, "Say who this person is, and I''ll show you that he is nothingpared to me," En demanded, his voice full of self-assured arrogance.

    At that instant, Anna smiled and asked, "you sure about that?"

    "Hmph, just say who this person is," En retorted, his bravado unshaken.

    "If you insist," Anna''s smile turned devilish. "The one she is engaged to is Alex."

    The moment Alex''s name was mentioned, En froze, his lips trembling as he tried to form words. "W-Which Alex?"

    "How many Alexes do you know?" Anna replied, looking at him like he was a retard. "Of course, I''m talking about my husband."

    There was no mistaking it now. The man who had tortured him and still haunted Zo''s nightmares was the one engaged to the sublime woman before him.

    Gritting his teeth in frustration, En straightened up and turned to leave without saying another word.

    "Where are you going? I thought you were going to show her that the man she''s engaged to is nothingpared to you?" Anna teased, her devilish grin widening to reveal her pearly white teeth.

    En gritted his teeth but said nothing. As much as he was attracted to Anita, he wasn''t foolish enough to try to steal her from Alex. Thest time, that monster had poisoned him and inflicted immense pain just for "insulting" his woman. He couldn''t even imagine what that psychopath would do if he tried to take his fianc��e.

    ''Now that I think about it, perhaps I should leave the mansion before hees back,'' En thought as he hurriedly disappeared into the mansion.

    Meanwhile, the three women burst into giggles as they watched En retreat the moment Alex''s name was mentioned.

    What they didn''t know was that, besides En, several other men, including Ector and Nox, had been preparing to propose to Anita as well. However, En had acted too quickly, and the instant they too heard Alex''s name, most of them quickly turned their gazes away from her.

    Still giggling, the three women made their way toward the mansion, theirughter echoing through the quiet courtyard.

    As they walked, Ector, Zo, and Jonathan couldn''t help but watch the three women with a mixture of admiration and envy. Even though they had much more control over their emotions than En and Nox, they couldn''tpletely suppress the pang of jealousy that stirred within them. How could one man have so much luck? All of Alex''s wives were extremely stunning!

    If only at that time they had known that Alex would extend his clutches into the family and make all the hotties his wives, they probably would have died of a heart attack.

 Chapter 259 : Alex and Amelia disturbing Maya’s sleep (R-18)

    Chapter 259 : Alex and Amelia disturbing Maya��s sleep (R-18)

    "Ahhh...Haaann....Annnhhh~"

    ''Ugh, can''t they be less noisy?!!!'' Maya thought with a frustrated expression. A pillow made of soft leaves was covering her ears, but even with them, the sounds of harsh breathing and lewd moans could still be heard.

    Ever since the moment she became aware of the true rtionship Alex and Amelia shared, Maya couldn''t get a good night of sleep. That was because every night without exception, the pair of siblings was banging.

    It seemed that the moment they didn''t have to worry about Maya knowing their rtionship, Alex and Amelia dropped all pretenses, or in this case, they abandoned all sense of shame and indulged in carnal pleasure. Fortunately, they only did such activities at night, so they were still able to travel, though at times, Maya had to take it upon herself and stop the two of them from tearing each other''s clothes off and fucking right in front of her.

    The worst thing for Maya was that due to their nightly activities, she had to switch from her soft bed to a much harder one!

    Initially, when they made camp for the night, Alex created a second smoke carriage for the girls to sleep in. Since the beds in that carriage were made of gas, they had an unprecedented softness to them. Even now, Maya couldn''t understand how Alex could make all of those constructs, all she knew was that beds made of smoke were the absolute best!!!

    However, due to the fact that Alex couldn''t maintain the integrity of those constructs while having sex with Amelia, something Maya found weird because Alex could definitely keep the constructs whole while sleeping, it was decided that she wouldn''t be sleeping in a smoke carriage anymore. The carriage would copse the instant Alex and Amelia got freaky under the covers.

    Instead, Maya was now sleeping on a bed of nts made by Amelia. Objectively speaking, this bed was veryfortable, but to Maya, who had slept on a bed made of smoke, her new bed was akin to sleeping on a pile of rocks.

    ''If I had known, I would have acted like I didn''t know about their incestuous rtionship,'' Mayamented as the sounds of flesh pping against flesh, the moans and gasps of pleasure, were driving her mad. She tossed and turned, trying to find afortable position, but the sounds of the siblings'' passionate lovemaking made it impossible for her to rx.

    ****

    Inside the other carriage...

    "I''m about to...ahh...Uuunhg~" Amelia moaned in ecstasy as she felt her third orgasming.

    PAK! PAK! PAK! PAK!

    Amelia''s speed of movement increased as she bounced on her brother''s cock. Alex, meanwhile,y t on his back, muscles tensed, eyes locked on Amelia''s bouncing form. He ced his strong hands over Amelia''s big ass, fingers digging into the soft flesh as he took control, guiding her movements with firm yet tender pressure. Sweat poured from their bodies, mingling as their heated skin slid against each other.

    "Let''s cum together, my love," Alex breathed, his voice rough with desire.

    Amelia then began to ride him with an even more fervent intensity, each movement of her hips causing her massive, mesmerizing breasts to bounce in a tantalizing rhythm. The air was thick with the scent of their passion, filled with the symphony of their moans and heavy breathing. Every thrust brought them closer, the familiar heat pooling within them, promising a shared release.

    "ANNNGGG~~"

    "Uhhhhh..."

    With a final, synchronized thrust, they reached the peak of their pleasure, their cries of ecstasy mingling and echoing through the carriage as they clung to each other, utterly spent and satisfied.

    A whileter, Amelia nced up at her brother and uttered with an infatuated look, "Thanks for this wonderful moment, my love."

    Looking back with an equally infatuated gaze, Alex mouthed, "Always."

    Right now, judged from their gaze alone, the two of them didn''t look anywhere close to being siblings. Instead, they appeared to be a newlywed couple that couldn''t leave each other even for a few minutes.

    Alex found it hard to believe, mostly because he already loved Amelia to an insane degree, but he realized that as days passed, his love for her kept increasing. Currently, he was practically head over heels for her; he wouldn''t mind doing everything she asked of him just so he could keep that beautiful smile that warmed his heart on her face.

    ''Gods, I''m getting obsessed with my little sister,'' Alex thought to himself. Yet, he wasn''t feeling remotely bad for it.

    Simr to him, Amelia was on cloud nine right now. She had been hoping to get her brother''s attention for years, and now that it happened, she just couldn''t seem to have enough of him. Throughout the day, she craved his touch, and when they were together at night, she couldn''t help but feel like she was in paradise.

    Alex now had a much more significant importance in her life, not that he didn''t have one before, but right now, he was practically a god to her. She wouldn''t mindmitting the worst atrocities in the world just to please him!

    He was the most important person in her life, and no one besides the children born from their love would evene close.

    At that moment, Amelia''s captivating gray eyes glowed with a pink color. However, the pink color of her eyes disappeared as soon as it appeared, yet Alex had still noticed.

    "Hm?" Alex blinked his eyes, ''Did I imagine it or did her eyes change color just now?'' he wondered with a puzzled expression.

    "What is it, my love? Why are you looking at me like that?" Amelia tilted her head in wonder.

    "Hm? Oh, I was just thinking how beautiful you are," Alex said, nting a kiss on Amelia''s forehead.

    "Hehe," Amelia giggled, a sweet smile blooming on her beautiful face, "You are also handsome...very handsome," Amelia bit her lips in desire as her gaze focused on Alex''s lips.

    An instantter, she sealed his lips with an aggressive, passionate kiss. Her hands gripped his hair tightly, pulling him closer as if she couldn''t get enough. Alex responded in kind, his arms coiled around her hourss-thin waist, and he pulled her closer to him. At the same time, his shaft, which was still buried deep inside Amelia, hardened once again.

    With a swift movement, Alex flipped their position with him now above his sister, all the while making sure not to break the kiss.

    Just like that, the pair of siblings got engaged in yet another sexual encounter, their ragged breaths and perverted moans echoing deep into the night as they indulged in the pleasure of the flesh.

    ***

    In the morning...

    "Here we go again," Maya sighed in frustration as she stood before the door of the carriage Alex and Amelia were sleeping in. Well, it was doubtful if they were sleeping as Maya could still hear muffled moansing from the other side of the door.

    ''What ascivious pair,'' Maya thought with flushed cheeks. Even though it wasn''t her first time hearing the two of them making love, it was still he embarrassing for her!

    Maya took a deep breath and, with a determined face, she raised her small fist and began to bang on the door.

    "HEY YOU TWO, GET OUT FROM THERE, IT''S MORNING ALREADY."

    ****

    A few minutes before Maya''s interruption...

    The interior of the carriage was thick with the scent of sex and sweat. There, Alex and Amelia were entangled in a deep embrace, their bodies coiled around each other. Ameliay on the bed made of leaves with Alex mounting her in the missionary position, her slender arms wrapped around his neck. With how close they were, one couldn''t even guess where the body of Alex or Amelia began and where it stopped; the two looked as though they hadpletely fused into one.

    The two of them seemed to be in an odd trance, the world around them seemed to have disappeared, and they were transported to another world where the only thing that mattered for the two of them was each other. Nothing or no one else mattered.

    Soft moans of pleasure escaped their lips as Alex pushed his fat cock in and out of Amelia''s tight cave in a slow, deliberate, and sensual manner, savoring the feeling of tightness as Amelia''s warm insides enveloped his throbbing cock. Although he preferred going with much faster speed, Alex couldn''t deny the fact that he also loved making love to his sister in this slow manner. It somewhat made him feel closer to her, as he felt that it was really intimate. Plus, with such strokes, he could perfectly feel his cock stretching Amelia''s pussy until the head of his cock collided with the entrance of her womb.

    Feeling that he was about to ejacte, Alex''s grasp on Amelia tightened, and with onest stroke, he unloaded his seeds into Amelia''s womb.

    Spurt! Spurt! Spurt!

    The feeling of rope after rope of hot semen being poured inside her womb brought Amelia over the edge, and she climaxed, her body convulsing with pleasure. Her moans turned into cries of ecstasy as she clung to Alex, her nails digging into his back.

    Just at that moment...

    BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

    "HEY YOU TWO, GET OUT FROM THERE, IT''S MORNING ALREADY."

 Chapter 260 : A fist

    Chapter 260 : A fist

    "HEY YOU TWO, GET OUT FROM THERE, IT''S MORNING ALREADY."

    Alex and Amelia were immediately pulled from their odd world and came to their senses.

    "HEY, DO YOU HEAR ME, I SAID THA-"

    "We heard you Maya, stop banging on the door," Amelia said, her voice still breathless from their lovemaking.

    "FINALLY!" Maya eximed, "Quickly prepare yourselves, I''m starving here." Maya was about to leave when she turned back and added, "And don''t try to do anything, it''s alreadyte as is!"

    "We said that we hear you kiddo, leave us alone," Alex replied with an annoyed tone.

    "Okay," Maya responded before leaving.

    As soon as she left, Amelia began to giggle, "It seems that we deprived her of sleepst night as well."

    "Apparently," Alex chuckled and leaned in to give Amelia a kiss. "Good morning, my love."

    "Good morning," Amelia reciprocated his kiss, her eyes sparkling with affection.

    Alex pulled himself out of Amelia''s inner cave, allowing a mix of sperm and love juices to flow onto her thighs, andid next to her with a content smile.

    Sitting up, Amelia observed the thick sperm leaking out of her. "With how much you''ve been cumming inside me thesest few days, I wouldn''t be surprised if I''m already pregnant," Amelia said with a yful smirk.

    "I hope that''s the case," Alex replied, shing Amelia a grin.

    "Look at him smiling, hoping to have knocked up his little sister, how shameless are you, brother?" Amelia teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

    "Almost as shameless as a sister who is dreaming of giving birth to her brother''s children," Alex replied with a chuckle, pulling Amelia into a tight embrace.

    The two of them looked at each other for a moment before exploding withughter.

    "You''re right, we''re both shameless. But I wouldn''t have it any other way," Amelia uttered after a moment.

    Alex kissed the top of her head, his arms tightening around her. "Neither would I, my love. Neither would I."

    "I will go prepare something to eat," Amelia said, sitting up and tying her disheveled ck hair into a messy bun.

    "Wait," Alex called out as he took her hand in his. "Aren''t you forgetting something?"

    "Forgetting some-Ah!" Understanding what Alex meant, Amelia turned around, took hold of her right breast, and stuffed it into Alex''s mouth.

    Far from resisting the sudden intrusion, the corners of Alex''s lips curved upward as he licked the sensitive pink bud. A slight moan of pleasure came from Amelia''s mouth, and she wrapped her arms around Alex''s head, pulling him closer.

    With his mouth closed around her breast are, Alex kept licking her nipple for a little while before he began to suck on it, drawing the familiar sweet milk. A moan escaped Amelia''s lips, and she quickly closed her mouth to muffle it.

    Since the first time he tasted her breast milk, Alex had decided that as long as they traveled together, not a single day would pass without him drinking it. So, uncaring of Amelia''s struggle to contain her moans, Alex continued to drink the milking from her.

    After a while, he switched to her other breast, repeating the same process of teasing before he began to drink the delectable milk once again. As he did, he didn''t forget to massage the other breast and gently pinch her nipple, eliciting more soft moans from Amelia.

    After a while and under Maya''s incessant banging on the door, he finally let go of her breast. Licking the few droplets that dripped down her pillowy breast, Alex finally released Amelia.

    "Thanks, sis, that was delicious," Alex said as he licked his lips, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

    Amelia blushed slightly, her cheeks turning a soft pink. "You''re wee," she replied softly, standing up and beginning to gather her clothes.

    After fumbling around, she found her clothes and got dressed before leaving the carriage to the greatest relief of Maya.

    "Finally!" The young heiress eximed, "I thought you would never get out."

    Hearing Maya throwing a tantrum, Alex chuckled andid down on his back, a satisfied expression on his face.

    ''Status,'' Alex called in his mind, and soon, a translucent blue screen appeared before his eyes.

    ncing at his current status screen, the satisfied expression on Alex''s face grew and became a grin.

    Alex new status screen read :

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 640

    Agility: 640

    Stamina: 700

    Defense: 500

    Mana Points: 95

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke sovereign;

    Soul Points: 552]

    The least one could say after examining his status screen was that Alex''s stats had been significantly enhanced over the previous days.

    His stats, however, were not the most dramatic change. The most striking difference was the number of soul points he currently possessed. Before his encounter with the dungeon boss, Alex had barely two soul points to his name, but now, after several intimate sessions with his sister, the amount of points he had amassed was staggering.

    ''Five hundred soul points,'' Alex repeated in his mind, feeling a sense of wealth he had never experienced before. He had never possessed so many soul points in his status screen.

    Of course, if one remembered that copying abilities such as Cell Master would require billions of soul points, one might think that his current total was merely pocket change. Still, Alex refused to let such thoughts dampen his spirits. Abilities like Cell Master were extraordinary to begin with, and couldn''t bepared to moremon abilities.

    After reveling in his newfound wealth of soul points, Alex''s gaze shifted back to his stats. Besides his defense stat, which remained unchanged, all his other stats had seen significant improvements.

    Naturally, he had used his soul points to enhance these stats, something he was avoiding doing, at least for now.

    Alex didn''t want to be overly reliant on his system. It didn''t mean he wouldn''t use it to grow stronger��that would be foolish. However, he was determined not to be too dependent on it.

    Before acquiring this system, he was just a normal human, albeit stronger than average. He understood that one day, he might lose the system. If that were to happen after he had be too reliant on it, things wouldn''t end well for him.

    Moreover, he understood that not everything could be achieved through the system alone. That''s why, although he would continue to use the system to grow stronger, Alex didn''t want it to be his sole source of power.

    However, things weren''t going as smoothly as he had hoped.

    In essence, Alex had be too strong for conventional training methods to be effective. Normally, if one wanted to increase stats like stamina, strength, and agility, regr workouts would suffice. Over time, one would notice improvements. But for Alex, who had hundreds of points in his various stats, it was difficult to see any progress from simple workouts.

    He understood that it wasn''t that working out wasn''t effective for him; it was just that his stats were too high for the workouts he was doing to make any significant difference.

    ''I would need to find a training program adapted for people with off-the-charts physical capabilities...if something like that even exists,'' Alex thought to himself.

    In any case, right now, Alex felt that he had be so strong that fighting the dungeon boss wouldn''t have been as taxing as it had been, though he still doubted he could take it down without Amelia''s help.

    Previously, before further enhancing his stats, Alex estimated that his strength and agility were around low to mid-level 5. Now, he was much stronger than before, but he still doubted that he could take on a high-level 5 opponent head-on.

    Plus, it was worth noting that physical capabilities didn''t automatically make someone stronger than another. Other aspects such as the intelligence of one''s opponent, their technique, and fighting style were vital to consider. All of that was without mentioning the greatest wildcard of all: abilities.

    Abilities came in all forms and shapes, and while it may be rare, it wasn''t impossible to find abilities that could bridge the gap between levels. In fact, it was in the hope of obtaining another ability that Alex was currently holding onto his soul points instead of using them to further enhance his strength.

    Besides all those mentioned, there were also factors such as sovereignty that could significantly alter the oue of a fight.

    All of that to say, Alex might have be much strongerpared to a few days ago, but he still wasn''t at a level where he could afford to becent or think too highly of himself.

    ''Let''s go eat something,'' Alex said as he pushed himself off the bed of leaves.

    He put on his pants and, not even bothering to do the same for his shirt, he opened the carriage door and stepped outside.

    However, Alex had barely stepped outside when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a fist rocketing toward his head.

 Chapter 261 : Maya’s potential

    Chapter 261 : Maya��s potential

    Without looking at the oing fist, Alex yawned and effortlessly caught the hand aimed at his face.

    "Not happening today, kiddo," Alex said, not even bothering to turn his head toward his attacker.

    "Tsk," Maya clicked her tongue in annoyance as she retracted her arm. "It won''t be long before I wipe that smug look off your face. You can start counting the days," she stated with a determined expression, her eyes full of resolve.

    "Yeah, yeah, if you say so," Alex waved dismissively, heading toward the campfire.

    With his high defense stat, the biting cold of the freezing surroundings didn''t faze him at all, which was why he casually walked around shirtless.

    "Hmph, we''ll see how cocky you are when I finally nt my fist on your cheek," Maya snorted, her voice tinged with frustration.

    "I''m already trembling," Alex chuckled, settling down on a log by the campfire.

    The reason Maya was so hell-bent onnding a punch on Alex''s face stemmed from a bet they had made. A few days ago, during a training session, Maya had managed tond a hit on him. Of course, that was because he was busy eye-fucking his sister bending down to collect twigs to make fire. Still, it was impressive for someone who was aplete novice not too long ago.

    Seeing Maya act smug, Alex proposed a challenge. If she couldnd another hit on him, he would grant her any wish. She could attack him however and whenever she wanted��even a surprise attack wasn''t off-limits.

    At first, Maya was ted, thinking she had found a loophole to get what she wanted. But her joy quickly faded as she realized her earlier sess was pure luck.

    Since then, Maya had been trying relentlessly tond another hit, only to face failure after failure.

    "The food will be ready in a few minutes," Amelia informed as she approached Alex.

    Without needing any prompting, Alex shifted slightly, making space for her to sit between his legs.

    "I missed you," Alex whispered, gently nibbling on her ear.

    Amelia giggled softly and retorted, "I barely left you for a few minutes."

    "That''s too much time to be separated from you," Alex murmured as he nted a tender kiss on her cheek.

    "It''s too cold around here," Mayained as she sat across from the siblings.

    "Of course you would feel cold if you walk around wearing so little," Amelia scoffed at the young woman.

    Maya nced down at her body and blushed slightly. Currently, she was wearing just an orange top that barely covered her well-proportioned chest, leaving her t and slightly toned tummy exposed.

    "Seriously, from all the habits you could have picked up from him, you had to choose his habit of walking around half-nude," Amelia shook her head and sighed.

    As Amelia noted, the more time the young heiress spent with Alex, the more his behavior rubbed off on her, and she began to pick up some of his habits. One of those habits was addressing people with a sarcastic tone, and the other was walking around shirtless all the time.

    Though, if Alex had a say in it, he would im that Maya walking around in just a top was purely to distract him during their sparring sessions so she couldnd a hit on him. Not that he wasining about her choice of attire. Who was he to stop her from dressing however she wanted?

    After this brief exchange, the siblings once again began to ignore Maya, flirting andughing among themselves as if she wasn''t even there, which only made an irked expression appear on Maya''s face.

    It was extremely annoying seeing them get all lovey-dovey in front of her, but thanks to that, she realized that the two of them were indeed in love, madly in love with each other.

    After a while, Maya, who was almost dying from hunger, cleared her throat, "Ahem, I think the food is ready."

    Amelia stopped giggling and nced over. "Oh, you''re right," she said, standing up to check on the meal.

    Momentster, she ced several tes between Alex and Maya before withdrawing a few meters from them to eat in peace.

    "Why are you staying over there, sis?" Alex wondered as he took a te in his hands.

    "I would rather not have food spilled on my clothes," Amelia smiled knowingly.

    Alex and Maya, who had scurried over to the tes, nced at each other before shrugging.

    After this, they began eating, and it wasn''t long before Amelia''s precaution was proven right.

    The area where Alex and Maya were eating became somewhat of a battlefield as the two of them indulged themselves with reckless abandon.

    As it turned out, increasing his strength hadn''te without a drawback for Alex. His hunger and the amount of food he needed to consume to sustain himself had also increased dramatically. But it wasn''t surprising; it wasmon knowledge that some people, as they grew stronger, needed to eat much more than before.

    What was actually surprising was the amount of food the young heiress of the Drazen family could ingest. She ate as much as Alex!

    Despite her medium build, Maya had an ogre-like appetite that the siblings only discovered as she became morefortable around them.

    As Alex and Maya ate together, looking like barbarians, it wasn''t rare for food to spill everywhere, which was why Amelia preferred to keep her distance during their meals.

    "Eat like a noblewoman; you look like an ogre eating like that," Alex chided, throwing a piece of bread in his mouth and swallowing it after barely chewing once.

    "I will when you start eating like a nobleman," Maya snorted as she filled her mouth with a piece of roasted meat.

    "Hmph, brat."

    "Old man."

    Watching their banter, Amelia chuckled softly, content to enjoy her meal in peace, far from the chaotic energy of the two gluttons.

    After a while, the three of them finished eating, but they didn''t immediately resume their journey. Instead, Alex decided to spend some time training Maya.

    By now, she had made tremendous progress, having mastered the basics long ago. In fact, her rate of improvement was so astonishing that it left both siblings in awe.

    When Alex first began teaching her, he wondered if Maya''s perfect memory would aid her in quickly learning how to fight. After a few days of training the redhead, he could confidently affirm that it was indeed the case.

    Even more surprising was the fact that Maya mimicked Alex''s fighting style with unnerving precision. From her stance and footwork to the way she defended and attacked, it was almost like watching a mirror image of himself in battle. However, this simrity in style led to frustration for both of them during their sparring sessions.

    ''Is this how Viviane feels every time she spars with Scarlett?'' Alex mused as he deflected yet another of Maya''s attacks.

    Of course, he understood that the fighting styles of Viviane and Scarlett were quite different. Both women relied on their intelligence in battle, but while Scarlett adapted her moves based on her opponent''s actions, Maya was merely replicating what she had been taught. In this case, since she had been taught Alex''s way of fighting, she could somewhat predict his moves.

    For now, Maya could only do this when fighting Alex, but in the future, if she continued to train, she might be able to learn and incorporate a variety of techniques. The more techniques she mastered, the easier it would be for her to adapt and learn even more.

    At some point, Alex spected that Maya might even reach a level where she could adopt a fighting style just by observing it for a short period. When that time came, Maya would be a terrifying opponent for anyone. However, that time was still far off; it wasn''t something that would happen anytime soon.

    After finishing Maya''s training, Alex shifted to his own regimen. Though his current training methods might be ineffective at increasing his physical stats, he continued them regardless.

    After hearing about Zid from Lilia, Alex realized that maintaining regr physical training was essential if he ever hoped to awaken that energy.

    ''Come to think of it, I wonder how Lilia is doing,'' Alex thought as he bnced upside down, his legs in the air and his body supported by the strength of one arm.

    Without changing his position, he instructed the system to disy his wife''s status. But what he saw shocked him to the point that his concentration faltered, and he nearly copsed to the ground.

 Chapter 262 : Eidross

    Chapter 262 : Eidross

    [Name: Lilia Eswald

    Age: 64

    Strength (sealed): 250

    Agility (sealed): 200

    Stamina (sealed): 200

    Defense (sealed): 200

    Mana points (sealed): 0

    Abilities: Space (sealed), Fire (sealed), Earth (sealed), Water (sealed), Lightning (sealed)...

    Nicknames: Battlefield Queen, Blessed by the Gods, Incredible Talent, Harbinger of death...]

    "...."

    Alex didn''t know what to think for a long while. Lilia''s rate of progress was simply too astonishing. Just a few weeks ago when they had parted ways, her stats were all around one hundred and fifty points. But now, all of her stats had shown an incredible increase.

    A fifty-point increase in a single stat was already impressive, but for all of her attributes to have increased by at least fifty points was extraordinary. It was worth noting that in the system''s status, a fifty-point increase in strength, for example, tranted to a five hundred-point boost in real-world terms.

    Alex wasn''t entirely familiar with the typical rate of progression for others due to ack of experience inparing stats, a knowledge gap he was actively working to close, but even so, he was certain that Lilia''s speed of progression was off the charts.

    By examining her status, he also noticed that Lilia''s strength stat was now higher than her other attributes. Previously, all of Lilia''s stats had been evenly matched, but now, for some reason, her strength was ahead of the rest. He didn''t know if this was intentional on her part, but either way, Alex was d to see that his wife was making such rapid progress.

    Seeing Lilia''s increased stats, Alex felt even more motivated in his own physical training, understanding that her fast progress was likely due to her awakening Zid.

    A bit after noon, both Alex and the girls finished their tasks and resumed their journey.

    ***

    "We''re close," Maya informed, "beyond those mountain peaks lies the territory of Baron Drisidd, where the auction will be held."

    A few hours had passed since they resumed their travel, and now, as the sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the frozenndscape, Maya had delivered the piece of news that all of them were waiting for.

    "Finally," Alex sighed in relief. From his perspective, it had taken them far longer than necessary to reach this point, though he understood that the dy was due to them enjoying their time together during the journey rather than rushing.

    "I doubt we can cross the mountains before nightfall, though," Amelia, resting her head on Alex''s shoulder, murmured.

    "Mm," Alex nodded in agreement, "let''s camp tonight and set out at first light tomorrow," he suggested.

    "There''s actually no need to camp tonight," Maya interjected. "There''s a city nearby where we can spend the night."

    Alex raised an eyebrow and decided to scan their surroundings with his senses as he gradually lowered the flying carriage.

    It wasn''t long before he spotted the city Maya was referring to, a few kilometers away from their current position.

    Judging that it was indeed better to stay in the city than camp out in the cold, Alex directed the flying carriage toward it. However, as they drew closer and Alex and Amelia''s eyes locked onto a signboard indicating the city''s name, an ugly expression appeared on their faces.

    "Why do you two look like that?" Maya asked, noticing their change in expression, but unable to see as far as the siblings could.

    "That city we''re heading to is Eidross," Alex informed her with a neutral expression.

    The instant Maya heard the name "Eidross," her expression shifted into a deep frown.

    Eidross was an infamous city known to every noble in Fiore. The reason for its notoriety was simple: the inhabitants of this city harbored an intense hatred for the nobility. For the people of Eidross, all nobles were the same��detestable and corrupt, with no exceptions.

    Eidross wasn''t some ancient city with a rich history spanning centuries. No, it was a rtively new city, its existence only dating back a decade.

    In an empire like Fiore, with its vast territories, dozens of new cities were founded every year. Most of these cities went unnoticed, except by the local lords who governed thends where they were established. However, Eidross made a name for itself just months after its founding, as its inhabitants and officials began treating nobles very differentlypared to other cities. This distinct hostility quickly drew attention from across the empire.

    In the history of Fiore, and perhaps throughout the entirety of Imperion, there had never been a locality where nobles were openly scorned and wheremon folk dared to insult them��until the creation of Eidross. Naturally, this infuriated most noble houses in the empire, leading them to unite in putting pressure on the baron whose territory included Eidross.

    But to the surprise of the noble families, the baron dismissed theirints and sent them packing. This only fueled their anger further. It wasn''t long before the Earl was called upon to handle the situation, but once again, the nobles were shocked when the Earl dered that he couldn''t do anything against Eidross.

    This back-and-forth continued until the nobles, feeling desperate and humiliated, went directly to the emperor to demand action against Eidross and its defiant inhabitants. The sight of the noble houses practically mobilizing against a single city was literally absurd, and many among those nobles felt deeply ashamed of having to take such a drastic measure. However, their pride simply couldn''t ept the existence of a city where they were neither revered nor respected.

    Thus, it was with shock and disbelief that the nobles stood dumbfounded when the emperor dismissed theirints as nothing more than the whining of spoiled children. He quite literally chased them out of his pce,manding them to cease their attempts to interfere with Eidross.

    That day was likely one of the most humiliating in the lives of many nobles.

    Despite the emperor''smand, the nobles didn''t give up their vendetta against Eidross. Though they couldn''t openly attack the city, they sought other means to destroy it.

    The solution they came to was rather simple to : utter istion of Eidross. After all, a city couldn''t possibly thrive if all its ess to food, goods, and trade were cut off.

    Unfortunately for those nobles who were particrly eager to see Eidross copse, not every noble saw the city as a thorn in their side. Some saw its existence as an opportunity. With the rapid growth of Eidross'' poption, they smelled profit and if crossing a few nobles house was the price to gain that profit, then so be it.

    Fortunately, the lord and inhabitants of Eidross, despite their disdain for the nobility, understood that it would be foolish to refuse business with nobles who managed various territories and cities. In the end, apromise was reached: Eidross would engage in trade with certain noble houses, but those nobles were strictly forbidden from ever setting foot inside the city.

    Ironically, the rapid growth in both poption and infrastructure within Eidross made many nobles realize something unsettling: they were widely despised by themon folk.

    The most arrogant nobles scoffed and ignored this revtion, unbothered about the fact that mere rats disdained them. However, those who were more perceptive and cared about maintaining their power took the hint and began improving the lives of their people.

    In a twisted way, the emergence of Eidross had led to better living conditions for many across the empire.

    "Well, I think we can sneak inside the city unnoticed," Alex said, his expression returning to a calm, calcting demeanor.

    He was confident that unless someone was a well-known noble or bore distinct features associated with a noble house, slipping through the city''s gates wouldn''t be too difficult. After all, Eidross had grown into a bustling metropolis in recent years, with countless peopleing and going daily. There was no feasible way the city could keep track of everyone.

    "You two might pass unnoticed, but..." Maya pointed to her striking orange hair and eyes before continuing, "...these are unmistakable traits of the Drazen family. Plus, you might not know it, but I''m actually a bit famous, especially in this region."

    "Oh, don''t worry about that," Alex replied with a reassuring smile as he snapped his fingers.

    Immediately, a portion of the purple carriage shifted back into its gaseous form and swirled around Alex and the girls. In moments, their hair had transformed into the same deep purple hue as the carriage. But that wasn''t all�� their skin tone subtly changed, bing slightly more tanned, blending in seamlessly with their new appearances.

    As Alex''s control over his smoke ability improved, he had mastered not only the art of altering its texture to mimic human skin but also the ability to change the natural color of the smoke itself.

    "With this, we should be able to enter without a hitch."

 Chapter 263 : Not as smoothly as hoped

    Chapter 263 : Not as smoothly as hoped

    As Alex had predicted, the three of them managed to sneak into Eidross half an hour afternding. Due to the uing Drazen family auction, which was set to take ce beyond the massive mountain chains surrounding Eidross, arge number of people were gathered in front of the city gates, eager to stay in the infamous city.

    Given the high volume of people trying to enter, the guards at the gates barely spared a nce at Alex''s group. Not recognizing any signs of affiliation with known noble houses, they allowed them to pass after collecting the standard entrance fee.

    Their infiltration into the city was so effortless that Alex wondered if their disguises��at least his and Amelia''s��were even necessary.

    What he didn''t realize was that many people knew Amelia by sight. She had once been, and still was, considered one of the geniuses of the Fiore Empire. Moreover, her captivating appearance would certainly have drawn attention, something that would have been problematic for anyone trying to sneak into the city unnoticed.

    What both Alex and Amelia also didn''t know was that even if it had been discovered that they were nobles from the Eswald family, they wouldn''t have been treated the same as other nobles.

    ***

    "Twenty silver coins for two rooms," the bartender, a rough-looking man with arge belly, muttered, squinting at the man before him.

    Thetter only snorted at the bartender offer, "do you take me for a fool? Twenty fucking silver coins for two crappy rooms?!"

    "Hmph, either you take it at this price or you scram from my tavern!" the bartender snapped, his tone sharp. "Good luck finding another ce in the city that still has spare rooms."

    "Fine, we''re leaving then," replied the bartender''s interlocutor, a tall man with purple hair and a mask covering half of his face. He turned to the two women behind him, both of whom wore simr masks.

    "Let''s go," Alex said to Amelia and Maya, "I''m sure we can find another tavern with a more reasonable price."

    Amelia and Maya exchanged a nce, sighed in exasperation, and then nodded.

    It had been almost an hour since they entered Eidross, and since they had no desire to explore the city, they immediately began searching for a ce to rest. They could have opted for more luxurious amodations, but Alex insisted that doing so would only draw unwanted attention. Initially, they agreed with his reasoning��it was logical, after all��but as time went on, they started to realize the truth: Alex was simply too stingy!

    The guy had looted an entire treasury filled with mountains of gold coins from a secret organization''s base and could be considered extraordinarily wealthy. Yet, here they were, at the third tavern they were visiting because Alex refused to pay a price that quite frankly didn''t even amount to a drop in his vast fortune to rent just two rooms!

    The two women sighed once again and walked behind Alex, who had already started to leave the tavern. However, just as he was about to exit, the bartender suddenly called out.

    "Wait!"

    Alex grinned under his mask and nced back at the bartender. "What is it?" he asked in a deadpan tone.

    "I will let you have the two rooms for fifteen silver coins," the bartender, who also seemed to be the owner of the tavern, offered.

    "No," Alex shook his head. "The two rooms for ten bronze coins," he counteroffered.

    Hearing his price, both the bartender and the two women behind Alex stared at him in disbelief. How could someone be so shameless as to offer such a low price for not just one room, but two?

    "Fuck you!" the bartender eximed indignantly.

    "Well, we are leaving then," Alex replied without missing a beat.

    However, just as he was about to step outside, the bartender called out to them once again.

    "Sixty bronze coins!"

    "Ten bronze coins."

    "Fifty!"

    "Ten!" Alex insisted, his right hand already pushing the tavern door open as if to show that he was dead serious. He wouldn''t pay a single coin more than ten bronze.

    Seeing this, the bartender gritted his teeth. "Twenty bronze coins, please," he said, his voice nearly trembling as though he were on the verge of tears.

    The other patrons inside the tavern looked at him in disbelief. They had never seen this big guy so defeated, and while many considered him a friend, they couldn''t help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction at his predicament. That damn swindler had iting! Suddenly, their ales tasted sweeter.

    Alex paused for a moment, considering the offer, then shook his head. "Fifteen coins. That''s my final offer."

    At this point, the bartender was grinding his teeth so hard that a faint cracking sound could be heard in the tavern, which had grown deathly silent during the negotiation.

    "Fine, fifteen coins," the bartender finally agreed, nearly spitting out the words.

    "Here are your coins," Alex said, tossing a few bronze pieces at the bartender as he walked back into the tavern.

    After picking up the coins, the bartender snorted with regret and handed Alex two keys. "First floor, the doors at the end of the corridor," he muttered.

    Normally, he would have guided the customers to their rooms if they were strangers, but the bartender wanted to stay as far away from Alex as possible.

    Taking the keys, Alex nodded and walked towards the staircase, with Amelia and Maya faithfully trailing behind him.

    The moment they disappeared from sight, a chorus ofughter and mockery erupted inside the tavern, with the bartender clearly being the target of the jokes.

    "SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU BUNCH OF DEGENERATES!" the bartender roared, his voice echoing through the tavern. "The next person I hearughing will clear all their debts today!"

    Immediately after the bartender''s outburst, the tavern fell silent. The patrons who had been mocking the bartender quickly averted their gazes and began softly whistling, trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

    Meanwhile, Alex and the girls made their way down the corridor and arrived at the two adjacent wooden doors.

    "Here, you take this room, and we''ll take this one," Alex said, handing one of the keys to Maya.

    "I hope the walls here are thick," Maya muttered, epting the key from Alex before slipping into her room.

    Alex and Amelia shared a nce and chuckled before entering their own room.

    As soon as they stepped inside and closed the door, Alex turned and pinned Amelia against it. In the next moment, their smoke masks dissolved, and Alex''s lips met Amelia''s in a passionate kiss.

    His right hand firmly gripping her waist, and his left hand holding both of her arms above their heads against the door, Alex''s lips crashed against Amelia''s with a fervor that conveyed the depth of his desire. Their mouths moved in sync, lips pressing firmly against each other. Alex could feel his sister breath hitch as he explored her mouth, their tongues entwined in a heated embrace that sent shivers down both of their spines. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the sensation of their bodies pressed tightly together, lost in the moment of their passionate kiss.

    After a while, despite Amelia''s protests, Alex managed to pull away from the kiss.

    "Wait for me here; I won''t be long," he said, giving Amelia a tender peck on the forehead.

    Before she could respond, Alex hadpletely disappeared from the room.

    Amelia traced her lips with a finger, sighing softly, "I hope he won''t be long."

    ***

    "Shit, where did he go?!" a man with a deep voice, obscured by a mask that covered his entire face, eximed.

    "I��I don''t know," a second man, also masked, replied with a hint of panic in his eyes. "I couldn''t keep up with him!"

    Before they could worry further, each man felt a powerful hand settle on their shoulders.

    "Good evening, gentlemen," a voice as smooth as silk and as sinister as the devil whispered into their ears.

    Turning slowly, the two men saw the face of the person they had been tracking smiling at them. At that moment, if not for their rigorous training to maintainposure, they might have crap their pants.

    "You see, I''m about to have one hell of a time with my wife, and I''d prefer not to have two men watching us. So, good night," Alex said with a pleasantly malevolent smile.

    With that, the two men vision blurred, and they copsed to the ground with a thud.

    Gazing down at the unconscious bodies of the two men, Alex''s smile graduallly shifted to a chilling, icy coldness.

    "It seems that our infiltration didn''t go as smoothly as I had hoped."

 Chapter 264 : A familiar group (R-18)

    Chapter 264 : A familiar group (R-18)

    "It seems that our infiltration didn''t go as smoothly as I had hoped," Alex murmured under his breath, his expression turning cold.

    Apparently, the guards here weren''t as easily fooled as he had anticipated.

    Alex nced at the men who had been spying on them and sighed, his usual careless demeanor slowly returning.

    ''If they''re only sending people to spy on us, it means they''re just suspicious. If they were certain, they would''ve acted by now,'' Alex reasoned.

    Ultimately, Alex concluded that even if they were under suspicion, it wouldn''t matter much. They were nning to leave Eidross at first light, so whatever doubts the guards had would be irrelevant soon enough.

    Still, Alex wanted to pass the night without any interruptions. He exhaled a thick, smoke imbued with a sleep-inducing attributes and forced it down the throats of the two men spying on them, ensuring they''d be out cold for a good while.

    Just as Alex was about to head back to his room, a thought struck him.

    Leaving the room, he strode purposefully to the next door down the hallway and, without hesitation, forced it open with a swift kick.

    Inside, in a sparsely furnished room, a man wearing the same attire as the others sat on a wooden chair by the window.

    Despite the noise from the door being kicked in, the man didn''t seem to notice Alex''s entrance. His entire focus was absorbed by whatever he was staring at outside the window. Even as Alex approached him, the man remained oblivious.

    Standing just behind the man, Alex tilted his head in confusion. ''What could possibly be holding his attention so intensely?'' he wondered.

    Curious, Alex leaned over to see what the man was so engrossed in, but the moment he realized what it was, he couldn''t control himself and smacked the man so hard that he was knocked out cold instantly.

    "Degenerate," Alex spat as he looked down at the unconscious man.

    Tilting his head to stare in the direction the man was looking, Alex momentarily froze. The reason for that being that at that exact moment, the sight that appeared before him was simply breathtaking.

    Through the window, Alex could see directly into the room across from his, where Maya was. Her window was open, offering an unobstructed view. As Alex watched on,  the gown she had been wearing all day slid off her body, inch by inch.

    The fabric slipped down her figure, first revealing her full, firm breasts, before continuing its descent to expose her youthful, toned body in all its glory. The gown finally pooled at her feet, leaving herpletely bare.

    Before this incredible sight, Alex felt a familiar stirring below as his lust steadily grew. His "little brother" was already hardening, pressing insistently against his pants that now felt ufortably tight.

    As he watched, Maya walked up to a wooden washtub in her room, from which steam was rising, signaling the warmth of the water. She gracefully lifted one leg over the edge, exposing her smooth, toned thigh, before stepping into the tub. But not before Alex caught a tantalizing glimpse of her delicate lower lips, adding fuel to the fire of his growing desire.

    Feeling his lust and desire for the young woman intensify, Alex forcefully tore his gaze away.

    ncing down at the man sprawled on the ground, Alex made him inhale the same sleep-inducing smoke as the other spies before swiftly exiting the building.

    Within seconds, Alex had returned to the room he shared with his sister. He scanned the room, searching for her, but the moment his eyes found her, he froze, his heart skipping a beat.

    Before him, Amelia sat on the small bed,pletely naked. She was leaning against the headboard, her legs spread wide in his direction, offering him an unabashed view of her most intimate parts.

    "I''ve been waiting for you~," Amelia purred with a seductive smile, her voice dripping with temptation.

    Looking at her stunning face and that captivating smile, Alex felt as though he could drown in her gaze.

    ''Gods, this woman will be the death of me,'' he thought as his manhood stiffened in response, ''She''s just... so irresistible.''

    Without wasting another second, Alex began to strip with an urgency that bordered on desperation. His movements were so frantic and eager that he nearly tore through his clothes in his haste to remove them. But he didn''t care��his entire focus was on the mesmerizing woman sitting on the bed, her eyes devouring him hungrily as each piece of clothing fell to the floor.

    Like a moth drawn to light, Alex crawled onto the bed towards Amelia, his stiff cock swinging from side to side as he moved.

    "I hope I didn''t keep you waiting too long," Alex murmured as his face came close to Amelia''s, feeling the warmth of her breath against his skin.

    "You took your time, but it''s okay, I forgive you," Amelia smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she leaned in to ce a kiss on Alex''s lips.

    "I''m d I have such an understanding wife," Alex grinned before pressing his lips against Amelia''s, but this time not just for a peck. He kissed her deeply, his tongue tracing the seam of her lips, seeking entrance. Amelia responded eagerly, parting her lips to wee him. Their tongues met in a passionate dance, exploring each other''s mouths with fervent intensity.

    Amelia''s hands gently cupped Alex''s cheeks, holding his face as they kissed, her touch tender yet filled with urgency. Their breaths mingled, bodies pressed tightly together, as they lost themselves in the heat of the moment, the kiss growing more profound and hungry with each passing second.

    In the heat of the moment, Amelia''s legs wrapped around Alex''s waist, locking him between her soft thighs and drawing him closer.

    Alex inwardly chuckled at seeing her eagerness. No matter how many times they did it, his sister always wanted to fuck more, and it was the same for him!

    His hands began to explore her body, tracing the curves of her waist and hips before moving up to caress her breasts. He cupped them gently, his thumbs teasing her nipples, drawing out a soft gasp from deep within her. Their bodies pressed tightly together, the heat of their skin merging as their kiss grew more intense. Amelia''s sweet and intoxicating lips driving Alex wild.

    The room quickly filled with the sound of their mingled breaths.

    After a moment, they separated and a thin line of saliva still connecting their lips could be seen. The two of them stared into each other eyes, their longing, love and lust for each other threatening to spill over.

    Without wasting a single second, Alex began to trail kisses down his sister body, his lips soft and warm against her skin. He took her big breast into his mouth, his tongue swirling around the hardened nipple as his hand continued to tease the other.

    Ahhh~

    Amelia arched her back, a moan escaping her lips as waves of pleasure coursed through her.

    The sight of her, writhing beneath him, was intoxicating to Alex. He could hear her breath hitch with each touch, her moans growing louder as hevished attention on her breasts. The feel of her soft skin under his fingertips, the taste of her warmth on his tongue, and the sound of her pleasure��all of itbined to heighten his own desire, pushing him to the brink of losing control. The intensity of the moment made it feel as if time itself had slowed down.

    Under Alex furious and sensual assault, Amelia was quickly forced to lie back on the bed, her body trembling with need. Her eyes fluttered closed, her breathing in ragged gasps as she surrendered to the sensations overwhelming her. However, the grip of her legs around Alex''s waist didn''t lessen, in fact, it had gotten even stronger than before.

    Meanwhile, Alex continued his exploration, his mouth moving lower, kissing every inch of her skin as if it were sacred ground.

    It wasn''t long before the both of them couldn''t take it anymore.

    "Take me husband," Amelia moaned in Alex''s ear in a sultry tone.

    Alex didn''t need to be told twice.

    Swiftly positioning his raging cock against Amelia''s wet lower lips, Alex paused, looking deeply into her eyes.

    Amelia''s eyes, zed with desire, met his gaze, and a soft, eager nod was all the invitation he needed.

    Slowly, he pushed into her, savoring every inch of her tight, velvety heat. Amelia''s breath hitched, her eyes fluttering closed as she took him in. Her body arched to meet his, her hips rising to deepen their connection, their bodies fitting together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle.

    Alex began to move, his hips pulling back before thrusting forward, each stroke deliberate and deep. He could feel her warmth enveloping him, her wetness coating him, making his entry smoother.

    *p*p*p*p*

    The room was soon filled with the sound of their ragged breaths and the wet, rhythmic p of their bodies meeting.

    Alex withdrew almostpletely, the tip of his cock barely inside his sister, before plunging back in, harder and deeper. Amelia gasped, her nails digging into his shoulders, her body trembling with pleasure. Each thrust was met with a moan, her body responding eagerly to his.

    The scent of their lovemaking filled the air, a heady, intoxicating mix that fueled their desire. Alex could practically taste the salt of her skin on his lips, feel the sweat beading on her forehead as their bodies moved in sync.

    The sight of Amelia beneath him, her cheeks flushed, her lips parted, was the most erotic thing he had ever seen.

    Alex increased his pace, his hips moving faster, his cock driving into her with more force. He could feel her tightening around him, her inner muscles clenching, drawing him deeper. The sound of their bodiesing together grew louder, the wet p of skin on skin echoing through the room.

    Leaning down, he captured her lips in a passionate kiss, his tongue mimicking the movements of his hips. Their bodies were slick with sweat, their breathsing in ragged gasps as they lost themselves in the heat of their passion. The world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them, their bodies joined, their hearts beating as one.

    With each powerful thrust, Alex could feel Amelia''s body responding, her moans growing louder, her breathing in short, desperate gasps. He could feel her getting closer, her body tensing, her inner muscles tightening around him. He continued to drive into her, his own pleasure building, the sensation of her body gripping his cock pushing him closer to the edge.

    It wasn''t long before their bodies reached a fever pitch, their movements bing more urgent and desperate. Alex could feel the tension building within Amelia, her moans growing louder and more insistent with each powerful thrust. Her body tightened around him, her inner muscles clenching as she neared the edge.

    Simultaneously, Alex felt his own pleasure building, the sensation of her body gripping his cock pushing him closer to his own release. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, their bodies slick with sweat as they moved in perfect sync, each thrust driving them both closer to the brink.

    With a final, deep thrust, Alex buried himselfpletely inside her, and they both shattered. Amelia''s body convulsed around him, her orgasm ripping through her with a force that left her crying out his name. At the same time, Alex''s release surged through him, his cock pulsing deep inside her as he filled her with his warmth.

    Their bodies trembled together, their breaths mingling as they rode out the waves of their shared pleasure. The room was filled with the sound of their ragged breaths and the soft, satisfied moans that escaped their lips.

    As the siblings recuperated from their intense lovemaking session, a group of people in a sorry state arrived at Eidross. If Alex had been there, he would have immediately recognized this group because it was none other than the band of nobles he had freed from the night base.

 Chapter 265 : That’s enough

    Chapter 265 : That��s enough

    "What do you mean we can''t enter?!" a young man with dirty blond hair and a sharp jawline eximed, his expression a mix of disbelief and fury.

    This young man had once been draped in fine clothes that signaled his high social standing and wealth, but now those garments were tattered, covered in mud, and stained with dried blood.

    "What part of ''you can''t enter'' don''t you understand?" a guard at the Eidross city gates retorted in an irritated tone.

    "Listen here, you little shit, you have no idea who we are or what we''ve been through to get to this damned city. So I suggest you step aside and let us pass before you regret it," another young man with rtively decent clothes interjected, stepping forward.

    This new young man was none other than Charles Drickon, the youngest child of Earl Darwin Drickon, the wealthiest earl in the entire Fiore Empire.

    Just like the other men and women behind him, Charles had once been kidnapped by the Night Group and was rescued by a man calling himself Mr. Smoke.

    While the other abducted nobles felt grateful that this man had rescued them, it wasn''t the case for Charles, as he felt it was only natural that someone rescue him from that horrible ce.

    Anyway, after they had been set free, they immediately went to find the baron in whose territory the Night base was situated.

    However, to their surprise, the baron in question refused to meet them and even refused to at least send letters to their respective families so that they could send people to retrieve them.

    Unfortunately, all of them had their spatial rings stolen by the goons of the Night, so they were unable to personally inform their families that they were now free. Truly, the people of the Night Group were despicable!

    As if things weren''t bad enough, just a few hours after arriving at the baron''s mansion, they were chased away by the baron''s guards as if they were beggars!

    Fortunately, the baron''s men had given each of them a mount, a few supplies, and a map of the empire. But even then, this gesture did not erase the humiliation those young nobles felt, and most, if not all, of them swore they would get back at the baron no matter what.

    When it came time to leave the baron''s territory, the group faced a harsh realization: none of their territories were close to their current location.

    The Night members weren''t idiots; they wouldn''t kidnap noble children only to hide them near the territories their fathers ruled or oversaw.

    When the group of young nobles realized this, a profound sense of despair and frustration took hold of them.

    Just as some of them were beginning to feel desperate, Edward Jones, the young man Charles had instructed to move, remembered something crucial: the Drazen annual auction would take ce in a few weeks. It was highly likely that most, if not all, of their families would attend or send representatives in their ce. In either case, this was a fortunate opportunity for them.

    Studying the map, they realized that the territory where this year''s auction would be held��Baron Drisidd''s estate��was closer than any of their own territories.

    Left with no other viable options, they set out towards the Drazen family auction. This decision marked the beginning of a series of misadventures and hardships that would follow in theing weeks.

    Just a few days into their journey, their group was attacked by bandits. Despite their fatigue and malnutrition, the young nobles were still several levels stronger than the mere bandits physically wise. After all, most of them, except a few noblewomen, had been trained to defend themselves from a young age. Additionally, their general mana levels were higher than those of the bandits, making it rtively easy to repel the attackers, who fled with their tails between their legs.

    However, like the despicable people they were, the bandits didn''t forget to kill a few of their mounts before fleeing. This action forced some nobles to share the same mount, while others, like Charles, who had a higher social standing, remained alone on their mount.

    Rid of the nuisance, the group resumed their journey once more. But to their greatest misfortune, they were attacked by the same horde of bandits they had defeated previously. However, this time, the bandits were much more numerous and powerful than before.

    Nheless, the group of nobles triumphed over their opponents, who once again fled when they realized they couldn''t win. However, like before, the bandits killed the horses the nobles were using as mounts, this time eradicating everyst one.

    Deprived of their mounts, the group of nobles had to continue their journey on foot, which greatly upset them, as none of them were ustomed to walking for extended periods.

    As the days passed and their supplies of food and water rapidly dwindled, their situation became exceedingly difficult. To make matters worse, they discovered they had to cross a desert to reach Baron Drisidd''s territory��a desert that wasn''t marked on the map they had been given!

    Swearing and thinking that they would definitely get back at that fucking baron, they resumed their journey. It was then that they were attacked for the third time by the previous group of bandits who were apparently following them. As before, they were much more numerous and powerful than thest time.

    What Charles and hispanions didn''t know was that the men constantly on their trail were underlings of one of the most powerful figures in the underworld, the mafia equivalent of the Fiore Empire.

    The Night organization wasn''t the only group involved in kidnapping, nor were they the first to start this kind of business. However, contrary to the Night group, which specialized only in kidnapping nobles��an information Charles and hispanions had discovered to be false��the underworld did not discriminate. They kidnapped and resold anyone who caught the attention of their godfather, and this group of nobles had definitely achieved that.

    Fortunately for them, they managed to repel this third wave as well, but this time they didn''te away unscathed. Many of them were wounded, and two of them even lost their arms.

    After that bloody battle, they were so greatly relieved to finally see the outline of a city that they rushed towards it without even bothering to look at the sign disying the city''s name. Well,even if they had seen that the city they were running to was Eidross, it still wouldn''t have deterred them. The sight of any city meant safety, respite, and a chance to recover from their grueling ordeal.

    Now, after enduring all of that, they were being told they couldn''t enter because they were nobles?! At that moment, not just Charles, but everyone in their group was seething with rage!

    "Was that a threat?" the guard asked Charles with sharp eyes after thetter finished speaking.

    "You can take it as whatever you want," Charles replied with an equally sharp expression. "All I know is that you dog will get out of my way, now!"

    As the son of an Earl and someone who had been pampered all his life, Charles had a particrly twisted view of people. Everyone who wasn''t at least of Earl rank was considered good for nothing, and those even lower than that��meaning ordinary people��were just dogs who should be ready to follow every one of their orders. So when one of those ordinary people was clearly stopping him from doing what he wanted, he immediately saw red.

    "I would like to see you make me move," the guard replied as he drew his sword and infused it with his Aura.

    Without bothering to utter another word to this underss guard, Charles activated his ability, and a spear of incandescent fire appeared in his hand.

    At that moment, a young noblewoman with cyan-colored hair, sensing that things would end badly if the situation continued to escte, tentatively called out to Charles to make him stop. On the other side, another guard also attempted to prevent his fellow guard from acting.

    Unfortunately, they were both a step toote. By the time they had opened their mouths to speak, the two men had already taken action.

    The guard brandishing his Aura-infused sword charged forward, while Charles, wielding his fire spear, did the same.

    In an instant, and before anyone could react, the two were upon each other, their weapons poised for a sh.

    However, just as their attacks were about to collide, a figure in a smoke mantle abruptly appeared between them and with a mere flick of his hand, he effortlessly neutralized both of their strikes.

    "I think that''s enough you two."

 Chapter 266 : Smoke cloak

    Chapter 266 : Smoke cloak

    "I think that''s enough, you two," Alex uttered as he stared at each of the two opponents in turn.

    Charles and the guard both stared at Alex with dumbfounded expressions. As the reality sank in��that the man before them had appeared out of nowhere and casually deflected their fierce attacks with nothing more than a backhand, and that during the entire encounter, they hadn''t even sensed his presence��a palpable fear began to take root on their faces. It dawned on them that if he had wanted to, he could have effortlessly killed them instead of merely stopping their attacks.

    Pleased with the deterrence his actions had caused, Alex nodded before releasing their weapons��well, if they could still be called that. During his intervention, the guard''s sword had shattered, while Charles''s fire spear lost its shape and copsed, dispersed by the gust of wind Alex''s hand had generated.

    In any case, thanks to his arrival, the worst had been prevented from happening. Most people here didn''t know it, but Alex had just averted a catastrophe.

    Focusing on Charles once again, a frown appeared on Alex''s face under his smoke mask.

    Feeling the attention of the man he recognized as the one who had rescued him from the Night base, Charles felt a cold chill run through his body. The man''s aura was too intimidating!

    Alex, on the other hand, couldn''t help but curse that young noble, seriously wondering how someone could be so dumb.

    Eidross was a city where the guards, civilians, and presumably the city lord all hated nobles to the bone and didn''t even try to hide it. What would happen if a group of nobles showed up and harmed one of their guards because he forbade them entry to the city? No, in fact, Alex sensed that Charles didn''t attack with the intention to wound his opponent but with the intention to kill.

    If he wasn''t trying to maintain his mysterious persona right now, Alex would have beaten the crap out of that idiot! How could a noble act without considering the consequences of his actions? What good were all the lessons he had been taught from a young age if he ignored them?!

    What Alex didn''t know was that right now, Charles and those following him were actually on edge after barely surviving several days of hell. Though even if he had known, Alex would have still found the young man''s actions idiotic. The problem was that his actions could have cost not just him, but hundreds or maybe thousands of lives.

    If Charles had killed the guard, there was a good chance that the other guards or even the civilians would have retaliated, and at that point, the group of nobles would have been finished. If it had ended there, Alex might have epted the oue, but it was clear that the families of those killed wouldn''t stand by idly. They would demand justice, and things could easily spiral out of control.

    The emperor might have ordered against attacking Eidross, but in this scenario, even he wouldn''t be able to stop the nobles from seeking retribution, unless he was willing to risk the political stability of the entire empire. In such a situation, Eidross could very well end uppletely devastated. The city was already a thorn in the side of many nobles, and given such an opportunity, they wouldn''t hesitate to do everything in their power to see it razed to the ground.

    It was just spection on Alex''s part, but he felt strongly that such a chain of events was highly likely. And judging by the expressions of the young noblewoman with cyan hair and the guard who had tried to prevent the fight, Alex wasn''t the only one who sensed that disaster could have been just a breath away.

    It was worth noting though that Alex didn''t jump to stop this current fight from happening because of the goodness of his heart or because he was some selfless hero. Well, a part of him had once been like that, though looking at how Jack ended, perhaps being a selfless hero wasn''t all that rewarding after all.

    Ultimately, the reason why Alex had rushed here, leaving the warm embrace of his naked sister, after he noticed themotion was for selfish reasons. He wanted those young noble men and women to tell their families that the one who had rescued them was Arcane, so those families might be grateful to him and favorable to his organization. If those noble youths were to die here, how would that happen?

    As Alex was thinking about his next course of action, he felt a powerful aura approaching the city gates,ing from the center of the city, and was forced to look in that direction.

    Secondster, the others also sensed the auraing towards their position and nced in the direction the owner of that aura wasing from. As they watched, a man with short, pale brown hair and skin as pale as that of vampires strode out of the city, walking in their direction with a calm and dignified gait.

    The man wore armor simr to that of the other guards, hinting at his profession, but his armor was much more refined and seemed to be made from a stronger material.

    ''Mid-level five,'' Alex assessed the man''s level as he approached, ''he seems dangerous.''

    "Captain!" all the guards in the surroundings, even the one who had been about to fight it out with Charles, saluted.

    The neer gave a short nod in acknowledgment and was about to say something when he stopped and nced at Alex, a frown quickly appearing on his face. ''He has no presence at all,'' he thought, looking at Alex with wariness.

    Seeing the wariness in his gaze, Alex chuckled inwardly, ''That''s unnerving, huh?''

    The reason the captain that just couldn''t sense Alex''s presence was the result of his newly created smoke technique that he called: Smoke cloak.

    During the past few days, he hadn''t spent all his time training his body; he had also dedicated time to study and improve his smoke maniption, and this new technique was one of the few things he achieved.

    This new technique was, in fact, very simple. He just coated the entirety of his being in smoke, and that was it!

    Since Alex couldn''t be detected inside smoke due to his sovereignty, if he coated his entire being in smoke, no one could sense him. Furthermore, because he could alter the shape, volume, or even texture of smoke, thanks to his sovereignty, all Alex had to do was shape his smoke into the appearance of normal clothes.

    However, for the technique to remain effective, Alex needed to be constantly coated in smoke; even an inch of exposed skin would make his presence detectable. This was a minor drawbackpared to the significant advantages the technique provided.

    Despite its ability topletely shield Alex from being sensed, the greatest benefit of the smoke cloak was that it prevented anyone from gauging his level. After all, how could one assess someone''s level if they couldn''t sense their presence, even when standing right in front of them?

    Thanks to this technique, Alex''s future opponents would think twice before engaging him. The inability to sense someone''s level generally suggests that the person is of a significantly higher level. Therefore, many might overestimate Alex''s true strength, assuming he is stronger than he actually is.

    This was exactly the situation with the captain of the guards. Unable to detect Alex''s presence or level, he was clearly wary and somewhat apprehensive.

    "Who are you?" he inquired after a moment.

    "Oh, no one special," Alex replied coolly, "just someone who stopped your subordinate from doing something foolish."

    The captain frowned upon hearing Alex''s response. "What happened?" he asked the guard whom he deduced Alex was referring to.

    The guard''s eyes flickered with hesitancy, but eventually, he ryed the events, though he had little choice in the matter.

    After the guard finished his exnation, the captain nodded and turned back to Alex. "From what I understand, you aren''t with this group, correct?" he asked, pointing to the young nobles.

    "No," Alex answered curtly, "I was in the city when they arrived."

    The captain nodded and retrieved a sheet of paper from his space ring. After reading it, he looked at Alex again. "I''m sorry, but I must ask you to leave with this group," the captain said.

    Upon hearing this, Alex frowned beneath his mask and asked, "Why are you asking me to leave as well?"

    Given what the guard had told him, Alex was certain the captain recognized that his intervention had likely prevented a catastrophe. Yet, instead of expressing gratitude, the captain was requesting that he leave the city?!

    "We''re just being cautious," the captain exined honestly. "You seem too suspicious, so we don''t want to take any risks."

    At this excuse, Alex''s anger red, and his expression darkened.

 Chapter 267 : Rushed departure

    Chapter 267 : Rushed departure

    "Are you fucking with me?!" Alex asked in a dark tone, not in the least bit pleased by what was being asked of him.

    The captain, however, simply shook his head with utmost seriousness. "No, I don''t have time to waste on jokes."

    ''Do I have time to waste?!'' Alex wondered inwardly, feeling his anger rise.

    Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Alex reluctantly nodded.

    Contrary to Charles and hispanions, Alex didn''t need to spend the night in Eidross. Besides the knowledge of being inside a city and surrounded by other humans, Eidross had nothing to offer Alex and his group.

    In the first ce, if it hadn''t been for Maya mentioning that there was a city ahead of them, Alex wouldn''t have even bothered trying to find a ce with other human inhabitants.

    "Very well, I will leave," Alex conceded.

    "I will go fetch myrades."

    "That won''t be necessary," the captain said, "I will send someone to fetch them in your ste��"

    "You seem to have misunderstood something," Alex interjected, his gaze shing behind his mask. "I wasn''t asking for your permission."

    Before the captain could retort, Alexpletely vanished from his position, stunning not just the captain but everyone present.

    Quickly oveing his surprise, the captain deployed his senses to epass a perimeterparable to half of Eidross, but it was useless; he couldn''t find Alex. The captain wasn''t able to feel his presence even when Alex was standing just in front of him. Now that Alex had vanished to gods know where, he was unlikely to locate him.

    Keeping his cool, the captain remembered from the report he had just finished reading that they had ced a few people to track Alex''s movements and decided to contact them.

    Unexpectedly, he couldn''t contact the agents who had been sent to spy on Alex, making him realize that they were either unconscious or dead.

    Taking a deep breath to settle his rising uneasiness, the captain turned to his men. "All of you, go search the city and find him. I want him here in less than ten minutes!"

    As the guards rushed into the city, the captain turned to the group of nobles and, with his expression still calm, ordered,

    "You don''t move."

    Meanwhile, Alex could be seen rushing through the deserted streets of Eidross in the direction of the tavern where his sister and Maya were currently resting.

    Although his actions of forcefully entering the city, even while the guards'' captain had forbidden him from doing so, could be considered idiotic and dangerous, he would have acted the same way hundreds of times if the situation repeated. Right now, Amelia was probably still sleeping naked in their bed. If he had allowed the guards to fetch her, there was a chance things could get out of control if they witnessed his sister''s naked figure.

    Of course, he understood there was only a slim chance of that happening, considering Amelia would probably sense the presence of people preparing to enter her room even while she was asleep. However, who knew what kind of abilities those sent to fetch her might have? They might possess abilities like Anna''s, allowing them to approach her unnoticed. In fact, with so many abilities and applications, predicting what might happen was impossible. If given the choice, Alex wouldn''t certainly leave things to chance and hope nothing wrong would ur.

    In a few seconds, Alex appeared in their room and swiftly awakened Amelia before informing her that they needed to leave.

    Looking out the window to confirm it was still night, Amelia yawned and asked suspiciously, "What did you do?"

    Alex, with his mask still covering his face to avoid detection by the guards, chuckled. "I did nothing."

    Seeing Amelia squint her eyes at him, Alex chuckled once again. "Really, I did nothing wrong. Quite the contrary! If those people weren''t so ungrateful, I might have even been rewarded."

    Unaware of what had happened, Amelia nodded and began to dress herself so they could leave.

    Meanwhile, Alex exited their room and went directly to Maya''s room. Without wasting time knocking, Alex forced open the door and entered the room.

    The sound of her room door being forcefully opened abruptly awakened Maya. Leaping from her bed, the young heiress took on a fighting stance as she stared in the direction of the door fiercely.

    Realizing that the one who had entered was Alex, Maya blinked in surprise before rxing.

    "We need to leave," Alex informed as he sized Maya up and down, feeling a little relieved that his training of the young woman over the past weeks hadn''t been in vain.

    "What did you do?" Maya asked with a dubious expression.

    Alex''s lips couldn''t help but twitch as Maya asked the same question as Amelia.

    Sighing, he said, "Go dress yourself," and was about to leave when he stopped and nced at Maya once again.

    "Oh, I forgot to mention," Alex said with a smirk under his mask, "you look cute in those pajamas, though you might want to properly button up your shirt." He then left the room.

    Maya froze for a moment, then with a horrified expression, she nced down at her pajamas and saw that the buttons of her shirt were undone, exposing part of her breasts.

    Her face turned beet red, and she rushed to close the door with a loud bang.

    "Why does this keep happening?!" she mumbled to herself as she hurriedly changed clothes.

    A few minutester, both girls were outside their rooms and ready to leave.

    "Why are you blushing?" Amelia inquired curiously as she nced at Maya.

    "N-Nothing!" the young woman stammered, her eyes darting around to avoid the gaze of both siblings, especially Alex''s.

    Not willing to waste time on this, Alex coated Amelia and Maya''s bodies with his smoke to conceal their identities. They then left the corridor and descended to the tavern''s bar.

    At this hour, there were fewer people inside the tavern than when they arrived, so as soon as they appeared, all eyes turned towards them.

    Ignoring the curious nces, Alex tossed a coin to the bartender. "That''s for the broken door and the trouble that''s about toe knocking."

    Without waiting for a response, Alex instructed the girls to follow him and promptly left the tavern.

    The bartender stared at the coin with confusion, which only deepened when he noticed it was a gold coin, not a bronze or silver one.

    ''Why would he give me this?'' he wondered.

    Alex had mentioned a broken door, but since when did fixing a door cost a gold coin? But hey, it''s not like he intended to refuse easy money.

    Meanwhile, outside, Alex''s group had barely walked for around five minutes when a group of about ten armored guards appeared before them.

    With wary expressions, the group of men circled around Alex and the two women. With their bronze armor and muscr bodies, they would have looked dangerous if not for the fact that they were slightly shivering in fright. After all, the man before them had vanished right before their captain''s eyes before thetter could do anything. If he had wanted to harm them, they could have done nothing to save themselves.

    Moreover, the fact that neither Alex''s nor Amelia and Maya''s faces were visible was unnerving. People tend to fear the unknown, after all.

    Just as the leader of the group of guards found his balls and was about to say something, Alex raised his hand.

    "We are already on our way to leave, so you boys shouldn''t do anything rash that you might regret."

    Hearing him, a visibly relieved expression appeared on the faces of all the guards. Instantly, they beckoned Alex''s group to follow them.

    Around ten minutester, Alex''s group, escorted by the guards, arrived at the city gates where they found the captain patiently waiting for them.

    ''He seems paler than before,'' Alex realized as he looked at the captain.

    What he didn''t know was that since the moment he had disappeared, the captain had kept his senses deployed to cover half of the city.

    Alex had never experienced it, mostly because his mind had been enhanced with the ck heart and the fact that he always used it in barrennds and for short times. However, maintaining one''s senses deployed and covering arge swath ofnd was very difficult and quickly drained one''s mental energy.

    Notwithstanding this, the captain kept his senses deployed, and that''s why he already knew of Alex and his group''s arrival even before he saw them.

    Despite knowing that they wereing, the instant the captain''s eyesnded on Alex''s figure, his anger red up like a raging inferno.

 Chapter 268 : Fury

    Chapter 268 : Fury

    The instant the captain of the guards'' eyesnded on Alex''s figure cloaked in smoke, he lost theposure he had been maintaining all this time.

    He was a man whose orders werew among his subordinates, and he wasn''t used to being contradicted in any way. What Alex had just done by sneaking into the city even after being told to leave was beyond a mere contradiction.

    In Eidross, this captain of the guards was known as a man who always remained calm, whatever the situation, even when he was angry. But the truth was, he had never truly been angered by anyone, and he himself did his best to never let himself be consumed by rage. He knew more than anyone that if something like that were to happen, then, well, gods bless the souls of those who angered him.

    The captain''s aura red up, and a savage pressure descended on his surroundings. In that instant, everyone within a kilometer of the captain stiffened. Alex and his group were no exception.

    Looking into the murderous eyes of the man whose pressure was weighing on him, a dark expression appeared on Alex''s face. At first, he thought it was just a means for the captain to assert his authority or something like that, but as time passed and the pressure only kept increasing, Alex realized that this wasn''t the case.

    The guards that were escorting them and Maya immediately copsed to their knees, struggling even to breathe.

    ncing behind him to check on Maya''s condition, Alex was surprised to find that Amelia was also suffering from the heavy pressure released by the captain. Sure, she was coping better than the rest, but judging by her pained expression under her mask and her hunched back, Alex realized that she was also suffering.

    At that moment, it was as if an explosion had gone off in Alex''s head. His usually mesmerizing silver eyes went bloodshot as his own fury exploded with a momentum no less intense than that of the captain.

    However, opposite to the captain who was so lost in his rage that he couldn''t suppress his aura and let it run wild, even to the point of harming his subordinates, Alex managed to suppress the heavy pressure he was about to emit in his fury. It didn''t mean that he was in full control of his anger though. No one would make his wife suffer and not face the full force of his wrath.

    Holding onto thest bit of sanity he had, Alex nced once again at the captain, who was steadily advancing toward him, and uttered in an icy tone that sent a chill down everyone''s spine, "Retract your aura."

    The captain snorted in response, not the least bit intimidated by Alex.

    "I suggest you do so while I''m still asking nicely," Alex continued, his tone remaining cold as ice. "Retract your aura."

    The captain only sneered, suddenlying to a realization: this cloaked man wasn''t as strong as he had initially thought. Now he was certain that Alex wasn''t at level 6. If he were, it would have been effortless for him to shatter the captain''s pressure or, at the very least, shield hispanions from its effects.

    This realization emboldened the captain, and with a sneer on his face, he asked, "What if I don''t want to retract my aura? Will you make me?"

    Alex remained silent for several seconds, his gaze piercing through the mask as he red at the captain. Then, with a slight nod of his head, he murmured in a voice only those closest to him could hear, "I see."

    In that instant, the mantle of smoke surrounding Alex rippled, and from the extremities of his right hand, a long, dark, and ominous double-headed scythe materialized. Its des were sharp and menacing, with a ck skull perched at the junction where the two des met.

    At that moment, Alex''s killing intent red up, and the only word that could describe it was: stifling.

    Since the emergence of this new Alex��the fusion of Jack and the previous Alex��he had never been so consumed by fury, nor had he ever unleashed his murderous intent to such an extent. Now that he was finally letting it loose, the sheer force of it was overwhelming, leaving most people unable to even stand upright under its crushing weight.

    The previous Alex was by no means an innocent person who had never taken a life. He had done his fair share of killing, primarily in defense of his family. However,pared to Jack��a war hero whose entire existence was forged in the fires of relentless conflict��the number of lives Alex had taken seemed almostughable. Jack had grown up in an era of war, where killing became as routine as breathing.

    The result of this lethalbination was an aura so heavy, so dense, it was nearly tangible. The guards surrounding Alex suddenly crumpled to the ground, scrambling to get away. Although the killing intent wasn''t even directed at them, they were still terrified to their very core.

    Gone was the image of the cloaked man who had exchanged jokes with hispanions as they escorted him. Instead, the chilling aura of murder radiating from him,bined with the ominous double-headed scythe he wielded, transformed him into the embodiment of the Grim Reaper.

    The captain, who had been the focus of Alex''s wrath, felt a cold sweat trickle down his spine. His earlier bravado had vanished, reced by an overwhelming urge to flee.

    But it was toote. Alex had warned him, and he had ignored that warning. Now, he was going to pay the price for hurting his wife.

    Alex''s grip on the scythe tightened as he channeled his mana into it. Perhaps sensing his unbridled fury, the scythe, which usually resisted his mana, seemed to wee it this time, feeding off his anger and glowing with a dark, ominous energy.

    Just as Alex was about to unleash his scythe upon the retreating captain, a figure dressed in elegant butler attire suddenly appeared between them.

    The neer executed a graceful bow toward Alex, his posture perfect, exuding an air of calm authority despite the intense tension in the air. "Please sir."

    There was no fear in the butler''s tone, only theposed confidence of someone who was used to handling even the most vtile of situations.

    Alex frowned and halted, giving the butler his full attention.

    "I understand that the captain of the guards may have wronged you and yourpanions," the butler said hastily. "However, the city lord requests that you forgive him and spare his life this time. In return, she will owe you a favor."

    Hearing the butler''s words, Alex''s frown deepened. Truth be told, right now, he wanted nothing more than to shred this captain to pieces, but after what he had just heard, he had to reconsider. If he went on and killed the captain as he wished, it could be seen as aplete disregard for the city lord.

    At that moment, Alex felt a soft hand gently settle over his, the one gripping the scythe. He turned his gaze to the side.

    Amelia stood beside him, beads of sweat visible under her mask, yet her eyes radiated calm andpassion. Despite her own difort, she managed a reassuring smile.

    "It''s just a little pain," she said softly, her voice steady despite the pressure she had endured. "It''s not worth taking a life over."

    Alex held her gaze for a moment, searching her face to see if she was truly alright. When he saw the sincerity in her gentle smile, he felt his rage begin to subside.

    With a sigh, he lowered his scythe, turning briefly to check on Maya. To his surprise, she stood right behind him, appearing unharmed.

    Seeing that both women were safe, Alex turned back to the butler and spoke with finality, "I won''t kill him."

    The butler began to respond, "I''m d to hear��"

    "But he will still pay for what he did," Alex cut in.

    Before anyone could react, Alex shed his scythe through the air with a swift, decisive motion.

    A fine line of dark energy erupted from the de, slicing through the air with deadly precision. It tore past the stunned butler, who could only watch in shock, and hurtled toward the captain.

    At that moment, the captain''s right arm was cleanly severed, and before it could hit the ground, the severed limb was sliced into numerous fragments by the dark energy.

    In the end, what fell to the ground was not a whole arm, but a heap of bloody, dismembered pieces, barely recognizable as the captain''s former limb.

    "Arrrgghh...."

    The captain, whose arm had just been severed, groaned in agony and stared at the bloody fragments with a mix of surprise and horror.

    Meanwhile, Alex sheathed his scythe and turned to his twopanions. "Let''s go."

    The two women nodded in agreement, and under the disbelieving and fearful gazes of the few remaining conscious guards, Alex and his group made their way out of the city.

    As they passed by the butler, he bowed twice��first to Amelia and then to Alex. "Thank you for sparing his life," he said earnestly.

    Alex didn''t acknowledge the gesture and simply continued on his path, while Amelia gave a brief nod before following suit.

    As they exited Eidross, Alex created a smoke carriage, but just as they were about to board, the group of exhausted nobles rushed toward them.

    "Wait!"

 Chapter 269 : None other than…

    Chapter 269 : None other than��

    "Wait!" a young noblewoman with cyan-colored hair cried out to Alex, who had already taken a step inside his smoke carriage.

    Turning to nce at the woman, Alex sized her up and down before inquiring in a t tone, "What is it?"

    The noblewoman stiffened for a moment when she heard his tone but quickly pulled herself together. Not one to beat around the bush, she went straight to the point, "We want you to escort us to Baron Drisidd''s territory where the Drazen auction will take ce."

    Alex remained silent for a moment before nodding, "I ept, but I won''t do it for free."

    To tell the truth, the moment Alex had noticed this group of nobles, he had in mind to propose escorting them to Drisidd��for a fee, of course. But with everything that happened with the guard captain, he had sort of forgotten about the nobles. If this young woman hadn''t stopped him in his tracks, he would have probably left without even ncing in their direction.

    The noblewoman with cyan hair nodded, "You will of course be remunerated, but... we don''t have any money on us currently," she mumbled thest part, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

    "That''s obvious," Alex replied, sizing the woman up and down again, noting her tattered clothes.

    Under his inspecting gaze, the young woman''s blush deepened, and she didn''t know what to retort.

    "Tell you what," Alex said, seeing that she had no intention of speaking soon, "I will escort you, and afterward, each of your parents will pay me," he proposed.

    The young woman didn''t hesitate for a second before nodding eagerly, her eyes shining with newfound hope.

    "What is your name?" Alex inquired, his gaze steady on the young woman.

    "Daisy Wa-"

    "Then Daisy, go tell yourrades to quickly board," Alex interjected, cutting her off before she could start boasting about her lineage and rank in her family.

    Daisy nodded absentmindedly before a confused expression crossed her face. "What are we��"

    Before Daisy could finish her sentence, Alex snapped his fingers. A portion of his smoke carriage detached and, under the baffled expressions of Daisy and the group of nobles standing a bit farther away, a new smoke carriage took shape.

    This new carriage was identical to Alex''s butrger and more spacious, able to amodate the entire group of noblesfortably. It was designed with ample room for their belongings, not that they had any belongings at this point, and enough seating to keep them from feeling cramped during the journey.

    "Go on, don''t waste my time," Alex said to the young woman, who was staring at the smoke carriage in awe.

    Alex''s words snapped Daisy out of her thoughts, and she quickly bolted back to her group to inform them of the deal she had struck with Alex.

    Her news was a great relief to the other nobles. After all, If they couldn''t stay the night in Eidross, their best option was to find a reliable escort through the mountain range that separated Eidross from Drisidd.

    Barely a minuteter, the group of nobles began boarding the carriage.

    If he hadn''t been in such a foul mood, Alex might haveughed at the sight of them cautiously testing the solidity of the smoke carriage before stepping inside with wary expressions, as if expecting it to dissolve beneath them at any moment.

    After the group was ready to depart, Alex cast a final nce toward the city gates, where the butler stood waving with a polite smile. Alex snorted before stepping into his carriage.

    Not wanting to attract attention by making the carriages take off into the air in front of so many people, Alex opted for a more discreet approach. He allowed the carriages to glide smoothly along the ground, moving away from Eidross at a steady pace.

    Once they were a few kilometers away from Eidross and confident that no one could detect his presence, Alex deactivated the smoke cloak and copsed onto the carriage seat, his body drenched in sweat. He had maintained a fa?ade of strength before the people of Eidross and the group of nobles, but in reality, he was suffering from intense pain.

    Just like the first time he had used the attack that sliced through the captain''s arm, the resulting bacsh was anything but pleasant. Not only had that single strike consumed more than half of his mana, but it had also left him in excruciating pain, every muscle in his body screaming in agony.

    Seeing her brother''s pitiful state, Amelia hurried to his side and immediately began to heal him or at least relieve his pain.

    "Why did you use the power of that cursed weapon when you knew the consequences?!" Amelia scolded him, doing her best to alleviate his suffering.

    She loved that he became enraged and sought vengeance the moment she was harmed, but just like him, Amelia hated to see him in pain.The knowledge that he could have avoided this ordeal by simply not using the double-headed scythe frustrated her even more.

    "There really was no need to attack that captain if it meant ending up this weakened," Amelia continued, her tone a mix of concern and reprimand.

    "But didn''t you like how I stood up for you?" Alex asked suddenly, a teasing smile tugging at his lips despite the pain.

    "Of course I did!" Amelia replied, her expression softening.

    "Then stopining and start pampering me," Alex shamelessly suggested, his grin widening.

    "Right away!" Amelia responded with a yful roll of her eyes. She gently massaged his temples while continuing her healing efforts, determined to ease his difort as much as she could.

    Meanwhile, Maya was staring at Alex with a slight frown on her face. It was seriously hard to reconcile the image of this shameless master before her with that of the man who had coldly chopped off the arm of a level 5.

    She had always seen Alex as someone who spent his time teasing and joking, certainly not as someone capable of emitting such a suffocating killing intent. In fact, it made her realize just how dangerous Alex could be. It also made her painfully aware that she was far from winning their bet.

    Around half an hourter, when they had sufficiently distanced themselves from Eidross, Alex brought the carriages to aplete stop and instructed the nobles to disembark and get their wounds treated.

    He handed each of them a healing smoke potion, and for those whose injuries were more severe, he asked Amelia to heal them. Meanwhile, Alex took the opportunity to lie down and close his eyes. It was time for him to rest.

    ****

    "Why did you let him go?" the captain of the guards demanded, his voiceced with resentment as he approached the butler stationed on the city walls, watching the two carriages carrying Alex and the others disappear into the distance.

    The butler nced at the captain with a nonchnt expression before shrugging casually. "Orders from the city lord," he replied after a brief pause.

    A peculiar silence settled between them until the captain, his tone softer, asked, "Do you have any idea why she ordered us to let them go?"

    The butler shook his head. "No, but I can tell you she was particrly adamant that no harme to those covered in smoke."

    He paused, carefully choosing his next words before adding, "She seemed especially protective of the man who took your arm. Judged by the way she spoke, I shudder to think what might have happened to you if you''d harmed him."

    The butler nced at the captain''s missing arm and chuckled. "I doubt you could have harmed him anyway, given how easily he severed your arm."

    "Fuck off!" the captain shouted angrily, which only made the butler chuckle again.

    "In any case, you have permission to go to Vissa to have your arm treated," the butler said, barely containing his amusement.

    The moment the captain heard the name Vissa, his paleplexion brightened, and his eyes sparkled. Before the butler could say anything more, the captain had already disappeared.

    The butler shook his head, returning his gaze to the receding carriages of Alex''s group. Even after they vanished from view, he remained on the walls for a few minutes longer, staring in their direction. Eventually, he sighed, turned, and walked away.

    Had the butler stayed on the walls just a little longer, he might have noticed a second group of people tracking the path of Alex''s carriages.

    This new group was none other than the bandits who had been tormenting the noble party for weeks.

 Chapter 270 : Madman

    Chapter 270 : Madman

    "Where am I?" Alex wondered as he opened his eyes, only to find himself in a void of absolute darkness. It was so pitch-ck that he couldn''t even see his own hands, leaving him disoriented and uneasy.

    "Am I under some kind of illusion?" Alex thought, a creeping sense of dread washing over him.

    Closing his eyes again, Alex concentrated, trying to convince himself that this was all a trick of the mind, some illusion cast by an enemy to confuse him. But when he opened his eyes, the darkness remained unchanged, surrounding him like a thick, inescapable fog.

    Before panic could fully set in, a voice echoed in his mind, one that was both familiar and unsettlingly foreign.

    "You''re too slow," the voice dered, dripping with a strange mixture of impatience and disappointment. "Painfully slow," it added the following instant.

    "Who are you?" Alex asked cautiously, his voice betraying his wariness. However, the only response was the voice repeating its earlier statement, louder this time, the words echoing through the void with an almost deafening intensity.

    As the minutes dragged on, Alex tried repeatedly to engage with the mysterious voice, to understand who or what was speaking to him. But each time, the voice only grew louder, repeating over and over, "You''re too slow!"

    The volume increased with each repetition until it felt like a relentless hammer pounding in his skull. The sound grew so intense that it drowned out his thoughts, a searing headache gripping his temples and spreading through his entire being, leaving him teetering on the edge of agony.

    "YOU ARE TOO SLOW!"

    "Ah!" Alex yelped as he suddenly sat up, his wary eyes sweeping his surroundings. Smoke began to seep from his skin, surrounding him with its usual mesmerizing purple color, though it now glowed ominously.

    After a moment, Alex recognized the familiar design of Amelia''s nt chamber and visibly rxed. He had requested this chamber for the night, worried that he might not be able to maintain the structure of the smoke carriage from copsing while he slept. This chamber, which Amelia had originally designed for their intimate moments, provided a stable environment for him to rest in.

    Once he confirmed that he was not under attack, Alex slumped onto the bed of leaves, his face covered with sweat.

    ''What was that?'' he wondered, trying to recall the dream he had just experienced. The only detail that lingered in his mind was a repeated notion of being "slow."

    He struggled for a few minutes to grasp the specifics of the dream but eventually gave up.

    As he focused on how he felt, Alex realized that he was in perfect condition. In fact, his mind felt unusually refreshed, and he noticed an enhancement in his mental faculties.

    It wasn''t that Alex mind had been enhanced by sleep, no. Rather, it was because his body, mind, and soul had been enhanced by the ck heart. This was the first time he had truly slept without worry, allowing his mind to experience a profound state of rest and rity.

    Usually, at night, Alex was either upied having sex with Amelia, training his smoke maniption, or reading the numerous books Lilia had provided him. Since his mental enhancement, the only rest he had gotten besidesst night was after his fight against the dungeon boss, and even then, he hadn''t slept nearly as much as his body needed at that time.

    Thankfully, the hot water of theke in the dungeon''s treasure room had alleviated some of his tiredness.

    After they left the dungeon, Alex began increasing his stats and as he stamina stat grew, his tiredness gradually faded away, though afterst night sleep, Alex realized that it wasn''t the case.

    With his current stamina, he could potentially go for days without needing rest if he avoided taxing efforts. However, as he had learned just now, not needing rest didn''t mean he shouldn''t rest. Skipping rest could degrade both his physical and mental performance.

    After confirming that he had fully recovered and his mana reserves were replenished, Alexy on the bed of leaves for a few minutes before standing up.

    Wrapping his purple smoke around himself, Alex stepped outside of the nt chamber.

    The first thing he noticed as he stepped outside was that the snow had resumed, and a freshyer had umted on the ground.

    The second thing he observed was that they were in a dense forest where tall trees with broad, thick leaves blocked most of the weak morning sunlight from prating through.

    Last night, he had been so out of it, struggling with the pain in his body, that he hadn''t bothered to take in the surroundings where he had stopped the carriages.

    "Awake?" Amelia''s voice called out, drawing his attention.

    Turning his gaze to the right, Alex saw Amelia looking back at him. She was holding a book and wore a wooden mask over her face.

    Approaching her, Alex ced a hand on her head to pat her gently while asking how she was doing.

    "I''m fine, though I''m a bit tired after healing so many people," Amelia replied, ncing toward a certain direction.

    Following her gaze, Alex''s eyes fell on a group of people lying on the snow-covered ground, sheltered only by makeshift coverings of leaves that offered little protection from the cold, their asional shivers evident even through theyers.

    "I wonder what they went through to end up epting sleeping on the ground like this," Alex mused to himself.

    Most nobles were ustomed to totalfort��spacious, well-decorated rooms, a host of servants at their beck and call, and wardrobes full ofvish clothing. In short, they were a pampered group. Alex was surprised to see this group of nobles enduring the harsh conditions of sleeping on the ground as if it werepletely natural to them.

    He himself being one of those pampered individuals, Alex knew how difficult it would be for him to sleep on the ground.

    "It''s not like they have much choice," Amelia remarked. "It''s either that or going without rest, and given their exhausted state, the choice was clear. In retrospect, that girl is the one who stands out," Amelia added, pointing to another direction.

    Looking in that direction, Alex saw a woman with cyan-colored hair sitting cross-legged in a meditative posture.

    "Daisy?" Alex asked, fixing his gaze on her.

    "Oh, she''s the one you were talking tost night?" Amelia raised an eyebrow. She had only heard Alex speaking to a woman but hadn''t seen her face. That had changed now.

    "Mm," Alex nodded as he continued to observe the young woman. "What is she doing, and how long has she been at it?"

    "I have no idea what she''s doing, but she hasn''t slept all night," Amelia revealed.

    "Mm, I see," Alex nodded. "I guess I''ll just ask her."

    Before Amelia could suggest leaving Daisy to her meditation, Alex had already started walking toward her, making her chuckle.

    As Alex approached Daisy, his expression grew more perplexed. There was a noticeable distortion in the air around her, making her appear blurry.

    ''Heat?'' Alex hypothesized.

    He drew closer until he was directly behind her and asked in a deep, curious tone, "What are you doing?"

    "Ah!"

    Daisy''s sudden startle made her yelp in surprise. At the same time, an intense wave of heat surged from her body, enveloping her surroundings.

    "What the..." Alex eximed as the heat mmed into his smoke armor.

    In that instant, something that left Alex utterly shocked happened.

    His armor rapidly heated up, and as the temperature soared, Alex noticed that the armor was bing denser and more resilient. But that wasn''t all. As the heat continued to intensify, the smoke armor began to glow with a brilliant orange hue, resembling steel forged in a zing furnace.

    As Alex''s curiosity grew in response to the unfolding spectacle, he sensed something was amiss. A secondter, he cursed loudly and sprinted off in a random direction.

    A split second after Alex had disappeared, a deafening explosion erupted, shaking the very earth and rousing all of the forest''s sleeping inhabitants.

    BOOOMMM!!!

    Amelia, who had been observing the entire scene from a distance, immediately dropped to her knees and raced toward the source of the explosion, her face etched with worry.

    It didn''t take her long to locate the epicenter of the st and to her astonishment, the explosion had created a crater so vast that its diameter extended over twenty meters.

    Without pausing, Amelia plunged into the thick cloud of smoke that had been expelled by the st, desperately searching for her brother.

    Fortunately, she found Alex unscathed just momentster, much to her relief.

    Alex, standing in the center of the explosion''s crater, wore an expression of surprise, shock, and confusion when Amelia found him.

    Just as she was about to ask if he was alright, Alex drew a sharp breath and erupted into uproariousughter.

    Standing there butt naked, withughter so loud it could be heard for kilometers around, Alex resembled nothing more than a madman.

 Chapter 271 : I need to make some things clear

    Chapter 271 : I need to make some things clear

    "HAHAHAHA," Alexughed so hard that tears began to form at the corners of his eyes. He waspletely naked, but it was as if he didn''t care about his nudity or the destruction around him, lost in his own amusement.

    Despite his apparent good mood, Amelia''s face was stillced with a hint of worry in her eyes. "Are you all right?" she asked as she approached her brother and put her hand over his forehead.

    Alex''s uproariousughter abruptly ceased, and his lips twitched, but it wasn''t for long as his previous smile reappeared a secondter.

    "I''m feeling fine," Alex said as he patted Amelia''s hand reassuringly. "In fact, I''m feeling great. I''ve just realized a couple of things, and that''s why I''mughing."

    Since he hid it well, Amelia hadn''t been able to pick up on it, but for the past couple of days, Alex had been feeling anxious. His progress in his smoke maniption seemed to have stalled, and it greatly worried him.

    He wasn''t sure if the problem wasing from him or if it was just that the smoke element didn''t have as much potential as he thought, but the fact remained that for the past few weeks, Alex hadn''t managed to discover any interesting capabilities of his smoke element.

    Usually, due to his sovereignty, it was as if the smoke element whispered in his ear, telling him all of its secrets, but it had been quite a while since he''d heard those whispers. At some point, he even thought that the problem might have been within himself.

    After the heat released by Daisy hit his smoke armor, he had realized that the problem indeed came from him! He had been trying to applymon sense to his smoke element, something that he now understood was quite foolish.

    For all this time, he hadn''t tried to think outside the box to evolve his smoke element mastery. The proof of that was the only technique he created and was sure no one else with the same smoke element could achieve was the smoke knight.

    Besides the smoke knight technique, all the other things he could do with the smoke element��like being able to teleport in a smoky environment, the smoke cloaking, the ability to change the physical characteristics of smoke, and other feats��could have been achieved by someone else if they had the same sovereignty over smoke as he did. Basically, those techniques are linear progressions as long as you have a sovereignty.

    However, just now, he had realized something that gave him hope in progressing with his smoke mastery: his smoke was conductive of heat, at least the smoke he could control was.

    As the heat emanating from Daisy collided with his smoke armor, the smoke constituting the armor had quickly heated up and then its color changed, taking on the glow of steel that had been heated.

    Alex was certain that if things had continued this way, the next step would have been his smoke armor melting!

    The notion of something made of smoke melting was so absurd that Alex never thought it would be possible, but at the same time, this thought made him realize that applyingmon sense to the smoke under his control was asinine. After all, from the moment he had be a sovereign, nothing he did with his smoke element was normal.

    Being able to change the physical properties of smoke at will to make it as solid as steel, as soft as silk, as adhesive as tar, or topletely mask his presence in smoke so that even his level couldn''t be deduced��nothing about those feats was something a normal smoke user could pull off; they were unique to him because he was a sovereign.

    In thosest moments before everything went boom, he had not only deduced that his smoke was conductive with heat, but also that it could trap this heat. With just this knowledge, Alex already had a few ideas on how to boost his smoke''s effectiveness in battle.

    He had also noticed another thing, and this was one of the reasons he was in such a good mood currently. Instead of relying on an external source of heat, he could raise the temperature of his smoke himself!

    He didn''t quite know how to do that right now, which was why he still needed Daisy''s help, but he was certain he could achieve this feat.

    ''I''ll have to find a way to make sure it doesn''t explode, though,'' Alex thought, ''or I''ll have to extract the explosive smoke from the mix.''

    Ultimately, the reason why his smoke armor had exploded was because it contained the green explosive smoke that ignited on contact with fire. Apparently, it didn''t only need fire to explode�� even a high enough heat would trigger the same reaction, causing it to detonate. This realization meant he had to be careful with theposition of his smoke armor, especially if he nned to manipte heat in the future.

    Alex refocused on Amelia, only to see her staring at his body with flushed cheeks and a slightly ragged breath. She was seductively nibbling on her lips, and even when Alex''s attention shifted to her, she didn''t seem to notice.

    "Like what you see?" Alex teased with a smile.

    "Ah," Amelia gasped in surprise before eventually nodding her head, "very much so."

    She took a step towards him and ced her hands on his well-defined abs, "You are very hot."

    Alex grinned and wrapped his arm around Amelia, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed together. "You vixen, are you trying to seduce me?" he whispered.

    "Is it working?" Amelia asked with a mischievous smile. By now, she had already removed her wooden mask, allowing Alex to admire her exquisite face and her tantalizing, plump lips. Her eyes sparkled with desire, and her fingers traced slow, deliberate patterns across his chest, as if savoring the feel of his skin.

    "I think you already know the answer," Alex replied with a sly grin.

    "Yeah, I can definitely feel the effect I''m having on you," she said as her small and delicate hands traveled down from his lower abs to his hardening manhood. "I''m surprised that you are already this hard; I have to say, I''m quite ttered."

    As she said this, Amelia firmly gripped Alex''s cock with considerable difficulty due to its impressive girt. Her hand began to rub up and down, her fingers barely able to wrap around his thick shaft as she stroked him with a mixture of eagerness and finesse.

    "Are you not worried that someone might walk in on you giving your brother a handjob?" Alex suddenly asked, his eyes closing to better savor the sensation of Amelia''s hand slowly massaging the length of his cock.

    "Firstly, no one knows we''re siblings. Secondly, with this thick smoke surrounding us, no one will see anything. And by the time they could see, we''ll already be done," Amelia whispered seductively in his ear, her voice as enchanting as a siren''s call drawing sailors to their doom. "And thirdly, who said anything about just a handjob? I could take that juicy, hot thing in my mouth instead. You''d like that, wouldn''t you?"

    Alex''s grin widened, his eyes narrowing with yful mischief. "I''d definitely love that, but are you sure you can finish me before this smoke disappears?" he teased, clearly relishing their provocative exchange.

    "Of course I can... wait, what''s wrong?" Amelia''s flirtatious smile faded as she noticed Alex''s sudden shift in focus, his gaze snapping sharply in the direction where the nobles were resting.

    "They''re under attack," Alex said calmly, his tone losing its yful edge as he focused on the unfolding situation.

    Amelia, who had been entirely focused on Alex, quickly redirected her attention. As soon as she concentrated, she sensed themotion��arge group of attackers had surrounded the nobles, who were now fully awake and scrambling to respond.

    "Sorry, sis, but we''ll have to postpone this," Alex apologized, his voice tinged with regret.

    "Too bad for you, I guess," Amelia teased with a wink, releasing her grip on Alex''s member.

    "Oh, we''ll definitely resume soon," Alex assured her with a wicked grin before pulling her into a deep, passionate kiss.

    After a few seconds, he reluctantly pulled away, his expression shifting to one of resolve. With a swift gesture, he summoned a newyer of smoke armor to encase his body and formed a smoke mask for Amelia to conceal her identity.

    "Let''s go," hemanded, and without further dy, the two of them took off.

    Within moments, Alex and Amelia returned to their camp, only to find that a group of about fifty bandits hadpletely encircled the nobles. Despite their numbers, Alex didn''t sense much danger. Most of the attackers were at level 1, with a few slightly stronger ones. Only four were at level 3, and just one had reached level 4.

    Clearly, whoever these attackers were, they had no idea who they were dealing with. Had they known that Alex and Amelia were with these young nobles, they would never have dared to attack. At the very least, they would have waited to gather another level 4batant beforeunching their assault.

    Unfortunately for them, they had just unwittingly stepped into a world of trouble.

    Alex and Amelia''s arrival did not go unnoticed, mostly due to Amelia''s imposing aura. The moment they appeared, all eyes turned toward them.

    As soon as Charles spotted Alex and Amelia, he shouted, "Hey, where were you, damn it! Can''t you take your job seriously? We''re paying you!"

    He cast a disdainful nce at Amelia and muttered under his breath, "That''s why I hate hiring ipetents. Instead of protecting me, he was off wasting time with that��"

    What Charles failed to realize was that, though he was speaking softly, to someone like Alex, who could hear sounds from kilometers away, his muttering was as clear as if he were shouting.

    Before Charles could finish his sentence, Alex was on him in an instant, sending his body crashing against the bark of a nearby tree.

    Landing in front of the stunned and coughing noble, Alex red down at him coldly and stated, "I think I need to make some things very clear here."

 Chapter 272 : Amelia vs the bandits

    Chapter 272 : Amelia vs the bandits

    "Let''s make some things clear here," Alex said coldly, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife as he stared down at Charles, who was still violently coughing on the ground.

    Without a moment''s hesitation, Alex reached down and grabbed Charles by the neck, effortlessly lifting the arrogant noble into the air with a single hand. Charles'' legs dangled helplessly, his feet kicking at empty air as he struggled against Alex''s iron grip.

    "Firstly, I''m not your subordinate, nor am I your dog. I''m here to escort you, nothing more. If you ever try to order me around again, consider yourself dead," Alex stated with a chilling calm that sent an icy shiver down Charles'' spine.

    Alex was well aware of the delicate bnce he had to maintain. Hurting or killing one of these young nobles could have serious repercussions; instead of gratitude, their families might turn against his organization, seeing any aggressive act as a direct provocation. However, there were boundaries that couldn''t be crossed. If the price of maintaining respect was to make a few powerful enemies, then so be it. He needed to show these nobles that his organization was not there to be bullied or manipted; otherwise, these families wouldn''t hesitate to try and take advantage of them.

    "Secondly, if you ever show any disrespect toward me or mypanions, you are dead," Alex continued, his tone cold and unwavering, each word carrying the weight of his threat.

    He swept a nce over the group of nobles and added, "These two rules apply to all of you."

    A collective gulp of fear resounded through the group as the nobles meekly nodded their heads, clearly shaken by Alex''s imposing demeanor.

    Refocusing on Charles, Alex leaned in slightly and asked, his voice low but menacing, "Are we clear?"

    At that moment, staring into Alex''s intense silver eyes, Charles felt his heart constrict, and for the first time in his life, he experienced true fear. In his terrified state, he didn''t even realize as he lost control of his dder, a small stream of yellow liquid trickling down his legs.

    "Y-Yes, w-we are c-clear," Charles managed to stammer after a moment, his voice barely above a whisper.

    "Good," Alex said, his tone still ice-cold as he released Charles, who copsed onto his backside with a heavy thud.

    After this brief but impactful altercation, Alex turned his attention to the bandits who had been watching the scene unfold with confusion. Weren''t they supposed to be the ones attacking here?

    "Gentlemen," Alex greeted with a polite nod to the bandits, "how may we assist you today?"

    Alex''s calm and somewhat courteous tone caught the bandits off guard. This wasn''t the reaction they had anticipated, especially after the disy of dominance Alex had just shown.

    The lone level 4 bandit among the group stepped forward, his eyes darting briefly to Amelia before he spoke in the most intimidating voice he could muster. "Hand over the group of silver-spooned brats and all your belongings, and we might consider letting you go," he paused, giving Amelia another nce before adding, "just the two of you."

    "I''m afraid we can''t amodate your request," Alex replied calmly, "as you may have noticed, those ''silver-spooned brats'' are under our protection."

    Before the level 4 bandit could voice another threat, Alex gave a subtle nod to Amelia. Instantly, the branches of the towering trees surrounding them thickened and stretched with uncanny speed. With a swift motion, they ensnared several of the bandits in a vice-like grip.

    A moment ago, the bandits seemed intimidating, their numbers in the hundreds. But in the blink of an eye, the majority were captured, thrashing helplessly against the branches that had tightly bound them, their previous bravado now reduced to panic and desperation.

    There were some of them that managed to escape though, namely three level 3s and one at level 4.

    Two of the level 3 had fire-based abilities that allowed them to burn down the branches trying to imprison them, while another had wind control ability that allowed him to slice through the dense foliage.

    The level 4, on the other hand, pulled out a long broadsword he had been carrying on his back and effortlessly cut down the branches obstructing his path.

    It was at that moment that Amelia took action. In a blink, she appeared before the level 3 weaving through the branches and with tremendous momentum, shended a punch directly at the man''s sr plexus.

    The bandit''s body curled into a U-shape as he was sent hurtling through the air with astonishing speed before violently crashing against the bark of a tree. The collision instantly created a massive cloud of dust and splintered wood with debris flying in all directions.

    "Ouch, that must have hurt," Alexmented as the cloud of debris settled, revealing the battered and unconscious figure of the man.

    Meanwhile, before the bandit had even crashed against the tree bark, Amelia had already shifted her focus. Quickly appearing before the two men who had been burning down the branches, now with stunned expressions, Amelia darted between thes of burning branches and waves of fire. She kicked one of the two men in the head, sending him sprawling into the distance, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

    The second man, however, was ready for Amelia. With a wave of his hand, several fireballs the size of human heads sped toward her with relentless force, intent on incinerating her.

    Maintaining her calm, she raised her hand, and the surrounding trees extended to form a shield around her. However, the shield of branches didn''tst long and was swiftly burned down by the mes. To the surprise of the attacker, after the shield had crumbled to ash, Amelia was no longer there.

    His eyes darted left and right trying to locate her, but before he had the chance to find her, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. His vision blurred and he fell unconscious.

    At that exact moment, the level 4 had finally shed down all the branches attacking him. He stared at Amelia''s tantalizing figure and sneered, "I''m going to have fun ying with you," he said as he lecherously licked his lips.

    Amelia snorted coldly and raised her hand in the man''s direction. At that moment, the ground around the man shattered, and a towering tree sprouted in its ce. Well, calling it a tree might not be entirely urate, as the nt had neither leaves nor flowers. It was simply a thick trunk that seemed extraordinarily resilient.

    Taking advantage of the moment, Amelia had subtly nted the seed of this tree while using her earlier shield of branches. Now, under the nourishment of her mana and the soil, the tree grew rapidly, towering over every other tree in the forest. It developed branches as thick as the trunks of the smaller trees around it. These branches then extended toward the level 4 with precision and speed that bordered on impossibility.

    The sneer on the bandit''s face disappeared in an instant, reced by a serious and cold resolve. Gripping the hilt of his broadsword with such intensity that his knuckles whitened, he channeled his mana into his muscles and shed with all his might.

    SLICE! SLICE! SLICE!

    The bandit''s sword was like an extension of his will as it sliced apart all the branchesing for him, leaving only the sturdy trunk of the tree standing.

    Taking a breath, the bandit ced his sword on his shoulders, and his previous sneer reappeared. "I can do this all day long."

    "I see, but I don''t have all day to y with you, so we will have to finish this now," Amelia said with a shrug.

    At that moment, the bandit suddenly stumbled forward and had to concentrate all his willpower to avoid copsing. His eyes turned bloodshot as his vision blurred.

    "Wh-what''s going on?" he managed to mutter with great struggle as his eyelids grew heavier with each breath he took.

    "That tree whose branches you just cut down is called Sylvive," Amelia calmly exined. "It generally grows in the forests south of Imperion, where it''s not umon to find creatures that can uproot or sh it down. To survive, the Sylvive had to adapt. One of its adaptations is its incredibly resistant bark, but another is that it produces a gaseous substance when cut. While this substance heals the tree, it also contains a powerful sedative that can render even the most formidable creatures unconscious within seconds."

    Hearing this exnation, the man gritted his teeth in frustration. He had been defeated without even having used his ability!

    It couldn''t be helped; he had been wary of Alex making a move all along and didn''t go all out for fear of exhausting himself before Alex took action. That was a grave mistake he would deeply regret.

    Despite his best efforts, he copsed on the ground secondster.

    "Well, that''s done," Amelia said, dusting off her hands.

    "Well done," Alex said as he patted Amelia, who seemed to purr under his touch.

    "Now," Alex nced at the still-conscious bandits, "let''s move on to the next step."

 Chapter 273 : As expected

    Chapter 273 : As expected

    "Now, let''s move on to the next step," Alex said as he swept his gaze over the hundreds of still-awake bandits.

    "Who are you guys, and why did you attack us?" he asked, directing his question to no one in particr, but hoping someone would speak up.

    The bandits held in captivity had look of fear as they gazed at him and Amelia, but despite that, no one replied to his queries, prompting him to ask once again, but even then, no one answered. This made Alex thinking, ''Either they''re staying quiet out of loyalty, or they''re bound by a contract that prevents them from revealing anything.''

    Although the first possibility was usible, Alex leaned more toward the second. Just like the previous captives of Night who had be his subordinates, these bandits might have signed a soul-binding contract that forbade them from disclosing any information. All that was needed was a soul contract able to bind several people at the same time.

    ''This is going toplicate things,'' Alex realized.

    His mind raced to find a way to bypass their inability to speak. The only solution he could think of was to use another contract himself. If he was fortunate, there might be a loophole in their original contract that he could exploit, allowing him to extract the answers he needed. The problem, however, was that he had no knowledge of the terms of the contract they had signed.

    After pondering for a few minutes, Alex decided to abandon this line of thinking.

    ''I''ll try my luck with this guy after he wakes up. Perhaps he didn''t sign a contract like the others,'' Alex thought as he gazed at the unconscious body of the level 4.

    ''Meanwhile...'' Alex nced behind him at Maya, who stood among the group of nobles. "Come here," he called out.

    The young heiress, standing amidst the nobles, stepped forward. Unlike before, she no longer wore a mask.

    Alex didn''t want anyone to suspect that Maya or her family had any connection with his organization, sost night, he had instructed her to remove her mask. The group of nobles had been quite surprised when they realized who she was, but in the end, they epted it when Maya exined that, like them, Alex was merely escorting her to her family.

    Alex wasn''t overly concerned about people linking his organization to the Drazen family. After all, if things went well, there might even be some sort of partnership with them in the future.

    After calling her over, Alex didn''t immediately speak to Maya. Instead, his gaze swept across the captured bandits until itnded on a particr woman.

    He nodded to himself and instructed Amelia to release the bandit.

    Amelia obeyed and let the woman go. With a bewildered expression, the bandit woman watched as the branches that had held her captive released their grip. She didn''t attempt to flee though, knowing that it would be futile. Instead, she just stared at Alex, waiting to understand why she had been set free.

    Pointing at Maya, Alex said, "You will fight this young woman here in hand-to-handbat. If you manage to win, you can go free."

    Both the woman and Maya blinked in confusion before the young heiress eximed indignantly, "What the hell?!"

    Alex grinned under his mask and added, still looking at the bandit, "You don''t have to hold back your strength, but you''re forbidden from using any abilities or mana."

    The bandit nodded absentmindedly before focusing on Maya, a hidden glint shing in her eyes.

    Maya, who was under the scrutinizing gaze of the woman, didn''t seem to pay her much attention though. Leaning closer to Alex, she whispered, "What are you doing?"

    "That''s part of your training," Alex said in a tone that was both stern and authoritative, much like a master instructing his disciple. Still, Maya could swear she detected a hint of amusement in his voice. "What, did you really think I would be the only one you''d ever have to fight against in your life?"

    "No, but..." Maya nced uneasily at the bandit. "She''s at the high tier of level 1 while I''m only at the lowest tier!"

    "And?"

    "And she''s much stronger than me!"

    "Don''t worry," Alex reassured her, "I instructed her not to use her mana or abilities for that reason."

    Despite this reassurance, Maya was still hesitant. Even without using her mana or abilities, the bandit woman was stronger by virtue of being at a higher tier and having greater mana reserves. The gap in their strength was evident, and it left Maya feeling apprehensive.

    Just as Maya was about to voice her concerns, Alex gave her a light tap on the head. "Stop being so cowardly," he said, his voice colder than usual. "You won''t always face opponents who are on the same level as you. More often than not, you''ll either be stronger or weaker than your enemy. If you''re too afraid to fight someone with such a handicap, you might as well stop training altogether."

    His words hit Maya like a hammer to the gut, echoing in her mind. But after a few moments, a determined expression formed on her face, and she nodded resolutely.

    Without saying another word and under Alex''s approving gaze, she stepped forward, approaching the bandit woman and adopting a fighting stance.

    Turning to Amelia, Alex instructed, "Keep an eye on the fight. If anything bad happens or if Maya is in real danger, intervene immediately."

    "You''re not going to watch the fight?" Amelia asked, slightly surprised.

    "I already know who''s going to win," Alex replied with a wave, walking over to a familiar young woman with cyan-colored hair who was seated a bit further away, meditating.

    "I need your help with something," Alex said as he sat cross-legged in front of Daisy.

    Just like before, Daisy''s eyes snapped open, and she yelped in surprise. This time, however, there was no burst of heat emanating from her body.

    "Y-Yes, what can I do for you?" she asked, trying to regain herposure, though it was clear she found it challenging to remainposed in Alex''s presence.

    Despite noticing her nervousness, Alex didn''tment on it. Instead, he asked, "Does your ability allow you to control heat?"

    Daisy was caught off guard by the question but quickly nodded. "Yes, I can absorb and control the heat around me," she exined.

    "Oh, so that''s what you were doing earlier when I interrupted you? Absorbing heat?"

    Daisy nodded, her expression turning a bit gloomy. "Unfortunately, when you interrupted me, I lost a good portion of the heat I had managed to absorb," she confessed before waving her hands apologetically. "N-not that I''m ming you."

    Alex chuckled and was about to say something when he heard a muffled groan of pain. Turning back, he saw the bandit woman stumbling backward, trying to create some distance between herself and Maya while clutching her bleeding, broken nose.

    Maya, however, didn''t let up. Like a relentless predator, she charged at the woman. After deftly dodging the bandit''s desperate kick, she spun on her heel and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the bandit''s side, sending her sprawling to the ground.

    Seeing this, Alex nodded in approval before turning back to Daisy. "Can you help me with a little experiment?" he inquired.

    Snapped back to attention, Daisy nodded, a curious expression spreading across her face.

    "Good," Alex said, nodding once more.

    Under hismand and to Daisy''s amazement, a ball of smoke the size of a human head detached itself from his armor. Although it originated from his smoke armor, this new smoke seemed slightly different. It retained the same dominant purple color butcked the subtle hints of green that usually swirled within it. This was because Alex had removed the explosive properties from this specific batch of smoke.

    "Try to direct the heat under your control into this," Alex instructed, sending the ball of smoke to hover in front of Daisy.

    She nodded, closing her eyes in concentration. Momentster, a faint shimmer appeared around her, and the temperature in their little corner began to rise. But this increase was brief. Under Daisy''s control, the heat seemed to coalesce and flow directly into the hovering ball of smoke.

    At that moment, Alex felt a shift. The smoke became noticeably denser, its form bing more substantial. As more heat was funneled into it, the smoke slowly started to solidify, taking on a semi-solid, almost tangible shape.

    ''Hmm, interesting,'' Alex thought to himself, intrigued by the transformation.

    Just as he was about to ask Daisy to increase the heat further, he heard a heavy thud behind him.

    ncing back, he saw that the bandit woman had copsed to the ground, a pained expression etched on her face, indicating the intensity of the fight.

    ''As expected,'' Alex thought with a smile.

 Chapter 274 : Synergy

    Chapter 274 : Synergy

    ''As expected,'' Alex thought with a small smile.

    As he had told Amelia, he already knew who was going to win. The bandit woman was certainly stronger than Maya in terms of physical strength, but if physical power alone determined the oue of a fight, Alex and the other members of his branch wouldn''t have been so thoroughly defeated by Lilia.

    Fighting style and strategy were just as crucial as brute strength, and in those areas, Maya was clearly superior to this woman. Although Mayacked experience, her technique and adaptability allowed her to ovee opponents stronger than herself. In fact, if Alex had been at her level, Maya might have even managed to put some pressure on him during their sparring sessions.

    What even Alex hadn''t predicted was that Maya would emerge from the fightpletely unscathed. Aside from the slight sheen of sweat on her face, there was no indication that she had just fought someone more than a tier above her, proving that despite her initial hesitation, she was more than capable of handling her opponent.

    Alex''s surprise didn''t end there though. After pausing to catch her breath, Maya turned in his direction and requested to fight another bandit.

    Alex blinked in surprise before nodding. Scanning the group of captured bandits, his gazended on another woman who was at the high tier of level 1, and he instructed Amelia to release her. After offering her the same deal as the previous opponent, the fight began in earnest.

    As Maya and the new bandit squared off, Alex refocused his attention on Daisy.

    "Can you increase the heat?" he asked.

    "Yes, but it won''tst long, and afterward, I won''t be able to do the same until I absorb more heat again," Daisy exined, a hint of strain in her voice.

    Alex nodded, understanding her limitations, and instructed her to go ahead.

    Focusing intently, Daisy released all the remaining heat she had stored into the air, then concentrated it toward the ball of smoke, which was nowrger than before.

    As the heat intensified, the solidification of the smoke ball continued. However, Alex didn''t want it to fully solidify just yet.

    What he hadn''t anticipated was that it would be much harder than he thought to keep the smoke in its gaseous state. However, he managed to do so by increasing the size of the ball; as more heat was absorbed, the smoke expanded and its density increased. By allowing the ball to growrger, he maintained its gaseous form despite the rising temperatures.

    Once the smoke ball grew to be asrge as Alex himself, Daisy could no longer channel any more heat. She gasped for breath, her skin glistening with a cold sweat. Her lips turned a faint shade of blue, a sign that her body temperature was dropping dangerously low��a ssic symptom of early hypothermia.

    This sudden change quickly caught Alex''s attention. He allowed the smoke encasing his arm to retract and ced a hand on the gasping girl, immediately noticing how cold she felt to the touch. He knew that she wouldn''t die from this, but she was clearly suffering. Although he had asked for her help, he hadn''t expected her to push herself to this extent. There was no obvious reason for her to go so far��at least, none that he was aware of.

    A pang of guilt shed through him, but it didn''tst long.

    Alex sharply raised his head to face the massive ball of smoke, which was subtly shifting in color.

    ''It''s losing its attributes,'' Alex realized. The smoke''s various properties were still present for now, but he could tell that, given more time, they would dissipatepletely.

    For the moment, he ignored Daisy and focused on the ball of smoke, willing it to shrink. That''s when he encountered an unexpected resistance.

    Since bing the smoke sovereign, Alex had never experienced pushback when using his abilities; the smoke always obeyed him effortlessly, like a shadow moving in perfect sync with its caster.

    However, for the first time, he felt genuine resistance, as if the smoke had taken on a will of its own.

    Rather than being deterred, Alex felt a thrill at this new challenge. He channeled his mana into the ball of smoke, strengthening their connection, and thenmanded it to shrink.

    To his surprise, it took more than half a minute and an unusuallyrge amount of mana before the smoke began topress.

    The more it shrank, the harder it became to continue reducing its size. Simultaneously, as the ball shrunk, it began to glow with an intense orange hue, reminiscent of molten steel. Alex could feel the various attributes of his original smoke��such as its healing attribute��disappearing one by one, until none remained.

    Once the attributes were gone, Alex managed to reduce the ball of smoke back to its initial size. But when he attempted topress it further, he encountered yet another barrier.

    The smoke ball, which he had worked so hard to keep in its gaseous state, suddenly solidified. Despite his best efforts, he couldn''t revert it to gas��unless he increased the ball''s size again.

    After a few more futile attempts, Alex abandoned that endeavor and focused onpressing the smoke further.

    This process was mentally exhausting, but he was determined.

    Meanwhile, Maya had defeated her second opponent and realizing that Alex was too focused on his task to notice, she turned to Amelia and asked her to release another captive. Without waiting for further instructions, Maya engaged in another bout, demonstrating her growing confidence andbat skills.

    After what felt like an eternity and using more mana than he had anticipated, Alex seeded in shrinking the hardened ball of smoke to a size small enough to fit in his hand. However, as he tried topress it further,  another change took ce.

    The ball of smoke began to lose its form, gradually melting into a liquid state.

    Even more surprising, Alex found that he could still control this liquefied substance!

    ''It seems that the more Ipress it, the hotter the internal heat bes, eventually reaching a point where the smoke essentially melts,'' Alex deduced.

    To both his and Daisy''s shock, who had managed to recover somewhat, not a single trace of heat escaped the ball of smoke. The heat within was so intense that it was practically melting the smoke itself, yet there was no warmth detectable in the immediate surroundings. The contained heat was so concentrated and insted that it created a perfect barrier, keeping every bit of energy trapped inside.

    ''I feel that I can turn it outward though,'' Alex mused mentally.

    Although controlling the smoke had be increasingly challenging, releasing the trapped heat outward seemed as simple as flipping a switch for Alex. He suspected that doing so might even make controlling the smoke easier, reducing the effort required by several notches.

    ''Not for now, though,'' Alex said as he refocused. He continued to shrink the smoke��well, at this point, it wouldn''t be right to call it shrinking; it had stopped shrinking long ago. Now what he was doing waspressing the heat energy further and further into the smoke, intensifying its density and energy to extreme levels.

    Momentster, the smoke had fully liquefied, and a globule of molten smoke hovered in front of Alex and the still-stunned Daisy. It was at this point that he decided to allow the heat contained in the smoke to radiate outward.

    That turned out to be a grave mistake on Alex''s part. As soon as he did so, both he and Daisy were hit with an unbearable wave of scorching heat.

    Alex''s smoke armor immediately began to thicken, absorbing and radiating heat. Had he not swiftly eliminated the explosive attribute from his armor, it would have likely detonated right then and there.

    Daisy, however, was not as quick to react. Although her ability allowed her to absorb heat, the sheer intensity radiating from the molten smoke was overwhelming. The sharp sizzle of burning flesh echoed around them as her skin began to blister and char. Fortunately for her, her bloodline kicked in at that moment, dulling the pain and minimizing the damage.

    Instead of seizing this chance to move away though, Daisy closed her eyes and began to focus on absorbing as much heat as possible. It turned out to be quite difficult, especially with her bloodline interfering, but she pressed on with determined focus.

    Meanwhile, Alex stabilized his armor by creating a dense mana barrier around his body, designed specifically to repel the intense heat.

    Due to the intense thermal energy emanating from the molten smoke, the snow surrounding Alex within a ten-meter radius melted rapidly, and the resulting water quickly turned into steam.

    ''It''s giving off even more heat than it initially absorbed,'' Alex realized, concentrating on the molten smoke, ''I must admit, the synergy between smoke and heat is remarkable,'' he reflected after a moment of consideration.

    Given the way elements interact in this world, there is a synergistic bnce between different elements. For instance, the fire element pairs well with wind but shes with water.

    At this point, the sharpest might wonder why speaking of a synergetic bnce between elements when referring to heat and smoke. The answer to that is that in this world, just as smoke is considered an element, heat is also considered an element. It''s just more conceptual.

    And as Alex had discovered from reading the books Lilia provided, heat, much like smoke, was also ssified as a lower-tier elemental ability.

    ''Should I attempt to acquire the heat element as well?''

 Chapter 275 : Arrival (1)

    Chapter 275 : Arrival (1)

    ''Should I attempt to acquire the heat element as well?'' Alex seriously pondered.

    Given the synergy between the smoke and heat elements, acquiring the heat element might be advantageous. Moreover, since it was also ssified as a low-level ability, it likely wouldn''t require too many soul points.

    Alex considered this for a while before ultimately deciding against it. At the moment, he didn''t feel a pressing need for the heat element. After all, he was convinced that as his mastery over the smoke element increased, he could manipte the temperature of his smoke without external aid. There was no immediate necessity to spend soul points��which he was currently trying to umte��on copying an ability.

    Furthermore, there wasn''t a heat control ability among those Lilia possessed. In fact, the only person he had ever known to wield such power was Daisy herself. Thus, if he wished to acquire the heat ability, he would need to find a way to integrate her into his harem.

    ''It might not be such a bad idea,'' Alex thought as his gaze shifted toward Daisy.

    While Daisy might not have been the most stunning woman Alex had everid eyes on, she was undeniably attractive in her own right. With her cyan hair framing her delicate features and her emerald green eyes that sparkled with calm attitude, she possessed a charm that was hard to ignore. Her small button nose and full, inviting lips further adding to her appeal.

    At this moment, she was no longer wearing her tattered dress; instead, she had changed into a more modest outfit that Amelia had given her. Despite the dress''s conservative cut, it still clung to her form enough to reveal the subtle curves of her ample chest.

    Also, for a noblewoman, Daisy possessed a surprisingly toned and athletic physique, a testament to her rigorous training and disciplined lifestyle.

    To top it all off, she possessed a kind of innocence that was very appealing to Alex. Given his nature as the carrier of the Sin of Lust, he was constantly gued by a craving to corrupt and defile pure, innocent young women.

    Feeling his gaze, Daisy broke out of her meditation. As her eyes fluttered open, they met his, those hypnotic silver orbs that seemed to bore into her soul. An inexplicable shiver ran down her spine, feeling like prey under the gaze of a predator.

    "I-Is there something you want?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

    "I was just checking on you," Alex responded in a surprisingly gentle tone.

    The sudden shift caught Daisy off guard, but she managed to hide her surprise and simply nodded. "I''m fine, but even though I absorbed more heat, I can''t assist you further at the moment."

    "That''s alright," Alex reassured her, his tone still warm. "You can always help meter, once you''ve fully recovered." He then turned his attention back to the smoldering liquid hovering in the air.

    Daisy followed his gaze to the strange substance floating between them. She watched as Alex extended his hand and touched the molten liquid.

    Just as Daisy was about to warn him, fearing he might burn himself, she was shocked to see no signs of injury. There was no sizzling of flesh, no acrid scent of burning skin.

    Unbeknownst to her, Alex was immune to the effects of smoke, and with the smoke havingpletely absorbed the heat, it could no longer harm him. While the molten liquid could indeed cause severe burns to an ordinary person, Alex was unfazed.

    ''Hmm, what if I created a new armor from this?'' Alex mused. His reasoning was simple: with armor so hot that merely being near him could cause burns, the damage he could inflict in directbat would be substantial.

    Yet, he quickly dismissed the idea. While the smoke had sessfully absorbed the heat, he couldn''t prevent it from dissipating. Soon enough, this liquid would cool down. To create armor imbued with heat as a primary attribute, he would need to find a way to prevent heat loss or be able to increase the temperature himself.

    Nevertheless, thanks to this small experiment, Alex had learned quite a few things about his smoke element.

    Firstly, he now knew that he could control smoke in a liquid state. The explosion of his smoke armor a few minutester had given him a hint that this might be possible, but seeing it in action confirmed his suspicions.

    When he thought about it, it made more sense than he initially realized. Smoke, after all, isposed of gaseous, solid, and liquid particles. If he could manipte smoke to make it take on a solid state, it should be feasible to do the same and make smoke take on a liquid state as well.

    Anyway, with this insight, Alex finally had a way to enhance the potions he created. Although his current smoke potions were highly effective, they were unconventional and not what most people were ustomed to. Traditional potions are typically liquid, and while many would still be interested in his smoke potions simply due to their novelty, others might be put off by their unfamiliar form. After all, habit is one of the hardest things for people to break.

    Secondly, he now understood the synergy between heat and smoke and discovered that, depending on the temperature, smoke could shift between different states. He now knew  that by varying the heat, smoke could transition through a continuous cycle: from gas to solid to liquid, and then back to gas.

    He wasn''t sure how this newfound knowledge would be directly useful, but he had a strong intuition that mastering the ability to seamlessly transition smoke between states would significantly enhance both his elemental control and hisbat effectiveness.

    As he pondered, Alex found himself drifting into thought, his focus wavering. This changed abruptly when he noticed something peculiar.

    Rising from his spot, he approached the unconscious body of the level 4 bandit restrained by the thick branches of the Sylvive. Kneeling beside the man, Alex carefully examined his form. At first nce, everything seemed normal: his breathing was steady, and his pulse was strong, indicating that he was indeed unconscious.

    However, Alex wasn''t convinced. He crouched down and whispered in a sinister tone, "Stop ying, I know you''re awake."

    There was no response.

    Alex chuckled and stood up, his expression turning cold. "If that''s how you want to y it," he said, summoning the incandescent liquid whose heat had diminished but was still intense. He positioned it just a few centimeters below the man''s crotch.

    Immediately, the fabric of the bandit''s pants began to show signs of melting, and it seemed on the verge of catching fire. Sweat beads formed on the level 4''s forehead, but his eyes remained tightly shut.

    "I''m sure you''re feeling the heat between your thighs," Alex taunted, "This liquid has probably reached over a thousand degrees. If you continue to pretend to be unconscious, I won''t hesitate to move it closer."

    Still, there was no response.

    "I guess you don''t value your balls," Alex sighed, feigning pity as hemanded the liquid to advance.

    It barely moved an inch before the man''s eyes flew open in terror. With a panicked shout, he yelped, "Wait, wait, wait, I''m awake! Hey, you hear me?! Move that thing away from my balls!"

    Stopping the advance of the searing liquid, Alex''s expression turned serious as he inquired in a cold tone, "Who are you guys?"

    "Fucking psychopath, almost took away my family jewels just to ask me who I am," the man mumbled under his breath.

    Seeing the defiant glint that shed through the man''s eyes as he spoke, Alex added, "At the first sign of a lie, you will lose your balls. Don''t tempt me."

    The man gulped hard and nodded vigorously. He clearly didn''t want to be an eunuch.

    With this ultimatum from Alex, Gevedon began to divulge everything he knew without holding back.

    Seeing that he apparently wasn''t subjected to the same contract as the others, Alex sighed in irritation and pulled out a soul contract. He instructed Gevedon to sign it, but the man vehemently refused, even when faced with the threat of death. Ironically, when Alex threatened to burn his balls and remove his crotch, he suddenly became cooperative and signed the contract.

    ''Wait, does this guy value his testicles more than his life?'' Alex thought, bewildered.

    In any case, after getting the level 4, whose name he learned to be Gevedon, toply, the exchange went smoothly, and Alex finally received the answers he needed.

    Apparently, this group of bandits was affiliated with one of the underworld boss''s minions. The boss in question was named Gordon Samra, and his zone of influence spanned several territories of the Fiore Empire. As fate would have it, Alex''s territories were among those within Samra''s control.

    Alex also learned that the reason Gevedon hadn''t signed a soul contract with Gordon like the others was because the two of them were close.

    "Interesting," Alex mused to himself.

    After extracting every bit of information he could from Gevedon, Alex released him and his group, who would from now on, act as double agents under hismand.

    Alex ensured that none of the nobles were aware of this arrangement though.

    Of course, before releasing the other bandits in Gevedon''s group, Alex had them sign a soul contract with him. Although they had previously signed a contract with Gordon, it was of a lower gradepared to the ones Alex had secured from Night. Consequently, they would be more loyal to Alex than to Gordon.

    Once the bandits departed, leaving the nobles in bewilderment, their journey finally resumed and as the sun set on the horizon, Alex''s group finally arrived in Drisidd, the city hosting the Drazen family''s annual auction.

 Chapter 276 : Arrival (2)

    Chapter 276 : Arrival (2)

    "We are finally there," Alex said with exaggerated relief, as though the journey had been the most arduous challenge of his life.

    They were about a kilometer away from Drisidd, and the carriage was swiftly closing the distance to the city gates.

    "Stop exaggerating," Amelia responded with a chuckle, her voice tinged with amusement. "Though the journeysted longer than expected, it was still enjoyable."

    "True," Alex nodded, a smirk ying on his lips. "But let''s be honest, it was mostly because you were there. If I had been stuck with just this brat," he gestured toward Maya with a yful nce, "it would''ve been unbearable."

    The "brat" in question, Maya, merely snorted in response, too exhausted to muster a proper retort.

    "Serves you right," Amelia addressed the young woman in a scolding tone. "Next time you want to spar match after match, remember the exhaustion you''re feeling now."

    Maya snorted again, but didn''t argue. Amelia was right. If she had stopped after winning her second spar, she wouldn''t be feeling this drained. But back then, adrenaline had driven her, pushing her to seek another challenge.

    Thisst opponent had proven to be much more difficult than the other two,rgely because he was a man, and thus physically stronger. His attacks were heavier, his defense sturdier, and he fought with a resilience that made Maya work twice as hard to keep up.

    In the end, Maya still managed to secure a victory, but she didn''t walk away unscathed. She had sustained a few broken ribs and a deep bruise on her left side. Despite the pain she had to endurein that moment, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of aplishment now. It wasn''t a meaningless fight��she knew that much. Without even needing Alex to say a word, Maya could feel it in her bones: she had improved in skills.

    Amelia noticed Alex poking his head out of the carriage, a slight frown on his face. "What''s going on?" she asked curiously.

    "There''s a line... in front of us," Alex replied, perplexed. "We''re still a kilometer from the city, yet the queue stretches all the way out here?"

    He gestured ahead, revealing a long line of carriages and travelers, all waiting to enter the city of Drisidd.

    "Wait two more days when the auction starts, and you''ll see that the length of the queue will probably double or even triple," Maya said, finally straightening herself and stretching her sore muscles.

    Hearing this, Alex had to once again appreciate the sheer influence of the Drazen family auction. Being able to gather such a vast crowd for an auction alone was no easy feat. The reputation and allure of the Drazen family was stronger than he had first thought.

    "Fortunately, we have the heiress with us, so there''s no need to wait in line," Alex grinned as his two smoke-carriages smoothly bypassed the other carriages waiting their turn to enter the city. They moved with an unnatural speed, overtaking the long queue of carriages, which stretched as far as the eye could see.

    This bold action was met with disgruntled looks and muttering from the other carriage owners. However, none of them dared to stop or challenge Alex''s group. After all, they knew that only nobles had the arrogance and power to tantly cut the line without fear of repercussions.

    Just as they were nearing the city''s gate, a guard in full steel armor stepped in front of them, his hand raised to stop their advance.

    "Halt!" the guard bellowed, his voice loud andmanding. "Return to the back of the line and wait your turn like everyone else."

    Alex barely spared the guard a nce before leaning back into the carriage. "Hey, kiddo, that''s your cue," he said nonchntly.

    Maya grumbled a little but quicklyposed herself. Straightening her back and brushing down her clothes to appear like the neat and proper noblewoman she was, she retrieved her sses from her space ring.

    "After not wearing them for so long, it feels strange to have them on again," Mayamented, adjusting the sses on her nose.

    It was well known that the heiress of the Drazen family had poor eyesight and typically wore sses. Maya was forced to wear them again to ensure her identity was unmistakable, as they were a signature part of her appearance.

    "If you were more famous, you wouldn''t need to wear them to assert who you are," Alex teased with a smirk.

    "Yeah, yeah," Maya waved dismissively, stepping out of the carriage, with Alex and Amelia following a secondter.

    The instant the guard caught sight of Maya''s striking orange hair and vibrant eyes, his expression shifted. He immediately understood that she was a member of the Drazen family, though he didn''t recognize her specifically.

    "Mydy," the guard saluted with a slight bow, his voice now respectful and cautious.

    Maya gave a curt nod, wasting no time. "Let us pass through the city gates, my followers included," she ordered firmly, her tone carrying the authority expected of her status.

    "Not that I doubt your word, mydy," the guard began hesitantly, "but I''ll need some form of identification to verify before letting you proceed."

    Maya''s brow furrowed slightly, but sheplied without protest. Digging into her spatial ring, she retrieved a white letter adorned with intricate golden engravings and the emblem of the Drazen family��a zing phoenix.

    The moment the guard''s eyesnded on the letter''s golden details, his heart skipped a beat. Without even reading it''s content, the letter alone confirmed that she was indeed from the main branch of the Drazen family and not just any member.

    Normally, this would have been more than enough to grant her entry without hesitation, but ever since the mysterious disappearance of the family''s heiress, security had been tightened tenfold.

    Thus, one could imagine the shock the guard felt when he realized that the young woman standing before him was actually the kidnapped heiress of the Drazen family. His mind raced with the implications of this discovery, but his body acted faster than his thoughts.

    "Mydy!" the guard shouted, his voice filled with urgency, as he immediately bowed again before Maya, this time going even deeper, nearly dropping to his knees. "I deeply apologize for not having recognized you sooner!"

    If before a few curious nces had fallen on them when the guard stepped forward to stop their carriages, now, after the guard''s loud outburst, all eyes were firmly fixed on their group. The entire area seemed to shift its focus, and the once quiet buzz of the crowd was reced by a wave of hushed murmurs.

    Not far off, an old man with long white hair and a full beard, d in a full suit of armor, had been loungingzily on a chair, overseeing the guards. His attention piqued by themotion, he stood up and approached them. Upon hearing the guard''s words and seeing Maya''s distinctive features, he immediately knew she was someone of great importance. The moment he stood in front of her, he bowed deeply, his voice deferential.

    "Mydy, is there a problem here?" the old guard inquired, his tone humble.

    "No, I don''t think so," Maya replied calmly, shaking her head.

    The old guard sighed in visible relief, taking the letter from the other guard. His eyes scanned its contents quickly, and a wave of surprise washed over him as he realized that the young woman before him was none other than the long-missing Drazen heiress. However, his astonished expression was quickly reced with one of professional seriousness.

    "I do not wish to sound disrespectful, mydy," he began cautiously, "but given the circumstances, could you provide additional proof that you are indeed the Drazen heiress?"

    "What? She is the heiress of the Drazen family?!" someone in the crowd eximed, disbelief coloring their voice.

    "I thought she had been kidnapped?" another one added, their toneced with confusion.

    "Yeah, that''s what I heard too, but..." murmurs and gossip quickly broke out among the onlookers, their curiosity piqued as they observed the unfolding events.

    Despite the growing chatter around them, Alex and his group paid no mind to the onlookers.

    "You want me to prove my identity despite handing you my letter of nobility?" Maya asked, her voice dangerously low, her expression dark.

    She wasn''t the only one with such an expression. Alex, Amelia, and even Daisy, who was just stepping down from the other carriage, wore frowns on their faces.

    The letter Maya had presented was a Letter of Nobility, as she had called it. Despite its name, not all nobles possessed this document. Only the current holder of a noble title and their direct heir were eligible to receive it. This letter was issued by the Emperor himself and was impossible to forge.

    Demanding further proof after being presented with a Letter of Nobility was beyond foolish, and in some cases, punishable byw.

    "I''m sorry, Lady Maya," the old guard began cautiously, "but ording to our sources, the heiress was kidnapped. The Letter of Nobility could have been taken forcibly��"

    "Are you calling me an impostor?" Maya interrupted, her tone calm, but her eyes burned with such intensity that it sent a cold shiver down the guard''s spine.

    "N-No, th-that''s not it, mydy. It''s just that we''ve been given strict orders. We can''t afford to make any mistakes," the old guard stammered, hisposure crumbling. "If you could just summon someone who could testify that you are indeed...you, that would be��"

    "Someone like my mother?" Maya''s voice was ice, daring the guard to answer.

    The guard stayed silent, but the look on his face made it clear that this was exactly what he had in mind.

    ''This old man is nuts,'' Alex chuckled inwardly. Stopping the heiress of the Drazen family after she had quite literally proved her identity by handing over her letter of nobility demanded something more than stupidity. ''It''s either that, or he''s trying to buy time,'' he thought, a frown appearing on his face.

    "Sure, you can contact her," Maya replied coolly, but her eyes widened a momentter as realization hit her. ''Today is the first day of the new month... Mother will be unreachable,'' she thought grimly.

    If Alex had known what was going through her mind at that moment, he might have been even more convinced that the guard''s actions weren''t just out of protocol.

    Before the old guard could suggest that contacting the matriarch would take time, a feminine voice, as elegant as it wasmanding, echoed from behind him.

    "I can attest that she is indeed Maya."

    The guard''s eyes widened, and he spun around to see a woman with the same striking orange hair and eyes as Maya. She wore a regal gown, her every step exuding grace and poise. There was an undeniable dignity about her, a presence thatmanded attention and respect without a word.

    The instant the guard recognized her, he dropped to his knees in reverence. "Wee, mydy," he said, his voice filled with respect.

    ''Maya''s mom?'' Alex thought as he studied the woman.

    However, he quickly dismissed the idea when the woman stepped forward and made to hug Maya.

    But Maya swiftly sidestepped her, ring at the woman with cold disdain. "Don''t touch me," she uttered icily, her voice brimming with venom.

 Chapter 277 : Freya Drazen (1)

    Chapter 277 : Freya Drazen (1)

    "Don''t touch me," Maya uttered to the woman trying to hug her, her tone full of venom.

    ''Yep, that''s definitely not her mother,'' Alex thought inwardly, observing the scene.

    From the way Maya had spoken about her mother, both he and Amelia had gathered that the young woman was very close to her. It was certain that she wouldn''t reject her like this, especially in front of so many people.

    "I see that you''re still cold to me, sweetheart," the woman sighed, her expression hurt. "I''ve been so worried since your disappearance. It''s not nice of you to refuse even a hug," she added in a sad tone, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

    "Yeah, I''m sure you were devastated and cried the whole time," Maya spat sarcastically.

    "Mm," the woman nodded as she wiped her tears, "it was indeed a dark time for me and the whole family, but at least you''re back," she shed Maya a strained smile.

    The woman, whose name Alex still didn''t know, nced past Maya. Noticing Alex and Amelia, she asked curiously, "Might I know who your friends are?"

    "That''s none of your business, Frieda," Maya retorted coldly. "If you''re done crying, let us enter."

    "I''m sorry, little Maya, but unless I know their identities, I can''t allow them to pass," the woman, Frieda, shook her head apologetically. "Since your disappearance, we''ve tightened security around the cities under our control, and without knowing who your friends are, I can''t let them in."

    "I can vouch for them," Maya insisted, "they are not dangerous and are here for business, not trouble."

    "Even so, that''s not possible," Frieda shook her head again. "I can''t let you enter."

    "You can''t let me enter?" Maya repeated, disbelief mixed with disdain. "I''m the heiress of the family, you can''t deny me anything here."

    "True," Frieda chuckled, "I certainly can''t deny you anything, but it''s different for them," she pointed at Alex and Amelia. "I can refuse them entry to the city even if I know who they are. As the one overseeing this year''s auction, if I deem them a threat to its sess, not even you can make them enter."

    When Maya heard that Frieda was the one overseeing this year''s auction, her expression darkened. *Has something happened to Mother while I was gone?* she wondered, unease creeping through her.

    Meanwhile, Alex, standing behind her, felt the situation spiraling out of control. *If this keeps up, we might actually be denied entry,* he thought, growing tense.

    At that moment, a calm but authoritative voice echoed from behind Alex.

    "Did you just say we can''t enter?"

    ncing back, Alex saw Charles Drickon, the noble he had once threatened to kill if he dared to order him around, descending from the second carriage. His sharp gaze was locked onto Frieda.

    ''Great timing,'' Alex mused, his lips curling into a faint smile. ''Let''s see if she still refuses after seeing all the nobles with us.'' He was certain that the one tasked with overseeing the auction wouldn''t want to antagonize a whole group of nobles.

    As expected, the moment Frieda saw and recognized the noble youths descending from the carriage, her face showed a brief flicker of shock, but she quickly regained herposure.

    With a gracious smile, Frieda nodded to the nobles. "Of course, the young masters anddies may enter."

    "In fact, I will personally escort you to the emissaries of your respective families," she added, her voice softening in politeness, but then her eyes slid back to Alex, and her tone grew colder. "...However, that doesn''t mean I will allow them to enter," she continued, nodding toward Alex and Amelia. "Not unless they agree to take off their masks."

    ''Bitch!'' Alex cursed inwardly, beginning to understand why Maya hated this woman. Still, he kept hisposure.

    Just as he cleared his throat, preparing to speak, another feminine voice��far moremanding and authoritative than Frieda''s��rang out from behind her.

    "If Maya can vouch for them, I see no reason to deny their entry."

    Instantly recognizing the voice, Frieda turned sharply, her confidence visibly wavering as she looked up at the imposing figure of a tall woman towering over her.

    The woman in question stood as tall as Alex, around 190 cm, with an impressively curvaceous figure. Her thick hips and perfectly sculpted hourss body gave her an alluring presence, and her breasts��almost asrge as Talia''smanded attention. Despite the conservative attire she wore, the heavy, ample chest beneath her clothes moved with a hypnotic sway, capable of captivating any man''s gaze.

    Like Frieda, she possessed the same fiery orange hair and striking orange eyes. However, the most remarkable feature was her uncanny resemnce to Maya. She appeared slightly older, though not by much. If she were shorter, younger, and wearing sses, one might easily mistake her for Maya''s twin sister.

    At a nce, anyone could tell she was closely rted to Maya, and they would be correct��this woman was none other than Maya''s mother.

    Unlike her daughter, though, she exuded a fierce,manding aura. Her beauty was undeniable, but it wasn''t the kind that invited admiration. Instead, most people would instinctively lower their gaze, unsettled by her intensity.

    When Alex''s eyes fell upon this striking woman, he froze momentarily.

    At that moment, for the second time in his life, he felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity with this woman. It was a strange, almost unsettling sensation, as if her presence triggered something deep within his memory. Though he was sure they had never met before, the feeling that he had always known her persisted. It wasn''t just a passing resemnce or a fleeting thought��there was something profoundly familiar about her aura, her stance, even the way she carried herself.

    The only time he had felt this sensation was when he had encountered his first wife: Lilia. Much like what had happened with Lilia, Alex felt himself falling in love at first sight.

    The feeling of falling in love with someone he was just encountering for the first time was confusing for him at best, and utterly overwhelming at worst. However, the feeling couldn''t be mistaken; it was pure and sincere love.

    There wasn''t just feelings of love, though. There was an equally imensurable lust and desire to make this woman his that coursed through his body, almost making him lose control of himself.

    Thankfully, he was wearing his smoke armor because, right at this moment, a noticeable bulge formed in his pants. His dick was so hard that it could probably crush a boulder, violently pulsing with a need that was almost impossible to ignore.

    Alex wasn''t worried about his erection being seen, though. He was far too busy wrestling with the more dangerous urge to grab Maya''s mother, pin her to the ground, and have his way with her, fucking her in all the known positions to man.

    Noticing her brother''s trembling, Amelia nced at Alex curiously, a silent question shing in her eyes. She could see that his gaze was fixed entirely on the woman, so she too shifted her attention to Freya.

    Meanwhile, Frieda''s confident smile faltered ever so slightly at the sight of Freya, though she quickly recovered, stering a cordial expression on her face. "Oh, Freya, what are you doing here? If memory serves me right, today you should��"

    "None of your business," Freya cut her off coldly, dismissing her with the same words her daughter had used earlier.

    Frieda''s lips tightened in a brief sh of displeasure, but she forced herself to stayposed, expertly masking her disdain for Freya. "Well, you don''t have to answer that," Frieda continued, her voice stillced with a hint of righteousness. "But as I''ve told Maya, I am the one overseeing this year''s auction. If I believe someone poses a threat to the event''s proper flow, I have the authority to deny their entry. Even you, the matriarch, can''t overrule me on this. The elders ced me in charge and granted me full power to act as I see fit."

    In response, Freya let out a cold chuckle, a smile of disdain creeping across her face. The look she gave Frieda was one of pure contempt, as though she found her words amusing and utterly beneath her.

    "I think you don''t understand something here," Freya said, stepping forward, her imposing figure looming over Frieda. "I am the matriarch and head of the Drazen family. My orders arew. I have never needed, nor will I ever need, your permission. When I give amand, you execute it, in and simple."

    The moment Freya spoke , every ounce of Frieda''s bravado evaporated in an instant, her confidence shattered like fragile ss.

    Biting her tongue to stop herself from cowering in front of Freya, Frieda shot her a defiant look that seemed to convey "we are not done" before reluctantly turning back to the group of nobles.

    Forcing a polite smile, she said, "If you will follow me, young masters anddies, I''ll escort you to your families'' emissaries currently staying in the city."

    The nobles nodded in agreement and began following after Frieda, heading towards the city gates. Daisy hesitated momentarily but eventually decided to join them.

    Alex, however, was too entranced by Freya to pay them any mind. Even if he had noticed, he wouldn''t have tried to stop them. He had already bound them with soul contracts. If any of them had even entertained the idea of disappearing before settling their debts upon reaching Drisidd, death would be their only oue.

    Once Frieda and the group of nobles had disappeared from view, both Maya and Freya spat in unison, "t-chested snake."

 Chapter 278 : Freya Drazen (2)

    Chapter 278 : Freya Drazen (2)

    "t-chested snake," both mother and daughter spat with cold sneers on their faces.

    They nced at each other before bursting intoughter. In the next moment, they lunged at each other and locked into a tight embrace, their previous animosity evaporating in an instant.

    However, Maya quickly regretted it.

    "Mom, you''re squeezing me too tight," she gasped as she tried to wriggle out of her mother''s grip, but Freya refused to let go.

    "I was so worried about you," Freya murmured, her oncemanding voice cracking as tears of joy welled up in her eyes. "If something had happened to you, I don''t know what I would have done."

    Freya''s previously dominant and authoritative aura melted away like a mirage, as the usually fierce matriarch of the Drazen family broke down, sobbing openly in relief.

    Alex, who had finally managed to control his growing lust, quickly erected a smoke wall to shield the emotional reunion from prying eyes, ensuring the mother and daughter could have their private moment undisturbed.

    Seeing her normally resolute and unshakable mother reduced to tears, Maya stopped struggling. Instead, she hugged her mother even tighter, her own tears spilling over. Right now, they weren''t the matriarch and heir of the Drazen family. They were simply a mother and daughter, relieved and overjoyed to be reunited after weeks of forced separation.

    They held each other for what felt like an eternity, crying andforting one another, before finally pulling away.

    Freya immediately began scanning her daughter''s body for any signs of injury, asking in a worried tone, "Are you hurt? Did you eat well? How were��"

    "Mom, mom, MOM!" Maya shouted in exasperation as Freya tried to lift her shirt to inspect for any hidden wounds. "I''m fine, really."

    Hearing the conviction in her daughter''s voice, Freya let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods." Then, without missing a beat, she pulled Maya into another hug, this time peppering her face with kisses. "Finally, my baby is back."

    "Mom!" Maya protested, squirming. "You''re embarrassing me in front of my friends!"

    ''Ungrateful,'' Alex snorted mentally, ''if it were me, I wouldn''t mind being kissed like that by those sensuous lips.''

    "Oh, yeah," Freya stopped, remembering Alex and Amelia.

    Finally free from her mother''s grasp, Maya turned to Alex and Amelia and, with a weing gesture, said, "Mom, I''d like you to meet my new friends. They''re actually the ones who rescued me when I was abducted."

    "Oh," Freya eximed in surprise, before she stepped forward and wrapped each arm around Amelia and Alex, pulling the two of them into a tight hug. "Thank you so much for bringing my baby back to me," she thanked them in the most heartfelt tone.

    The following instant, however, she stiffened, feeling a weird sense of familiarity as she touched Alex. Unlike Alex though, that feeling wasn''t really strong, so she managed to quickly cast it away as she tightened the hug around the siblings.

    Meanwhile, Alex, who had only barely managed to get his lust under control, was in a serious predicament. Feeling Freya''s soft mounds press against him, the bulge in his pants hade back in full force.

    ''This woman is seriously challenging my self-control,'' Alex thought as he resisted with all his being the urge to ce his hand on Freya''s ass to fondle it. The fact that he now had a perfect view of her perfectly round, massive, and shapely butt didn''t help in the slightest!

    In the end, he couldn''t resist and ced his left hand on her body, though he only ced it around her waist.

    Freya was surprised by this gesture but didn''t pay it much attention. It wasn''t the case for Maya though, who red at Alex with a slight frown on her face. From her expression, one could literally read ''don''t touch my mom!''

    Alex wasn''t paying her any attention though, distracted by the velvety and supple skin of Freya that he could feel under her clothes.

    ''I will definitely make you mine,'' Alex promised as he licked his lips, his eyes shifting from silver to pink for the tiniest fraction of a second.

    A secondter, Freya thanked them once again before pulling away from the two of them.

    "Sorry about the sudden hug," Freya apologized as she straightened. "By the way, how should I address you two?"

    ''I actually never thought of an alias,'' Alex thought inwardly. ''What name would be fitting?'' he wondered.

    After a moment, he decided, "You can call me Arcanor," he said, reaching out his hand.

    He wanted to say something like ''Smoker'' or other cool names, but in the end, he represented the Arcane group, so it was better to choose a name that fitted this rather than choosing a name that went along with his powers.

    "Pleased to meet you," Freya said as she shook hands with Alex, or rather Arcanor.

    Meanwhile, Amelia went for a much simpler alias, "Amy," she said, extending her hand to Freya.

    "Pleased to meet you," Freya repeated as she shook Amelia''s hand.

    "Follow me. As friends of my daughter, you will sleep at our house," she said as she turned back to walk in the city''s direction.

    When they came up to the guards at the entrance, Freya urged the three of them to continue while she had a word with the captain of the guards. It seemed that trouble would be knocking on the old man''s door.

    Walking closer to Maya, who was in the lead, Alex whispered to her, "Why didn''t you tell me that your mother was so gorgeous?"

    The young heiress almost tripped when she heard him. ring at him, she said, "You better not touch my mother!"

    "You''re cute," Alex chuckled as he flicked her nose, not the least bit intimidated by her attempt.

    "Hey! I''m serious!" Maya stressed.

    "Yeah, yeah," Alex waved his hand in dismissal. He had already decided that he would make Freya his, whether Maya was on board or not; it didn''t really matter. "Tell me instead, who was that woman from earlier."

    Hearing his question, Maya''s expression darkened for a moment before it rxed a moment after. "She is Frieda, myte father''s first wife."

    "Oh," Alex eximed in surprise. He wasn''t aware that Maya''s deceased father had two wives and that Freya was the second.

    Maya hesitated for a bit before continuing, "Our family is divided into two branches, a principal one and a secondary one. Frieda is actually the head of the principal branch. After my father''s death, it should have been her who became the matriarch, but it didn''t happen. Instead, it was my mother, who was at that time the head of the second branch, who was designated as the matriarch. Because of that, Frieda hates my mother and, by extension, me."

    Maya shot them a warning nce and added in a serious tone, "Don''t be fooled by her lovely smile and friendly demeanor. That woman would put the devil to shame with how devious she is. I wouldn''t be surprised if she had a hand in my kidnapping. After all, the uncle who kidnapped me was also a member of the principal branch."

    "That''s all I can tell you," Maya said as she stopped in front of a carriage. "Get in. Our house is quite far from the city''s gates," she gestured as she gracefully got inside the carriage.

    Without hesitation, the siblings followed and climbed into the carriage.

    ''It looks much nicer than the carriages I can create,'' Alex thought as he scanned the opulent interior of the carriage.

    As he observed the carriage interior so that he could integrate its design into his smoke carriage, the carriage took off. As they rode through the city, Maya didn''t forget to give them a tour, showing them the ces where the auction would take ce, the market, leisure spots, and a ton of other notable locations.

    However, since night had settled, they had to cut the tour short and head to Maya and her mother''s house. Minutester, the carriage pulled up in front of a massive mansion situated at the center of the city.

    As they descended from the carriage, Alex and Amelia couldn''t help but be amazed by how beautiful the mansion looked. Despite its size, the mansion had the design of an Earth Japanese house, with elegant wooden structures, sliding shoji doors, and a beautifullyndscaped gardenplete with a koi pond and stonenterns. The roof was adorned with intricate tile work, and the overall aesthetic was one of serene elegance.

    As they marveled at the mansion''s beauty, Freya, who had apparently arrived earlier, greeted them warmly. "Wee to our home. For as long as you decide to stay here, it will also be your home."

 Chapter 279 : Negotiations (2)

    Chapter 279 : Negotiations (2)

    "Out of curiosity, are there other ranks of healing potion above level three?" he inquired.

    "Yes, there are two other ranks above rank three, namely rank four and five," Freya answered. "For example, from what I know, a rank four healing potion can regenerate lost limbs and heal someone even if they are at the brink of death."

    ''I guess my potions can''t definitely be judged as rank four potions,'' Alex sighed.

    "Those two potions are too expensive, though," Freya added.

    "How expensive are we speaking about?" Amelia inquired.

    Freya thought for a moment before she said, "In all my life, I have only witnessed two level four potions auctioned, and let me tell you, each of them had been sold for millions of gold coins. They are so precious and rare that even families at the level of Earl would have to amass their yearly ie just for the chance to sit at the tables of those willing to buy a rank four potion."

    "That much?!" Alex, Amelia, and Maya eximed simultaneously.

    "Yes, that much," Freya nodded. "If I have to say, perhaps only members of the ducal or imperial families could buy this potion."

    "What about rank five potions? How much do they cost?" Maya asked.

    "To tell you the truth, sweetheart, I have no idea," Freya smiled wryly. "Rank five potions are close to myth. I have never even heard of someone who managed to acquire one. There are rumors that rank five potions can only be concocted by the queen of witches herself. I don''t know if that''s the truth, but if that is the case, that would exin how people have never witnessed a rank five potion. Those kinds of potions can probably only be bought by kings and emperors."

    "In fact, the majority of people, nobles included, don''t even know about the existence of rank five potions. Even I had only found out a couple of years back when I was trying to befriend witches in the hope that one of them would be able to heal your eyespletely. Unfortunately, none of them could." Freya sighed in disappointment.

    "Oh, I forgot about that," Maya eximed, removing her sses with a sudden realization. "I can see perfectly without them now!" she added, her voice brimming with excitement as she turned to Freya.

    To prove her point, Maya nced around the room, her eyes sharp and focused. She pointed towards a small vase across the room and effortlessly described its intricate patterns��the delicate flowers, the fine cracks in the porcin, and even the faint shimmer of dust on the surface. "See? Everything is so clear now!" sheughed, her joy unmistakable.

    "W-What? How is that possible?" Freya stammered, her usualposure shattered. "I hired the most skilled healers, the most powerful witches, and none of them could fix this. How... how have your eyes suddenly healed?" Her voice trembled in disbelief.

    As if she couldn''t believe it, Freya made Maya pass a few tests to determine if her daughter really didn''t need her sses anymore, and the result was shocking to her. In the end, she could only mutter, "How?"

    "That''s thanks to Ame- Amy here! Shepletely healed my eyes!" Maya eximed cheerfully.

    "Th-that''s thanks to her?" Freya asked, her voice filled with gratitude. She stood from her couch and moved to Amelia''s side to hug her for the second time in just an hour.

    "Thanks a lot for what you have done for my daughter," Freya said gratefully.

    "Don''t mention it. It didn''t cost me anything, and even if it did, I wouldn''t mind it. Maya is a sweet child," Amelia said.

    "That she is," Freya nodded as she separated from Amelia and went back to sit next to her daughter. She was dying to know how Amelia had healed Maya but decided that it could wait forter.

    Concentrating instead on the potions on the table, she pointed to the opaque white smoke and inquired, "What can this do?"

    "It''s a smoke potion that can restore one''s stamina," Alex answered.

    "A potion that can restore stamina?" Freya asked, the twinkles in her hypnotizing orange eyes appearing once again. "Potions that could alleviate exhaustion are quite rare, even more so than rank three healing potions, and very expensive."

    "Good to know," Alex nodded.

    "Can we test its effectiveness right now?" Freya suddenly asked. "To tell you the truth, at this moment, I''m seriously drained and exhausted. If your smoke potion could alleviate even a bit of that exhaustion, then it will also be added to our auction articles."

    "Of course, we can test it now," Alex nodded as he handed the white smoke potion to Freya.

    Freya inspected the smoke potion for a while before opening its lid, letting the opaque white smoke escape.

    "You should inhale the smoke if you don''t want it to disperse," Alex pointed out.

    Quite frankly, the need to take a whiff of his smoke potions before it could disperse in the air is actually one of the reasons why Alex was excited at the prospect of controlling the smoke element to make it liquid.

    Heeding his suggestion, Freya deeply inhaled the white smoke, and it was as if she had suddenly be lighter. There was a slight sense of being high, as if she had taken stimnts, before the feeling of euphoria disappeared and she felt her mind be clearer as her exhaustion was gradually washed away.

    She closed her eyes to concentrate on the feeling before opening them half a minuteter as the feeling disappeared.

    Staring at the small bottle in her hand, Freya''s eyes shone like stars in a starless night.

    Looking back at Alex, Freya''s eyes gleamed with the same intensity Alex sometimes had when he looked at Scarlett or Amelia. Without needing a single word, Alex knew exactly what she was thinking��right now, Freya was looking at him like he was her golden goose.

    His suspicions were confirmed when she spoke. "If you''re open to it, I''m willing to sign a contract for an indefinite amount of time with you," Freya said, her voice carrying a business-like edge, though there was a flicker of eagerness beneath the surface.

    ''At this point, I don''t even have to try. She''s the one convincing me,'' Alex thought, a wry smile creeping onto his face.

    "Don''t you think you''re getting a little ahead of yourself?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "After all, you don''t even know if I can continuously produce those potions or if this is just a one-time thing."

    Freya''s face flushed, caught off guard. "You''re right," she admitted, embarrassed . "I may have gotten... overly excited."

    Alex stifled a chuckle as he watched her shift awkwardly.  ''She''s so cute when she''s flustered,'' he mused, inwardly amused. ''I''m going to enjoy teasing her.''

    "So... Is it a one-time thing, or can you continuously make those potions?" Freya askedposedly, her eyes sparkling in anticipation.

    Alex chuckled and nodded. "I can make them continuously, and yes, I''m okay with signing a contract for an indefinite amount of time. We will have to discuss the uses and penalties for both parties though."

    "You are right," Freya nodded, the excitement dimming slightly as a more serious look crossed her face. "However�� there is one slight issue."

    "What is it?"

    Freya sighed and exined, "You see, I may be the matriarch of the family, but it doesn''t mean that I have absolute power over the family. There are other individuals who are even above me��those individuals are the elders."

    Alex nodded, not that surprised about this revtion. After all, there were also elders in the Eswald family, though unlike the Drazen family elders, those of the Eswald family were just respected people. They didn''t hold any real power; For Alex, they were just a bunch of old fogies who thought of themselves as wise due to their ages.

    "So what, does that mean that you can''t sign a contract without them being present?" He asked.

    "No, that''s not it," Freya shook her head. "Although the elders are the ones that make the most important decisions, if they were needed to participate in every decision that I make, there wouldn''t really be a need for a matriarch."

    "Then what''s the problem?" Alex asked, now more confused.

    "Well, If I''m to sign a contract with you for an indefinite amount of time, the least the elders will demand is that at least I know your identity," Freya exined. "Don''t worry though, we can use a soul contract to make sure that I won''t disclose your identity to someone else."

    Alex didn''t even think about it before he nodded. Firstly, for some reason, he seemed to trust Freya, and secondly, since they were going to sign a soul contract, there was nothing to worry about his identity being disclosed.

    "Good that you agree," Freya nodded before turning to Maya. "Now sweetheart, can you leave us for a moment?"

    Maya wanted to say that she already knew Alex and Amelia''s true identities, but remembering that in the soul contract she had signed with Grace, there was a use that stated that unless the person she was talking to was in the know, she was forbidden to even affirm that she knew the identities of any members of Arcane.

    She nodded to her mother''s request and stood to leave.

    Alex nced at his sister curiously but didn''t try to stop her from leaving.

    Alex raised an eyebrow, surprised by his sister''s sudden interest, but he didn''t stop her. He trusted her instincts.

    Soon enough, only Alex and Freya remained in the office.

    "Are you sure this office is secure?" Alex asked, his voice suddenly low and serious.

    "You don''t need to worry," Freya replied, meeting his gaze. "No one can eavesdrop on what''s discussed here, no matter their abilities."

    She retrieved a soul contract and, as she had said, she wrote a use that made it so that she was forbidden from telling anyone Alex''s true identity, otherwise, the fate waiting for her would be death.

    After the contract was signed, Alex nodded and snapped his fingers. The instant he did so, his smoke armor dissolved.

    From the beginning, he waspletely covered by his smoke, so his presence was inexistent, but once the smoke armor dissolved, his presence appeared once again.

    At that moment, Freya stiffened as the same wave of emotions Alex had felt when he first saw her surged from the depth of her being.

 Chapter 280 : Negotiations

    Chapter 280 : Negotiations

    A flood of emotions both familiar and alien crashed into Freya''s mind, rooting her to the spot.

    Familiarity. Sadness. Anger.

    Those emotions stormed within her, threatening to consume her as they tore through her mind, each one demanding attention, pulling her in different directions, straining her very sense of self.

    However, two other emotions, far stronger, eclipsed the rest��love and trust. These emotions, unlike the others, didn''t conflict or hurt, but rather wrapped around her like aforting embrace, overshadowing everything else.

    If for Alex those feelings had been an unexpected shock, for Freya, they were nothing short of overwhelming.

    For a moment, she even thought that Alex was the source of these overwhelming feelings, perhaps using some trick to manipte her emotions. But she quickly dismissed that idea. The emotions flooding her were too genuine, too raw, to be the result of anyone else''s interference.

    It was this very realization that unsettled her the most. She couldn''tprehend why she was suddenly feeling this deep connection to someone she had met just a few hours ago. Sure, from what she could see, Alex was obviously very handsome and pleasing to the eye, but physical attraction alone wasn''t enough to exin why she felt this intense trust, as if she could entrust him with her life without hesitation. It was as if her heart knew something her mind couldn''t yet grasp.

    As the seconds ticked by, those strange emotions welled up inside Freya, growing stronger with every passing moment, until suddenly, tears began to spill from her eyes. She didn''t understand why she was crying, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t stop the tears from flowing. Thankfully, she hadn''t worn any makeup, or her face would have looked like aplete mess.

    Alex, who had sensed something peculiar about Freya the moment he removed his mask, stood frozen in shock. The sight of the matriarch of the Drazen family breaking down into tears was something he had not expected.

    ''Don''t tell me...'' Alex sucked in a cold breath, ''don''t tell me she thinks I''m so ugly that she is crying in sadness,'' he thought in dread.

    However, despite his indignation at Freya''s reaction after he showed her his face, Alex still decided tofort the woman. Ugly or not, he wasn''t going to waste such an opportunity.

    Standing from his own couch, Alex moved to Freya''s side. He hesitated for a moment before he ced his hand around her shoulder, feeling the warmth of her body through the fabric of her clothes and crossing his fingers that she wouldn''t push him away.

    Fortunately, Freya wasn''t in her right mind currently and didn''t even pay too much attention to Alex''s bold gesture. In fact, she even leaned her head against him as she silently wept for a reason unknown even to her.

    Her body trembled softly, her breathing uneven as silent sobs escaped her lips while Alex gently rubbed her shoulder.

    After a while, as the flood of overwhelming feelings finally relented, Freya began to slowlye back to her usual self. Those feelings hadn''tpletely disappeared, but at least, they now had no real hold on her to the point that she would suddenly begin to cry.

    Slowly but surely, Freya calmed down. When she hadpletely gotten a hold of herself, she pulled back from Alex, her expression strangely icy. However, as he looked deep into her orange eyes, Alex was certain that it was just a front that she was trying to put up.

    "You know," Alex began, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "when a guy who wears a mask removes it in front of a woman, the least thing he wants is to see that same woman crying as she looks deep into his eyes."

    "Ah," Freya''s cold expression vanished, reced by an embarrassed expression. With a slight blush on her face, she vehemently shook her head. "I-It wasn''t because..."

    "Because?" Alex raised an eyebrow. "Were you going to say that it wasn''t because of my ugliness that you were crying?"

    "You aren''t ugly!" Freya eximed, cutting him off.

    "Oh, so you don''t find me ugly?" Alex''s smile widened. "Does that mean you find me handsome?"

    Freya''s blush intensified, but she refused to say anything.

    ''On that aspect, she greatly resembles Maya, or is it Maya that resembles her?'' he mused. ''Anyway.''

    Alex stretched out his hand to Freya. "I''m Alexandre Eswald, but you can call me Alex."

    Freya also outstretched her hand and shook his, but then a thoughtful expression appeared on her face. "Alexandre Eswald, as the...?" Her words trailed off.

    Alex chuckled as he let go of her hand. "Yes, Alexandre Eswald, as thezy lord."

    At first, he despised that nickname that had been given to him, but as time passed, he no longer felt angry that people called him that way. After all, when he thought about it, they weren''t really wrong; he was indeedzy.

    "Why do people still call you that? You don''t seem thatzy to me," Freya inquired in a curious tone.

    "Thanks, I guess," Alex chuckled once again. "But that story will be for another time. As of right now, why don''t we talk business?"

    Freya nodded, her expression bing serious. She retrieved a soul contract, and together, the two of them quickly went over the uses and penalties of their future coboration. It took nearly an hour before both Alex and Freya deemed that the contract was bulletproof for both of their parties.

    Reading over the contract once again, Alex chuckled when his eyesnded on the contract''s first use of termination.

    "If the current Drazen family matriarch is no longer the matriarch and the sessor she had designated isn''t the new leader of the Drazen family, this present contract is voided." This was what the use said.

    Without needing to be said, the one Freya had designated as her sessor was, of course, Maya, her daughter.

    "You are quite devious yourself," Alexughed. "I doubt your family elders will be pleased with this use."

    "They certainly won''t," Freya smiled coldly. "But it''s a way for me to assure my and my daughter''s position."

    Alex nodded in ordance. This use might indeed assure both Freya and Maya''s position in the family.

    For one, the two of them were the only ones allowed within the Drazen family to do business with him, thus, they would always be needed and wouldn''t be discarded by the family.

    If, as Alex and Freya thought, the coboration between Arcane and the Drazen family grew to be a significant source of ie for each of them to amass enormous amounts of money, Arcane might be the primary partner of the Drazen family. By that point, Arcane would be an indispensable ally on which a significant part of the Drazen fortune would depend.

    It was at that point in time that this use would be a poison to the Drazen family elders since either Freya or Maya would need to be the matriarch of their family if they wanted to continue doing business with Arcane.

    Of course, the contract uses and penalties could be changed over time; it''s not like they were set in stone. The only problem was that for the terms of a soul contract to be changed, both parties needed to agree to change the same terms. If one party didn''t consent to change a term of the contract, then that term couldn''t be changed or modified. The only exceptions were soul contracts that practically transformed one party into the other party''s ve. In this case, the ve owner had the full right to terminate the contract, and the ve couldn''t do anything to stop it, not like a ve would want to stop their master from giving them freedom back.

    In any case, there was still a w in Freya''s n, and that w was none other than Alex.

    Since she couldn''t refuse her elders'' orders, if they managed to convince Alex to change orpletely erase the first use, there would be nothing Freya could do to stop them. That''s why she decided to take matters into her own hands and sign a personal contract with Alex. In this contract, he promised that unless it caused him harm, he wouldn''t agree with any third party to erase the first use of the original contract regarding termination.

    Of course, for Alex to sign this additional contract, Freya had to give him some incentive.

    After carefully reading through the contract one more time, Alex nodded contentedly. "For the test of the healing potion, we''ll conduct it tomorrow if that works for you."

    "Tomorrow would be good," Freya replied, her voice steady.

    Alex was about to leave and call it a night when something crossed his mind, making him pause.

    "By the way," he began, turning to face her again, "in this year''s annual auction, do you have any items listed? Something like a treasure, perhaps��one that could allow someone to memorize vast amounts of knowledge in a short time?"

 Chapter 281 : Mischevious

    Chapter 281 : Mischevious

    "By the way," Alex spoke, turning to face Freya again, "in this year''s annual auction, do you have any items listed? Something like a treasure, perhaps��one that could allow someone to  memorize vast amounts of knowledge in a short time?"

    Freya thought for a moment before nodding. "We do indeed have something like that," she replied.

    "Good. How much does it cost?" Alex inquired, leaning forward with a sharp glint in his eye. "I understand it''s meant for auction, but I''m prepared to buy it right now. Whatever price you name will be mine."

    The incentive Freya had granted him in their contract was that, as long as it didn''t harm her, go against her moral values, incur significant financial loss, or be something impossible to fulfill, she would grant Alex his requests. Of course, there were boundaries to these wishes, but Alex figured that Freya selling him the item he wanted��especially while he was willing to pay her price��shouldn''t be an unreasonable ask. After all, he wasn''t asking for a favor but offering fairpensation.

    "Unfortunately, that''s not possible," Freya said, shaking her head apologetically. "While we are indeed auctioning off treasures and other valuable items, most of these goods don''t actually belong to us. Take your smoke potions, for example. We will auction them, take our agreed-upon percentage, and give you the rest of the money."

    "Since soul contracts aren''t very cheap," she continued, "we sign a different type of contract with the individuals whose items we auction. While these contracts aren''t as binding as soul contracts, we still can''t afford to break any of the agreed-upon uses. It would damage our reputation and vite our agreement with the sellers."

    Freya sighed softly before adding, "I actually tried to purchase the same item you''re interested in. Unfortunately, the owner was adamant that it go to auction. I highly doubt he''ll change his mind, but I can certainly reach out and see if he''s willing to sell it privately."

    "Let''s do that then," Alex agreed. "Tell him that as long as he''s willing to sell, whatever price he sets will be mine. No negotiations��just name his price, and I''ll pay it."

    "I understand," Freya nodded.

    Since everything was said and done for now, Alex decided to leave. He covered himself with his smoke, making it take the shape of casual clothes.

    Just as he stood up from the couch, Freya suddenly called out to him.

    "Is there something wrong?" he wondered.

    "There is nothing wrong, it''s just that..." Freya''s words trailed off before sheposed herself and asked with a straight face, "I wanted to know, who that woman, Amy, following you was?"

    "Oh," Alex replied, "she is my younger sister."

    He didn''t know why, but the instant he said that Amy was his sister, a relieved expression followed by a slight smile appeared on Freya''s hypnotizing face.

    "I see," Freya said as she stood up. Stretching her hand, she added with a smile, "It was a pleasure doing business with you."

    "Likewise," Alex said and shook her hand.

    "The auction willst for ten days," Freya inquired, "Will you be staying for the duration of the auction?"

    Alex hesitated for a bit. Initially, his n was to convince the Drazen family to ept to ce his smoke potions in their annual auction and then directly leave to go participate in the Eswald familypetition. But now that thepetition had been postponed, he judged that there was no need to rush and could stay to enjoy the auction.

    After a brief pause, he nodded. "Yes, I''ll stay."

    A smile bloomed across Freya''s face, her eyes twinkling with both pleasure and anticipation. "I''m d to hear that," she said, her voice softening again. "I''ll be happy to keep youpany throughout the auction... if you''d like that," she added, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink as she cast him a slightly bashful nce.

    Freya''s eyes shone in anticipation while she awaited Alex''s answer.

    Alex''s smoke mask disappeared for a moment, revealing a sly smile. He took her hand once more, lifting it gently to his lips. His kiss was slow and deliberate. As his silver eyes locked with hers, his voice dropped to a low, velvet tone. "It would be my pleasure to have you by my side during my stay."

    He didn''t try to hide in the slightest that he desired her. His eyes were like molten silver as they burned into her, as if he were undressing her with his gaze. However, instead of being intimidated, Freya was captivated. A warm feeling spread within her. Her heart raced as her blush deepened, bing more pronounced under Alex''s intense stare.

    "I will be taking my leave," Alex said as he straightened. "Good night, Lady Freya."

    "Good night," Freya replied softly, "And, you can call me Freya."

    "I will take note," Alex nodded, his mask appearing once again to hide his features.

    He turned around and directly left the office, only to bump into Maya.

    "Where is Amelia?" he inquired, not seeing his sister.

    "She wanted to take a bath, so I led her to your room," Maya answered.

    "I see," Alex said. "Can you also lead me there?"

    "Sure," Maya nodded.

    As they walked towards his room, Maya inquired, "How did things go?"

    "Great," he answered. "I aplished my goal, which means that you also cleared your part of the contract."

    The contract that he signed with Maya entailed that he needed to rescue her from the Night base and escort her safely to her family. On the other hand, Maya would do her best to convince her family to ept to ce Alex''s smoke potions in their list of auctioned items.

    "You didn''t do much convincing though," Alex chuckled. "Your mother was literally the one that proposed me a contract. She is a smart woman, plus she is very beautiful."

    "Hey!" Maya suddenly eximed. "Don''t talk like that about my mom!"

    "What? I just said that she was beautiful. Am I wrong?" Alex asked curiously.

    "No, but the way you said it is suspicious," Maya said as she turned to stare at him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "You aren''t trying to do anything with my mom, right?"

    Alex chuckled, "What, are you afraid to have a new dad?"

    Maya''s cheeks turned red, and she immediately turned her head in the other way. "Y-your room is right around the corner," she stammered. Before he could say anything, Maya bolted away.

    Alex scratched his head with a wry smile as he saw her run away. He shrugged a momentter and continued on his way.

    As Maya had said, his and Amelia''s room was situated around the corner. It couldn''t be mistaken as it was the only room in the whole corridor.

    Sliding open the door and stepping inside, Alex was taken aback when he stepped inside the bedroom.

    The room was spacious, with clean lines and a modern yet serene atmosphere. A bed sorge that it could probably take on ten people dominated the center, its sleek design contrasting with the minimalistic decor that hinted at traditional influences. The walls were a soft, neutral color, and the light pouring in through the wide windows gave the room an open, airy feel. Low furniture sat along one side, practical yet stylish. There were three doors along the far wall, subtly blending into the design, each leading to another part of the luxurious bedroom.

    Hearing the sound of running water gurgling through one of the doors, Alex walked to that door and slid it open. He was immediately assaulted by a cloud of water vapor and the scent of soap.

    He stepped through the door and nced around the room that was probably the bathroom. The bathroom was elegantly decorated, with intricate tile work and wooden ents that matched the Japanese-inspired design of the rest of the mansion. At the center of the room was a massive bathtub, more like a small pool, filled with steaming hot water that released clouds of vapor into the air.

    At the center of the small pool, Alex found the naked body of his sister. She was currently carefully washing herself, her body covered with suds, the foam clinging to her skin and highlighting her curves.

    Before the sight of her otherworldly voluptuous and curvaceous body, Alex''s little brother immediately stood at attention.

    By now, he had seen Amelia naked dozens of times, but it still fascinated him how beautiful and perfect her body was. No matter how many times he saw her, his dick would always have the same reaction. He just couldn''t get enough of her.

    No longer guided by his upper head but instead by his lower head, Alex swiftly stripped off every garment he wore. His ripped and toned body, reminiscent of the body of a Greek god, appeared as his dick  pointed upward like a spear, oftentimes pulsing with anticipation.

    Making sure to not make any noise, Alex entered the small pool with a mischievous smile and silently swam to her.

    When he was right behind her, his two hands shot around Amelia, each taking a handful of her magnificent, full breasts.

 Chapter 282 : Uncontrollable lust (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 282 : Uncontroble lust (1) (R-18)

    When he was right behind her, Alex''s two hands shot around Amelia, each taking a handful of her magnificent, full breasts.

    The expected cry of surprise never happened though.

    "Can''t you act even a little bit surprised?" Alexined indignantly.

    Amelia exploded inughter, her voice so soft and melodious that it reminded one of a gentle spring breeze. "I will remember to act surprised the next time," she promised after a moment.

    "You better," Alex smiled, his hands never stopping their movement. They moved around, fondling and massaging her big breasts, shaping them in a way that made her gasp with pleasure.

    Meanwhile, his rock-hard cock pulsed wildly as it pressed against the back of Amelia.

    "Ahh~"

    A slight moan escaped Amelia''s lips. Breaking off from her brother''s grip, she turned around to stare at him, her eyes burning with desire while she sensually nibbled her luscious lips in a way that demanded depravity.

    "How did your negotiations with Freya go?" she inquired, trying her hardest to resist the need to strap her thick hips around her brother to fuck his brain out.

    "It went well, very well," Alex replied. Opposite to Amelia though, he didn''t try to restrain himself in the slightest.

    Both of his arms slithered their way down until theynded on Amelia''s soft, enormous, and bubbly ass cheeks. They squeezed gently once before their grip firmed up, taking arge portion of her flesh in his hands.

    "You have a great ass, sis~" Alexplimented as he continued his movements. Amelia''s butt was like dough in his hands as he yed with it. He pulled the ass cheeks apart, slightly revealing her inviting pussy leaking love juice and puckered asshole, before smashing those same ass cheeks together to create a satisfying jiggle.

    "Anh~"

    As much as she tried to resist her brother''s assault, Amelia''s face quickly flushed pink as her breathing quickened, small moans escaping her lips.

    "T-Think of that fact the next time you lust after another woman," Amelia said with a pout on her face. "You really have some nerve lusting after another woman when I, your wife, am standing right next to you."

    "Ah," Alex replied with a wry smile, "it''s not what you think."

    "Is that so? Were you not lusting after Freya?" Amelia inquired with the same pout all over her face, though she didn''t look like she was mad.

    "I won''t deny I was lusting after her, but it''s not as you think. When I first saw her, I felt a mix of different emotions well up inside of me. Lust was just the most overbearing of them all," he exined.

    "What kind of emotions?" Amelia inquired, her pout having disappeared. "Oh, and you know, I was just joking. I''m not really mad at you looking at other women."

    "I know about that, sis," Alex said as he leaned in and pressed his lips against Amelia''s before pulling away a momentter. "We will talk about how I feel for Freyater. Now it''s all about you. How do I make myself be forgiven?" he grinned.

    "There is nothing to be forgiven, Alex, but if you insist, you can give me a body massage. I''m feeling a bit sore today," Amelia said with a yful smile.

    "Your wishes are mymands, my love," Alex said as he stepped back from Amelia to bow to her dramatically.

    Amelia giggled and replied, "At least let me finish washing myself."

    "Then let''s get over with it quickly," he replied as he stepped forward to help her wash herself.

    Amelia did the same and helped wash him, though she was the one who did most of the washing. Alex was too busy groping her.

    After they were both clean, Alex reached out, lifted Amelia in a princess carry, and walked to the bedroom.

    A round of giggles escaped Amelia''s mouth as she felt like a little girl enjoying her crush''s attention. Well, besides the little girl part, the rest was true. She had indeed been in love with her brother from her tender age to now, and as the years passed, her feelings only increased in intensity. Having him pamper and treat her like a princess was practically living her dreams.

    Alex carried her over to the enormous bed in their room and gently ced her on it. "Where do you wish for me to start the massage?" he inquired with a smile.

    Amelia thought for a moment before she turned onto her stomach, giving him a view of her perfectly round butt and shapely back. "Begin with my back," she said.

    "Anything for my wife," Alex nodded as he crawled onto the bed and positioned himself just above her. He ced himself so that his legs straddled Amelia''s hips, his knees resting on either side of her thighs.

    He cracked his knuckles together and stretched his fingers for a while. "Prepare yourself to visit heaven, sis," Alex said with a confident smirk as he finally began his massage.

    Amelia was about to retort something when she felt as if a jolt of electricity shed through her body. She suddenly felt as if every nerve ending wasing alive, tingling with anticipation and pleasure.

    "Annnhhh~"

    She released a deep moan as she felt like melting under her brother''s skilled touch. His hands moved with a practiced rhythm, kneading and caressing her muscles, releasing tension she hadn''t even realized she was holding.

    Alex smirked when he heard Amelia moaning. He had been with so many women, from before his wedding to now, that if there was something he was confident about, it was his skills in taking care of his women.

    He started at her shoulders, his thumbs pressing firmly into the tight muscles there, working his way down her spine. His touch was both firm and gentle, knowing exactly where to apply pressure and where to be more delicate. He leaned forward, his body pressing lightly against hers as he worked his way down to the small of her back.

    Amelia''s moans grew louder, her body arching slightly under his touch. She could feel the heat of his body against hers, the sensation of his hands on her skin sending waves of pleasure through her. She felt herself rxingpletely, her mind drifting as she gave herself over to the sensations.

    Meanwhile, Alex continued his massage, his hands moving lower, tracing the curve of her hips and the top of her enormous, perfectly round buttocks. He could feel her body responding to him, her muscles rxing and her breathing in soft, steady sighs. He leaned down, his lips brushing against her ear.

    ''Fuck, she might very well have the biggest and most beautiful ass out there,'' Alex thought as he contemted his little sister shapely ass cheeks with a fascinated smile on his face.

    He leaned down and whispered in a low and husky voice, "feeling good, sis?"

    Amelia could only nod, her body too lost in the pleasure of the moment to form words. Right now, she felt like she was floating, her senses heightened and her body alive with sensation.

    Alex''s hands moved lower still, now focusing on her ample, round ass. He kneaded and caressed her flesh, his fingers digging into her soft skin, drawing out a deep moan from within her.

    Mmmhhh~

    Amelia''s breath hitched as her body began to writhe under his touch, her hips lifting slightly to meet his hands.

    "Oh, brother..." she breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper.

    Alex smirked, enjoying the effect he was having on her. He continued to massage her buttocks, his hands making the soft flesh of moving in slow, sensual circles, that gave him the view of her pussy that glistened with love juices and her puckered anus. asionally, he dipped lower to tease the sensitive skin between her thighs, making Amelia''s moans grew louder and more frequent, her body trembling with desire.

    Ahhnn~ uuhh~

    "You like that, huh?" Alex murmured in her ear, his tone and ragged breathing betraying that he was getting excited.

    Amelia could only nod, her breathing in ragged gasps. She could feel the heat building between her legs, her body demanding more of his attention.

    Alex took in the intoxicating scent of his sister while his hands moved lower still, his fingers trailing lightly over her inner thighs before slipping between her legs. He could feel the heat radiating from Amelia and the wetness that had gathered there.

    He gently stroked his fingers around her lower lips, reveling in the smooth and soft texture of her flesh before two fingers slid through her folds.

    "Uuhhh..."

    Amelia gasped, her body arching off the bed as waves of pleasure coursed through her when her brother fingers prated her secret garden.

    Alex began to pump his fingers in and out, drawing out deep moans and hoarse grunts from Amelia. But after a moment, to Amelia dismay, he withdrew his fingers from her pussy. But then, he trailed them up to her tight, puckered asshole.

    His fingers, coated in Amelia''s love juices, made slow circles around the rim of her asshole before one of them pressed gently against it.

    Amelia tensed for a moment, but Alex leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Rx, sis. I''ll make you feel good."

 Chapter 283 : Uncontrollable lust (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 283 : Uncontroble lust (2) (R-18)

    Amelia tensed for a moment, but Alex leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Rx, sis. I''ll make you feel good."

    She took a deep breath and rxed.

    Alex continued to apply a gentle pressure against her asshole until he felt her rx enough and then, he inserted his finger.

    Amelia gasped, her body tensing as for the second time, something had entered her ass.

    Meanwhile, Alex waited for a second or two to let her hole be ustomed to his finger, then he began to gently stroke inside her ass, his expression turning into one of marvel as he felt no only the hotness, but also the great tightness of her asshole. His other hand circled back to her pussy and began to stroke her erect clit in slow, deliberate circles.

    "Anng, uhh, hhanngg...~"

    "Hnng..." Amelia breathed out, her breathing in ragged gasps as the overwhelming dual sensation of having Alex''s fingers stimte both her ass and her clit was too much and she could immediately feel herself spiraling towards an intense orgasm.

    She moaned loudly, her hands clenching the bedsheets as her body writhed beneath Alex as he continued to pleasure her.

    Alex could feel her body responding to him, the inner muscles of her already tight asshole further gripped around his finger as she neared her climax. He thus increased the pressure and speed of his strokes and when he was sure that she could take more, he dipped yet another finger inside his sister''s asshole, stretching her gently as he continued to stroke her clit.The sound of her wetness and the soft, squelching noises of his fingers moving in and out of her filled the room.

    "You feel so good, sis," Alex murmured, his voice thick with arousal. "Your ass is so tight and perfect."

    "Oh, gods, Alex..." Amelia moaned, her voice trembling with pleasure. "Don''t stop... please don''t stop..."

    Alex smirked, enjoying the effect he was having on her. He continued to finger her asshole, his fingers moving faster and deeper, while his other hand worked her clit with expert precision.

    Amelia''s breath came in short, rapid pants, her body arching off the bed as she neared her climax. The sound of her wetness and the soft, squelching noises of his fingers moving in and out of her grew louder, filling the room with the sounds of their pleasure.

    "G-Gods..." Amelia''s moans grew louder and more desperate as the intense sensation threatened topletely engulf her being. Her whole body trembling with anticipation.

    "Come for me, sis~" Alex whispered in a sultry tone as his fingers strokes continued to assault Amelia''s perfectly tight asshole while his others fingers caressed her clit.

    "AHHHHNN...."

    Soon enough, Amelia''s body convulsed, her orgasm ripping through her with a force that left her crying out his name. A flood of love juices gushed out of her pussy in a torrent as her asshole clenched tightly around his fingers, pulsing with the waves of her pleasure.

    Meanwhile, Alex continued to stroke her, drawing out her pleasure until she was left panting and trembling on the bed. Even then, he didn''t stop and kept fingering her ass. In fact, since Amelia had rxed even more after she climaxed, Alex used that opportunity to insert a third finger inside her asshole.

    "W-Wait..." Amelia called out in an almost pleading tone, but Alex didn''t stop anyway. His hand moved swiftly as he finger-fucked Amelia inside her asshole, stretching her further.

    To Amelia''s relief, after a while, he finally stopped and slid his fingers out of her now gaping asshole.

    However, when Amelia thought that he was going to give her time to rest before they continued, Alex mounted her. He kissed his way upward from her ass cheeks to her back before continuing to her neck, where he made sure to leave several hickeys to prove that Amelia was none other than his and his alone.

    Taking hold of his erect cock, he ced it between Amelia''s ass cheeks.

    By now, his dick was so hard that it was beginning to hurt. Large veins and a throbbing intensity had appeared all over the length of his manhood.

    Alex took a whiff of Amelia''s hair, reveling in the sweet scent of her shampoo.

    Hearing her, Amelia''s own gaze shed, and she turned back to stare at her brother with the same intense pink eyes as his. "Do it then," she slurred seductively, her earlier resistance having disappeared as if it were a lie. "Take my anal virginity~"

    That was all he needed to hear.

    He brought his cock to her wet pussy and rubbed it against the folds to coat the head with the slippery love juices, and then brought it back to her asshole.

    He wasn''t worried about hurting her, as he understood that just like when he took her vaginal virginity, Amelia could dull the pain with her ability. Thus, after he rubbed his rock-hard cock against her anus, he eased himself inside her, his dick stretching her asshole as he went all the way inside until his massive manhood was buried to the hilt inside his sister''s asshole.

    "Ahhh," the both of them released a deep moan of pleasure at the same time.

    Alex practically closed his eyes in ecstasy as he felt the warm and tight embrace of his sister''s asshole around his manhood.

    Meanwhile, Amelia had her eyes wide open in pleasure, but also in shock. She had never felt so full in her life. The hot and hard member of her brother waspletely filling her.

    In many ways, having him inside her ass was a lot different than having him inside her pussy, but at the same time, it was also very, very pleasurable.

    Alex opened his eyes and had to take a moment to stare at the beautiful sight before him. His sister wasying on her stomach, her beautiful, sexy, and wless body that could put some goddesses to shame glistened with ayer of sweat. Her long, raven-ck hair was sprawled messily on her back. Her back was facing him, and her glorious, round ass was angled slightly upward while his thick dick waspletely inside her asshole, her hips pushing against his.

    Alex smiled as he thought he got a glimpse of what heaven might look like, and then slowly pulled back, his cocking out in a slow way that allowed him to feel every inch of her tight asshole. Then, he thrust back in full force, his dick stretching his sister''s tight canal.

    SLAP!

    Both he and Amelia grunted in pleasure before he repeated the same action, causing Amelia''s ass to jiggle and tremble in a very exciting and mesmerizing way.

    SLAP!

    "Uuhg..." Amelia moaned lustfully as the sound of skin pping against skin resounded once again in the bedroom. Her hands gripped the bedsheets tighter as she epted her brother''s strokes and gradually sank into a state of depravity and ecstasy.

    SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

    The sound of flesh pping against flesh became more frequent as Alex stroked with wild abandon inside Amelia''s asshole. He would have liked to go slowly to let her truly get ustomed, but he simply couldn''t. He was too excited, and damn, being in her ass felt divine. He simply couldn''t stop himself from fucking her even if he wanted to.

    Grunts and moans quickly filled the bedroom as Alex pounded into Amelia with wild and powerful strokes. His figure was blurred as his movements sped up.

    If one didn''t know how much he loved Amelia and how dear she was to him, they might even argue that what he was doing to her was punishment. That was because right now, he wasn''t making love to her; no, he was roughly and furiously fucking her.

    He ced his hands on each side of her body, his muscles tensing, and then he increased his speed once again. His thrusts were so brutal that it was like he had be a possessed man whose only goal was to destroy Amelia''s butthole.

    Her ass cheeks quickly turned a crimson red due to the intense pounding, but even despite that treatment, Amelia''s own moans only became louder and louder. Right this moment, if someone passed by the corridor before their room, it would have been very possible for those people to hear them fucking.

    While he didn''t act as attentively as he did when they usually made love, Amelia couldn''t help but moan louder as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her.

    Her brother had never fucked her roughly, but it could be said that she was very much enjoying herself. Plus, she had always loved the effect she had on him, so the idea that she felt so good that he couldn''t even control himself was more arousing than anything else for her.

    Amelia nced back at her brother, and he also gazed back at her, their pink eyes staring deep inside each other. The incestuous couple stared at each other with desire burning in their eyes for a while before Alex leaned in and captured Amelia''s luscious lips with his own.

    "Mmm," their tongues battled with one another as they moaned into each other''s mouths. The room filled with the sounds of their passion, the pping of flesh against flesh, and the moans and grunts of their shared pleasure.

 Chapter 284 : Uncontrollable lust (3) (R-18)

    Chapter 284 : Uncontroble lust (3) (R-18)

    Amelia nced back at her brother, and he also gazed back at her, their pink eyes staring deep inside each other. The incestuous couple stared at each other with desire burning in their eyes for a while before Alex leaned in and captured Amelia''s luscious lips with his own.

    "Mmm," their tongues battled with one another as they moaned into each other''s mouths.

    They kissed for a while, moaning into each other''s mouths as their tongues battled for supremacy.

    Meanwhile, Alex''s strokes never stopped. His hips moved with purpose as his dick vited Amelia''s tight asshole. His strokes were deep, animalistic, and relentless as he buried himself to the hilt before pulling back and moving forth once again.

    After a while, panting and gasping for breath, their lips separated, a string of saliva still connecting them to each other. Alex''s stare deepened into Amelia''s eyes, his gaze one of pure hunger and desire.

    He then straightened himself, his dick leaving the tight embrace of his sister''s asshole with a lewd plop sound as he did so. Amelia gasped as she felt a sense of loss after he withdrew from her.

    On his knees, Alex stared at the body glistening with sweat of Amelia, her voluptuous red ass cheeks a testament to his rough treatment, and a gaping asshole that stared back at him.

    At that moment, he felt his lust exploding forth and an irresistible urge to bury himself back into that tight asshole andpletely destroy it took possession of him.

    The pink color of his eyes intensified, and he grabbed Amelia''s hourss waist with his two hands and roughly pulled her onto her knees. A cry of surprise escaped Amelia''s lips, but Alex was past caring about such things.

    Positioning his thick cock over her inviting backdoor, Alex licked his lips and thrust forward, prating her in one swift motion until his whole manhood hadpletely disappeared inside her.

    He reveled in the sensation of her inner muscles mping down on his member for a moment before he pulled back and thrust himself forward once again with such force that his balls pped against her dripping pussy.

    p!

    A loud and lewd sound of flesh pping against flesh resounded in the bedroom. That sound was like music to Alex''s ears and acted like a catalyst, fueling his lust and driving him to vigorously thrust himself balls deep once more into her tight asshole.

    "Anh~" Amelia moaned with a mix of pain and delight. She could have used her ability topletely stop the pain of Alex fucking her asshole, but she didn''t, unexpectedly loving the slight pain mixed with pleasure.

    Alex thrust once again, his dick burying itself deep inside her tight asshole, his hips mming into her own, drawing out a deep moan from within her. "Oh, gods, Alex..." she breathed out, her voice filled with a mix of pleasure and desperation.

    p!

    "Ahh..." Amelia cried out as their bodies collided, the sound of flesh pping against flesh echoing through the room.

    p! p! p!

    "Anh...ahn..haah..." Her moans grew louder and more desperate with each powerful thrust, her body writhing beneath him as she took every brutal stroke.

    p! p! p!

    The room was quickly filled with a mix of Alex''s and Amelia''s moans and grunts, as well as the obscene sounds of their bodiesing together. The pping of flesh against flesh echoed through the air, creating a symphony of their shared pleasure and depravity.

    Alex''s grip on her waist tightened, his fingers digging into her flesh as he pulled her back onto his cock with each powerful thrust.

    Amelia on the other hand moans grew louder and more desperate, her body writhing beneath him as she took every brutal thrust. The sensation of his cock stretching her asshole was overwhelming, sending waves of pleasure and pain coursing through her body.

    "Ahh...Ahhh...Ahh..."

    Amelia''s moans grew out of control a Alex increased his pace even more, his body mming against hers with a force that left her seeing stars. He leaned over her, his breath hot and ragged against her ear. "You feel so fucking good, sis," he growled, his voice thick with lust. "Your ass is so tight, so perfect."

    Amelia could only moan in response, her bodypletely at his mercy. She could feel him sinking deeper into a state of pure, unadulterated lust, his actions bing more depraved and perverted with each passing moment. And she absolutely loved it!  She loved the way he was using her, the way he was iming her sopletely and utterly.

    Alex''s thrusts became even more savage, his cock pistoning in and out of her asshole with a force that left her gasping for breath. He reached up and grabbed a handful of her beautiful ck hair, pulling her head back sharply as he continued to fuck her with wild abandon.

    In that moment, Alex could feel it��the lust radiating from Amelia. It was the second time he could almost sense someone''s desire as if it were a tangible force, not just an abstract emotion.

    He could feel that he could reach out a hand and touch, pull it, and even control it. However, this time he resisted the need to do exactly that. Thest time he tried to directly control someone else''s lust, he outright fainted, and he didn''t want it to happen right now, especially when it felt so good to be inside his little sister''s asshole!

    His grasp on Amelia''s hair tightened to the point it was bing painful for her, but Alex didn''t care. Right this moment, the only thing that mattered was for him to have his pleasure; the rest he didn''t care about.

    If he was in his right mind, he would have realized that the lust he was feeling all around him was slowly surrounding him and converging towards him like a torrent of raw, uncontrolled desire.

    Unfortunately for him, he was too lost, sinking deeper and deeper into a state of depravity he never thought he would one day experience. Practically, the only thing in his mind was what he should do to increase his own pleasure.

    His eyesnded on Amelia''s slender neck, and an idea struck him. He reached out his other hand, intent on grabbing Amelia''s neck, when he suddenly stiffened.

    At that moment, Alex heard someone sigh directly into his head. The following second, his vision darkened, and he copsed onto his back, unconscious.

    Amelia was swiftly pulled out of her trance and moaning when she felt Alex''s cock slip out of her and the fall of his body behind her.

    "Alex!" she eximed as she scurried to his unconscious body.

    Without wasting the slightest time, she began to diagnose him. However, even after several minutes, she couldn''t find what was happening with him, and thus she began to freak out.

    ****

    While Amelia was freaking out and wondering if she should go fetch help from Freya, Alex opened his eyes in a dark and unfamiliar ce.

    All around him, there was nothing to be seen, only a vast expanse of darkness.

    ''What the fuck happened?'' he wondered.

    The only thing that he recalled was him making love to Amelia. The next thing he knew, his lust gradually got out of control to the point that, although he was conscious, he wasn''t certain that he was the master of his actions.

    In those final moments before he lost consciousness, a selfish desire for control and domination threatened to overwhelm himpletely.

    ''Looking back, it was probably a good thing I passed out,'' he thought to himself with a hint of relief.

    Trying to calm his unsettled heart, Alex carefully observed around him and realized that, though there was nothing but darkness in the surroundings, he was actually sitting around a table.

    The table was round and as mundane as ites. There were no special furnishings or features on it. There were two chairs ced around the round table. One of which he was currently sitting on, and the other that was ced right in front of him, but was unupied.

    This didn''tst, though.

    As Alex was observing the surroundings, a pinkish cloud the size of his head appeared, hovering over the chair.

    Before he could say anything, Alex heard, "Pleased to finally meet you face to face."

 Chapter 285 : Revelations (1)

    Chapter 285 : Revtions (1)

    "Pleased to finally meet you face to face," someone said, breaking off the silence in the boundless darkness.

    The voice that spoke was so melodious, so enchanting, and so seductive that for a moment, Alex''s mind went nk. He felt a wave of desire wash over him, momentarily forgetting where he was and what he was doing.

    "Tsk, we don''t have time for this," the voice said, and suddenly, Alex was pulled out of his trance. "I believe you already know who I am."

    Alex blinked a couple of times in confusion before turning his head toward the pinkish cloud hovering on the chair opposite him. "The goddess of lust," he stated, his expression darkening.

    "Spot on," the pink cloud moved from up to down as if it was nodding. "I would have appeared in my true form, but unfortunately, your mental and control of your emotions are too poor to witness my beauty. You would just be a dull ve," the goddess said in a teasing tone.

    Alex ignored her teasing and went straight to the point. "Where are we, what do you want, and why did you make me appear here?"

    "Always so feisty," the goddess chuckled but then, her tone turned surprisingly serious. "However, you are right, we shouldn''t waste time. Otherwise, the others are going to sense my interference, and if this happens, heads will be rolling, and believe me, your head will be among those heads."

    When he heard herst statement, Alex felt a cold sweat mat his back as the gravity of the situation began to settle in.

    After a short pause to let her words sink in, the goddess continued, "I won''t answer all your questions. As a matter of fact, I will only reply to questions I deem important enough."

    He hadn''t interacted many times with her, but it was weird for Alex to hear the usually yful and teasing goddess speak in a formal and serious tone. It made Alex be even more serious. If even a literal deity was getting serious, he would be foolish not to do the same.

    "Firstly, the reason why I summoned you here is because you were about to lose control of yourself," the goddess exined. "You must have felt it before you lost consciousness."

    Alex slowly nodded his head. In those moments before he was knocked out, probably by the goddess, he was actually going to lose consciousness anyway. His lust was so overwhelming in those moments that he felt himself changing as all sorts of thoughts, each more depraved and harmful than the other shed in his mind.

    "If I hadn''t taken action, you would have probably done something you would regretter on," the goddess disclosed.

    Alex nodded his head. When he thought back to all the things that he was about to do to not only his sister but all the women he might stumble upon in that lust-filled state, his blood chilled.

    "There''s a reason people think of lust as a sin, Alex. Never forget that," the goddess said in a strangely ancient and wise tone.

    Alex nodded his head before he frowned the following instant. "You are the goddess of lust, right? Aren''t you supposed to push me to do lustful things?"

    "Yes, that''s what I''m supposed to do and am actually doing, but you need to understand that your case is different from other people," the goddess sighed. "While when normal people sumb to their dark desires and do something lustful, I''m satisfied. Things are different for you. You, specifically, are supposed to represent me, something like my champion. If my champion can''t even control his emotions, sumb, and be a ve to lust instead of the ruler of lust that he is supposed to be, that would be my greatest shame."

    Hearing her exnation, Alex couldn''t help but sigh in disappointment. For a moment there, he thought that she was worried about him, but apparently, she was worrying about her face.

    "You already exined that thing about controlling my lust once, so why did you bring me here?" he asked.

    "As I said, you were about to lose yourself when I summoned you," the goddess exined. "If I had let things happen, you might return to your usual self after a while, but by then, the damage would already be done. That is without mentioning the fact that you will gradually lose your sense of self."

    "What the hell?" Alex eximed, his eyes widening in shock.

    The pinkish cloud nodded, "If you continue to lose yourself, that lust-crazed version of yours will be your new persona."

    At that moment, Alex felt dread as he imagined himself bing someone whose only goal in life was to fuck any holes he came across. Yet, the most dreadful thing was that he wasn''t sure that he would only assault women!

    He took a deep breath and calmed himself, or at the very least tried to.

    "So how do I stop myself from sumbing to lust?" he asked with a hardened expression.

    "Before that, you need to understand the reason why all of this is happening," the goddess replied. "I nned on exining all of this when you solved your problems with your divided soul, but I guess that won''t happen."

    She sighed and revealed, "To make aplicated matter simple, the reason all of this is happening is because you are tapping into the lust energy without my blessing."

    Alex blinked in confusion, question marks popping above his head. "Lust energy? Blessing?"

    "Yes," the goddess nodded. "Just like mana and other forms of energies, there is also lust energy. However, contrary to energies like mana thate from the world, lust energy is tied to beings. If there are no beings in a world, there can''t be lust energy," she exined.

    This news was quite a shock to Alex because he had never thought that energies such as lust existed. Just this revtion alone was enough to disturb him, but when another thought crossed his mind, he practically froze in realization...

    "Wait," he raised his hand to stop the goddess. "If there''s lust energy, that means that there are other forms of energies depending on the different sins?"

    The goddess didn''t reply directly, as if wondering if she should answer or not, but ultimately, the pinkish cloud moved up and down, confirming his thoughts. "For some of us, yes."

    "For some of you? You mean to say that��"

    "I am forbidden to answer questions regarding the other sins," she interjected. "If you want answers regarding them, find out yourself. Besides, we are not here to discuss the other sins."

    The goddess of lust sighed and resumed, "As I was saying, there exists lust energy; that energy onlyes from living beings, and you, like other species such as the subus, can tap into this lust energy." the goddess exined. "Life forms that can use lust energy mostly tap into this surrounding lust energy, but you are different."

    "You being my champion, you can tap more freely into the lust energy and can even directly feed on other people''s lust. Since you are new to this, though, this process is handled by the ''lust artifact,''" she exined.

    After she said this, she remained silent to give Alex some time to digest the information.

    After a while, Alex''s eyes focused on the pinkish cloud, and he said, "So if I understand what you are saying, by indulging in lustful things with my wives, I feed on their lust, and thanks to the artifact, that lust is transformed into the soul points that I can use to increase my stats or copy abilities," he summarized.

    "You are true and false at the same time," the goddess replied.

    Alex raised a brow in surprise, hearing her. He was pretty certain about his deductions of how the artifact worked so this answer was a surprise to him.

    "Well, to be honest, you would have been totally exact if your soul ability didn''t interfere in the process of transformation," the goddess disclosed.

    As he heard this, Alex released a soft chuckle. It seemed Lilia was right after all; his ability had indeed caused modifications to the lust artifact.

 Chapter 286 : Revelations (2)

    Chapter 286 : Revtions (2)

    ''Lilia was right after all; my ability had indeed caused modifications to the lust artifact,'' Alex thought with a chuckle.

    He rxed on his chair and ced one leg above the other. Weirdly enough, the more the discussion went, the more focused he became.

    "How did my soul ability interfere in the transformation process and what are the consequences?" he askedposedly.

    "As you already know, when you do a lustful act, you gain soul points instead of the original lust points that you should have obtained. I could have stopped the interference of your ability and made it so that you could only gain lust points, but I realized that soul points were more, umm, let''s say ''suited'' for you. They were more potent and allowed you to be stronger faster than if you used lust points," the goddess of lust exined.

    "It wasn''t without consequences though," she continued a momentter. "Just as your soul ability had changed the artifact''s lust points into soul points, which are able to make you stronger faster and even able to copy others'' abilities, lust points also had certain advantages that you lost when you awakened soul points instead."

    "What advantages are we speaking about?" Alex inquired.

    "For one, with lust points, you would have had better control of your own lust as you would have had a closer link with lust energy. You could have also been able to quickly control other people''s lust. I don''t have to exin to you how easily gaining the favor of women would have be if you had that power," the goddess slurred. Alex couldn''t see her, but he was certain that she was smiling right now.

    "Are those the only advantages of lust points?" he inquired, trying to ignore her insinuations.

    If those were the only advantages to the lust points, Alex felt that he was better off with his current soul points.

    "Don''t look down on the lust points!" the goddess snapped in a stern tone. "Lust points have their own unique advantages. They allow for a deeper understanding and maniption of lust energy, which can be incredibly powerful in its own right. You would have been able to sense and influence the desires of others, making it easier for you conquer women."

    Her exmation made Alex raise an eyebrow in surprise. ''Wait, is she...hurt by what I said?'' he wondered.

    He wasn''t certain, but when he thought about it, it might make sense. After all, the lust points came straight from her power. By belittling them, he was actually belittling her. ''Well, what do I care,'' Alex shrugged mentally. It''s not like he was known for his love or respect of deities anyway.

    "In case you haven''t noticed, I can hear your thoughts," the goddess said in an annoyed tone.

    "That''s even better," Alex smiled sarcastically.

    The goddess tsked and muttered to no one in particr, "Others have good champions, meanwhile, my champion is just an ungrateful drama queen?"

    "Who are you calling a drama queen?!" Alex snapped back. However, the goddess ignored him and kept muttering to herself, "The worst, he doesn''t even know himself, tsk, what a chore. Why did I have to agree to that bastard''s n?"

    She continued to speak nonsense for a while before she cleared her throat. "Anyway, around half the time I''m allowed to keep you here has already passed, so let''s continue. You can ask whatever questions you have. It''s not to say that I will answer all of them though."

    Alex snorted, disgruntled, but he ultimately nodded. It wasn''t like he had any choice in any case. What the goddess was speaking of directly impacted him.

    "You spoke about me tapping into the lust energy without your blessing," Alex began. "Howe I don''t have your blessing while I''m considered your ''champion''?"

    "As I exined, losing the lust points has made you lose certain advantages thate with the artifact. One such example of loss is my blessing that you should have obtained the moment you fused with the artifact. My blessing is essentially what would have allowed you to control more easily the lust energy," the goddess replied.

    "So howe I can use that lust energy and more importantly, when had I ever used that energy because I certainly don''t remember doing so?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

    "From the moment you became my champion, it was designed that you could use the lust energy; it''s just that the blessing would have made things much smoother," the goddess rified. "For your second question though, you will have to find out by yourself," she added.

    "Can''t you just answer?" Alex asked, his eyes twitching in annoyance.

    However, the goddess just glossed over his question. Seeing that, Alex decided to follow up with his other questions.

    "Given what you have said, I presume that you are here to give me that blessing, right?" he wondered.

    "Yes," the goddess replied, the pinkish cloud moving up and down. "Though, there is really no need for me to be here to give you this blessing."

    "Then why are you here?" Alex questioned suspiciously.

    "Just wanted to verify something," she answered dismissively. "You don''t have to worry about that."

    Alex nodded his head and let go of the subject. He didn''t want to press her further and even doubted that he would get her to answer him. Plus, if he were honest, the goddess had cleared quite a bit of questions he was already curious about and seemed to even be friendly with him.

    After a while, his gazended on the pinkish cloud, and he asked, "Why now? From what I understood, you could have exined to me what you just exined and given me this blessing way before, so why now?"

    He understood that she had summoned him here because he was, ording to her, on the way to losing himself to his lust, but he couldn''t understand why it had to be now. After all, she could have summoned him way before he was even at risk of losing himself to lust.

    "Not now," the goddess said in a dismissive tone. "Maybeter you will know," she added a momentter.

    "Why are you trying to��"

    "I said, not now," the goddess snapped, cutting him off.

    At that moment, Alex''s body froze. It wasn''t a way of speaking; his body literally froze as he felt an overwhelming pressurend on him. His danger sense red at him, urging him to run away at his fastest, but he couldn''t. The danger seemed toe from every direction but at the same time, nowhere.

    All of a sudden, he seemed to realize that he was sitting in front of a literal deity. Of course before he knew that she was a goddess, but it was only now that he truly realized that she was a deity, a true goddess, one of the beings at the top of the food chain.

    Alex gasped, sweat covering his whole body, his breathing caught in his throat, and his body trembled like a leaf swayed by the wind.

    Fortunately for him, after a few seconds, the pressurepletely disappeared as if it was a lie.

    "Any other questions?" the goddess inquired in her usual teasing tone, as if she hadn''t just exerted her divine pressure on him.

    Taking a deep breath to try topose himself, Alex stared at the pink cloud with a mix of apprehension, wariness, and fear.

    "Don''t you have another question?" the goddess inquired, her tone yful.

    "Y-Yes, I do have a few other questions," he stammered.

    For the following minutes, Alex asked the goddess of lust several questions that he had. They were mostly questions about lust energy, how to use it, how to control it so it wouldn''t consume him. He also asked other questions about the sin games and how they worked, what their goal was, what would happen if he obtained another sin artifact, etc.

    The goddess answered some of his questions, ignored some, and straight out refused to answer certain questions. The questions she refused to answer were mostly questions regarding the sin games or questions about the other sins and what the other "champions" might be able to do with their own artifacts.

    Alex was dissatisfied that he couldn''t get the answers to all of his questions, but after the goddess exerted her pressure on him, he learned to keep his dissatisfaction to himself.

    "Time is almost up," the goddess informed, "but you can still ask ast question. What would it be?"

    Alex thought for a moment before he decided on hisst question. "You once said that the goddess of light hated you. Why is that, and should I be worried about the members of the church of light?"

 Chapter 287 : Revelations (3)

    Chapter 287 : Revtions (3)

    "You once said that the goddess of light hated you. Why is that, and should I be worried about the members of the church of light?" Alex questioned.

    The goddess didn''t reply to most questions regarding herself or other gods, so he wasn''t certain that she would answer this question, but surprisingly, she did.

    "I have to say, I didn''t expect that question," the goddess chuckled before she added, "I don''t think that old hag would instruct her prim and proper followers to chase you, if that''s what you are worried about."

    Hearing that, Alex released a sigh of relief. He was already worried about the fact that powerful organizations with almighty members were already chasing after him; he didn''t want to also worry about the church of light.

    A sudden chuckle resounded in the darkness as the goddess of lustughed, her voice so melodic and alluring that Alex had to do his best to not fall into a daze once again. "The story about why the old hag hates my guts is actually quite funny."

    Alex didn''t know what had happened, but he was willing to bet his life that what she qualified as ''funny'' wouldn''t be seen the same way by the goddess of light.

    "Once upon a time, way before your empire had been created, Imperion was filled with demons and other dark creatures. Those demons did absolutely what they wanted, from killing, raping, and other forms of life, they did everything they wanted. That was until the old hag made the high priest of her church at that time her ''holy son,''" the goddess said in a reminiscing tone.

    "Before bing the holy son, the high priest was already a pious man who never hesitated to fly to people''s rescue, even when he knew he might lose his life. Thus, when he obtained the strength conferred to him by the old hag, his first endeavor was topletely wipe out the continent of demons and demonic creatures," she said with a chuckle.

    "What, you helped the demons and that is the reason the goddess hates you?" Alex inquired.

    "Nope, I actually didn''t do that," sheughed even harder. "At that moment, I did absolutely nothing," she exined.

    "After he had set himself this goal, he rallied all the people from the church of light and went to war against the demons. Roughly five yearster, he had won the war and made the demons flee from Imperion. After the war ended, the people of the continent enjoyed a rtive peace. However, the holy son hadn''t finished."

    "He began to preach the goodwill of the old hag and denouncing several practices that local people enjoyed. All was fine until that fool decided to preach, telling people to distance themselves from lustful acts, that the pleasure of the flesh was sinful, that it was a path to damnation and that those who indulged in it were unworthy of the old hag''s blessings."

    "That was when I decided to teach that high priest a little lesson. Nothing too much, I just wanted to give him an idea of what the pleasure of the flesh he so preached people to not indulge themselves into felt. I thus started whispering some words to his ears, making sure to not let the old hag catch me," the goddess exined.

    She chuckled evilly and continued, "Slowly, bit by bit, his attitude began to change. The preaches to denounce the pleasure of the flesh stopped, and the priest himself began to indulge in that pleasure. He began to regrly visit some of the local brothels and fuck every prostitute that caught his eye. That damned man actually had a lot of stamina due to his status as holy son, so he wasn''t tired after having sex with just one prostitute. Thus, after a while, he began to have sex with several women at the same time."

    As the goddess continued to speak, a mocking smile slowly began to creep onto Alex''s face. He was finding the thought that a prim and proper priest suddenly drowning in depravity very funny. In the first ce, even before he had gained the lust artifact, he hated hypocrites, so he was finding the goddess''s story entertaining.

    "The old hag obviously caught on to what was happening, but for whatever reason, she didn''t stop him. Perhaps she was confident that he would pull himself together, but it was her mistake. Under my persistent whispering, her holy son just kept sinking into depravity," at that point, the goddess of lust let out a heartfeltughter, clearly proud of her deed.

    "After a while, rumors of the holy son of the church of light visiting brothels began to spread around, decreasing the poprity that the members of the church enjoyed as people insulted them for hypocrisy. Seeing that, the holy son, despite my suggestion, actually stopped visiting the brothels."

    An especially dark chuckle resounded in the darkness, sending shivers down Alex''s spine as the goddess continued.

    "Something even I hadn''t anticipated was that this action would make him fall into deeper degeneracy. As he had already tasted the pleasure of the flesh, the priest couldn''t hold himself back, and since he couldn''t go back to the brothel for fear of exacerbating the rumors, his lust got directed to the only women in his line of sight: the nuns."

    "Imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when I saw him approach one of the nuns," the goddess chuckled in pure delight. "That poor naive girl saw nothinging, and before she knew it, he was pinning her against his bed as he pounded her."

    "As with the prostitutes, he couldn''t be satisfied with just one woman, and thus, slowly but surely, all the nuns of the church began to visit him at night."

    At that point in the history, the goddess released a depraved moan of pleasure. Alex couldn''t see her face right now, but he was certain that if he could, he would probably see the most obscene expression on the goddess''s face. It was as if she was getting a kick by retelling that story.

    "Ahh, if only you could witness it," the goddess sighed in ecstasy. "The high priest and holy son of the church and several of the usually saintly nuns embracing and fornicating from night to morning."

    The goddess sighed once again, "That man surely had potential and would have probably made a very excellent champion. Unfortunately, just as I began considering that, he, along with the nuns, were caught in an orgy by several of their followers after they missed their weekly preach. It wasn''t long before the information was spread across the whole continent, and the influence of the church of light was dragged into the mud."

    "At that point, the old hag was livid. Since the church of light was tied to her, the goddess of light, her reputation was also dragged into the mud by the actions of the holy son and nuns. Yet, she still decided to give the high priest onest chance. I don''t know why, but the old hag really appreciated that man."

    "What she hadn''t understood at that time though was that her holy son was past the point of caring. He continued to fornicate with the nuns for several weekster until that fool had an epiphany."

    The goddess of lust sighed wearily and said, "That fool stopped fucking with other women as he realized that they no longer were enough. He wanted more. It was at that moment that he came to ''understand'' that the person he liked more than even his life and with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life was none other than the old hag. However, he also understood that he would never be able to be with her in that sort of way, thus he had to find other ways to be with her physically."

    "Don''t tell me..." Alex trailed off as he had a wild suspicion of what happened.

    "You guessed right," the goddess of lust chuckled. "That fool brought down the human-sized statue of the old hag, made a nice hole around where he thought her asshole should have been, lubed it up, and was preparing himself to fuck the old hag statue when he was smithereens with a bolt of light by the very one whose statue he was about to fuck."

    "Oh my god.... HAHAHAHA," Alex exploded inughter as he heard the most what-the-fuck story he had ever heard in his two lives! It was so hrious that he practically curled himself into a ball, tears streaming down his eyes as heughed uncontrobly.

    A secondter, the goddess also joined him, and the two of themughed so hard that the echoes of their voices filled the darkness around them.

 Chapter 288 : Return

    Chapter 288 : Return

    Around a minuteter, Alex and the goddess finally stoppedughing, and Alex settled back into his chair from which he had fallen in mirth.

    "What was the name of this priest?" Alex inquired, wiping tears ofughter from his eyes.

    "Desmond," the goddess replied, her tone shifting slightly more serious. "His name is recorded in the register of the Church of Light as the man who elevated the church''s influence to unprecedented heights but paradoxically also tarnished its reputation more than anyone in history."

    Alex chuckled at this revtion. "I would have loved to meet that guy," he said after a moment.

    "Unfortunately, the old hag killed him herself and imed his soul, so only she knows what truly happened to him," the goddess sighed. "But tell you what, if you manage to get one of her nuns in your bed, I guarantee you a reward."

    Alex considered this for a moment before nodding in agreement. "We have a deal."

    "Just be careful. After what happened with Desmond, the old hag made sure situations like that wouldn''t happen again."

    "Mm," Alex nodded, understanding the gravity of her warning.

    "Well, I think that''s all," the goddess of lust finally said, her tone shifting to one of finality. "It''s time for you to return."

    "Before I go," Alex began, "can I know your name?"

    "Not now, lover boy," the goddess replied seductively, her voice smooth and melodic, sending Alex into a daze. It was as if each syble wrapped around his mind, intoxicating him. "For now, you can call me Lust."

    Before Alex could muster another word, his vision darkened, and he felt himself being pulled back into his body.

    ***

    At that moment, as Alex was being returned to his physical form, a group of young women arrived at the Church of the Goddess of Light, located in the capital city of the Fiore Empire. This groupprised the nun Miba and her two bodyguards, Umra and Mara.

    "Finally home," Umra sighed as they were allowed entry into the church after a brief inspection.

    "Yes, we are fi��" Mina began, but her words caught in her throat when a priest approached them, informing them that the bishop had ordered their presence in his office immediately upon their return.

    The three friends exchanged nervous nces, worry etched on their faces, before they reluctantly made their way toward the bishop''s office. The atmosphere grew heavy with a strange silence as they walked.

    A few minutester, they stood before a heavy wooden door. Above it, a statue of the Goddess of Light gleamed, radiating a serene aura.

    Mina nced at the statue, took a deep breath to steady her racing heart, and decisively pushed open the door.

    The first thing she noticed as she stepped inside the office was a pair of deep green eyes fixed intently on her.

    Those eyes belonged to a man dressed in a flowing white robe that draped elegantly over his form. The fabric shimmered subtly, and the intricate golden embroidery along the edges suggested a position of great authority. He had equally deep green hair, neatly styled, and wore a calm expression that could easily be mistaken for indifference. However, the three young women who had just entered his office knew better than to believe that.

    "You have seeded in your mission," the man��the bishop��stated in a tone that was more of an affirmation than a question, as if he were assessing their worth.

    "Y-Yes, we did," Mina replied, nodding sheepishly and avoiding direct eye contact with the bishop. Her two friends mirrored her actions, trying their best to steer clear of his prating gaze.

    "The mission waspleted months ago. Why have you only returned now?" the bishop inquired, his sharp tone causing the three girls to tremble slightly.

    "Don''t you think you owe me an exnation?" he pressed, observing that Mara was hesitating to respond.

    Just then, the door swung open once again, and a man stepped through, interrupting the tense atmosphere.

    This neer wore the same white robe as the bishop, but his own was adorned with more intricate golden threads, suggesting a higher standing in the church hierarchy. Around his neck, a pendant in the shape of the Goddess of Light dangled, symbolizing his devotion and role within the church.

    The man was strikingly handsome, with long golden hair cascading over his shoulders and sapphire-blue eyes that radiated warmth and serenity behind a pair of delicate sses. Beyond the aura of holiness that seemed to emanate from him, there was an undeniable maism that made most people feelpelled to kneel in reverence at his presence. However, the most noticeable feature about him was his towering height, standing well over two meters tall, making his presence even more imposing.

    "Now, now, Kendrick, I''m sure these three have a good exnation for their absence," the man said as he entered the office, his deep voice smooth but firm.

    The moment they saw him, the bishop, Umra, and Mara quickly bowed in his direction, their voices in unison as they respectfully said, "High Priest."

    Mina, on the other hand, beamed with delight and sprang toward the man, a bright smile lighting up her face. "Fath��high priest!" she squealed with excitement, throwing her arms around him in an affectionate hug.

    The high priest chuckled softly, immediately returning the embrace. Due to the significant difference in height between the two, their hug appeared almostical��Mina looking like a small child clinging to her long-lost father. But neither of them seemed to mind the unusual sight.

    "How have you been, my child?" the priest asked warmly as he gently released her from the hug.

    "I''m doing great!" Mina replied enthusiastically, her previous nervousness from when she entered the office nowpletely gone.

    "I''m d to hear that," the high priest smiled kindly, his tone genuine. "And congrattions on sessfullypleting your first mission," he added with a nod of approval.

    Turning his attention to Umra and Mara, he continued, "Congrattions to you two as well, Umra and Mara."

    The two women exchanged proud smiles, their eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Thank you, High Priest," they both replied gratefully.

    "You three have certainly earned a reward," the high priest began, "so, tell you what, after you''ve had time to settle in, I''ll��"

    "This cannot be allowed," the bishop abruptly interjected, his voice sharp. "You can''t start giving out gifts to them just forpleting their mission, especially when you''ve never done that for the other nuns."

    The high priest paused, then nodded thoughtfully. "Mm, I see your point, Kendrick," he acknowledged, his expression calm. "You''re right. It might cause dissatisfaction among the others."

    He then bent down slightly and ced a gentle hand on Mina''s head. "He''s been working here for years without receiving any special gifts, so I imagine he would be the one to feel left out if I did. But don''t worry," he whispered softly in her ear, "I''ll give you your giftter."

    Mina giggled and nodded, "Thanks, High Priest."

    Straightening up, the high priest feigned a downcast expression. "It seems I can''t offer you anything right now, little one," he said, his voice carrying a note of mock disappointment.

    The bishop snorted, but chose not to argue further. Instead, his attention shifted back to Mina, and his tone grew stern again. "Now, would you care to exin why it took you so long to return?"

    Mina turned to the bishop, her demeanor unexpectedly serious. "We were kidnapped on our way back by the Night Bandits group."

    "What?!" Both the bishop and the high priest eximed in shock.

    "Yes, it happened when we tried to rescue a vige that had been attacked by them," Mina exined, proceeding to recount the events of their capture and subsequent rescue by Alex and his group.

    Once Mina finished her story, the high priest sighed deeply. "It seems you three have had quite the ordeal these past weeks."

    Even the usually stoic and easily angered bishop nodded in agreement, his expression softening ever so slightly.

    "Well, thanks to all of that, I made a new friend!" Mara said, her excitement evident.

    The high priest smiled at her enthusiasm. "If the opportunity arises, I would like to meet this friend of yours and personally thank her for��hm?" he stopped mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing as he looked closely at Mina. After a long pause, he frowned and asked, "Where''s the ne I gifted you?"

    Mina smiled sheepishly, her eyes dropping to the floor. "Well... I didn''t have anything valuable on me, so I gave the ne to the ones who rescued us as payment."

    At her words, the color drained from the high priest''s face, turning deathly pale.

    "L-Little one, y-you''re joking, right?" the high priest stammered, his voice quivering.

    "No, I''m serious," Mina replied, blinking in confusion. "Why? Was that ne valuable?"

    "Valuable, she asks," the bishop muttered under his breath, his hand clenched into a fist. It had been a long time since he felt the urge to curse, but this was one of those rare moments. Not only curse, but also beat the living daylights out of someone.

    "E-Everything isn''t lost," the high priest said, his voice shaky as he struggled to maintainposure. "Do you at least know who you gave the ne to? I promise we can find something even better to offer him in exchange. So, do you know who he was?" His eyes pleaded desperately for hope.

    Faced with this overwhelming pressure, Mina looked at the ground, her voice small as she replied, "He was wearing a mask. I don''t know who he was or what he looked like."

    "Ah," the high priest exhaled shakily, "I-I see."

    Those were thest words he managed to say before his legs gave out beneath him, and he copsed to the floor.

    "HIGH PRIEST!" the four others in the room rushed toward him to check on his condition.

    After a tense few seconds, the bishop finally sighed in relief. "He''ll be fine. He just fainted."

    "I-I don''t understand," Mina stammered, her voice full of confusion. "Why would he react like that just over a ne?"

    The bishop red at her before letting out a weary sigh. "That ''ne,'' as you call it, is one of the three most powerful relics of the entire church... and you just gave it away to some random guy."

 Chapter 289 : Return to consciousness

    Chapter 289 : Return to consciousness

    "That ''ne'' as you say is one of the three sacred, most powerful relics of the entire church...and you just gave that relic away to some random guy," the bishop stated, dropping a bombshell.

    All three women simultaneously gasped in shock as they heard something that they would have never expected.

    "O-O-One of the three sacred artifacts of the church? W-Why would he give me that?" Mina asked in shock. From her point of view, she was just a regr nun, sure she was pretty close to the high priest whom she considered as a father figure, but there was no reason for him to give her one of the most powerful relics of the entirety of the church!

    The bishop took a deep breath topose himself, then he dropped yet another bombshell, "He gifted it to you because you are supposed to be the holy daughter of the church."

    It was as if an explosion went through Mina''s head as the words the bishop spoke entered her mind. For a moment, her expression went nk, unable toprehend the words she had just heard.

    She wasn''t the same in that state as Umra and Mara were also pretty shocked by this revtion, but they still took it better than the principal concerned.

    Seeing her lost expression, the bishop sighed once again. Along with the high priest, they had already decided to tell her after she returned from her first mission anyway, so there might be no better time than this.

    "The power of the relics is overwhelming and hard to control. For that reason, the high priest decided to give you this particr ne in the hope that after months around it, you would familiarize yourself with its energy so that it wouldn''t take too much toll on you when you use its power," the bishop exined.

    He checked on the high priest''s condition once more before he said, "He will wake up in a few hours. In the meantime, you three should go rest. We will talk about this tomorrow."

    The three women nodded absentmindedly and left the office in the following seconds.

    "I seriously hope the relic didn''t fall into the wrong hands," the bishop muttered as he carried the high priest to one of the couches inside the office. "Well, even if that were the case, they wouldn''t be able to use its power."

    After that, he returned to his desk and continued to work, even though it was night outside.

    ***

    At the same time, in the mansion of the Drazen family matriarch, a pair of silver eyes snapped open as Alex regained consciousness.

    The first thing he noticed as he took in his surroundings with a nce was the worried, sick expression on Amelia''s face.

    "Alex!" Amelia eximed as she hugged him tightly upon sensing him waking up. "I was worried sick about you," she said in a trembling voice.

    Having already expected such a reaction after he awakened, Alex smiled warmly and ced his hand on her head to pat her. "Sorry to have worried you," he whispered, his hand stroking her hair gently.

    Amelia sighed in relief and rubbed the tears at the corner of her eyes. She sat back on the bed, her magnificent naked breasts swaying from right to left as she did so.

    "What happened there? You suddenly lost consciousness, and even with the help of my ability, I couldn''t detect anything wrong with your body," Amelia inquired, her previous worried expression returning as she feared that he might lose consciousness once again at ater date.

    Alex almost chuckled, thinking, ''She is too cute,'' as he looked back at Amelia.

    After a moment, he sighed and said, "I will tell you what happened another time, I promise. You don''t need to worry that something like that will happen soon though."

    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to tell her about his meeting with the goddess of lust, but he felt that he himself should take time to digest andpartmentalize everything he learned before he could even exin what he had learned minutes ago.

    "Okay, as you wish," Amelia nodded.

    Her eyes lingered on the lower part of his body where his dick was pulsing even now, and she wondered, "Should we continue or..."

    "You are insatiable, huh?" Alex chuckled as Amelia stared hungrily at his manhood. "For now though, you will have to wait."

    Right this moment, he only wanted to take a good night''s nap.

    He pulled Amelia into his chest and ced his hand onto her deliciously soft ass cheek. Fondling her ass, he asked curiously, "Howe you are eager to go again after that all that happened? By the way, I might have gotten too excited at the end, sorry."

    "Don''t apologize," Amelia replied, drawing circles around his muscr chest. "Sure you were rough, but...I kind of liked that," she confessed in a tiny, almost embarrassed tone.

    "Oh," Alex raised an eyebrow. "So you like it rough, huh."

    His hand that had been gripping Amelia''s ass cheek rose, and he firmly pped it, the soft flesh jiggling slightly under his touch.

    p!

    "That''s noted," he shed Amelia a grin before leaning in to capture her luscious lips in a deep kiss. "Now let''s sleep," he said as he broke the kiss.

    Amelia nestled herself on his chest, a peaceful smile on her face as she closed her eyes.

    ***

    "And there was this massive explosion!" Maya eximed, her hands gesturing wildly to emphasize the scale. "It could be seen from far away, and even us, who were kilometers from the explosion, felt the vibrations."

    Right now, she was back inside her mother''s office, her head ced on herp as she narrated in detail what had happened in the past weeks.

    Freya chuckled at her daughter''s enthusiasm and replied, "Sweetie, stop exaggerating. I doubt a single person can cause such a big explosion."

    "I''m not exaggerating!" Maya eximed indignantly. "If anything, I''m downying it. It was even more intense than I''m describing."

    "Okay, okay, if you say so," Freya smiled. "So, what happened after that?"

    "After that, we set up camp with the rest of the abductees, and there I met... Someone," Maya said, her voice trailing off.

    She wanted to tell her mother that she had met Grace Eswald, but she wasn''t sure if she should.

    Her mother had shown her the contract she had signed with Alex, so she knew that as long as the one she talked about him or his organization to was in the know, there was nothing that could happen. However, the contract Grace forced her to sign was different, and she didn''t know if something would happen once she spoke of Grace to her mother.

    She was really frustrated that she couldn''t confide in her mother. After all, as one of the most powerful��if not the most powerful��women in the empire, Grace was the idol and object of envy and jealousy for all the women in the empire. Meeting someone like that doesn''t happen often!

    Freya sensed her daughter''s frustration when she said "someone," but she didn''t ask her anything. Knowing Maya, she was certain that she couldn''t speak of that person with her, otherwise, she wouldn''t hesitate to speak about them.

    "What happened after you met that ''someone''?" Freya inquired, trying to change the subject.

    Maya smiled gratefully at her mother and resumed her tale while Freya gently stroked her hair as she listened to all her adventures.

    "Then, when we stepped inside the cave, the entrance disappeared!" Maya eximed. "I warned him not to enter inside that cave, but that stubborn old man didn''t listen to me, and we got stuck inside a fourth grade dungeon! Just imagine how frightened I was at that moment," she said in mock horror.

    Freya raised a brow and asked, "Why do you keep calling Sir Alexandre ''old man''?"

    "Because he is an old man," Maya scoffed. "He might look young, but he is sixty!"

    "Oh," Freya chuckled before she shook her head. "You know, for those who walk the path of power, being sixty is actually considered being young. Plus, there are people who have hundreds of years and look as young or younger than I."

    "Mmh," Maya nodded absentmindedly.

    "So, what happened after you were stuck inside that dungeon? Since you are here, I guess you conquered it," Freya asked.

    "Well, the old man practically conquered it on his own," Maya said. "He likes to joke around, but he is quite strong, you know."

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes, and he even taught me how to defend myself!" Maya said enthusiastically.

    "Really?"

    "Mmh," Maya nodded her head energetically before she sprang to her feet. "Here, I will show you what he taught me."

    Without Freya being able to add anything, Maya began to move, repeating and showing to her mother all the fighting techniques Alex had taught her. Weaving through the furniture of the office, she dodged, struck, and parried, demonstrating her skills.

    All the while, Freya observed her daughter with a light smile on her face.

    After a while, huffing for breath, Maya finally stopped her demonstration and plopped onto the couch.

    "That was incredible, sweetie!" Freya pped her hands in admiration.

    "I know, right?" Maya grinned cheekily. "If you want, I can also teach you."

    To that proposition, Freya shook her head. "You know that I''m forbidden from training."

    "Oh," Maya''s expression sank. "I had forgotten."

    "Forget about it, sweetie," Freya smiled. "Instead, continue your story about what happened to you."

 Chapter 290 : Lust blessing

    Chapter 290 : Lust blessing

    "Mm?" Alex groaned as he slowly opened his eyes to stare at the unfamiliar ceiling of his room. He sat up on the bed and nced at his side, only to see that Amelia was no longer on the bed. He couldn''t hear the sound of running water either, so he assumed that she wasn''t taking a bath. It was then that he noticed a folded piece of paper on the bed.

    Taking the paper in his hand, he opened it up and recognized his sister''s handwriting. Basically, she was informing him that she had left with Maya in the morning, though she didn''t say where they were going.

    ''I must have been out of it if I didn''t even notice her leaving,'' Alex thought to himself as he nced at the only window in the bedroom to try to determine around what time it was right now. However, he quickly abandoned the idea. The relentless snowfall obscured the sun entirely, making it impossible to discern the hour from inside his room.

    ''Lucky this city is near the mountain''s peak and not at the very top,'' he mused, ''with the way the snow never stops around here, life would''ve been unbearable otherwise.''

    He closed his eyes and slumped back on his bed, wanting to go back to sleep. However, after a moment, he forced himself awake. But after a few moments, he forced himself upright. ''Don''t fall into your old habits,'' he reminded himself firmly.

    The day ahead promised to be a busy one, and he couldn''t afford to indulge inziness.

    With a resigned sigh, Alex swung his legs out of bed and stretched, feeling the tightness in his muscles loosen, and then went to take a bath��a quick one, though.

    After he had dried himself, he tied his long silver hair into a ponytail that cascaded down his back. He scrutinized his reflection for a moment before shing a grin. "Still as handsome as ever," he smirked, admiring his sharp features. "Though I should probably cut this hair soon��it''s getting a bit too much to handle."

    He thought about doing it now but dismissed the idea.

    "Now," Alex took on a serious expression, "it''s time to receive that blessing."

    The goddess had already exined that he could ept her blessing whenever he wished. All it required was a simplemand to the system.

    ''System, begin the blessing process,'' Alex instructed.

    [The blessing process will consume half of your soul points. Do you wish to proceed?]

    Alex''s brows furrowed in displeasure as the system''s words echoed in his head. ''I wasn''t informed that half of my soul points would be required,'' he thought with irritation.

    The loss of half of his soul points was going to stall his progress regarding the acquisition of another ability. He didn''t like that idea. Thus, he had to ask himself whether the benefits he would enjoy after the blessing were worth the sacrifice.

    After pondering the matter for several minutes, Alex was still hesitating.

    ''Before I make a choice, I should at least know how much soul points I currently possess,'' he thought to himself.

    ''Status,'' Alex called out in his mind. Immediately, a translucent blue screen appeared before him.

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 640

    Agility: 640

    Stamina: 700

    Defense: 500

    Mana Points: 90

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke sovereign;

    Soul Points: 824]

    ''Whoa,'' Alex''s eyes widened in amazement. ''I sure have gained a lot of points yesterday,'' he thought. He had already known it after he interrogated the system when he had anal sex with Lilia, but it was still baffling to witness how much he had made just from having sex one night.

    ''Well, the massive gain likelyes from taking Amelia''s anal virginity,'' he concluded, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

    ''In any case, with the amount of soul points I currently possess, I can afford to lose half of them,'' he reasoned, the numbers on his screenforting him.

    If the process of the blessing taking ce would take half of his soul points no matter how many points he had, he judged that it might be better to take on the blessing now than at ater date.

    ''Plus, after the blessing, I will obtain a few useful skills, so I''m not really losing out. At least that''s what she said,'' he thought before he instructed the system to finally begin the process.

    For some reason, the system didn''t ask for confirmation of his decision, as it usually did.

    [The blessing willmence in 3... 2... 1...]

    [Blessing process initiated.]

    The moment those words echoed in his mind, Alex''s entire body convulsed violently, and he was thrown to the ground, writhing in pain.

    "Damn it... I wasn''t warned about the pain either!" he growled through gritted teeth.

    The agony he endured was less severe than the excruciating experience of having his cells destroyed and reconstructed, but it was still nearly unbearable.

    Alex''s whole concentration went to trying to mitigate the pain and to not scream his lungs out, so he didn''t notice that at this very moment, an energy��the same overwhelming energy that engulfed himst night and made him lose consciousness��had returned, this time in an even more intense state than before.

    This energy began to concentrate around his body, bing denser and denser to the point that it started to take on a pink hue. It covered his body before it descended and seeped inside his body. It didn''t infiltrate a particr part of his body; instead, it entered through every pore of his body.

    As it did so, the pain that Alex was subjected to more than doubled, and groans and low growls escaped his mouth as he wildly contorted and thrashed on the ground.

    As more of this energy seeped into his body and the pain began to reach an overwhelming level, Alex literally became painfully aware that the ordeal he was going to pass wouldn''t be a light one in the slightest.

    Sinking back into the same state he was in when his cells were destroyed and then reconstructed, Alex arduously sat down in a meditative position. Closing his eyes, he told himself, ''I must endure.''

    Meanwhile, more and more of the pink energy kept seeping into his body, then it began to merge with his bones and organs. As this happened, the pain Alex endured increased several fold, yet even the slightest whimper didn''te out of his mouth.

    It was at that moment that the pink energy entered further and further into his body until it began to merge with his very cells.

    The pain he suddenly subjected to increased a hundredfold, and Alex wavered before copsing back on the ground, his mouth opening as he was about to release a guttural scream.

    Yet, even after several seconds, nothing came out. Despite the pain experienced, Alex refused to scream or show the slightest hint of weakness.

    It was precisely at that moment that he seemed to realize that the boost to his mind from the ck heart went further than just giving him a good memory. His whole mental energy had been enhanced, and it was because of that enhancement that, though he was experiencing for the second time in his life the overwhelming pain of having his cells messed up with, he was strong enough to not sumb to this pain.

    His whole body sweated profusely, and his eyes turned bloodshot as he resisted the pain, reminding himself for the umpteenth time not to sumb.

    After a while, after the pink energy had infiltrated every one of his cells, Alex''s body convulsed, and changes began to ur all over him.

    For starters, his mental energy seemed to be enhanced, not by much, but it was substantial enough to help Alex resist the oing pain of the changes in his body.

    After his mental energy had gotten its boost, it was the turn of his body. His muscles rippled and began to increase in size. Just like the increase of his mental energy, it wasn''t much. However, his already defined muscles became even more pronounced to the point that they would be the only thing one would focus on if they witnessed his body.

    The changes didn''t stop there either.

    Alex grew taller, surpassing two meters with ease, his presence bing even more imposing. His eyes sharpened, glowing with a piercing intensity, while his nose, mouth, and jawline became more defined, giving him a refined, noble appearance. His already handsome features grew sharper, and his beauty took on an otherworldly quality��ethereal, almost as if he were no longer bound by the limits of mere mortal handsomeness.

    After these changes took ce, the process seemed to have ended. The pink energy dissipated, and the pain slowly receded, leaving an Alex dripping with sweat behind.

    [Lust blessing process sessfully finished]

 Chapter 291 : Changes

    Chapter 291 : Changes

    [Lust blessing process sessfully finished]

    Alex gasped as the ordeal ended, taking a deep breath as his body trembled slightly from the strain. He could already feel several changes within him, but he pushed those thoughts aside for now. The stench of sweat clung to him like a second skin, and the first thing on his mind was a shower.

    He quickly undressed and made his way back to the bathroom...for the second time.

    Once he finished, Alex returned to his room, ready to inspect the changes that had urred.

    The first thing that caught his attention as he stood in front of the mirror was his height. If he had previously been a solid 1m90, he now towered over the room at roughly 2m05.

    The second thing that caught his eyes was how his muscles had gained in volume and how chiseled they had be. His physique was still considered lithe, but it was more buffed up.

    Alex flexed his arms to gauge his new strength, but he was left disappointed when he discovered that the increase to his strength was minimal, negligible even.

    ''It''s like this muscle gain is purely for show,'' he thought with a displeased expression.

    His deduction only seemed to be confirmed when he finally gazed at himself through the mirror.

    "Damn, am I not too handsome?!" he eximed in shock.

    Alex had always been attractive, but now his appearance was on another level, almost like he had sculpted himself into the ideal version of perfection.

    [You are as handsome as the wielder of Lust needs to be,] the system''s voice echoed in his mind.

    [As the wielder of Lust, your appearance must be highly desirable to others, especially the opposite sex.]

    Hearing this, Alex''s pride took a hit. The system''s implication that he wasn''t already desirable irritated him.

    "I was already handsome before, I didn''t need your help for that," he snorted.

    [...]

    The system didn''t reply anymore, and he quickly lost interest, inspecting his body for more noticeable changes.

    ''Hm?'' Alex''s eyes widened as theynded on his crotch.

    ''Was it also needed to increase my crotch size to one of an elephant?'' he asked in exasperation.

    [As the wielder of-]

    "Save it, I don''t want to hear you," he cut it off.

    [...]

    He was probably exaggerating, but Alex felt that the increase to his penis was certainly not needed. Thankfully, the change wasn''t extreme, though the same couldn''t be said for the girth.

    ''Well, it will be my wives'' problem,'' he shrugged his shoulders.

    Knock, knock.

    Someone suddenly knocked on the door as Alex was preparing to resume his observations.

    After checking out who it was and seeing that it was Freya who was knocking, Alex felt a sudden excitement.

    He stopped everything he was doing and quickly dressed himself in the first pair of clothes he found in his space ring.

    Taking a final nce at himself in the mirror, Alex pulled the door open, only to freeze in ce. froze.

    Freya stood before him, radiant and stunning. She was dressed elegantly in thick winter clothing, perfect for fending off the cold. A luxurious mantle covered her shoulders, trimmed with fur that framed her neck. The outfit bnced beauty and practicality, and it suited her perfectly.

    However, it wasn''t just the clothes that made Alex pause. It was how breathtakingly beautiful she looked.

    Her hair was styled into two braided locks that fell gracefully on either side of her face, adding to the impression of a fierce, nordic warrior. Subtle makeup enhanced her already striking features, entuating her natural beauty.

    Alex wasn''t particrly fond of makeup, but even he had to admit that Freya looked stunning with it. Not that she hadn''t already been beautiful without it.

    As Alex stood frozen, entranced by the sight of the woman before him, Freya found herself in a daze of her own.

    However, there was a notable difference between the two. While Alex was captivated by Freya''s radiant appearance, momentarily forgetting what he had intended to say, Freya was quite literally overwhelmed by what she was seeing.

    Her eyes had a dreamy quality to them as she gazed at Alex, the most handsome man she had everid eyes on. Though his facial features hadn''t altered drastically, there was something different about him. It was subtle, yet profound. He looked much like he did the day before, but now, he exuded an undeniable allure. Freya found him not only more handsome but also more maic, more... desirable.

    The emotions she had been trying to suppress surged to the surface, spilling over as she bit her lower lip. For the first time in her life, Freya felt an intense, visceral desire for a man. She wanted to make him hers, and in return, give herself fully to him.

    Her body reacted almost instinctively to these thoughts. A sudden rush of heat washed over her, causing her temperature to spike as her heartbeat quickened.

    "G-Good morning, Lady Freya," Alex finally managed to utter after what felt like an eternity. He worried she might think him odd for standing there silently, just staring at her, but his fears were dispelled when his voice seemed to snap her out of her reverie.

    Freya blinked several times, as if shaking off a spell, and a blush crept across her cheeks. "Ah, y-yes, good morning," she stammered.

    Flustered and caught off guard, she fumbled over her words. Realizing this, she quickly decided to stop speaking, embarrassed by her own reaction.

    "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Alex asked, noticing that Freya had yet to fully regain herposure.

    "D-Don''t you remember? We''re supposed to test the efficiency of your healing potion today," Freya replied, finally finding her voice.

    "Ah, right. I almost forgot," Alex nodded, recalling their previous arrangement. After a brief pause, he added, "If you''re ready, we can head out right now."

    "Yes, that''s exactly why I came," Freya nodded eagerly.

    "Perfect," Alex said, exhaling a deep breath. He allowed the familiar purple smoke to seep out of his body, shaping it into a mask that concealed his identity. "Shall we?" he asked, extending his hand toward her.

    Freya sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of disappointment as Alex''s beautiful face disappeared behind the mask. She hesitated for a moment before epting his hand.

    "Let''s go then," Alex said with a smile hidden behind his mask, as Freya intertwined her arm with his. As they began walking, Alex asked, "By the way, where are we going?"

    "Not far," Freya replied, her usualposure returning as she calmed her racing heart. "There are some soldiers who were injured while hunting mountain wolves a few days ago. We''ll be testing your healing smoke on them andparing the results with traditional healing potions," she exined.

    "Got it," Alex nodded, understanding the n.

    Freya seemed to hesitate, as if she wanted to say something else, but in the end, she chose to remain silent.

    "Is something wrong?" Alex inquired, sensing her hesitation.

    "No, it''s just..." Freya nced at him again before asking, "Did you... grow taller overnight?"

    "Oh," Alex stammered, caught off guard by the question. Of course, it made sense that people who knew him would notice the significant change in his height. He had grown more than a head taller, after all.

    "Y-Yeah, something like that," Alex said with a sheepishugh, trying to brush off the topic.

    Sensing that he wasn''t eager to borate, Freya decided to swiftly change the subject. "So, how long do you n on staying in Drisidd?"

    "To be honest, I''m not entirely sure yet," Alex admitted. "I''ll see how things unfold."

    "I see," Freya nodded thoughtfully. "In any case, you''re wee to stay as long as you''d like."

    "Thanks," Alex replied, a warm smile spreading behind his mask. "By the way, you look absolutely stunning today," heplimented as they exited the mansion.

    Freya smiled sweetly at his words, a smile so rare that it shocked the guards nearby. They had never seen their matriarch smile like that with anyone other than her daughter.

    "You''re very h-handsome too," Freya whispered, her voice so soft that only Alex could hear her. However, the blush on her face didn''t go unnoticed by the guards.

    "Stunning and lovely, what a perfectbination," Alex grinned, pleased by her reaction.

    Freya''s blush deepened, and she quickly turned her head to hide her embarrassment, a gesture that Alex found irresistibly cute.

    By the time they stepped outside, a carriage was already waiting for them in front of the mansion. Without wasting any time, they headed toward it.

    "Ladies first," Alex said, offering his hand to help Freya into the carriage.

    "Oh, what a gentleman," Freya giggled softly as she epted his assistance.

    At this point, the guards were openly exchanging baffled nces, unable toprehend what was happening. It wasn''t like their usuallyposed and reserved matriarch to act so differently, especially not in front of others.

    Alex smirked, sensing the weight of several gazes falling on him as he followed Freya into the carriage, closing the door behind him with a satisfying click.

    Once inside and settled across from Freya, the smoke mask he wore gradually dissolved, parting to reveal his face. Though the wisps of purple smoke still hovered around his head, blurring his outline and giving him an ethereal, almost otherworldly appearance, Freya had an unobstructed view of his striking features.

    A few momentster, Freya leaned out slightly, giving the coachman instructions on their destination and very soon, the carriage set off.

 Chapter 292 : Something is going on

    Chapter 292 : Something is going on

    As the carriage rolled toward their destination, Alex inquired, "Do you know where my sister and Maya are?"

    Freya nodded. "Your sister wanted to explore the city, and Maya was eager to show her around. They left early this morning. It seems they''re quite close," Freya smiled warmly, continuing, "I had never seen Maya so happy and excited as she was yesterday. For that, I wanted to thank you."

    "You don''t have to," Alex replied with a smile. "Maya is a dear," he added, his expression turning yful as he whispered, "But don''t tell her I said that; I need to maintain my image as a teasing and strict teacher."

    Freya giggled and nodded. "Your secret is safe with me. That actually reminds me; I wanted to thank you for teaching her how to defend herself over the past few months."

    "You don''t have to, but I must admit I was curious to see how she would progress with her abilities," Alex said. "I was surprised to learn that the heiress of the Drazen family didn''t know how to defend herself."

    Hearing this, Freya let out a deep sigh. "The elders of the family are to me for that," she exined. "They judged that, given her abilities, she was more suited to be a schr than anything else, so they practically decided she would spend most of her time in the library they specifically created just for her."

    Alex nodded in understanding. He couldn''t entirely me the elders; at first nce, it might seem that she was more suited for study. However, he knew there was much more to her potential. With her abilities, she could also be a formidable fighter.

    For the remainder of the journey, Alex and Freya discussed various topics, from the culture in Drisidd to the anticipated duration of the auction.

    Minutester, they arrived at their destination and immediately got down to business��well, there wasn''t much work to do. Alex simply summoned a few puffs of healing smoke, using it to heal the injured soldiers Freya had mentioned.

    A group of scientists, armed with clipboards, monitored the newly healed men,paring the effectiveness of Alex''s healing smoke against the results of traditional healing potions.

    As expected by Alex, the tests revealed that his healing smoke was more potent than grade 3 healing potions.

    The scientists could hardly believe their eyes.

    "Sorry to bother you, sir, but is it possible to get a bottle for research purposes?" asked the chief scientist, a man with orange hair reminiscent of the Drazen family, bowing to Alex.

    Before Alex could respond, Freya interjected, waving a hand. "Not now, Mirdiel, but I promise to get you a bottleter."

    "Thank you, Matriarch," Mirdiel replied reverently before hurrying off.

    "Now that the tests are concluded, I need to report to the elders," Freya said, turning to Alex. "I''ll also see if I can arrange a meeting with the owner of the treasure that aids in memorization. I''ll need to leave you here for now, but don''t worry; another carriage has been prepared for you. You can explore the city, and it will take you back to the mansion afterward."

    Alex thought for a moment before shaking his head. "There''s no need for the carriage; I wanted to take a stroll through the city anyway."

    "I understand," Freya nodded.

    She turned to leave but then paused, ncing back at him. "If you''d like, we can meetter today, and I can show you the city." A faint blush crept onto her cheeks as she made the proposition, but she tried to hide it.

    "Meet at night, huh? Like a date?" he asked with a teasing smile.

    To his surprise, Freya''s blush deepened, yet she nodded. "Yes, a date."

    Alex whistled softly, admiring her straightforwardness. He had noticed this trait before, but it still amazed him that she wouldn''t hesitate, even in this context.

    "That would be my pleasure," he replied, allowing his mask to momentarily open to reveal his smiling face before it closed again.

    "I''ll take my leave then," she said, hurriedly turning to leave, as if trying to escape her own embarrassment.

    Watching her rush away, Alex chuckled to himself. ''She surprised me by asking me out,'' he thought, the already high regard he had for her elevating even further.

    He appreciated women who knew what they wanted and weren''t afraid to express it, and Freya''s character was particrly likable to him. Plus, he enjoyed how she maintained a cool demeanor with others yet was warm and genuine with him.

    "Well, I should get going too," he said, stepping outside the building.

    He didn''t see the carriage they had arrived in and assumed it must have been the one Freya was using.

    "Since she suggested showing me the city, I guess I should head back to the mansion for now. That way, I can prepare several potions by tonight."

    After he had this thought, Alex walked back to the mansion of the matriarch. With his mental capacity, it wasn''t that difficult for him to find his way back.

    As he was leisurely walking, admiring the hustle and bustle of the city as he returned to the mansion, a group of kids ran by him and one of them bumped against him before falling on his butt.

    "Ouch!" the child cried out in pain as he held his forehead where a bruise had appeared.

    Alex nced at the child, smiled, and crouched to pat him on the head. "You should be more careful when you y," he said gently.

    "Sorry to have bumped into you, sir," the child mumbled in a small voice as he got up.

    "Don''t worry about that," Alex patted his head once again before letting him go.

    The kid waved at him before chasing his friends back.

    ''They must be a handful for their parents,'' Alex smiled.

    This altercation made him think about his own daughters when they were still children. ''They were such cuties,'' he thought with a wide smile under his mask.

    ''I wonder how they are doing right now,'' he mused. ''Well, knowing them, Viviane is probably either searching for a new sparring partner or painting. Alice might be ordering the mansion staff to try to keep things tidy; she always loved ying thendy. Scarlett is surely doing some research or creating something. Meanwhile, Violette...''

    He was ashamed to say so, but he didn''t have an idea what his youngest daughter might be up to. During her early age, she liked doing the same things as him, but as ofte, shepletely stopped taking him as her model and didn''t even want to speak with him. The result of that is that he knew next to nothing about what his daughter loved doing.

    ''I will have to menf our rtionship like it was back then,'' he reminded himself once again. ''Perhaps I should buy her some gifts here. Hmm, I think I will buy gifts for all of them,'' he decided.

    As he thought this, he recalled that those four weren''t his only daughters, though; he had four other daughters whose conditions he didn''t even know.

    ''I need to get stronger faster. If I take too much time, something bad might happen to Iris and the girls,'' he thought.

    Alex was walking and thinking of his family when he suddenly nced around him in wariness.

    There was nothing wrong in his surroundings and he was certainly not noticing something out of order, yet, he still felt ufortable.

    People were still passing by him and the city was bustling with different sounds and noises just like it had been the whole time, but for some reason, there was an uneasy feeling creeping up on him.

    He stopped walking altogether and carefully observed his surroundings, looking for anything out of ce, but he found nothing. He decided to deploy his senses, but even then, there was seemingly nothing wrong.

    ''It must be in my mind,'' Alex shrugged, ''what was I thinking about again?''

    He moved to take another step and continue on his way when the uneasy feeling came back, stronger this time.

    Alex frowned. ''There''s definitely something going on.''

    He attempted to take another step, but he failed to do so. It was as if his body had been rooted in the ground,pletely refusing to move.

    ''What the hell?!''

 Chapter 293 : Illusion

    Chapter 293 : Illusion

    ''What the hell?!''

    Alex cursed in his mind, trying to move his body again, but it was useless. Some kind of invisible pressure kept him firmly rooted in ce, no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn''t shake it off.

    ''I...need...to break free!'' he thought, focusing all his mental and physical strength to move, but his body remained unresponsive.

    Suddenly, a faint sound reached his ears��a cracking noise, like ss shattering.

    Crack!

    The cracking noise sounded once again, and with the corner of his eyes, Alex nced at his side only to find a hole in the space near him. All around this hole, there were cracks in space.

    The hole expanded, surrounded by thin, jagged cracks, as if the very fabric of reality was splintering apart.

    ''Is it?''

    Alex''s expression turned several shades more serious, and he began to struggle to the best of his ability. He didn''t hold anything back and used the full extent of his power to get free of his position.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The more he struggled, the more cracks appeared in the fabric of reality. Thoses of cracks converged, and a particrly loud cracking sound echoed all around him.

    CRACK!

    After this final cracking, the world around Alex immediately changed and he noticed several odd things at the same time.

    First, he had regained control of his body and it was only then that he realized he had never stopped moving in the first ce. His feet had been carrying him forward, but he wasn''t aware of it until now.

    Secondly, the area he found himself in was far less crowded than he had perceived. There were still people around, but not nearly as many as he originally thought.

    But the third thing he noticed made his blood run cold.

    He was surrounded.

    There were five people surrounding him. One was walking in front of him, two of them were respectively at his right and left, and the remaining two were walking behind him.

    However, the thing that made his heart sink and his throat tighten was when he realized that each and every one of them was at level 5. Not only were they at level 5, but four of them were at high level 5, while the fifth, the one walking in front of him, was at peak level 5!

    Assessing the danger of his situation, Alex felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. These were not ordinary individuals; these were top-level fighters, and he was caught in the middle of them like prey.

    The worst part? He had been following them willingly, like a sheep being led to ughter.

    ''I''ve been caught in a mind hex,'' Alex realized, his heart sinking.

    He wouldn''t say that he had the best mental capacity out there, but Alex was confident in his resistance to mental attacks to some degree. He was certain that though he might not be immune to them, he could at least feel when he was attacked. The fact that he had been put into some kind of illusion without his knowledge and he didn''t even have an idea of how or when it happened was a severe wake-up call to him.

    ''The good news is they don''t seem to have noticed I''ve broken free,'' Alex thought, deciding to y along for the time being.

    He followed them quietly, observing his captors closely.

    The man in front, the most dangerous one, was at peak level 5. Judging by his hunched posture and the walking stick he carried, he seemed to be an older man, possibly elderly.

    To his right, there was a muscr man in his mid-thirties with short ck hair, carrying a massive hammer slung over his shoulder.

    On his left, a slimmer figure with dark brown hair and a rapier strapped to his waist moved with a subtle grace that hinted at his agility.

    Alex couldn''t make out the features of the two behind him, but he knew they, too, were at high level 5.

    All five wore full body armor, and each had an unfamiliar insignia emzoned on their chest tes.

    ''An insignia? That means they''re from a noble family,'' Alex deduced.

    What he couldn''t understand, though, was why any noble family would attack him. Until proven wrong, he had yet to offend any family.

    ''What is certain, though, is that whatever family this is, they must be immensely rich,'' Alex thought, a frown appearing on his face.

    It should be reminded that in the Fiore Empire, any individual who reached level 5 was typically granted a baron title and a small territory to govern. However, most level choose not to do so.

    Firstly, it was because the majority of level 5 already came from noble families, and after having pumped resources into those people, those families wouldn''t allow them to break away and form their own line.

    Secondly, creating a new noble family often invited hostility from the older, established families, and for most, the risk wasn''t worth the reward.

    The third and most pressing reason why people don''t choose to do so is because by bing a baron and managing a territory, one''s progression will stall, and for many of those level 5, that was uneptable.

    So for a family to casually send five high and peak-level fighters, they were either an ancient, powerful house or a family rich enough to hire such talent.

    Since Alex didn''t recognize the insignia, he assumed it was thetter.

    ''What should I do now?'' he pondered.

    Now that he was free from the mind hex and his kidnappers were none the wiser, he could perfectly escape. With a snap of his fingers, he could teleport anywhere within a radius of 7 km as long as there was smoke.

    However, he didn''t feel like doing so. Things wouldn''t probably settle with him running away, and even in the unlikely case that it happened, he simply didn''t feel like running away.

    He wouldn''t be targeted and not retaliate!

    ''But fighting all five would be suicide... well, maybe not exactly,'' he reconsidered.

    As they continued north, the lively buzz of the city began to fade, and Alex could see far in front of him several insignias of several noble ns floating.

    ''This must be where the nobles attending the auction are staying,'' he thought, ''Whatever I decide to do, I''d better act before we get there, or things might getplicated.''

    He deliberated for a moment before giving the system an instruction, ''Increase my strength by 12 soul points, agility by 12, and defense by 40.''

    Since he might be fighting against several top-level 5 opponents, Alex judged that he should appropriately raise his defense stat, as it might be what would keep him alive.

    [Are you sure?] the system asked.

    ''Yes, I''m sure.''

    [Starting the process...]

    The familiar sensation of cool energy surged through Alex''s body, and suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

    "Gentlemen," he said in a courteous tone, "may I ask who you are and where you''re taking me?"

    The five men moved instantly.

    The old man at the front sharply turned and, in the blink of an eye, thrust his cane towards Alex''s throat with deadly precision.

    The man to his right hoisted the massive object on his shoulder, ready to m it down with brutal force.

    The man to his left distanced himself, his expression a mix of shock and wariness as he gripped his rapier firmly, the de poised for action.

    Meanwhile, two daggers appeared on either side of Alex''s neck, their cold edges grazing his skin.

    "Whoa there, you might hurt someone with all those sharp toys," Alex said in a calm, almost yful tone, as if he wasn''t standing at death''s door.

    "How did you break from my mind hex?" the man with the cane at Alex''s throat asked coldly, his voice betraying his age, yet carrying a sharp, dangerous edge.

    "So it was you who attacked me, huh," Alex replied with a smirk. "I won''t forget that."

    "Answer my question," the old man pressed, his expression growing colder by the second.

    "I think you''re the one who should be answering my questions," Alex retorted. As the words left his lips, he vanished, reappearing twenty meters away from the group of five. "After all, you''re the ones who attacked me without warning."

 Chapter 294 : Battling a group of level 5 (1)

    Chapter 294 : Battling a group of level 5 (1)

    The group of level 5 warriors stiffened as they realized Alex had teleported out of their encirclement. Cold sweat ran down their backs as they grasped the reality that not only had Alex broken free from their illusion, but he had also vanished right before their eyes, despite their full attention and heightened senses being focused on him.

    However, while the four high-level 4 were visibly shaken, the old man remained calm, ncing at Alex without a hint of surprise. It was as though Alex''s disappearance hadn''t fazed him at all.

    Resting his stick on the ground to support himself, the old man nodded in Alex''s direction and said, "Fair enough. You have been summoned by the Earl of House Drickon for threatening to murder his youngest son and coercing him into signing a soul contract that would end his life if he failed to meet the terms you arbitrarily imposed."

    As the old man''s words sank in, a vein throbbed on Alex''s forehead, and he let out a dark chuckle. "You mean I''ve been invited for saving his son life and safely escorting him back?"

    The old man shook his head. "No, I meant what I said. Besides, rescuing and escorting a member of an Earl''s family shouldn''t be rewarded��it''s the duty ofmon citizens to do so."

    Another vein pulsed on Alex''s forehead at the old man''s response. He finally remembered who this youngest son of Earl Drickon was��the same young man who had tried to order him around. Clearly, this youth arrogance was inherited.

    ''And what are these absurd usations?'' Alex thought indignantly. ''I can understand them being upset about me threatening the brat, but using me of coercion because I made him sign a contract that would kill him if he didn''t uphold his end of the deal?!''

    He hadn''t forced Charles or any of the nobles to sign the contract. They could have refused and tried to survive on their own. Though the fact that they were attacked mere hours after he agreed to escort them showed they probably wouldn''t have made it to Drisidd in the first ce. If anything, he should be rewarded with more money than he could count.

    What Alex didn''t know, or bother to remember was that it was highly frowned upon for amoner to make nobles sign a contract with death penalties if they failed to uphold their part. Even among nobles, such extreme penalties were usually avoided.

    However, even if Alex had remembered this, it was unlikely he would have chosen a different penalty. The death use was simply his way of ensuring that those signing the contract knew he wasn''t here to mess around.

    [Enhancement process finished]

    Once the system pronounced those words, Alex felt his body bing lighter, as if gravity had loosened its grip on him. An overwhelming surge of power coursed through his entire being, and even without testing it, Alex knew that his strength had made a tremendous leap forward. His muscles felt denser, his movements sharper, and he sensed an increased vitality pulsing through his veins.

    For the first time, Alex actually felt the impact of his defense stat increasing. Normally, the only indication of his defense improving came from the system interface, but now it was different��he could feel it. His skin, organs, and even his bones had be noticeably tougher, more resistant. His very hair seemed more durable.

    His skin, in particr, felt as hard as stone, solid and unyielding. If someone tried to cut him, it would be like striking a boulder with a dull de. His entire body had be as durable as stone, as if he were a walking fortress in human form.

    Right now, he was confident he could withstand many of the devastating blows from the lizardman dungeon boss that had once left him feeling helpless. While he couldn''t im that he woulde outpletely unscathed even now, he knew that if he kept raising his defense stat, it wouldn''t be long before he could face such a foe without fear of taking significant damage.

    Feeling empowered by his newfound stats, Alex shifted his focus back to the old man and boldly asked, "What if I don''t want to meet this Earl Drickon?"

    The old man''s eyes narrowed, his voice turning icy. "Perhaps I wasn''t clear enough," he said, his tone carrying a sharp edge. "You don''t have a choice in the matter. Whether youe willingly or resist, you will meet him today."

    "Then make m��"

    Before Alex could finish his sentence, a radiant arrow of light materialized in front of his forehead.

    Instinctively, Alex summoned all his agility and reflexively sidestepped the arrow, narrowly avoiding its deadly intent.

    Turning his head in the direction the arrow hade from, Alex spotted one of the two men who were previously behind him drawing back his bowstring.

    Despite theck of a physical arrow, the instant the bowstring was pulled taut, a brilliant shaft of pure light formed in its ce.

    In the blink of an eye, that same arrow reappeared mere inches from Alex''s forehead, as though it had teleported directly from the bow to him, bypassing any visible distance.

    Letting out a silent curse, Alex ducked just in time, evading the arrow by a hair''s breadth.

    ''Good thing I increased my speed,'' he thought, realizing that without his enhanced reflexes, dodging that attack would have been impossible. Yet before he could fully recover, his senses red in warning.

    Straightening up, expecting another arrow, Alex was instead met with the sharp gleam of a rapier, its tip hurtling straight toward his throat.

    When he had broken out of the illusion, the man wielding the rapier, at the opposite of hisrades, was the only one that distanced himself from Alex, thus, right now, the closest to him, and using the arrow hisrades had fired at Alex as distraction, he swiftly shortened the distance between the two of them and pierced at him, a cold glint shing in his eyes.

    His rapier didn''tnd on Alex''s throat, though. Right before collision, a double-headed scythe appeared in thetter''s hand, and he blocked the rapier with it.

    CLANG!

    The sound of steel shing filled the air as Alex was propelled through the air.

    ''Heavy,'' Alex thought in astonishment as he used the momentum to try and create distance between him and his opponents.

    ''His weapon might be small, but his attacks are heavy,'' Alex analyzed as he slid along the ground.

    Before he could evene to a stop though, three arrows appeared before him. One was targeting his head, a second his heart, and the third his abdomen. The arrows followed a sequence��one was slightly ahead of the other, with the one aimed at his head first, the one at his heart second, and the one at his abdomenst.

    ''Shit!''

    Brandishing his scythe, Alex parried the one targeting his head then ducked to avoid the one aimed at his heart. However, due to this move, he didn''t have time to dodge the third arrow that was now heading straight for his head.

    But right at that moment, a burst of smoke appeared around Alex and caught the third arrow��or at least attempted to, as the arrow immediately tore through the smoke, though it lost some of its momentum.

    Taking advantage of that slight window, Alex sidestepped to evade the arrow.

    Just like before, though, as soon as he managed to avoid the bowman''s attack, the man with the rapier was charging straight at him again. But this time, alongside the man with the rapier, the one resembling a bodybuilder with his huge hammer was also running toward him.

    For someone with such a heavy build, the man was surprisingly nimble and fast, even managing to get a little ahead of the one with the rapier despite originally being behind him.

    As he wondered how to proceed, Alex''s eyes narrowed when the man with the hammer suddenly elerated. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Alex, his giant hammer swinging horizontally toward him!

    ''An ability,'' Alex realized as the hammer came for him, ''that exins how he caught up with me so quickly.''

    Despite the fast-approaching hammer, Alex forced himself to stay calm.

    Tightening his grasp on the handle of the two-headed scythe, he raised it to block the oing attack, but right at that moment, a splitting headache hit him, causing him to falter for just a second.

    Taking advantage of that second of inattention, the man with the hammer sneered wickedly, and the speed of his hammer doubled, appearing before Alex in a split second.

    ''Wha-''

    Bang!

 Chapter 295 : Battling a group of level 5 (2)

    Chapter 295 : Battling a group of level 5 (2)

    Bang!

    The hammer violently collided against Alex''s side, sending him flying backward at an astonishing speed.

    He seemed to break the sound barrier as he barreled through the air before crashing into an abandoned house, which shattered upon impact.

    "Fuck!" Alex groaned in pain. His entire body throbbed, and he could clearly feel that several of his ribs had been fractured on the side he had been hit. The worst part, however, was knowing that without his increased defense stat, he probably would have shattered more bones, lost consciousness, or worse��died.

    ''Damn that old man,'' he thought angrily as he spat out a mouthful of blood. His smoke mask hadpletely disintegrated, forcing him to form a new one. ''If it weren''t for him, I could''ve blocked that blow.''

    Despite the pain, thisst exchange was illuminating for Alex. He realized that, above all, the one he needed to eliminate first was the old man. That cunning bastard could mentally target him, disrupting his focus at the most critical moments, like he''d done earlier, and was also capable of creating illusions. If Alex didn''t neutralize him, winning this fight seemed unlikely.

    ''It won''t be easy to approach him though,'' Alex thought as he slowly stood, his whole body aching while blood trickled down his chin. ''Their teamwork is seamless.''

    The synergy between his opponents was undeniable. They were not just random fighters; they had clearly trained together, possessed significant experience, and knew precisely how to use their strengths to support one another. Compared to these five, all of Alex''s previous foes seemed like a joke.

    Alex swayed slightly but took a deep breath and straightened up, dust and debris cascading off him as he did.

    When his vision cleared, he cursed inwardly. The man with the rapier and the one with the massive hammer were charging at him again, and by their speed, they would be upon him in less than a second.

    As he tightened his grip on the scythe, trying to figure out his next move, two figures suddenly appeared in front of the charging duo, blocking their path.

    One of the figures was a short man with hair as dark as midnight, flowing down his back like a mane. In his right hand was a short sword, and in the other, there was a dagger with a serrated edge, shimmering faintly under the light.

    The second figure, in stark contrast, was a towering woman, wielding a great sword as wide as her thighs and nearly two meters long. She had a muscr yet lean frame that exuded confidence and strength.

    What truly caught Alex''s attention, though, was the color of her flowing hair��cyan.

    The same cyan color as a certain noblewoman Alex had interacted with.

    ''Daisy?'' Alex thought, surprised. But he quickly dismissed the thought. This woman was far too tall to be Daisy.

    ''Probably a rtive of hers��maybe a sister, or even her mother?''

    Judging from their aura, both of them were at level 5, but while the cyan-haired woman was at mid-level 5, her malepanion was firmly at high-level 5.

    Either way, Alex was relieved. Thanks to their timely intervention, he now had a moment to catch his breath and recalibrate his strategy.

    As he continued to observe her, the cyan-haired woman turned and nced at him, shing a grin. "I hope you''ve still got some fight left in you, because we''re going to need your help to defeat these guys. But then again��," she turned to face the group of five, "...we don''t have to fight at all. Each of us could just walk away, no harm done. What do you say, old Kradwell?"

    "Baron Vesper,dy Althea, why are you defending this criminal?" the old man, Kradwell, inquired.******

    "Criminal?" The woman raised an eyebrow. "You have a funny way of calling the people who just rescued your master''s son," she added, her toneced with sarcasm.

    "He has been deemed guilty of threatening and attempting to harm the young master, so he will be punished ordingly," Kradwell replied coolly. "Now answer me, are the two of you going to stand in defiance of the Earl''s orders?"

    The woman with cyan-colored hair exchanged a nce with her dark-hairedpanion, and after a moment, they both nodded.

    "I guess we are," the man with dark hair finally spoke, his voice calm but resolute.

    "So be it," the old man nodded calmly, his expression unchanging. "I hope you won''t regret your actions today," he added ominously.

    Neither of them responded, choosing instead to grip their weapons tighter.

    ncing quickly at Alex and the other man, the cyan-haired woman dered, "I''ll handle the big guy. You guys take care of the rest."

    Without waiting for a response, she shed them a wide grin and charged at the muscr man wielding the massive hammer. Her great sword sliced through the air, whistling as it carved a path toward her opponent with lethal intent.

    Herpanion sighed and facepalmed at her impulsiveness. ncing over at Alex, he muttered, "I''ll take the one with the rapier."

    With that, he dashed after the woman, joining her in the fray.

    Momentster, the unmistakable sound of steel shing against steel echoed through the air.

    ''I guess it''s time for me to make my move,'' Alex thought, his gaze locking onto the remaining three members of the enemy group.

    Likewise, the three of them were staring back at him with equal intensity.

    ''The most dangerous among them is the old man,'' Alex mused, his expression growing serious. ''He can attack me mentally, throwing off my concentration and from what I''ve experienced, he can even cast illusions without me realizing it.''

    The other two, however, seemed less of a threat. One was the bowman who had been attacking from a distance, and the other appeared to be some sort of support unit��perhaps a healer. The fact that thetter hadn''t attacked or even attempted to do so up until now only reinforced Alex''s theory.

    While the bowman''s light arrows were incredibly fast, Alex was confident that with enough focus, he could dodge them. The only real threat was if the old man distracted him with his mental assaults, leaving him vulnerable to the arrows.

    In the end, it all came down to the old man. He was the key to winning this fight. His presence was a constant obstacle.

    ''Wait,'' Alex thought as an idea formed in his mind.

    Taking a deep breath, he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

    Before anyone could react, the cloud expanded rapidly, covering a dozen meters around Alex, swallowing the battlefield in an deep violet haze.

    The sudden appearance of the smoke cloud caught everyone''s attention, momentarily halting the ongoing battles as they stared at the phenomenon with curiosity.

    Their mild curiosity quickly turned to rm, however, as they realized that Alex''s presence had vanishedpletely. Whether through sight, sound, or even mana detection, none of them could sense him anymore. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air!

    The group of five tensed, their first reaction being one of wariness. They had seen Alex vanish from one location and reappear in another before, so it seemed logical to assume he was using the smoke as a diversion to relocate.

    But as the seconds ticked by in tense silence, Alex still didn''t reappear. The only noticeable change was the increasing thickness of the smoke.

    ''Did he run away, or��'' the old man pondered, ''��did he turn into the smoke itself?''

    Kradwell knew it was far-fetched to believe Alex had transformed into smoke, especially since he had seen Alex exhale it. But with Alex''s presence nowpletely gone, he couldn''t entirely dismiss the possibility.

    ''Maybe he really fled,'' he wondered briefly.

    Had Kradwell known how stubborn and petty Alex was, he wouldn''t have entertained that thought for even a second. There was no way Alex would flee after being unjustly attacked by strangers he''d never seen before.

    In fact, at that very moment, hidden within the smoke, Alex was thinking of how best to handle the situation.

    ''Now that no one can see or sense me, their arrows or mental attacks won''t be able to touch me. Well, they might try, but it won''t matter,'' Alex thought with a sneer.

    As if on cue, the bowman pulled back his bowstring, and three light arrows materialized.

    One after the other, he released the arrows into the smoke, each shot aimed in a different direction.

    The arrows sliced through the cloud but emerged from the other side with no sign of hitting anything��no blood, no target.

    Undeterred, the bowman fired three more arrows, this time adjusting his aim.

    One of the arrows came straight for Alex, but just before it could strike him, the smoke thickened around it, slowing the projectile down. The arrow''s speed was too great to stop it entirely, but Alex hadn''t intended to stop it.

    Taking advantage of the arrow''s reduced momentum, Alex moved his head slightly to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectile.

    What Alex didn''t notice was the bowman''s eyes narrowing in realization as he saw his third arrow arrive a fraction of a secondter than expected.

    ''So, you''re there, huh?'' the bowman thought, a smile forming on his lips.

    Without hesitation, he pulled back his bowstring once more, conjuring three new light arrows, and fired them all in Alex''s direction.

    Though the thick cloud of smoke still obscured him, Alex was startled to see the three arrows homing in on him with incredible uracy.

    His previous smug grin vanished, and he focused intently.

    Bringing up his double-headed scythe, he shattered the first light arrow, though not without feeling a sharp jolt from the impact. The other two arrows followed, but Alex evaded them by weaving through the smoke.

    "THERE!" the bowman suddenly called out, and before Alex could wonder what was happening, he felt his vision swim as a searing pain stabbed into his head.

    Before he could do anything, a light arrownded on his left shoulder!

 Chapter 296 : Battling a group of level 5 (3)

    Chapter 296 : Battling a group of level 5 (3)

    A light arrownded on Alex''s shoulder, but thanks to the increase in his defense stat, the arrow hadn''t managed to pierce through his shoulder. It rebounded off of him and changed direction, though not without leaving a nasty bruise and tearing through his skin, sending a stinging pain through Alex''s body.

    Knowing he could no longer stay in one ce, even within his smoke cloud, Alex began to run. He controlled the smoke under his boots,manding it to take on a cushioning characteristic to muffle the sound of his footsteps.

    Meanwhile, arrow after arrow shot into the cloud of smoke as the bowman relentlessly attempted to pinpoint his new location.

    ''I was careless,'' Alex thought, gritting his teeth and directing the purple smoke to take on its healing properties to mend his shoulder, ''No, I was arrogant.''

    After defeating the lizardmen dungeon boss, Alex had assumed he had a good grasp of his limits and who he could and couldn''t defeat.

    However, just now, he had been reminded that just because these opponents were the same level as the dungeon boss didn''t mean they were equally easy to ovee.

    Unlike the dungeon boss, these high-level 5 individuals had intelligence and likely years ofbat experience behind them. They weren''t people he could casually take down just because they couldn''t sense his presence.

    ''In that case,'' Alex took a deep breath, forcibly calming himself, his expression turning deadly serious.

    He had intended to hold back, but now it was clear that if he even wanted a chance at victory, he would need to go all out.

    As he considered his next move, Alex nced to the side to see how his temporary allies were faring. His eyes widened when he noticed the dark-haired man managing to stab his sword into the shoulder of his rapier-wielding opponent.

    The man with the rapier grunted in pain and explosively retreated before the wound could worsen.

    Before he could retreat too far, however, the dark-haired man swiftly closed the distance, his dagger shing down toward his opponent with merciless precision.

    The rapier wielder coughed up a mouthful of blood, raising his weapon in a desperate attempt to block. But the sheer force of the impact sent him stumbling backward, his defenses faltering.

    ''Unless something unforeseen happens, the oue of this fight is already decided,'' Alex thought, turning his attention to the other battle between the woman with cyan hair and the man with the mass.

    Unlike the previous skirmish, this fight was much more bnced. Bothbatants were giving it everything they had, their furious shes echoing through the battlefield, and the powerful shockwaves from their strikes sent debris flying in all directions.

    That was until something unexpected happened.

    The cyan-haired woman let out an uproariousugh, and in an instant, her skin began to change from pale white to a deep, fiery red.

    Her hair whipped wildly in the air as intense heat radiated from her body. Steam poured from her pores, and the temperature around her skyrocketed to an unbearable level.

    Her greatsword vibrated violently in her hands and began to glow fiercely, seemingly alive and invigorated by the scorching heat emanating from her. The de''s edge shimmered as if it was thrilled, almost as if the heat was fueling its strength and making it sharper with every passing moment.

    The change was so abrupt and overwhelming that it caught even her opponent off guard. Before he could react, she appeared before him, her speed seemingly more than doubled, and brought her greatsword down in a devastating arc.

    The man attempted to block, but his eyes widened in horror as his opponent''s de sliced through his weapon like a hot knife through butter, and continued its deadly trajectory until it met his body.

    "AHHHHH��!"

    A scream of agony tore through the air as his severed, ckened hand fell to the ground, still smoking from the intense heat that had scorched through bone and flesh alike.

    The scream pierced the chaos of battle, immediately drawing the attention of every fighter, causing them to momentarily freeze in their tracks.

    "ERGAS!" the fifth man, who Alex had pegged as the group''s healer, shouted in panic. Without hesitation, he bolted towards the muscr man writhing on the ground in pain.

    "As if I''d let you!" Ergas''s opponent sneered and readied another strike, intending to intercept the healer. But before she could attack, a light arrow whizzed past, forcing her to shift from offense to defense in an instant.

    Bang!

    The arrow struck the t of her greatsword, sending her skidding backward several meters, her feet carving deep trenches in the ground as she struggled to maintain her bnce.

    Before she could make another move, three more arrows flew toward her in rapid session, forcing her to retreat further, narrowly evading each one.

    Seeing his chance, Alex finally took action.

    The cloud of smoke that had been hovering around him suddenly began to expand violently, stretching toward the sky. A ripple seemed to run through it as it abruptly stopped growing, and in the next moment, it swiftly condensed.

    In the blink of an eye, a massive purple figure, towering dozens of meters high, materialized on the battlefield. The construct took on the shape of a colossal knight, first forming a head, then a broad torso, followed by two muscr arms. The smoke swirled and solidified, taking on a more defined, humanoid form.

    As the figure continued to take shape, an intricate armor of dark, swirling smoke wove itself across its body, each piece seeming totch onto the knight like a second skin. The construct raised one of its massive hands, and a long, sinister double-headed scythe appeared, its twin des gleaming ominously. At the junction of the des, a skull grinned wickedly, almost as if it reveled in the carnage toe.

    Finally, a helmet materialized over the figure''s head, and the only visible feature beneath it was a pair of swirling, glowing purple eyes, ring down at the battlefield with a malevolent intensity.

    ''D-Did he turn into that thing?!'' Everyone present had the same shocked thought as they gawked at the towering smoke colossus. Even the old man, who had remainedposed despite Alex''s earlier teleportation, was visibly shaken as he stared up at the monstrous figure.

    Since Alex''s presence had been untraceable to them from the start, it made sense that they assumed he had be the construct itself. However, if they had been able to sense him, they would have realized that Alex was actually situated inside the right foot of the giant, his hands tightly gripping the double-headed scythe.

    Unlike his enemies, Alex knew full well that this smoke knight wouldn''t be able to inflict significant damage. Against weaker opponents, it might have been a formidable weapon, but against these high-level fighters, it was little more than a pipe dream, at least in its current state. The giant construct was nothing more than a grand distraction.

    The real threat was Alex himself.

    The double-headed scythe in his hands began to tremble, as if in excitement, greedily siphoning bucketloads of Alex''s mana. As it did so, the dark, ominous aura surrounding the weapon intensified, growing thicker and more menacing with every passing second.

    ''Damn it, this cursed weapon always drains too much mana,'' Alex grumbled, forcibly cutting off the flow of energy to the scythe. Between his earlier teleportation and this, his mana reserves were critically low. He had just enough left to execute his next attack��and to escape, should it fail.

    ''Even if I can''t take them all out, I should at least get rid of that old man,'' Alex thought grimly as he readied himself, positioning the scythe for a deadly strike.

    But just as he was about to swing, amanding voice boomed across the battlefield, its presence undeniable and powerful, cutting through the tension like a knife.

    "ENOUGH!"

    Stopping mid-swing, Alex nced to his right and saw Freya striding towards them, a group of heavily armored soldiers following closely behind her.

    Her face was contorted into a scowl of pure rage, and even Alex, who had faced countless dangers without flinching, had to avert his gaze. At that moment, Freya looked like a ferocious beast, on the verge of exploding.

    Walking beside her was a plump man dressed in noble attire, his deep brown hair slicked back, and his expression just as furious as Freya''s. His eyes zed with indignation as they swept across the battlefield.

    "What do you all think you are doing in my city?!" Freya''s voice rang out, cold and sharp as a de, the icy chill in her eyes and tone sending shivers down the spines of everyone present.

    The old man leading the group, known as Kradwell, took a cautious step forward, his posture humble despite the tension. "We apologize for the disturbance, Lady Freya," he began, bowing deeply in her direction. "But we are under direct orders from Earl Drickon to capture the criminal who threatened his son''s life. We hope that the Matriarch of the Drazen family would understand and assist us in carrying out this mission." He straightened and nodded towards the towering smoke colossus that loomed over the battlefield.

    Taking that as his signal, Alex dissolved the smoke knight in an instant. The towering figure crumbled, its ethereal form disintegrating into nothingness, leaving Alex standing in its ce, his double-headed scythe still firmly in his grip.

    As Freya''s gaze locked onto him, her expression only darkened further, the fury on her face intensifying with each second.

    "So, let me get this straight," Freya said, her voice dropping to a dangerously low register as her eyes bore into the old man. "Earl Drickon sent you to abduct an ally of my Drazen family, right here, in the middle of my city?"

 Chapter 297 : Timely intervention

    Chapter 297 : Timely intervention

    Freya''s words caused everyone in the surroundings to stiffen, especially the five individuals sent to capture Alex.

    ''Ally? This man is allied with the Drazen family?'' The same question echoed in the minds of everyone present, including the plump man walking beside Freya, whose expression reflected his surprise at this revtion.

    ''Thisplicates things,'' Kradwell, the old man, clicked his tongue in displeasure.

    "Does that mean the Drazen Matriarch intends to interfere with this man''s capture?" the old man asked cautiously, his gaze hardening.

    "And what if I do?" Freya retorted, her tone sharp with dismissal. "You seem to forget, but let me remind you, just as the Drickon family is an Earl family, so is the Drazen family. He is in no way superior to me. So, I suggest you carefully consider your next words or actions if you value your life," Freya threatened, her voice cutting through the tension.

    As if to underscore her words, all the soldiers behind Freya drew their weapons, pointing them menacingly in the direction of the five would-be captors. Even the plump man at her side pulled out an unusual weapon��a short staff tipped with a glowing crystal.

    In one swift moment, the five-man team became public enemy number one.

    The old man gritted his teeth in frustration and signaled hisrades. "We''re leaving." He shot Alex a final, icy re. "This isn''t over."

    "Oh, I do hope not," Alex chuckled darkly. "After all, I haven''t repaid you for what you''ve done."

    The old man''s re intensified before he turned his back on Alex. The other four regrouped behind him, two of them nursing visible wounds, and they began their slow retreat from the scene.

    "Before you go," Freya called out, her voice cold, "deliver this message to Earl Drickon: he will be held ountable for all the damages done to the city, and he shall pay the reconstruction fees. If he refuses to pay, both he and his family will be exiled from Drisidd."

    The old man gave a slight nod of acknowledgement but kept moving. Just as they were about to leave, Alex''s voice rang out once more.

    "Don''t forget to tell the Earl that I''ll be expecting what he owes me," Alex said with a dark chuckle. "And he knows exactly what will happen if he doesn''t pay."

    From Alex''s perspective, after today''s events, he was already an enemy of the Drickon family, so he had no reservations about pushing them further.

    The group of five ignored him, leaving the scene under the watchful gaze of everyone present.

    "My previous statement applies to you as well," Alex called out to the group of nobles gathered nearby. They had been standing there for a while, quietly observing. "For those whose family members I rescued, I''ll be staying in Drisidd until the end of the auction. After that, don''t expect to find me. As for payment, it''s simple��you''ll pay based on how much value you ce on your children''s safe rescue and escort."

    Many faces twisted into displeased frowns at Alex''s blunt demand, but by that point, his attention had already shifted to Freya, who was walking toward him.

    "How are you holding up?" she asked, her voiceposed, though Alex could detect a subtle hint of concern beneath her tone.

    "Besides a few broken ribs, I feel fantastic," Alex replied, a wry grin ying on his lips.

    "Thank the gods," Freya sighed in relief. "I shouldn''t have let you return on your own. If you''d ridden inside our carriage, they wouldn''t have dared attack you, knowing that doing so would mean challenging the Drazen family."

    "You don''t have to me yourself," Alex said, shaking his head. "We couldn''t have known I would be ambushed. And believe me, if I''d had any idea I''d be targeted by those people, things wouldn''t have reached this point."

    Indeed, had Alex known that he would be a target of Earl Drickon''s men, he would have prepared himself ordingly, and the oue of the battle would have been very different.

    Freya seemed ready to add something, but at that moment, the two of them heard someone clear their throat nearby. Turning their heads, they saw the plump man who had been walking beside Freya earlier, now standing with a curious expression on his face.

    "Oh, right," Freya said, collecting herself. "Sir Arcanor, allow me to introduce Baron Drisidd, the ruler of this city."

    ''So he''s the ruler here?'' Alex thought, sizing the man up. ''He''s got the aura of a mid-level 4, though I doubt he can fully draw on the potential of that level with a body like his.''

    Extending his hand, Alex said politely, "A pleasure to meet you."

    "Likewise," Drisidd replied, shaking Alex''s hand with surprising firmness. "An ally of the Drazen family is an ally of mine. Whatever I can provide, you need only ask."

    "Thanks," Alex nodded, noting the surprising strength of Drisidd''s grip despite his plump appearance.

    At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps drew Alex''s attention. He turned to see the two people who had intervened in his earlier fight against the five level-5s approaching. ''Ah, I''d almost forgotten about them,'' Alex thought with a wry smile under his mask.

    "What, don''t tell me you forgot about us," the woman with cyan hair said, grinning as if she could read his mind.

    "How could I forget the only ones who stepped in to save me?" Alex replied with a chuckle. "By the way, thanks for the help."

    "You''re wee," the dark-haired man replied with a curt nod, his tone clipped.

    ''Why does it feel like even saying that much is a chore for him?'' both Alex and Drisidd thought at the same time.

    Meanwhile, the cyan-haired woman was far more lively. She walked up to Alex, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and grinning. "You don''t need to thank me. After all, it''s thanks to you that my little shrimp of a sister is still alive."

    Alex nced her up and down, his gaze lingering on her generous chest before he replied, "So, you''re Daisy''s sister."

    "Yep, she''s my little sister," the woman nodded. "What made you think we''re rted, though?"

    Alex eyed her cyan hair and replied, "Let''s just say you two share a resemnce."

    "What the heck are you talking about?!" she snapped suddenly, her eyes narrowing. "I look nothing like that shrimp!"

    Alex raised an eyebrow, tempted to point out the obvious simrities, but in the end, he decided to y along. "You''re right; you''re definitely taller than her."

    "Exactly!" she eximed, looking satisfied. "I''m much taller than that shrimp. By the way," she leaned closer to Alex and whispered conspiratorially, "howe you''re taller than me? Are you using some kind of trick to boost your height? If so, it''s fine, you can tell me. I won''t judge you, even if you''re secretly a shrimp yourself."

    "...."

    Alex blinked, speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond to her absurd question. After a pause, he sighed and whispered back, "No, I''m not using any tricks to increase my height."

    "You sure?"

    "Yes, I''m sure."

    She stared at him a bit longer, as if trying to peer through the smoke mask, before grinning widely. "That''s good. I like men who are taller than me," she paused for a moment, then added with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "You are a man, right?"

    "..."

    Alex didn''t know who this woman was, but he suddenly felt bad for Daisy. If her sister behaved like this most of the time, then she must be a handful to deal with.

    ''She kinda reminds me of Grace,'' Alex chuckled internally. ''Both of them have that carefree attitude and a very questionable sense of personal space. Although, Grace doesn''t go around hugging people she barely knows, especially those of the opposite sex.''

    He was about to respond when the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted him. Turning his head, he saw Freya staring at the two of them with a smile that clearly didn''t reach her eyes.

    "Hello, Lady Althea," Freya greeted her in a polite tone, "I see you''re as... sociable as ever," though inwardly she added, ''Maybe a little too sociable.''

    Meanwhile, Alex''s mind was still processing. ''So her name is Althea, huh.''

    "How is your mother doing?" Freya asked.

    "You know her," Althea replied with a shrug, "she''s probablyzing around somewhere in the mansion back home."

    "Most likely," Freya agreed with a slight nod, before turning her attention to Alex. "Sir Arcanor, allow me to introduce Althea Wardell, the heir of the Wardell barony."

    Freya then gestured to the man with the dark hair standing beside them. "And this here is Baron Vesper, the patriarch of the Aldrion family."

    Vesper gave a polite nod in Alex''s direction before turning back to Freya. "Lady Freya, I''ve been meaning to speak with you. I wish to withdraw the treasure I submitted for auction at your family''s annual event."

    Freya''s expression didn''t change, but there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "That''s quite the coincidence," she responded smoothly. "I was nning to meet with you as well. Sir Arcanor here would like to make an offer for that very treasure."

    Hearing Freya''s words, Alex quickly connected the dots. ''So he''s the one with the memory treasure.''

 Chapter 298 : Tear of knowledge

    Chapter 298 : Tear of knowledge

    ''So he''s the one with the memory treasure,'' Alex mused as he nced at Vesper once again, his curiosity growing.

    Vesper briefly met Alex''s gaze before turning back to Freya, nodding slightly. "If you have no other ns, shall we find somewhere private to discuss this matter?"

    Freya nced over at Alex for confirmation, and he gave a subtle nod. He didn''t have anything else nned for the rest of the day, and he was eager to get his hands on that treasure. The sooner they could talk about it, the better.

    "If you''re looking for a private ce, my mansion is nearby," Drisidd offered with a slight bow, his tone polite but firm.

    "That will do," Freya agreed with a nod.

    "Follow me," Drisidd instructed, taking the lead.

    As they made their way through the city streets, Alex, Freya, and Vesper followed Drisidd while a contingent of soldiers, some from the earlier group that had apanied Freya, rejoined them to act as their escort. Their presence gave the procession an almost royal air as they moved swiftly toward Drisidd''s estate.

    At one point during the walk, Alex turned toward Althea, who had been casually strolling beside them, gnawing on something. "Why are you following us? And, uh... what are you eating?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

    "What? I''m curious about this treasure thing," Althea replied nonchntly, taking another bite from what looked like a disturbingly slimy piece of dried meat. "This is some kind of level 2 hamster monster meat," she added with pride, as if it were a delicacy.

    Alex grimaced, ''how can she eat that?'' he thought, utterly bewildered by her apparent enjoyment of it.

    "Hey, stop eyeing my meat!" Althea eximed, noticing his reaction. "I''m not sharing."

    "Trust me, I have no desire to eat that," Alex replied, shaking his head.

    "Good, then we''re on the same page," Althea said cheerfully before stuffing the rest of the meat into her mouth. A momentter, she leaned in closer to Alex, whispering, "By the way, you might want to keep your distance from me right now. I don''t really feelfortable with the kind of nce Lady Freya is sending in my direction right now."

    Alex nced over and saw Freya throwing cold, side-eyed nces in their direction, her usual calm facade now tinged with something much frostier.

    He leaned in toward Althea and whispered back, "Yeah, I think you''re right."

    With that, Alex subtly distanced himself from Althea and caught up to Freya. As they walked side by side, he gently offered her his arm. "Lady Freya," he said softly, "would you do me the honor?"

    Freya nced at him briefly, her gaze softening, before she smoothly epted his arm, linking hers with his. This action didn''t go unnoticed by those around them, but no one daredment, instead choosing to act as if they couldn''t see what was happening.

    "Before we got separated, you mentioned you needed to make a report to your elders. Did you get the chance to do that?" Alex casually asked.

    Freya shook her head lightly. "No, I was informed that a fight had broken out in the city, so I had to gather the soldiers and go check who was causing all themotion. By the way, how are you feeling? You mentioned having a few broken ribs."

    "You don''t need to worry about that," Alex reassured her with a slight grin under his mask. "I''m already healed up."

    "I''m d to hear that," Freya responded, the soft smile tugging at her lips growing, an expression so rare that it visibly stunned the soldiers nearby. Even Baron Drisidd, raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Unlike the others, however, he simply smiled to himself and discreetly looked away, pretending not to notice.

    A few minutester, Alex, Freya, Althea, and Vesper found themselves seated at a rectangr table inside Drisidd''s mansion. Freya and Alex sat side by side, while Vesper and Althea took their seats opposite them. Althea, as usual, was nibbling yet on another piece of questionable monster meat.

    Although he could have stayed, Baron Drisidd excused himself, stating that the uing conversation didn''t concern him. Meanwhile, Althea appearedpletely unperturbed, munching noisily on her snack.

    "So, what''s the deal with this treasure you mentioned?" Althea asked as she bit off another chunk of her mystery meat.

    The others couldn''t help but twitch in mild irritation. ''You weren''t even supposed to be part of this discussion, so why are you the most enthusiastic?''

    Oblivious to their change in expression though, Althea continued to wait, her carefree attitude unbroken as she idly chewed on her food, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

    Freya let out a long sigh before ncing at Vesper. "If it''s alright with you, I''ll share the information you provided us about the treasure," she said.

    Vesper nodded in agreement, giving her the go-ahead. Freya then reached into her space ring, pulling out a sheet of paper and handing it to Alex beside her.

    Not wanting to be left out, Althea jumped up from her seat and scooted over to stand behind Alex, peering over his shoulder to read the paper. Freya''s eyes narrowed slightly at Althea''sck of decorum, her first instinct to scold her, but she quickly abandoned the idea. ''What good would it do? If her mother can''t get her to stop acting like this, what chance do I have?''

    Meanwhile, Alex, seemingly unfazed by Althea''s proximity, focused on the paper Freya had handed him, scanning the information with interest.

    {Name: Tear of Knowledge

    Type: Treasure

    Treasure Grade: B-

    Category: Consumable

    Treasure Description: Upon consumption, this treasure significantly enhances the intelligence of the user, granting them an extraordinary mental agility and flexibility. For three days, the consumer''s mind is greatly elerated, allowing them to absorb, process, and retain vast amounts of information at an astonishing speed. While the effects of heightened mental acuity fade after three days, any knowledge, discoveries, or breakthroughs made during this period will remain permanently imprinted in the user''s mind.

    Note: The effects of the tear of knowledge diminish with repeated use. Each consecutive consumption will offer a weaker boost in intelligence and mental flexibility, with the period of enhanced cognition shrinking, until the treasure eventually bes ineffective}

    Alex whistled internally once he finished reading the information about the Tears of Knowledge. ''This is even better than I expected. A grade B- treasure!'' he thought, impressed.

    In the world of treasures, much like potions, different items were ranked ording to their grade, which indicated their rarity and power. The grading system ranged from F, the lowest, followed by E, D, C, B, A, and finally, the rarest and most coveted, S.

    However, not all treasures within the same grade were equal. That''s why each grade was further divided into sub-grades: minus (-), standard, and plus (+). For instance, a B- treasure like the tears of knowledge was valuable but inferior to a B, which in turn was outssed by a B+ treasure.

    Despite being the lowest sub-grade of B, a B- treasure was still highly sought after. Nobles and wealthy families would go to great lengths��even tearing each other apart��to acquire one.

    To put this into perspective, a B+ grade treasure once enabled a family in the Fiore Empire to rise from baronial status to a ducal one in just five generations!

    ''If they can casually auction off a B- grade treasure, the Aldrion family must be incredibly wealthy,'' Alex thought, eyeing Vesper In a newfound light.

    Althea appeared to share his thoughts, letting out a whistle of amazement after reading the details. "You bastard, if I had known you were this rich, I wouldn''t have shared my meat with you the other day!" she eximed indignantly.

    ''Why does that sound so wrong?'' Alex thought, a wry smile creeping onto his face.

    Vesper merely shook his head. "I''m not rich, and you of all people should know that," he replied, addressing Althea before turning back to Alex.

    "Our family, the Aldrions, are not what you would call rich. We''re adventurers, or, more specifically, treasure hunters. Our main upation is to search for and excavate ancient ruins, dungeons, or ces where treasures might be hidden. But these ces are far from safe. They''re filled with deadly traps and dangerous monsters. Whenever we find such a site, we have to organize an expedition team, which costs a lot of money."

    He paused to catch his breath and continued, "Not every expedition yields treasure, though. Some ruins are nothing more than dangerous deathtraps. There''s no guarantee of finding anything valuable, and often we risk our lives for nothing. Sometimes, if the ruins are too perilous, we even have to seek help from other families  such as the Wardell family or the Drazen family, especially when the danger level is too high. Of course, they don''t help us for free," Vesper exined.

    Both Freya and Althea nodded in confirmation, and Vesper sighed. "So, while we possess valuable treasures, we''re essentially poor. We prefer holding onto the items we''ve risked our lives to find rather than selling them off. If it weren''t for the fact that my son��the heir of our family��was abducted by those Night criminals, I wouldn''t have considered selling the Tears of Knowledge."

    "Just like you probably thought, those criminals believed our family was rich and demanded a ransom far beyond what we could afford. That''s why I decided to auction the tear of knowledge instead of selling it directly. Auctions generally fetch a higher price."

    Vesper nced at Freya before continuing, "Now that my son has been rescued, there''s no longer a need for me to sell it. That''s why I want my treasure back."

 Chapter 299 : Negotiations

    Chapter 299 : Negotiations

    "I understand your decision," Freya replied, "but as I mentioned earlier, Sir Arcanor here is very interested in your treasure and wishes to acquire it."

    Alex nodded in agreement. "I''m not sure how much you were hoping to earn from selling them at auction, but I''m prepared to meet whatever price you have in mind."

    Vesper stayed silent for a long moment, clearly weighing his options, before eventually shaking his head. "I appreciate what you did for my son, truly. But as I said, now that his life is no longer at risk, I don''t want to part with the Tears of Knowledge anymore," he stated firmly. "I''m sorry, but I don''t think you''ll be able to change my mind on this."

    He turned toward Freya, his eyes searching hers. "As per the contract, as long as the tear of knowledge haven''t been auctioned yet, I can reim them, correct?"

    "That''s true, though you will have to pay a withdrawal fee," Freya exined, "it''s apensation for removing the item from the auction at this stage."

    "I see," Vesper acknowledged with a nod. He then faced Alex. "Tomorrow, I''ll send someone to deliver the payment owed to you for saving my son."

    Vesper rose from his seat, preparing to leave, but Freya extended a hand to stop him. "Wait, Sir Vesper. I believe we cane to an arrangement that will ensure the Aldrion family doesn''t feel the loss of the tear of knowledge too strongly."

    Before Vesper could decline, Freya pulled out another sheet of paper and handed it to him.

    Not one to be left out, Althea��who had been hovering behind Alex��quickly shifted to stand behind Vesper, effortlessly peeking over his shoulder to read the document. Given the difference in height, it was as easy as breathing for her.

    Alex cast a questioning nce at Freya, and she responded with a confident smile that seemed to say, "Trust me."

    Vesper read through the document carefully before sitting back down in his chair, with Althea following suit.

    "This information about the healing smoke is intriguing, Lady Freya, but I don''t see how it helps with our current situation," Vesper remarked after a moment.

    Freya''s lips curled into a confident smile. "You see, Sir Vesper, the healing smokees from a newly established organization called Arcane, and Sir Arcanor here is the leader of this organization," she revealed, casting a brief but meaningful nce at Alex.

    Alex cast a sidelong nce at Freya before nodding in agreement.

    With her smile still ying at her lips, Freya said, "If I recall correctly, Sir Vesper, the mortality rate on your expeditions is around 40%, isn''t that right?"

    "Yes," Vesper acknowledged with a nod.

    "Most of those deaths are due to theck of adequate healing potions, correct?" Freya continued, her tone both casual and probing.

    "Yes," Vesper nodded again, a flicker of understanding crossing his face as he grasped Freya''s direction in the conversation.

    "Well, as you may have noticed, the healing smoke provided by Sir Arcanor is more effective than Grade 3 potions and is actually less expensive," Freya informed him.

    "I see where you''re going with this, Lady Freya, but as I understand it, those healing smoke potions will be auctioned at the uing event, correct?" Vesper inquired, his brow furrowing slightly.

    At that question, Freya nced at Alex, who answered, "Yes, several potions will be auctioned, but even after the auction, the healing potions will continue to be sold by the Drazen family."

    As Alex''s exnation sank in, a thoughtful expression settled on Vesper''s face. After a full minute of contemtion, he seemed to reach a conclusion.

    "I''ll let you have the tear of knowledge for free if you agree to sell your potions to the Aldrion family at a 50% discount for the next five years," Vesper proposed.

    ''Hmm, fifty percent off for the next five years, huh?'' Alex mused, weighing Vesper''s offer. ''If I focus, I can produce hundreds of potions in a day. Selling a few for half their original price doesn''t seem so bad.''

    Just as Alex was preparing to agree to Vesper''s terms, Freya interjected.

    "The healing potions will be sold to the Aldrion family at a 30% discount for the next three years, but you will be prohibited from reselling them, and you will need to add another B grade treasure to the Tears of Knowledge to finalize the deal," Freya countered.

    Vesper''s expression hardened, and he shook his head. "I can ept the other terms of the deal, but another B grade treasure? That''s asking too much!"

    "Just consider this," Freya pressed, her tone persuasive, "thanks to these healing potions, you could significantly reduce the mortality rate among your family members. Are you really willing to risk the lives of those following you just for a B grade treasure? Would you sacrifice their lives just to hold onto one more item? Are their lives so insignificant to you?"

    ''Damn, she is ruthless in negotiations,''Alex thought, taken aback by Freya''s words.

    He appeared to be the only one caught off guard though. Neither Vesper nor Althea seemed fazed by Freya''s sharp approach, and why would they be? Freya was known as the most ruthless negotiator in the entire empire, and she hadn''t gained that title for no reason. If anything, it seemed she was actually going easy on Vesper this time.

    Vesper remained silent for a long moment, his expression tense, clearly torn between his options.

    It was at that moment that Freya decided to seal the deal. "Think about it," she said, her voice calm but persuasive, "these potions are far more potent than Grade 3 ones and cost less. Now, consider the weight an organization producing such potions will carry in the future��not just in Fiore but across the entire continent. Gaining the favor of the leader of such a group and securing a deal this early could be a game-changer for your family. In light of that, asking for just one additional B-grade treasure alongside the tear of knowledge is more than reasonable. Frankly, you should be offering me such a deal instead."

    Leaning back in her chair, Freya crossed her arms and asked, "So, what will it be?"

    Vesper, clearly taken aback by her reasoning, needed a few moments to collect himself. After some thought, he sighed and nodded. "Fine, I''ll add another B grade treasure, but it will only be a B-."

    "Deal, but on the condition that Sir Arcanor gets to choose the type and category of the treasure," Freya countered smoothly.

    "Understood," Vesper agreed with a nod.

    Through it all, Alex could only watch Freya with increasing astonishment. He had simply asked her to set up a meeting between him and Vesper, nothing more. Yet here she was, negotiating fiercely on his behalf, securing an even better deal than he could have imagined.

    Not only was he getting the tear of knowledge for free, but he was also gaining another B- grade treasure��and on top of that, he would get to choose its type and category! All for potions he could easily make from thefort of his bed.

    In just a few minutes, Freya had be even more irresistible to Alex. If there had been any doubt before, it had now vanished entirely. He was determined to make her his.

    ''Beautiful, intelligent and lovely...what''s not to love?'' Alex mused, a smirk tugging at his lips. ''Plus, I know she''ll be invaluable in managing and growing my wealth.''

    What Alex didn''t realize was that he was probably one of the few men who would dare describe Freya as "lovely." Her cold, domineering nature typically kept men at a distance, that''s why despite her incredible beauty, very few had ever even dared to fantasize about her.

    "We should formalize this agreement," Freya suggested, her tone businesslike. "Once that''s done, I''ll retrieve the tear of knowledge and hand them over to Sir Arcanor."

    Alex and Vesper exchanged nces and nodded in mutual understanding.

    "Before we sign the contract though," Freya took out another piece of paper, this one containing information about the potion that could help one recover from exhaustion, and asked, "how many treasures are you willing to add for a potion that canpletely rejuvenate you from fatigue?"

 Chapter 300 Timely intervention

    Chapter 300 Timely intervention

    Freya''s words caused everyone in the surroundings to stiffen, especially the five individuals sent to capture Alex.

    ''Ally? This man is allied with the Drazen family?'' The same question echoed in the minds of everyone present, including the plump man walking beside Freya, whose expression reflected his surprise at this revtion.

    ''Thisplicates things,'' Kradwell, the old man, clicked his tongue in displeasure.

    "Does that mean the Drazen Matriarch intends to interfere with this man''s capture?" the old man asked cautiously, his gaze hardening.

    "And what if I do?" Freya retorted, her tone sharp with dismissal. "You seem to forget, but let me remind you, just as the Drickon family is an Earl family, so is the Drazen family. He is in no way superior to me. So, I suggest you carefully consider your next words or actions if you value your life," Freya threatened, her voice cutting through the tension.

    As if to underscore her words, all the soldiers behind Freya drew their weapons, pointing them menacingly in the direction of the five would-be captors. Even the plump man at her side pulled out an unusual weapon��a short staff tipped with a glowing crystal.

    In one swift moment, the five-man team became public enemy number one.

    The old man gritted his teeth in frustration and signaled hisrades. "We''re leaving." He shot Alex a final, icy re. "This isn''t over."

    "Oh, I do hope not," Alex chuckled darkly. "After all, I haven''t repaid you for what you''ve done."

    The old man''s re intensified before he turned his back on Alex. The other four regrouped behind him, two of them nursing visible wounds, and they began their slow retreat from the scene.

    "Before you go," Freya called out, her voice cold, "deliver this message to Earl Drickon: he will be held ountable for all the damages done to the city, and he shall pay the reconstruction fees. If he refuses to pay, both he and his family will be exiled from Drisidd."

    The old man gave a slight nod of acknowledgement but kept moving. Just as they were about to leave, Alex''s voice rang out once more.

    "Don''t forget to tell the Earl that I''ll be expecting what he owes me," Alex said with a dark chuckle. "And he knows exactly what will happen if he doesn''t pay."

    "My previous statement applies to you as well," Alex called out to the group of nobles gathered nearby. They had been standing there for a while, quietly observing. "For those whose family members I rescued, I''ll be staying in Drisidd until the end of the auction. After that, don''t expect to find me. As for payment, it''s simple��you''ll pay based on how much value you ce on your children''s safe rescue and escort."

    From Alex''s perspective, after today''s events, he was already an enemy of the Drickon family, so he had no reservations about pushing them further.

    The group of five ignored him, leaving the scene under the watchful gaze of everyone present.

    "My previous statement applies to you as well," Alex called out to the group of nobles gathered nearby. They had been standing there for a while, quietly observing. "For those whose family members I rescued, I''ll be staying in Drisidd until the end of the auction. After that, don''t expect to find me. As for payment, it''s simple��you''ll pay based on how much value you ce on your children''s safe rescue and escort."

    Many faces twisted into displeased frowns at Alex''s blunt demand, but by that point, his attention had already shifted to Freya, who was walking toward him.

    "How are you holding up?" she asked, her voiceposed, though Alex could detect a subtle hint of concern beneath her tone.

    "Besides a few broken ribs, I feel fantastic," Alex replied, a wry grin ying on his lips.

    "Thank the gods," Freya sighed in relief. "I shouldn''t have let you return on your own. If you''d ridden inside our carriage, they wouldn''t have dared attack you, knowing that doing so would mean challenging the Drazen family."

    "You don''t have to me yourself," Alex said, shaking his head. "We couldn''t have known I would be ambushed. And believe me, if I''d had any idea I''d be targeted by those people, things wouldn''t have reached this point."

    Indeed, had Alex known that he would be a target of Earl Drickon''s men, he would have prepared himself ordingly, and the oue of the battle would have been very different.

    Freya seemed ready to add something, but at that moment, the two of them heard someone clear their throat nearby. Turning their heads, they saw the plump man who had been walking beside Freya earlier, now standing with a curious expression on his face.

    "Oh, right," Freya said, collecting herself. "Sir Arcanor, allow me to introduce Baron Drisidd, the ruler of this city."

    ''So he''s the ruler here?'' Alex thought, sizing the man up. ''He''s got the aura of a mid-level 4, though I doubt he can fully draw on the potential of that level with a body like his.''

    Extending his hand, Alex said politely, "A pleasure to meet you."

    "Likewise," Drisidd replied, shaking Alex''s hand with surprising firmness. "An ally of the Drazen family is an ally of mine. Whatever I can provide, you need only ask."

    "Thanks," Alex nodded, noting the surprising strength of Drisidd''s grip despite his plump appearance.

    At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps drew Alex''s attention. He turned to see the two people who had intervened in his earlier fight against the five level-5s approaching. ''Ah, I''d almost forgotten about them,'' Alex thought with a wry smile under his mask.

    "What, don''t tell me you forgot about us," the woman with cyan hair said, grinning as if she could read his mind.

    "How could I forget the only ones who stepped in to save me?" Alex replied with a chuckle. "By the way, thanks for the help."

    "You''re wee," the dark-haired man replied with a curt nod, his tone clipped.

    ''Why does it feel like even saying that much is a chore for him?'' both Alex and Drisidd thought at the same time.

    Meanwhile, the cyan-haired woman was far more lively. She walked up to Alex, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and grinning. "You don''t need to thank me. After all, it''s thanks to you that my little shrimp of a sister is still alive."

    Alex nced her up and down, his gaze lingering on her generous chest before he replied, "So, you''re Daisy''s sister."

    "Yep, she''s my little sister," the woman nodded. "What made you think we''re rted, though?"

    Alex eyed her cyan hair and replied, "Let''s just say you two share a resemnce."

    "What the heck are you talking about?!" she snapped suddenly, her eyes narrowing. "I look nothing like that shrimp!"

    Alex raised an eyebrow, tempted to point out the obvious simrities, but in the end, he decided to y along. "You''re right; you''re definitely taller than her."

    "Exactly!" she eximed, looking satisfied. "I''m much taller than that shrimp. By the way," she leaned closer to Alex and whispered conspiratorially, "howe you''re taller than me? Are you using some kind of trick to boost your height? If so, it''s fine, you can tell me. I won''t judge you, even if you''re secretly a shrimp yourself."

    "...."

    Alex blinked, speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond to her absurd question. After a pause, he sighed and whispered back, "No, I''m not using any tricks to increase my height."

    "You sure?"

    "Yes, I''m sure."

    She stared at him a bit longer, as if trying to peer through the smoke mask, before grinning widely. "That''s good. I like men who are taller than me," she paused for a moment, then added with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "You are a man, right?"

    "..."

    Alex didn''t know who this woman was, but he suddenly felt bad for Daisy. If her sister behaved like this most of the time, then she must be a handful to deal with.

    ''She kinda reminds me of Grace,'' Alex chuckled internally. ''Both of them have that carefree attitude and a very questionable sense of personal space. Although, Grace doesn''t go around hugging people she barely knows, especially those of the opposite sex.''

    He was about to respond when the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted him. Turning his head, he saw Freya staring at the two of them with a smile that clearly didn''t reach her eyes.

    "Hello, Lady Althea," Freya greeted her in a polite tone, "I see you''re as... sociable as ever," though inwardly she added, ''Maybe a little too sociable.''

    Meanwhile, Alex''s mind was still processing. ''So her name is Althea, huh.''

    "How is your mother doing?" Freya asked.

    "You know her," Althea replied with a shrug, "she''s probablyzing around somewhere in the mansion back home."

    "Most likely," Freya agreed with a slight nod, before turning her attention to Alex. "Sir Arcanor, allow me to introduce Althea Wardell, the heir of the Wardell barony."

    Freya then gestured to the man with the dark hair standing beside them. "And this here is Baron Vesper, the patriarch of the Aldrion family."

    Vesper gave a polite nod in Alex''s direction before turning back to Freya. "Lady Freya, I''ve been meaning to speak with you. I wish to withdraw the treasure I submitted for auction at your family''s annual event."

    Freya''s expression didn''t change, but there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "That''s quite the coincidence," she responded smoothly. "I was nning to meet with you as well. Sir Arcanor here would like to make an offer for that very treasure."

    Hearing Freya''s words, Alex quickly connected the dots. ''So he''s the one with the memory treasure.''

 Chapter 301 : The flaw of the tear of knowledge

    Chapter 301 : The w of the tear of knowledge

    ''I would much rather be the one inflicting pain than the one suffering it,'' Alex thought with a resolute expression.

    "I also don''t like war," Freya sighed, "I would rather have my daughter grow up in a world devoid of war, but I''m not naive to think it''s possible to achieve true peace. As long as people have different goals and wishes, war will always exist. The least we can do is try to protect ourselves from it and its consequences. And if we can profit from it, even just a little, as cruel as it sounds... I''m not against that."

    "Mm, you''re right," Alex nodded, agreeing with her perspective.

    "Let''s set this topic aside for now," Freya said, shifting the conversation. "Tell me, do you have any ideas on how to palliate the problem with the Tears of Knowledge?"

    "The problem with the Tears of Knowledge?" Alex raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

    As he mulled over her words, a light of understanding shed in his eyes. "Are you referring to the fact that it''s impossible to fully unleash the treasure''s potential by using ordinary books?" he asked.

    "Exactly," Freya nodded, pleased that he understood. "Unless someone has a method of absorbing knowledge without having to physically read it, it''s practically impossible to bring out the Tears of Knowledge''s true potential. Flipping through pages and searching for specific knowledge is a time-consuming process. Time that could be better spent actually learning. That''s actually the reason why the tear of knowledge is deemed as a B- grade treasure and not B or B+."

    Alex considered her words and then sighed. "Well, I suppose we don''t have many options then, unless we find a way to directly insert knowledge into someone''s head," he mused, shaking his head at the difficulty of the situation.

    Freya''s lips curled into a smile and she replied, "As a matter of fact, I can help you with that."

    "Really?" Alex asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

    "Yes," Freya confirmed. "If you recall, I mentioned earlier that the elders created a special library for Maya, right?"

    Alex nodded, intrigued, encouraging her to go on.

    "Well, the ''books'' in that library function exactly the way you''re describing," Freya exined. "They don''t require the reader to physically go through each page. Instead, the knowledge is directly imprinted into the reader''s mind. The elders knew that Maya''s unique ability to never forget anything would make a regr library inefficient for her. That''s why they created something more fitting."

    ''That makes sense,'' Alex thought to himself. ''Now that I think about it, Maya''s ability is very simr to the Tears of Knowledge.''

    However, Alex quickly realized the distinction between Maya''s ability and the Tears of Knowledge. While someone who consumed the Tears of Knowledge could acquire an immense amount of information all at once, Maya''s ability didn''t allow her to instantly absorb knowledge on such a scale. Her strengthy in her wless memory retention, but she still had to learn things gradually. Overloading herself with too much knowledge at once would mentally exhaust her.

    On the other hand, Maya had the advantage of having her ability active continuously, for her entire life. Those who consumed the Tears of Knowledge could only benefit from it for a limited time.

    "Aside from Maya and the elders, very few people, even within the Drazen family, are allowed to step foot inside that library," Freya continued. "But I can convince the elders to make an exception for you."

    She smiled confidently, as if the matter was already settled.

    "Thanks, Lady Freya. I''ll owe you one if you do that," Alex nodded gratefully. "But I need to clear something up: I won''t be the one using the Tears of Knowledge."

    "Oh?" Freya raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Who will, then?"

    "My sister," Alex replied.

    He had no real use for the Tears of Knowledge himself. After his mind had been enhanced by the ck heart, he possessed something akin to a photographic memory. Reading through books posed no challenge for him, and he could retain vast amounts of information without much effort.

    The real reason he sought the Tears of Knowledge was for Amelia. He wanted her to use them to deepen her understanding of human biology and medicine. If she could do that, her "Cell Master" ability would improve dramatically, enabling her to achieve things she couldn''t before.

    Giving Amelia the Tears of Knowledge wouldn''t benefit only her, either. If her control over her abilities increased, she might finally be able to solve Alex''s mana problems by transforming his heart into a sort of mana reservoir, effectively solving his biggest limitation.

    "Hmm, I see," Freya nodded in understanding. "I already owe Lady Amelia for healing Maya''s sight, so I''d be happy to help her in return," she added with a warm smile.

    "I''m d to hear that," Alex smiled, the sincerity of his expression making Freya''s heart skip a beat.

    They continued their conversation for a few more minutes, before the carriage finally came to a stop.

    As Alex''s swirling mask of smoke slipped back into ce, he opened the carriage door and stepped outside.

    The moment he set foot on the ground, he was hit by a barrage of loud sounds��shouts, conversations, and the general hum of a bustling crowd.

    During their journey here, Freya had shared with him that the carriage had been enchanted with a sound-cancelling barrier by a witch, designed to prevent anyone outside from eavesdropping on the conversation inside. Paradoxically, it also blocked most external noise from reaching them, which was why the sudden mor now seemed almost overwhelming after the quiet ride.

    When Alex''s eyes adjusted to his surroundings, he was taken aback by the sight of arge crowd gathered around. The sheer number of people was astonishing, far more than he had ever seen in the city since his arrival. The streets were packed, with people shoulder to shoulder, filling every avable space.

    All around him, several raised tforms had been erected. From atop these tforms, auctioneers bellowed and shouted, their voices rising above the din as they beckoned potential buyers. Each tform featured different items up for auction, and the atmosphere was filled with anticipation and excitement as bidderspeted to outbid each other, their voices mingling with the auctioneer''s rhythmic calls.

    "There are a lot of people here, huh?" Freya remarked, her eyes scanning the bustling marketce.

    "Yes," Alex replied absentmindedly as he extended a hand to help Freya down from the carriage, his gaze still surveying the crowd.

    "This ce is known as the Auction Market," Freya exined, gesturing toward the sprawling scene before them.

    "I thought the Drazen family auction was supposed to take ce the day after tomorrow?" Alex inquired.

    "That''s correct. Our auction hasn''t started yet," Freya confirmed. "You see, due to the fame of our family''s annual auction, many people approach us throughout the year, hoping to have their items included on our list of treasures. However, we only ept the very best. Most of those whoe to us leave disappointed, with their items rejected."

    "Instead of simply leaving, though," she continued, "many of these individuals rent stalls and spaces around the auction house to disy their goods as the time for our annual auction approaches. Since we only deal in the finest treasures, most people can''t afford what we offer at the official auction. As a result, a great number of peoplee here not for the actual Drazen family auction but for this auction market."

    "I understand," Alex nodded as he nced at a couple of raised tforms where auctioneers were presenting various items.

    "I may have said that we only ept the best of treasures, but that doesn''t mean the items auctioned here in this market are inferior," Freya added thoughtfully. "In fact, I personally think many of the things sold here are quite remarkable. It''s just that they don''t meet our family''s strict criteria. If you''re looking for unique treasures or rare items, I suggest you explore more of the market. You might stumble upon something truly special," she said with a slight smile.

    Alex was about to respond when he heard the distinct sound of footsteps approaching. Turning in the direction of the noise, he saw a group of about a dozen people heading toward them. Most of them were armored men bearing the Drazen family insignia on their chests and shoulders. Their movements were disciplined, and they radiated an air of authority.

    Leading the group was a striking woman with fiery orange hair and eyes that seemed to flicker like mes. Despite the biting cold, she wore a light dress that clung to her figure, revealing a generous portion of her chest. The only protection she had against the weather was the orange fur scarf draped elegantly over her shoulders.

    This woman was none other than Frieda, the one who had earlier refused to allow Alex and Amelia to enter Drisidd without first removing their masks. A few momentster, she and the soldiers stopped a few feet away from Alex and Freya.

    "You''rete, Freya," Frieda remarked coolly. "The elders have been waiting for you for quite some time."

    Freya barely acknowledged thement before turning to Alex. "I''ll be going to meet the elders now. In the meantime, feel free to wait here or take a tour around the auction market. I won''t be long," she said with a reassuring nod.

    "That''s for the elders to decide, whether you''ll be long or not," Frieda interjected.

    Freya nced briefly at Frieda before turning back to Alex with a smile. "I won''t be long."

 Chapter 302 : Screwed up

    Chapter 302 : Screwed up

    ''Nothing interesting here,'' Alex sighed inwardly, moving past yet another tform without finding anything to his taste among the auctioned items.

    Several minutes had already passed since Freya had left with Frieda and the armored guards, heading into thergest building in the city.

    This impressive structure was none other than the Drazen family auction house, towering just a short distance from the bustling open-air market.

    Before she departed, Freya had insisted that a group of guards apany Alex for his safety, despite his reluctance. Now, five guards trailed him closely, keeping any would-be intruders at a respectful distance.

    ''They''re only level 3... how much protection could they really offer if I can''t handle an attack myself?'' Alex scoffed to himself.

    However, he also understood that the guards'' roles weren''t exactly to protect him. Well, they were there for his protection, but primarily they were with him to serve as a deterrent against anyone who might have ill intentions towards him. After all, who would dare attack the soldiers of an Earl''s family in their own territory?

    ''Still, I don''t really like being followed,'' Alex thought, ''it would have been better if at least they were women.''

    As he passed a group of people, Alex''s ears picked up on a conversation.

    "Hey, look, doesn''t this man fit the description of the one targeted by Earl Drickon''s underlings?" someone whispered to his friend.

    "I think that''s him; he looks scary... and creepy," another one added.

    ''News sure spreads fast in this city,'' Alex thought as he passed by the group of people sneaking nces at him.

    It had been barely an hour since the incident, yet word had already spread throughout the city. ''The people here sure love gossip.''

    ***

    At the same time Alex was strolling through the march�� aux ench��res, Freya, followed by Frieda, entered a room situated in the underground of the auction house.

    The room they stepped into was enshrouded in darkness and seemed to be spacious. There was only a single source of light in this room, and this light was set above a luxurious-looking couch. On this couch, three individuals could be seen sitting next to each other.

    The person in the middle was an olddy with sharp orange eyes but a kind expression. Her fiery orange hair, with a few strands of grey, cascaded down her back. Despite the woman''s wrinkled face that showed her old age, she still had hints of beauty to her. Clearly, in her youth, she had been a very beautiful woman.

    The same couldn''t be said about the two men sitting next to her, though. Both of them were so old with wrinkles all over their faces. Even if they had a hint of handsomeness about them, it had been buried under the thick beards masking half of their faces.

    Contrary to the woman, the two of them had their eyes shut, and they appeared to be in deep meditation...or in deep sleep.

    "Freya, Frieda," the elderly woman, Sareth, greeted, "we have been waiting for you."

    "Elders," both Frieda and Freya greeted in unison, but while Frieda bowed in the elders'' direction, Freya just openly gazed at the three elders.

    "You still refuse to bow to us, I see," Sareth chuckled, clearly not enraged by Freya''sck of respect.

    "How dare you not��"

    "Shut it, I didn''te here to hear you speak," Freya snapped at Frieda.

    "Who do��"

    "That''s enough, you two," Sareth said, raising a hand in their direction.

    "I don''t especially want to hear you two bicker," the elder continued, "but since we are on the subject, it hase to our attention that the two of you have been witnessed butting heads in public. Did you already forget what we said to you the previous time we met? The Drazen family needs to show the world a united front!"

    "Are we united though?" Freya sneered, "since the instant there had been a distinction between members of the family, we had already decided not to be united, so why be hypocrites and try to make people think we are united when we clearly aren''t."

    Freya crossed her arms and continued, "notter than a few weeks ago, my daughter, the heir of this family, was kidnapped, and while I did everything to find her, what did the so-called principal branch do? Absolutely nothing just because, for most of them, her mother isn''t of the principal branch.

    "Weeks after, Maya came back, and we learned that the one who abducted her was none other than a member of the principal branch!"

    Freya snorted and added, "as if that wasn''t already absurd, what did the leader of this principal branch do when Maya and those that rescued her came back? She tried to deny them entry into the city."

    "I was only doing my job!" Frieda snapped at Freya, "what if they had been criminals?!"

    Freya nced at her and sneered, "well, because of your stupid act, we almost lost a deal that could have earned our family a considerable fortune."

    The instant Freya said this, the two elderly men sitting next to Sareth snapped their eyes open.

    This sudden action didn''t surprise anyone in the room, as all of them knew the character of those two old men.

    Those two men could be said to only have money on their minds. They attended family reunions, but unless money was brought to the table, they never reacted. The only way to get their attention was to speak about the gain or loss of money, and Freya had just done so.

    "Why did you say that we would have lost money? Exin," the one to the right of Sareth inquired.

    Without wasting time to exin, Freya pulled out from her space ring the same sheets of paper containing information about Alex''s smoke potions she had presented to Vesper. Along with those two sheets of paper, there was another one, this one containing the information of the soul contracts she had signed with Alex.

    The information on this sheet of paper didn''t go into all the uses that were on the original soul contracts. It wasn''t because Freya wanted to withhold some information from her elders, but it was just that there was a special use imposed by Alex that stipted that Freya couldn''t reveal certain information. For example, she couldn''t reveal to anyone besides her direct sessor the identities of arcane members should shee to learn about that person''s identity through their deal.

    "Here''s what we could have lost had Frieda''s attempt at denying entry to the ones following Maya seeded," Freya said as she handed the sheets of paper to the elders.

    The three of them received the sheets of paper and began to read the information written on them. The more they read, the brighter their expressions became. For a moment, it seemed as if they had be younger as the wrinkles on their faces disappeared due to the smiles spreading on their faces.

    However, there was one person who wasn''t appreciating the turn things were taking even a bit, and this person was none other than Frieda.

    She had specifically arranged this meeting with the elders to make Freya look bad in their eyes due to her previous actions, but it seemed that it would backfire on her.

    The worst thing yet was the fact that among the current elders present, none of them favored her or hated Freya.

    Unfortunately for her, all the elders that could have supported her weren''t present.

    "As usual, you did well, Freya," the elder to Sareth''s left, Dar, said with a pleased smile.

    The other two nodded their heads in agreement.

    "I only did my job," Freya replied with a nod.

    "Don''t be modest; you certainly deserve much more than just praise," Dir said with an equally pleased expression, his orange eyes shining like gemstone.

    "As for you," Sareth said as she nced at Frieda with a disapproving expression, "see for yourself what your shenanigans would have cost us."

    Having said that, Sareth threw the sheets of paper to Frieda, who hastily caught them.

    She began to read the information on them, and the more she read, the paler her face became.

    ''Gods no...,'' Frieda thought in horror.

    In all honesty, what she did by denying ess to the city unless Alex and Amelia had revealed their identities wasn''t a bad thing. In fact, she was right to do so; they could have indeed been criminals.

    However, this excuse would fool no one here. All the people present knew that she only did it to spite Freya. After all, Maya had already spoken up in Alex and Amelia''s defense; there was no need to doubt them anymore.

    Yet, she still wanted to make things difficult for them and now she realized that had they decided to leave because of her actions, it was true that her family might have lost a considerable amount of money.

    ''I screwed up.''

 Chapter 303 : Unexpected encounter (1)

    Chapter 303 : Unexpected encounter (1)

    ''Oh, finally something interesting,'' Alex thought as he stopped in front of a tform where an auction was about to take ce.

    The item disyed that caught Alex''s eye wasn''t a powerful treasure or something extraordinary, at least to him. Instead, it was a musical instrument, a piano to be more precise.

    When he was still on Earth, Jack, one of the parts that formed the current Alex, had always wanted to y the piano. Unfortunately, he never got that chance before his death.

    Since he awakened in this world, his mind was upied by other things, and he never even thought of acquiring and learning how to y the piano. Even now, he doubted he could make time to learn an instrument.

    ''I will buy it anyway; I can make timeter to learn how to y,'' he thought to himself.

    As much as the current Alex didn''t want to ck off like the previous Alex did, he also had no intention of living his life like Jack''s, who passed all his time training or working, neglecting everything else.

    "Step right up,dies and gentlemen, step right up and behold this magnificent piano we have here! This exquisite instrument, capable of producing tones as delicate as a lover''s whisper, as powerful as the crash of ocean waves, and as resonant as the finest cathedral bells, is rumored to confer certain mysterious powers to its yer. Crafted by the legendary artisan ric Stonehand, renowned for his unparalleled skill and mastery of musical enchantments, this piano is a true marvel of craftsmanship, famous across the entire Imperion!"

    "Look at it now," the auctioneer gestured toward the piano. When the crowd present followed his gaze, their eyesnded on a beautiful piano that stood proudly under the open sky, its ebony surface catching the daylight and gleaming like polished onyx. Its legs were adorned with delicate carvings of vines and musical notes, weaving together in a disy of unmatched craftsmanship. "This here,dies and gentlemen, is a true work of art, worthy of only the most discerning hands! Imagine your fingers dancing across its keys, creating music that would make even the gods weep!"

    The auctioneer let his hand hover above the piano as if presenting a rare jewel. "I can assure you, you will not find another piano of this caliber anywhere in the empire��no, anywhere on this continent! The auction for this masterpiece will begin shortly, so get your purses ready! This is an opportunity you cannot afford to miss!"

    ''The least one could say is that he knows how to attract attention,'' Alex thought as his gazended on the auctioneer, whose forehead glistened with sweat.

    A few secondster, the surrounding area had be crowded as people regrouped around the tform, some curious about the piano while the eyes of many shone in admiration as they gazed at it.

    No one approached Alex, though, as his five guards established a security perimeter around him.

    Soon enough, as the auctioneer deemed that enough people had gathered, the auction finally resumed.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, the auction for this magnificent piano will nowmence," the auctioneer announced, his voice booming with excitement. "For this exquisite masterpiece, the starting bid will be 5000 gold coins!"

    ''5000 gold coins?! That''s a rip-off!'' Alex thought in indignation.

    He wasn''t the only one shocked by the opening price��many in the audience shared his disbelief.

    For instance, a family of five people couldfortably live for a year with just 10 gold coins. Asking for 5000 gold coins under the pretext that this piano might possess some unnatural powers was absurd.

    Despite this shocking price though, it wasn''t long before someone raised their hand.

    "5000 gold coins once for this fine gentleman," the auctioneer proimed, tapping his gavel firmly on the podium.

    The one who had bid for the piano was a middle-aged man wearing elegant clothes and a pair of sses. If Alex had to guess, he would say that this man looked every bit like what he imagined a collector might look like.

    After this first bid, many others quickly followed. It was as if that initial offer had sparked a wave of interest among the crowd.

    "5020!"

    "5050!"

    "5070!"

    "6000!"

    As people kept raising their bids with enthusiasm, Alex carefully observed, still hesitating to join in. One might think it was because he didn''t have that much money, but the truth was that he was probably the wealthiest man in this city right now. Even without considering the treasures and items he possessed, the amount of gold coins he had after plundering Night''s vaults was worth millions!

    Compared to that much money, a measly 5000 gold coins felt like pocket change.

    "6500!"

    "6600!"

    "10000!"

    When thest bid was announced, the surrounding area turned silent as everyone gazed in the direction the voice of the bidder came from.

    Alex also nced in that direction and the least one could say that he had been pretty shocked to see who it was that had ced thest bid.

    Long blue hair, delicate white skin, a breathtaking beauty, wide hips, an hourss figure and a pair of round and full breasts that bounced with every breath taken that even the coat and ample snow white dress she wore couldn''t hide. The one who had bidded was none other than...

    ''Talia?'' Alex''s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting to stumble in his cousin here, ''what is she doing here and where the hell did she get all that money from?'' Alex wondered.

    Meanwhile, despite the many gazes that were on her, Talia didn''t seem to be affected in the slightest. She stood there, waiting for the auctioneer to announce her bid.

    Seeminglying to his senses, the auctioneer resumed, but to Talia''s irritation, he didn''t announce her bid, no, he did somethingpletely different that quite infuriated her.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present to youdy Talia Eswald, one of the best pianists in our current generation!" The auctioneer shouted passionately.

    ''Talia...a pianist?'' Alex thought, his face behind his mask one of surprise.

    Among all of his cousins, Talia was one of the ones he met the most frequently. She was a great friend of Amelia and was actually the disciple of Ava, his mother. However, after what happened between the two of them when they were younger, Alex never bothered with her. When he bothered to speak to her, it was often time just to tease, prank or in some cases insult her. Talia also did the same, she only spoke to him to spite or insult him.

    The consequence of that was that none of them knew what the other was up to. Well, Talia probably knew what he was up to thanks to Amelia, but Alex had no idea what she did most of her time, so he was surprised to hear that she yed the piano, and going from the gasps and look of admiration people cast in her direction, she was quite famous.

    "That''s herdy Talia? She looks even more beautiful than I heard," a young woman whispered to her husband.

    "Uh-huh, and look at this pair of-"

    "Pair of?" The woman red at her husband.

    "Ah, haha, I forgot what I was about to say," the husbandughed nervously as he avoided his wife''s eyes.

    All around, situations simr to this one were happening with men sending leering nces at Talia while women nced at her in envy.

    Meanwhile, the target of all those gazes was feeling particrly annoyed as she deduced why the auctioneer did what he did. Indeed, her thought was confirmed a momentter when the auctioneer spoke once again.

    "Seedies and gentlemen, even renowned pianist such asdy Talia are willing to buy this exquisite piano, that in itself is proof of its great value," the auctioneer said with enthusiasm, "without wasting time, we will continue the auction withdy Talia''s 10000 gold coins offer."

    "10,000 gold coins once, 10,000 gold coins��"

    "10,200!" someone shouted passionately.

    "10,250!"

    "10,300!"

    As the price of the piano kept increasing, Talia''sposed expression quickly turned to annoyance. That fucking bastard, he used me to bolster the value of the piano! she thought indignantly.

    After a moment, she took a deep breath to calm herself and uttered, "15,000 gold coins."

    Once again, there was another silence as everyone turned back to stare at Talia once again.

    "15,000 gold coins once, 15,000 gold coins twice," the auctioneer took a pause to see if anyone had the intention to further bid, but seeing that no one intended to bid, he resumed his action, "15,000 gold coins thr��"

    "20,000 gold coins!" someone bidded, interrupting the auctioneer.

    The gazes of the people were suddenly torn from Talia to the direction the voice of thest bidder came from, and they saw a person with a long mantle that covered all his body while his long purple hair swayed in the nonexistent wind.

    There was a mask of swirling smoke that hid the identity of that person, but judged by the sound of his voice, people deduced that he was probably a man.

    Those who didn''t know him looked at him curiously while the ones that had heard what happened between him and the people of Earl Drickon gazed at him with apprehensive or nervous expressions.

    Talia, on the other end, had apletely different expression.

    She couldpletely lose her whole memory, but there was no way in hell she wouldn''t recognize that annoyingly sweet voice that always seemed to carry a hint of teasing in it.

    ''Alex?!''

 Chapter 304 : Unexpected encounter (2)

    Chapter 304 : Unexpected encounter (2)

    However, instead of finding the devilishly handsome silver-haired jerk she thought she would find, she saw a tall figure wearing a long silver mantle and a swirling mask of smoke.

    Seeing that it wasn''t Alex as she thought, she became a little flustered and turned her head in another direction.

    It''s at that moment that the masked man spoke once again.

    "I hopedy Talia won''t take my outbidding her the wrong way," Alex said, "I just want to acquire this fine masterpiece."

    ''No doubt now, it''s that jerk!'' Talia concluded when she heard the way he emphasized the words dy Talia," with a tone that suggested he didn''t quite agree with her being called ady.

    ''What is he doing here anyway?'' she barely had this thought when she remembered that during their branch meeting a few weeks back, Alex did say that he would be traveling to the Drazen family to try to strike a deal with them.

    ''I guess he somehow seeded,'' Talia concluded as she nced at the guards escorting Alex. ''It doesn''t exin why he ispeting with me for the piano though; he doesn''t even y the instrument!''

    She nced up at him again, and Alex''s swirling mask morphed and formed an innocent smile.

    ''Don''t tell me he is doing so to spite me,'' she realized with irritation, ''no, I''m certain he is doing so just to get under my skin. Where did he gain that much money, though?'' she wondered.

    Talia wasn''t wrong in her assumption; a part of Alex only outbid her so he could spite her, but another part just did so that he could indeed acquire the piano.

    "20000 gold coins proposed by this gentleman here, is someone going to ce another offer?!" The auctioneer inquired as he cast a sneaky nce at Talia.

    Alex and several people also turned to see if she was going to bid once again, but to their surprise and the disappointment of the auctioneer, she didn''t do so.

    "If you want this piano, then you can have it," Talia remarked.

    Aware that he was trying to hide his identity, she didn''t try to speak or interact with Alex and directly left the scene.

    "If no one is bidding, then this piano will go to this gentleman for 20000 gold coins," the auctioneer announced, "20000 gold coins once, 20000 gold coins twice...20000 gold coins thrice."

    "This fine masterpiece will then go to this gentleman for the sum of 20000 gold coins!" The auctioneer announced, gesturing at Alex.

    Thetter, however, wasn''t even concentrating anymore as he watched Talia''s departing figure. ''Hmm, I will have to give her a visitter,'' Alex decided.

    Minutester, the transaction was done and the beautiful piano was nowfortably sitting in his space ring.

    ''Let''s see if I can find another interesting thing here before Freyaes out.''

    ****

    At the same time Alex strolled in the auction market, Freya, Frieda, and the elders'' meeting was taking ce.

    "Do you understand what we said?" Dar spoke firmly, "you must ensure that no harmes to Arcanor. As long as you can fulfill them without too much loss, don''t hesitate to amodate his wishes. We must keep him and his organization as allies for as long as we can."

    "Understood," Freya and Frieda nodded.

    "Actually," Freya added, "Sir Arcanor has acquired the Tear of Knowledge and would like to bring out its full potential. I suggested he could visit the library elder Sareth created for Maya. I hope there isn''t a problem with that?"

    "Not really," Sareth waved a hand, "just make sure to report to me the ''books'' he ''uses'' inside the library, and I will rece them."

    Freya wanted to point out that it would actually be Amelia entering the library, but in the end, she judged it wasn''t necessary to bring it up.

    "Wait," Frieda interjected, "I hope the Tear of Knowledge you''re talking about isn''t the one we''re going to auction."

    "It''s actually that one," Freya replied calmly, "Sir Vesper decided to take back his treasure and gifted it to Sir Arcanor."

    "It''s inadmissible!" Frieda eximed, "the Tear of Knowledge is one of the ten stars of this year''s auction. It can''t be removed now that the auction is set to start the day after tomorrow!"

    "And how do you n to stop Baron Vesper from retrieving his treasure when, ording to the contract he signed with us, he has the right to take it back as long as it hasn''t been auctioned?" Freya inquired, ncing at Frieda as if she was stupid.

    "...."

    Despite her earlier outburst, Frieda couldn''t find anything to retort. It was indeed stipted in the contract that Vesper��or anyone else, for that matter��could retrieve their treasures as long as they hadn''t yet been auctioned, provided they paid the fine for doing so.

    "No need to fret over this," elder Sareth waved his hand dismissively. "We will rece the Tear of Knowledge with the smoke potions, and that will suffice."

    Frieda gritted her teeth but nodded in agreement.

    "Now, Frieda," elder Sareth continued, "leave us alone with Freya. We have matters to discuss privately with the matriarch."

    Frieda''s hands clenched tightly, but ultimately, she nodded and, after casting onest re at Freya, left the room.

    "Now," elder Sareth began, her tone turning solemn, "we''ve received updates from the front lines with the Gast kingdom, and the situation is deteriorating, to say the least."

    Sareth sighed, weariness etched on her face. "Both sides appear to be mobilizing for an all-out war, which could break out within months. Consequently, the imperial family has raised taxes on the poption and noble families alike. Each noble family is now also required to provide a contingent of soldiers, who will likely be dispatched to the front. You''ll have to oversee this."

    "Understood," Freya nodded, unsurprised by the directive.

    "That''s not all," Sareth continued, "with the looming war, tensions among noble families are expected to escte, and some may seize the opportunity to settle old grudges. The empire''s internal climate will grow increasingly vtile. We need to shield our people from this, so security around all the cities within our territories must be reinforced. Coordinate with the barons overseeing those cities to ensure that this is thoroughly implemented."

    "It will be done," Freya nodded again.

    "That will be all for now," Sareth said, "but before you leave, mind telling us what ability you gained this month?"

    Freya''s gaze flickered as elder Sareth brought up her ability. She had hoped they might overlook this topic, but it appeared they hadn''t.

    ''Well, this month''s ability isn''t particrly beneficial to the family,'' Freya thought to herself.

    "I gained a mental ability this time," Freya replied. "It strengthens my mental resilience and enhances my thinking speed."

    Sareth''s expression shifted slightly with surprise at Freya''s answer. ''Such an ability would have perfectlyplemented my own... what a pity,'' she mused, shaking her head.

    "Though this month''s ability may benefit only you directly, it''s still a valuable one. It should help you manage the increased workload that''s likely to begin this month," Sareth remarked. "That''s everything for now; you may go."

    Freya nodded onest time before taking her leave.

    No sooner had she exited than the eyes of the two elders beside Sareth snapped open once again.

    "She''s hiding something. I believe the ability she gained is more than what she revealed," Dir remarked, his gaze lingering on the spot where Freya had stood moments before.

    "I know," Sareth sighed, "but we can''t press her too hard to reveal every detail of her abilities. Doing so would only strain her rtionship with the elders, and we can''t afford that. Freya is far too valuable to the future of this family."

    "True," Dar nodded in agreement. "As long as she fulfills her duties as expected, she can keep the specifics of her abilities to herself. Frankly, I''m more concerned about Frieda. Her hunger for power and her animosity towards Freya make her a potential threat. Her actions may end up harming the family more than benefiting it."

    "Ipletely agree," Dir added. "I wouldn''t be surprised if she yed a part in Maya''s kidnapping. Frieda is too vtile to remain the head of the main branch."

    "Unfortunately, as long as that old relic backs her, there''s little we can do," Sareth sighed once more. "For now, we''ll keep a close watch and see how events unfold."

 Chapter 305 : Lust energy

    Chapter 305 : Lust energy

    ''So how does it work?'' Alex wondered as he concentrated.

    Right now, he was back from visiting the auction market and was waiting for Freya.

    Perhaps it was because the sun was about to fall and many auctioneers were preparing to leave, Alex only managed to get his hands on a few  interesting items after acquiring the piano.

    One of the items he had gotten his hands on was a silver ball that was made of an interesting material. This material in question was as solid as steel, but the interesting part was that once imbued with mana, its characteristics changed, bing a viscous liquid. What was even more extraordinary was that Alex could control it as he wished just by channeling his mana inside��it was as if his own mana had be the silver liquid!

    The more he stretched the material, however, the more mana he needed to expend to keep it in a liquid form; otherwise, it would lose its liquid properties and revert back to a solid.

    From what the auctioneer of this item exined, this silver metal was one of the rare rewards found after clearing a grade 4 dungeon.

    Curious about the strange characteristics of this silver metal, Alex decided to buy it.

    Beside that, he had also bought a painting set with enchanted pigments and brushes. The pigments, infused with mana, could shift color or brightness depending on the user''s intent, while the brushes, made from the fur of a magical beast he had never heard of, adapted to different surfaces, allowing one to create textures and subtle movements in their paintings. With a light touch of mana, one could make elements of their work seem almost alive, adding a mesmerizing, magical quality to the creations.

    Many people were vying for this treasure, forcing Alex to buy it at a steep price��at least a quarter of what he had paid for his piano. He hadn''t bought this painting set for himself, though; it was a gift for his eldest daughter, Viviane.

    During his stroll through the auction market, he had bumped into Talia a few times and soon realized that she wasn''t alone. Celine and Marina, two of his other cousins, apanied her. When he made that discovery, he couldn''t help but chuckle, thinking that the only one missing was his sister or their "gang" would have beenplete.

    Since he couldn''t find anything else of interest, he walked back to the Drazen auction house and settled near its entrance. Not wishing to waste time sitting idly, he decided to resume his tests on lust energy, experiments he had wanted to carry out before Freya had interrupted him that morning.

    As his concentration peaked, Alex called forth the lust energy. It was his first time doing so, but he quickly realized that it was as easy as drawing ambient mana to himself; theoretically, there was no need for him to focus so intently. Nevertheless, he maintained his concentration, and as the seconds ticked by, particles of lust energy swirled toward him, like moths drawn to a me. As their concentration increased, Alex''s hand became surrounded by a pinkish glow��though he was the only one able to see this light, as others had no particr affinity for lust energy.

    From what the goddess of lust had exined to him, only creatures naturally born with an affinity for lust energy, such as subi, could feel and manipte it.

    ''So if I shake hands with someone right now, they will be aroused?'' Alex mused to himself.

    Of course, Alex knew that this wouldn''t happen unless he willed the lust energy to work its wonders. With the tiny amount of lust energy he had gathered, he was far from making any woman horny; however, that didn''t mean it would have no effect.

    If a person were subjected to this amount of lust energy day after day, their libido would gradually increase until they eventually relented and sumbed to the need to pleasure themselves or sought someone else to do so for them. The time it took to reach that point would vary from one person to another; a woman with a strong mind and firm values would typically resist longer than someone who was already more depraved.

    This was one reason why corrupting nuns from the Church of Light was deemed particrly challenging. Their strong beliefs against sumbing to earthly desires made it much more difficult to lead them into the pleasures of the flesh.

    Moreover, there were apparently some forms of defense against lust energy. The goddess hadn''t gone into great detail about this aspect, but she had warned him to be cautious of them.

    Even if Alex managed to make a woman sumb to her desires, it wasn''t guaranteed that he would be the one she turned to for pleasure. To address this issue, the goddess took her time exining what he needed to do.

    The solution was both simple andplex. For a woman to seek him out when she wanted to be pleasured, he had to ensure that she subconsciously associated the notion of pleasure with him. This meant that each time he used lust energy on someone, he needed to perform an action that would evoke a pleasurable response in that person. As a result, whenever they sought pleasure, they would instinctively turn to him.

    Fortunately, he had an advantage in this endeavor: the lust energy itself.

    Beyond simply increasing a person''s desire, the lust energy had the unique ability to enhance the intensity of orgasms, making the experience far more pleasurable than it would otherwise be.

    Still, the whole process felt like a form of conditioning to Alex, akin to Pavlov''s experiments with dogs on Earth. In those experiments, Pavlov rang a bell before presenting food, and over time, the dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell with the arrival of food, leading them to salivate even in the absence of food. After the goddess''s exnation, Alex realized that by using his lust energy while providing pleasure, he could create a simr association in women, causing them to subconsciously seek him out whenever they desired satisfaction.

    One such thought actually made Alex frown, as he judged it to be dangerously close to mind control. However, the goddess assured him otherwise. Her actual words at that time were:

    "While it''s true that you can theoretically turn someone into a sex ve if you desire to take that route, it''s ultimately that person''s choice to be a ve. It''s not because you increase someone''s libido and make her or him, if that''s something you would be interested in, that you control their minds. Those same people could decide to satisfy themselves or visit another person. It''s ultimately because you are the one that makes them feel good that theye towards you. You can then take advantage of this and make them truly loyal to you."

    Alex still felt that it might be morally wrong, but he wasn''t as against it as he was when he first heard of it.

    Another thing the goddess had also exined to him was that lust wasn''t an inexhaustible energy. It was an energy that only existed as long as sentient and living creatures were in a zone; the fewer people there were around, the less lust energy there would be. While it''s true that this statement wasn''t absolute, it was, for the most part, urate.

    Of course, this was not a problem here in Drisidd, where tens of thousands of people lived, which was why Alex could attract lust energy even where he currently was.

    ''Unfortunately, it seems that I can''t control more than this much energy,'' Alex thought as he watched his two glowing hands. If he tried to increase the lust energy under his control, he would actually lose control of another portion he already had control over.

    ''Let''s go at it gradually; there''s no need to waste time trying to control more energy. I should rather try to intimately understand how this energy functions,'' Alex decided.

    Of course, the instant he received the lust energy blessing, Alex already had knowledge of how it worked and what it could do, but he still wished to see for himself what would happen if he used the energy on someone.

    ''It also has a charming effect on people that I want to test out,'' Alex considered.

    The charming effect was none other than the very reason his handsomeness had been elevated several folds when he received the lust energy, and its role was to make him appear desirable to the opposite sex.

    Just as Alex was wondering who he should use as a guinea pig, the doors of the auction house opened, and a woman sporting orange hair walked out.

    However, to Alex''s disappointment, this woman wasn''t Freya, but Frieda.

    Frieda''s eyes scanned her surroundings, and when her gaze settled on Alex, her eyes seemed to sparkle.

    ''I should apologize for my earlier actions and try to make amends,'' Frieda thought as she walked in Alex''s direction. ''Perhaps I can even convince him to ditch that bitch Freya and win his favor, as well as that of his organization.''

    If she had been able to sense just how deeply Alex desired Freya at that moment, she would never have entertained such thoughts. s, she would remain blissfully unaware until muchter.

    For now, however, she would merely serve as a guinea pig for Alex to test his new powers.

 Chapter 306 : Touch of desire

    Chapter 306 : Touch of desire

    "Greetings, Sir Arcanor, correct?" Frieda said, her voice smooth and polite, as she extended her hand in a formal gesture.

    After realizing that the person who hade out wasn''t Freya, Alex lost interest and returned to his previous thoughts, but hearing Frieda''s voice, he was pulled back from his immersed state.

    ''Hm? Why would she greet me?'' Alex wondered as he stared at Frieda''s outstretched hand.

    They had met twice now, and each time, Frieda had never made an attempt to greet him or even speak to him, as if she couldn''t be bothered to acknowledge him. Even when she had denied him and Amelia entry to the city, it was Maya she addressed.

    Though she made herself appear like a gentle woman back then, Alex wasn''t fooled. He could practically feel her arrogance and contempt toward anyone who wasn''t a noble. This was precisely why he was puzzled at her sudden greeting.

    Alex''s confusion didn''tst, though, as he seemed toe to a realization.

    ''I guess the meeting went well,'' Alex smiled under his mask. ''It''s highly likely that now that she knows what I bring to the table and how much I can make for her family, she decided to change her attitude toward me. Perhaps her elders even advised her to do this,'' Alex analyzed.

    Let''s y along then, Alex''s smile turned into an evil grin. She came at the right time; I was already looking for someone to test the lust energy''s effectiveness on.

    "Sir Arcanor?" Frieda tilted her head in confusion. In her mind, though, she was slightly panicking because Alex hadn''t replied nor made an effort to shake her hand.

    "Ah, sorry about that," Alex scratched his head, "I was daydreaming there," heughed as he stood to his full height, his figure towering over Frieda.

    He allowed his smoke gauntlets to disappear for a moment, concentrated the lust energy to coat his right palm and his vocal cords, and shook Frieda''s hand in a firm grip.

    The instant their hands made contact, Frieda stiffened briefly before her gaze was drawn to their joined hands. Somehow, she felt as though this was the warmest, most inviting touch she''d ever experienced. It was so captivating that, even after several seconds, she didn''t retract her hand.

    When Alex spoke again, his voice sounded like the most alluring and enchanting melody Frieda had ever heard. It was richer and deeper than any voice she could recall, with an irresistible undertone that seemed to reach directly into her heart, drawing her in and leaving her wanting to hear more.

    "I believe we haven''t formally been introduced," Alex said in his smooth, maic tone. "My name is Arcanor. Pleased to meet you, Lady Frieda. I''ve heard...a few things about you from Lady Freya."

    Frieda took a second to respond, shing her warmest smile. "I hope you haven''t heard anything bad about me," she replied, her voice light and a bit yful as she tried to hide her nervous excitement.

    "Only good things," Alex replied smoothly, his thumb lightly brushing against the back of her hand, which made Frieda''s pulse quicken.

    "Somehow, I doubt that," Friedaughed softly, feeling slightly embarrassed. ''What is he doing?'' she wondered, noticing how his gentle, almost teasing touch made her skin tingle.

    Though part of her felt that what he was doing was slightly improper, she couldn''t deny the enjoyment she was feeling.

    "Haha, you don''t have to worry, Lady Freya is so focused on her duties, I doubt she''d waste time speaking poorly about anyone," Alex said, finally pulling his hand back.

    For an instant, a flicker of disappointment shed in Frieda''s captivating orange eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, hidden under her usual polite and charming smile.

    "You''re right," Frieda nodded, brushing aside any awkwardness. "Enough about that," she continued, her tone softening. "I wanted to personally apologize for what happened yesterday. I shouldn''t have doubted your intentions for wanting to enter the city."

    ''She''s good at this,'' Alex thought, observing the look of genuine regret on Frieda''s face. ''I might have actually believed her if I didn''t already know what she''s really like.''

    "You don''t have to apologize to me, Lady Frieda. I understand you were just doing your job," Alex replied, his voice as understanding as ever.

    "Finally, someone who understands me!" Frieda eximed with a hint of relief, her eyes brightening. "I''m d you''re so understanding. Still, to make it up to you fully, how about I keep youpany for the duration of the auct��"

    "There is no need for that."

    Alex and Frieda turned, only to see Freya approaching with a calm but firm expression. "I''ll be apanying Sir Arcanor," she stated coolly, "so you don''t have to trouble yourself Frieda."

    ''Fuck, why did she have to show up now?'' Frieda thought in frustration. She had been so close to enticing Arcanor to spend time with her, and if she seeded, there was a good chance she could gain his favor. But with Freya''s sudden arrival, everything was about to fall apart��

    "Aren''t you too busy for that?" Frieda asked, refusing to give up so easily, a practiced smile appearing on her face to conceal her irritation.

    "It''s none of your concern," Freya replied with a dismissive wave as she moved to stand beside Alex. "What you should do instead is retrieve the Tear of Knowledge and hand it to Sir Arcanor here."

    Frieda gritted her teeth, forcing a gentle and polite smile back onto her face. "You''re right; I shouldn''t keep Sir Arcanor waiting any longer than necessary. If you''ll follow me," she said, gesturing for Alex toe along.

    After instructing the guards to stay behind, Frieda led the way into the auction house with Alex, and Freya apanying them. However, instead of heading underground as she had done earlier with Freya, Frieda took them upstairs to her private office, where the Tear of Knowledge was kept.

    A few minutester, the exchange wasplete, and Alex now had the Tear of Knowledge in his possession. Frieda, iming she needed to attend to some paperwork before nightfall, stayed behind in her office, leaving Alex and Freya to exit the building together.

    Before leaving though, Alex didn''t forget to shake Frieda''s hand another time, subtly infusing it with lust energy. However, due to Freya''s watchful presence, he quickly withdrew, leaving Frieda disappointed as she barely had time to register the lingering warmth before his hand was gone.

    "You should be careful around Frieda," Freya said to Alex when they entered their carriage, "she isn''t as gentle or innocent as she appears."

    "I know," Alex replied with a light chuckle, "you don''t need to worry about that. I already have a pretty clear picture of what kind of person she is," he added with a hint of confidence in his tone.

    Freya was momentarily taken aback by his response. She had been under the impression that Alex might be taken in by Frieda''s facade, given his polite and seemingly friendly behavior toward her earlier.

    ''Perhaps it''s just in his nature to be polite to people,'' she thought, unaware that Alex''s cordial and friendly demeanor with Frieda was simply a way to observe the effects of using lust energy on her. Still, since Alex seemed to know what he was doing, she dropped the subject.

    "So��where to now?" Alex inquired as he leaned back in his seat, "night is already setting, should we return to your mansion?"

    "If that''s what you''d prefer," Freya responded, though her gaze shifted slightly as she spoke. "Maya contacted me about an hour ago, so I know for certain that she and your sister are back home. We can return, or��" Her voice trailed off, and a faint blush colored her cheeks as she hesitated, "...or we could go on our date," she finished, thest words leaving her lips in a soft, bashful tone, clearly flustered at the suggestion.

    ''She''s quite adamant about this date,'' Alex thought with a smile hidden under his mask. Not that he minded��how could he, when such an alluring and beautiful woman was the one asking him out?

    His swirling smoke mask parted slightly, revealing his warm, confident smile and striking features. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let''s go on that date," he said with a yful glint in his eyes.

    Freya''s heart skipped a beat at the sight of his face and his eager response. "T-Then let''s go," she replied, stammering a little as a deeper blush spread across her cheeks.

    She gave the order to the coachman, who nodded, and soon they were on their way, leaving the bustling auction market behind as the sun dipped low over the mountains.

 Chapter 307 : Reunited

    Chapter 307 : Reunited

    At the same time Alex and Freya made their way for their night date, a lone figure entered a grand and luxurious mansion. The polished marble floors gleamed under the soft glow of crystal chandeliers, and the air carried a quiet sense of authority.

    The figure was d in a sleek, white full-body armor that seemed to fit them perfectly, designed for both elegance and utility. Flowing behind them was a cascade of long, silky w..hite hair that gleamed like moonlight, framing a face so striking it seemed otherworldly. Their mesmerizing purple eyes, held a depth that could captivate the strongest of wills and hypnotize even the most resolute of men.

    This person was none other than Astarte, the Aura master who had singlehandedly wiped out Night''s sixth base. Her reputation preceded her, and it wasn''t hard to see why.

    As she walked through the corridors of the mansion, guards and servants alike stopped in their tracks to bow deeply. Their eyes showed nothing but respect and admiration for the powerful figure in front of them.

    Astarte nodded back each time, acknowledging them without breaking her stride. Eventually, she stopped in front of arge set of double doors. Without hesitation, she pushed them open, stepped inside, and closed the doors behind her.

    "Finally home!" she said, a grin spreading across her face.

    Without caring for anything else, Astarte threw her armor to the ground, revealing her bewitching curves. Her attractive body had an hourss figure with her upper body carrying a pair of big and full breasts, a pair of wide hips that one could die for, and a tantalizing and firm butt that swayed with each of her movements.

    Her body was both curvaceous, filled in the right ces, but at the same time, it was lean and athletic, a pair of abs revealing all her training and hard work. Yet those abs didn''t make her less desirable; on the contrary, they only enhanced her natural allure. It wasn''t surprising that she had so many admirers.

    Astarte walked to therge bed in her room, spun around, and let herself fall onto the soft mattress. The back of her head gently bounced on the plush material, the sensation soothing her tired body.

    Astarte closed her eyes, intent on falling asleep when a voice suddenly echoed in the room.

    "What took you so long toe back?" A soft, childish voice rang out.

    Turning her head towards the couch in her bedroom, Astarte saw the figure of a girl barely nine or ten years old, her legs hanging over the edge of the couch. She had short, messy dark blue hair,  eyes of the same color, and a tiny, pouty mouth, giving her an irresistibly cute appearance.

    If Alex had been there, he would have recognized this little girl as Ariana��the one they had rescued from the Night base. Back then, Alex had even considered helping her find her parents, but the girl had kindly declined. Noticing that she was already at level 3, Alex judged that she wasn''t as fragile as he had initially thought, so he let her go on her own.

    "A group from the Night faction ambushed us on our way back," Astarte replied, her eyes drifting shut as if she were reying the events in her mind... or perhaps simply trying to slip into sleep.

    "So? Did you find the heart in the tenth  base?" Ariana asked, her voice full of curiosity.

    Astarte shook her head. "Aside from the mountains of coins, there was nothing of value in that base''s treasury."

    "That''s a shame," Ariana muttered in disappointment.

    "Any luck on your side?" Astarte asked after a brief silence, ncing at the little girl.

    "Some people interfered by attacking the ninth base, so I couldn''t finish my mission," Ariana revealed, her tone neutral but slightly frustrated.

    "I see," Astarte replied, nodding before closing her eyes again. She was utterly drained, the weight of her exhaustion finally starting to catch up with her.

    Just as she was about to be pulled into the embrace of sleep, Ariana spoke again, her tone teasing.

    "You know, I happened to run into your little lover while I was at Night''s base."

    Astarte grunted in annoyance, irritated that Ariana was keeping her from rest. "Who did you meet this time?" she muttered, barely opening her eyes.

    "Alexandre Eswald," Ariana said with a mischievous grin.

    Astarte''s eyes abruptly snapped open, and an overwhelming pressure descended upon the bedroom. A suffocating aura exploded from her, causing the air to crackle. des of Aura manifested, slicing and tearing through anything in their path, leaving destruction in their wake.

    In just a single second, the room shifted from calm and pristine to a chaotic battlefield, as shards of Aura shed against walls, furniture, and anything else in their path.

    Astarte straightened up, her fiery gaze locking onto Ariana''s, sending a cold shiver down the little girl''s spine.

    "Would you calm down?" Ariana called out, her voice unwavering, "He wasn''t among the abductees of Night."

    When Astarte heard this, the suffocating pressure vanished as swiftly as it hade, and the destructive Aura stopped in its tracks. The room returned to its original state within moments.

    Astarte let out a long sigh, closing her eyes for a moment as she steadied herself. "You should choose your words carefully next time," she said, finally catching her breath. Her heart was still racing from the brief moment of panic. The mere thought of Alex being involved with Night''s group had sent her spiraling. If it had been true, she would have gone to raze every Night base across the continent in an instant.

    Ariana''s lips twitched in silent annoyance. ''How am I to me if you jumped to conclusions so easily?!''

    "If he''s not one of the abductees, then what was he doing there?" Astarte''s tone shifted, her concern sharpening as she considered the worst possibilities. "Don''t tell me he��"

    "No, he''s not a member of Night," Ariana quickly interjected, shaking her head. "Also, stop making assumptions and let me finish!"

    Astarte nodded absently, her attention fixed on the girl as she gestured for her to continue.

    "If you remember, I mentioned that some people interfered with my mission, right?" Ariana began. "Well, Alexandre was one of them. He, along with several others, attacked the base and freed the abductees. If I recall correctly, he said the name of their organization was ''Arcane''."

    "''Arcane''?" Astarte''s brow furrowed as she processed the information. "Never heard of that group."

    "In any case," Ariana added, her voice softening slightly, "you don''t need to worry about him. He seems fine. By some miracle, he even reached level 4."

    "Wh-What?" Astarte''s voice faltered in disbelief. "Alex reached level 4?!"

    She felt a mix of overwhelming happiness for him, but at the same time, it was hard for her to fully believe the news. After all, she knew better than most how difficult it was for Alex to level up. Hearing that he had not only surpassed level 1 but had even reached level 4 was beyond shocking. It seemed almost impossible, considering how long it had taken him to make any progress at all.

    "I don''t know how he managed, but yes, he was at level 4 when I met him, and was even at high level 4," Ariana continued, "You don''t have to keep worrying about him anymore."

    Astarte''s lips curled into a smile as Ariana spoke about Alex. The more she heard, the wider her grin grew. Soon, however, she stopped listening altogether, her gaze fixed on the ceiling of her bedroom, lost in the memories of her and Alex from when they were much younger.

    ''Wait,'' Astarte''s eyes snapped open, a hint of panic shing in them. ''Now that he''s found a way to level up, even if I find and gift him the heart, it won''t have the same impact as before.''

    In the first ce, the reason she had been doing all of this��the heart, the search, everything��was for Alex. Now that he had found his own way to grow stronger, the heart would no longer have the same significance. Its value would be diminished, not as precious as it would have been had he remained weak.

    ''Will he still forgive me?'' Astarte wondered, dread creeping into her thoughts. ''Well, I''ll cross that bridge when I get there,'' she decided, trying to push away the anxiety.

    ''On the bright side, now we can finally reunite!'' she mentally eximed, her face breaking into a wide, joyful smile as giggles escaped her.

    Ariana, who had been watching her from the side, couldn''t help but be speechless. ''It will always amaze me how ''the mighty Aura Master Astarte'' can look like a little girl when matters about this Alexandre are brought up'', she thought, shaking her head.

    She resumed speaking to Astarte, but it was clear thetter wasn''t listening. When Astarte''s breathing became heavy, her cheeks flushed red, and she started bing a little too touchy with herself, Ariana stood up and left the room.

    ''She''s having one of her episodes again,'' Ariana sighed, exasperated.

    Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Astarte remained lost in her thoughts, the face of a familiar silver-haired man filling her mind. ''We will be reunited soon,'' she thought, her smile distorting into something more than a little creepy.

 Chapter 308 : Wedding story

    Chapter 308 : Wedding story

    "So, what''s the y about?" Alex asked, taking a sip from his ss of wine. His smoke mask was nowhere in sight, allowing his strikingly handsome face to be fully revealed. Fortunately, the room was empty with Freya being the only one present. Her gaze lingered on his features, subtly admiring the rare opportunity to see him unmasked without the prying eyes of others to interrupt the moment.

    The room in which they sat was brightly lit, though not to the point of being overbearing. Instead, the lighting created a warm, inviting ambiance that naturally heightened one''s appetite andfort. The subtle golden glow from thempsplemented the elegant d��cor, making it an ideal space for casual dining or intimate conversations.

    Despite its cozy charm, this room wasn��t the venue for their date. In fact, its purpose wasn''t designed to cater to guests like a typical restaurant. It served more as a preparatory lounge for those attending events, providing a quiet space to rx before the main attraction.

    The reason the two of them hade here was to watch a y scheduled for today. From what Freya had exined to him, each year during the Drazen auction, a series of ys were performed nightly for an entire month. These ys were highly anticipated cultural events, often serving as preludes to the grandeur of the auction itself.

    As he hade to learn, Freya was someone who had a deep appreciation for theater ys. Unfortunately, her demanding work schedule didn��t allow her the luxury of attending regrly. Instead, she made it a point to visit the theater whenever her time permitted, savoring the experience whenever she could.

    Alex, on the other hand, was genuinely excited. The previous Alex had never attended a y, and by the time Jack was born, Earth''s societies had long abandoned traditional forms of entertainment like live theater.

    Freya swirled the wine in her ss with a practiced elegance before taking a sip. "I don��t know," she replied with a light shrug. "When Ie to the theater, I never look into what the y is about beforehand. I prefer to figure it out as the story unfolds��it makes the experience more engaging."

    "Fair enough," Alex smiled. "Then we��ll just have to wait and see what this y is about."

    "Yes, it should start in a few minutes," Freya replied.

    The very reason they were here, enjoying fine food and wine, was because they had arrived a little too early for the y. When the theater director learned that the matriarch of the Drazen family was in attendance, he��d gone into a frenzy of excitement. Not wanting to risk offending her or herpanion, he quickly arranged a private space for them to dine and refresh themselves, ensuring they would remainfortable while they waited.

    "Umm..." Freya began hesitantly. She swirled her ss, watching the wine catch the light, before taking another sip and mping her lips shut.

    "What is it?" Alex inquired, offering her a reassuring smile. "You can ask me anything."

    Freya nodded, her expression softening slightly. "From what I��ve gathered, you already have a wife��her name is Lilia, correct?"

    Alex raised a brow, surprised by the question. ''I didn��t see thating,'' he thought. "Yes, I do have a wife named Lilia."

    He paused briefly, a teasing smile curling his lips as an idea formed in his mind. "What, are you wondering if I could take another wife?"

    Contrary to the flustered reaction Alex had expected, Freya simply nodded her head. "Yes, that��s exactly what I was wondering."

    ''Not fun,'' Alex grumbled mentally. He already had a doubt, but it seemed that Freya was too honest, brutally so. Just as she didn''t try to hide her disdain for Frieda, she also didn''t try to hide her interest in him. Alex quite liked that aspect of her personality. What was bothering him was the fact that due to this personality trait, he couldn''t tease her!

    If there was one thing that he liked to do, that was teasing people and while he might have done it when they met, he was feeling that the more time they passed together, the harder it would be to tease Freya. He wanted to do so while she asked him out by asking if it was a date and instead of denying the facts, she just nodded yes. ''At least at that time she had blushed, now she is looking at me curiously,'' Alex chuckled to himself.

    As of right now, he decided that he wouldn''t miss a single opportunity to tease her!

    "Regarding your question, yes, I can take another wife. In fact, I currently have three wives," Alex dered with a meaningful smile.

    Freya seemed to be surprised by his answer, especially when he mentioned having three wives, but after a second, Alex would have sworn that he caught a hint of a smile appearing on her face.

    "What about your husband?" Alex inquired.

    "What about him?" Freya responded, her tone neutral, though her face briefly darkened.

    "I haven''t heard either you or Maya mention her father, where''s he?"

    "Dead," Freya answered sinctly, "he had been assassinated a year after Maya''s birth," she exined.

    "Oh, I''m sorry for your loss," Alex muttered. He was just saying it to be polite, though. In truth, he didn''t really care what happened to Maya''s dad. From his perspective, it was even good news that he wasn''t around; otherwise, he would have had to deal with the hassle of stealing the man''s wife.

    Freya snorted in response, her expression hardly changing. "When he died, the family lost its patriarch, so I guess it was a loss," she said, her voice heavy with a certain indifference. She sighed, looking down into her wine ss before continuing, "But personally, it wasn''t much of a loss. To tell you the truth, I often caught myself thinking that it was for the best of everyone that he died."

    Alex raised an eyebrow. "You don''t seem to hold your deceased husband in your heart," he remarked.

    "Not really," Freya nodded. "Our wedding was more of an arrangement by the elders than a true marriage."

    She took a gulp of wine and continued, her gaze distant as if lost in thought. "Myte husband came from the main branch, and much like everyone from that branch, they think themselves superior to the second branch. In a word, he was a supremacist of the main branch. After he became the patriarch, the pressure on the second branch gradually intensified. However, that changed when I became the head of the second branch."

    "Suddenly, the ie generated from our side of the family increased, and it even reached a point where we contributed more financially than the main branch despite the pressure of the patriarch. At the same time, this sess further elerated the division within the family, and the conflict between the two branches quickly escted," Freya exined, her tone carrying a mix of pride and bitterness.

    "Let me guess, to appease the conflict between the two branches, the elders decided to marry the heads of the two respective branches," Alex spected, leaning forward slightly.

    "Exactly!" Freya chuckled lightly, swirling the wine in her ss. "To the surprise of those old fogies, though, this decision only exacerbated the conflict. Neither branch approved of the union. However, as you wille to understand if the cooperation between your organization and our familysts, the word of the elders is absolute. Whether we were on board or against it, the wedding happened, and I became the patriarch��s second wife."

    "Second wife? Who was his first wife��Frieda?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow as his curiosity deepened.

    "Once again, you''re right," Freya chuckled. "Frieda was indeed his first wife, and she absolutely did not approve of our marriage. Her disapproval was the main reason she became so hostile toward me. Ironically, before that, we were actually friends. We shared the same ambition: uniting the Drazen family into a single, cohesive unit."

    She sighed deeply, her gaze softening. "Her hostility toward me only grew worse when I became pregnant with Maya, while she, unfortunately, couldn��t conceive a child of her own. After our ��husband�� died, I was determined to be the next matriarch, while she was ��merely�� promoted to head of the first branch. Her resentment took a darker turn, and she began scheming to undermine me at every step."

    Freya nced at Alex and offered a faint smile. "That��s the gist of my wedding story. Not exactly the most fascinating tale," she added with a light chuckle, as if amused by her own words.

    At that moment, a soft knock came at the door, and a servant informed them that the y would begin in just a few minutes.

    Freya downed the rest of her wine in one smooth motion and stood up with a radiant smile. "Well then, shall we go see what this y is all about?"

 Chapter 309 : The play (1)

    Chapter 309 : The y (1)

    "Well, should we go see what this y is about?" Freya said as she stood, taking along with her the ss and the bottle of wine.

    "You should probably go easy on the wine," Alex remarked as he straightened.

    "Oh, you don''t have to worry about me, it''s not like I will be drunk from just a bottle of wine," Freya chuckled. "And if that happened, well, you will be there to apany me home."

    "Oh, and aren''t you worried that I could take advantage of you?" Alex inquired with a teasing smile.

    "I''m certain you wouldn''t," Freya replied, her lips curling into a confident smile. "And even if that happened, well, so be it," she said, winking at him.

    Alex almost choked on his spit when he heard Freya''s words. ''And she says that bottle isn''t enough to get her drunk,'' Alex shook his head. It was clear to him that the matriarch was slightly drunk even now.

    Freya walked up to him and wrapped her arm around his as if it were the most natural thing to do while the bottle of wine was still clutched in her other hand.

    "Let''s go now, I don''t want to miss the start," she beckoned as she pulled on his arm.

    Alex barely had time to put back his smoke mask when Freya flung the door open.

    Contrary to Alex''s expectation, though, the instant she walked through the door, her slight excitement seemed to die down, and her usualposed and cold demeanor surfaced once again. Even the way her arm was clung around Alex''s was repositioned in a way that seemed to suggest the two weren''t that close, and having their arms linked was just a form of formal courtesy dictated by the asion.

    ''The dichotomy between how she acts in private and in public is striking,'' Alex thought to himself. ''Maybe I should act more like her,'' he mused. The leader of Arcane needed to inspire respect��or, in some cases, fear. For that purpose, it wouldn''t be wise to be overly friendly with everyone. ''Still, I don''t think treating everyone with cold detachment like Freya is the right approach either, he concluded.''

    "Lady Freya, Sir Arcanor," a butler waiting for them outside bowed deeply as they exited their previous chamber. "Your usual box has been prepared, Lady Freya, but if you wish, we can arrange for another to better suit your guest."

    "No need," Freya replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, "the usual one will suffice."

    "As you wish," the butler nodded, bowing respectfully. "If you would follow me, I will guide you to your box."

    The two nodded and followed the butler through winding hallways for several minutes. Eventually, they stopped in front of a door situated on the highest floor of the building. Despite the immense corridor, it was the only door on the floor, signaling that this chamber was meant for exclusivity.

    "Before I take my leave," the butler asked, bowing once more, "is there anything else you require?"

    "No," Freya replied coolly, "but make sure of one thing: we are not to be disturbed under any circumstances."

    "It will be as the Ladymands," the butler said with a final nod before bowing deeply and retreating, leaving Alex and Freya alone in the silent corridor.

    "Shall we?" Freya asked, her previous warmth returning in the form of a faint smile as she gestured toward the door.

    She opened the door, and they stepped into the box. The space was grand yet remarkably unadorned. There wasn''t a single piece of decoration to be found, making the chamber feel almost austere. The only features of note were the enormous ss pane opposite the door and a luxurious couch positioned perfectly to face it.

    When they approached the ss, Alex took in the full view of the theater. The grand stage was brightly lit, capturing everyone''s attention, while rows of seats stretched out below, filled with spectators. By observing their attire and behavior, Alex could tell that the closest seats to the stage were upied bymoners��wealthy merchants or influential figures who could afford the privilege of sitting so close to the performance.

    Meanwhile, surrounding the theater, in private boxes slightly above these rows, Alex deduced that the nobles and elites sat, their elevated positions giving them a clear view of the performance while emphasizing their higher status. As Alex''s gaze shifted, he noticed that Freya''s box was positioned at the very top, higher than all the others, which made it clear that her status surpassed even that of the other nobles.

    "The view is quite spectacr, isn''t it?" Freya remarked as she settled into the center of the plush couch.

    "Yeah, you''re right," Alex agreed after a moment of silence. "Is it safe for me to remove my mask here?"

    "Of course," Freya assured him. "This box is as secure as it gets. No one can spy on us here. The ss is enchanted; it allows us to see and hear everything happening outside, but those on the other side can neither see nor hear us."

    "In that case," Alex said, his smoke mask vanishing as he made himselffortable on the couch.

    Freya''s eyes flickered with surprise for a brief moment when Alex sat directly beside her. Amused, Alex asked, "Should I move away?"

    "Of course not," Freya replied with a softugh, her confidence returning. "Stay exactly where you are."

    Alex was about to make a teasing remark when the lights in the theater dimmed. A peaceful melody began to fill the air, silencing the chatter of the audience below. Slowly, the noise gave way entirely to the serene tune, drawing all attention to the stage as the y was about to begin.

    Recognizing the sound he was hearing asing from a piano, Alex thought back to his earlier meeting with his cousin Talia.

    "Say, can you find me the location of someone staying here in Drisidd?" he asked Freya.

    She raised an eyebrow and nodded. "As long as that person is still here, I can certainly find them," she replied confidently. "Whose address do you want to obtain?"

    Alex wasn''t concerned about Freya doing anything that would harm him or a member of his family, so he didn''t hesitate for a moment.

    "My cousin Talia. She''s staying here in Drisidd, probably for the auction," Alex revealed.

    "Oh, Lady Talia is here in Drisidd?" Freya asked, her brow arched in surprise.

    "You know her?" Alex responded, surprised to find that his well-endowed cousin was well-known enough that even an Earl would know about her.

    "Yes, she''s one of the best pianists of this generation," Freya replied with a reminiscent smile. "I actually contacted her to y at Maya''sing-of-age partyst year. She was a very respectful and lovely woman," she added, offering apliment.

    Alex had to catch himself from scoffing when Freya mentioned that Talia was respectful and polite. What was polite about that foul-mouthed woman?

    Just as he wanted to reply, the song in the theater suddenly changed its tone. From a soft and captivating melody, it shifted abruptly to something dark and heavy. The shift was jarring, as the melody now echoed a sense of violence, reminiscent of battle��a cruel, devastating tune that sent a chill down everyone spine.

    It was at that moment that the curtains parted, revealing the stage, and what greeted the audience was a scene of such violence that several people gasped in shock. Many women instinctively covered their eyes, turning away from the gruesome spectacle. It wasn''t just the women; there were also men, some looking horrified, others disgusted, turning their heads in disbelief.

    The reason for such a reaction was the chilling sight that appeared before them the instant the curtains were fully drawn.

    Several corpses littered the ground, some male, some female, all sharing one horrifying trait: deep, deliberate de marks etched across their bodies. These wounds were not made to kill instantly but to prolong their agony as they slowly bled out. The precision of these strikes revealed the sadistic cruelty of the killers and this sent chills down the back of those witnessing the scene.

    Around the fallen bodies, burning straw houses illuminated the dark night, sending long plumes of smoke spiraling into the sky. The fires raged, consuming the homes and sending ashes into the air, adding to the chaos of the scene.

    Cries of pain and desperation filled the air as men and women scrambled to escape their attackers, only to be caught and killed in turn. Rivers of blood flowed across the ground, mixing with the ashes as more lives were taken in the frenzy.

    Amidst this chaos, a ring of manicughter echoed, as several figures danced in a frenzy, hacking and shing at the fleeing humans. Their faces twisted into grotesque grins, the thrill of the hunt visible in their eyes. They were predators, enjoying the carnage as they hunted their prey with ruthless glee.

    The creatures causing this terror were far from human. Towering over two meters tall, their muscr bodies were covered in green skin, their ears sharp and their teeth razor-like, protruding from their powerful jaws. Each of them wielded a massive battle axe, using it to strike and torment their victims with terrifying skill.

    Though they walked on two legs and shared a humanoid form, they were nothing like humans. With their brutal features and violent tendencies, they were born for war, for bloodshed, and for destruction. The gap between them and humans was vast, and there was no mistaking their true nature.

    These bloodthirsty hunters were orcs, and their savage nature was unmistakable in every brutal motion they made.

    "Whoa, this looks pretty realistic," Alex whistled in amazement as he watched the carnage unfold. He was unfazed by the agonizing cries or the blood sttering across the stage��it was all part of the performance to him.

    But the same could not be said for Freya and the others in the audience. Shocked gasps echoed through the air with each new disy of brutality. Some couldn''t bear to watch and covered their ears to block out the sounds of pain.

    ''I''m not sure if this y is meant to shock, or if it''s trying to make some deeper point,'' Alex mused. ''But if that was the goal, then they''ve certainly seeded.'' He smirked. ''In any case, this y is turning out to be far more exciting than I expected.''

 Chapter 310 : The play (2)

    Chapter 310 : The y (2)

    ''It seems this y won''t be as boring as I thought it would be,'' Alex mused, his attention now fully captivated by the unfolding events on stage.

    The longer he watched, the more impressed he became. The y was so lifelike that it felt as if the gruesome massacre was happening right before their eyes. When Alex first arrived, he had anticipated a performance akin to the old-style theater productions from Earth, with exaggerated gestures and static props. Instead, what he was witnessing was far beyond anything he had imagined. It wasn''t merely like watching a movie��it was something far more immersive and visceral, surpassing even the most advanced cinematic experiences he had ever known.

    What Alex had failed to ount for was the one fundamental difference between Earth and Wadata: the existence of mana.

    While many aspects of life in this world bore simrities to Earth, mana made everything drastically different. It wasn''t just a subtle enhancement��it was a transformative force.

    On Earth, actors relied solely on their skills, creativity, and the limited resources avable for effects, such as lighting or props. In Wadata, however, performers could draw upon an entire arsenal of possibilities powered by mana.

    The scene ying before Alex was undeniable proof of the power of mana in enhancing this world''s art. Everything was so vivid, so meticulously detailed, that it felt as though stepping too close to the stage might thrust an unsuspecting spectator into the inferno unfolding before their eyes. The reason for this realism, as Alex deduced moments after the y began, was the use of mana��more specifically, an illusion spell.

    Details such as the burning homes, the lifeless corpses, and the rivers of blood pooling on the ground were all, in fact, mere illusions. Alex wasn��t entirely certain, but he was confident that someone among those involved in the y��either a participant or an organizer��had a mastery of illusion magic.

    That said, not everything on stage was an illusion. Some of the performers were actual, living, breathing individuals, and certain props and parts of the scenery were tangible objects.

    What struck Alex the most was how seamlessly illusion and reality were interwoven. Even though he could identify which elements were fabricated, it didn��t detract from their impact in the slightest.

    Illusions generally had a significant weakness: once someone realized they were illusions, their effect faded. Yet this y defied that notion. Even with Alex��s awareness, the visceral emotions and tension created by the scene remained intact. This mastery of blending real and unreal not only broke the conventional rules of illusion but also made the experience far more captivating.

    As the y continued, the massacre inside the small vige carried on mercilessly. The orcs spared no one, cutting down men and women alike, whether they were frail elders or defenseless children.

    Through it all, the haunting melody of the piano resonated in the hall. Unlike before, however, the music no longer stood apart from the carnage��it became an integral part of it. The notes shifted in tone and rhythm, embodying the despair, the screams, and the violence unfolding on the stage. It was as if the piano itself cried out for the lives being extinguished.

    Then, suddenly, the ��camera�� shifted. The perspective moved away from the vige��s central chaos to a small, secluded cottage at the outskirts. This house, unlike the others, was untouched for the moment, standing apart from the carnage. However, the echoing screams and the growing sounds of destruction made it clear that its brief reprieve would soone to an end.

    As Alex and the others people present in the theater watched on, a couple, followed by a kid, came out of the cottage. The man and woman, both of them young, looked at the fast approaching mes that rose from the vige with a hint of fear, apprehension, and horror. The kid, a boy, meanwhile, looked around in confusion as it seemed that his little brain couldn''tprehend what was happening.

    "Let''s leave, quick," the adult man urged as he yanked his wife and kid in the opposite direction of the growing inferno.

    Unfortunately, they barely covered a few dozen meters before their path forward was blocked by an especially prominent orc. It reeked of blood, and its muscr body was wreathed in blood. The battle axe it firmly held in its hand dripped with blood as it gazed at the family of three with a savage grin on its face.

    The sight of this menacing orc momentarily froze them in ce, chills coursing down their bodies.

    The man shook his head topose himself, something that was especially difficult as he gazed into the eyes of the orc that glinted with malice, and let go of the hands of his wife and child.

    "Listen carefully," the man began as he pulled out a sword that was hanging at his side, "at my signal, you two run in the direction of the forest. Don''t look back. Just run." He nced at the terrified faces of his wife and son as though he was trying to etch what they looked like in his memory, and smiled. "If the gods wish it, we will meet again."

    He focused back on the orc, who was casually walking in their direction, gritted his teeth, and charged at it, his sword raised high to meet the monster in a desperate bit to protect his family.

    "NOW!" the man shouted as his sword met with the orc''s battle axe.

    Tears streaming down her face, the wife took their child in her hands and ran away in the direction of the forest, each step moving her farther from the massacre and battles of the vige, as well as from the battle of her husband.

    Once his wife and child had escaped, a weight seemed to have been taken off the husband, and he fully concentrated on the battle with the orc.

    Although he had decided to face this terrible foe, the man had no experience in using his sword, having barely swung it a few times in his life. However, with the safety of his wife and son at stake, there was no way he would back off from this fight.

    Fortunately, what hecked in experience, he more than made up for with raw strength. Even though orcs were naturally stronger physicallypared to humans, this man was able to go toe-to-toe with this orc and even seemed to overwhelm his opponent.

    After an intense and arduous, but rtively short battle, the man sessfully cleaved the head of his opponent, finally killing him, though he himself had suffered a great deal of wounds.

    However, he seemed to not care about his wounds as he rapidly walked in the direction his wife had taken, despite his limping right foot.

    Minutester, he caught up with his family, but to his greatest despair, what he found weren''t the waiting and anxious faces of his wife and little boy. Instead, he witnessed the severed corpses of the two people he held most dear in his life. Not far from them, several orcs were looking at him with amused glints in their eyes.

    Subjected to this sight, the husband seemed to lose himself, his expression turning nk. With tears flooding out of his eyes and roaring in rage, he charged at the group of orcs that had murdered his family.

    This action of his only made the orcs burst intoughter. However, by the end of the fight, there were noughing orcs, as they had all been killed in the most ruthless way possible. Their mutted bodies, if they could still be called bodies,y strewn across the forest, most of them missing several parts.

    When the husband came to, he was wreathed in green blood and was holding the bodies of his wife and child, tears spilling from his eyes like a flood. However, if one looked at his face right now, it wouldn''t be an expression of sadness that one could see, but one of deep-seated hatred.

    The man''s usual brown eyes shifted, darkening into a deep ck that seemed to swirl with an eerie depth. When you gazed into them, it felt as though you were falling into an unfathomable abyss, a void from which there was no escape.

    "I will avenge you," he said as he nted a kiss on his wife and child. "I will kill them all."

    It was on that note that the curtains were pulled and closed, marking the end of the first part.

    When the piano''s song ceased, the room fell into such an intense silence that one could almost hear the faint buzz of a fly��if such a creature could be found into this ce that is. However, the silence was short-lived, as people quickly began to cheer and apud.

    Above, in the box reserved for the matriarch of the Drazen family, Freya took a sip of her wine and nced at Alex. "So, how did you find the first part?"

    "Interesting," Alex replied, "I��ll be honest, it was much better than I expected."

    "I''m d you liked it," Freya said with a smile, nodding. "On another note, did you manage to guess what events this y is depicting?"

    "Mm," Alex nodded as he leaned back on the couch, his shoulder brushing against Freya''s in the process.

    "Oh, do share your guess," Freya said, shifting slightly as she also leaned against the couch.

    Alex didn��t respond immediately. He took a moment to reflect on the events he had witnessed before nodding confidently. "That''s the story of Fiore, the first human emperor, the one who founded the Fiore Empire."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 311 : The play (3)

    Chapter 311 : The y (3)

    "That''s the story of Fiore, the first human emperor and the one who established the Fiore Empire," Alex replied to Freya.

    "You seem confident about your guess," Freya remarked.

    "That''s because I am," Alex nodded with certainty. "After all, I know this history intimately."

    In his youth, Alex had been notoriouslyzy, shirking responsibilities in most aspects of his life. Whether it was his martial arts training or lessons in noble etiquette, he avoided them at every opportunity. No one dared to force him otherwise, as his father��the patriarch of the Eswald family��had always instructed the household to let Alex do as he pleased.

    However, there was one area in which his father never allowed any leniency, and that was history. By his father''s decree, Alex had to thoroughly understand the origins of their family and its long, illustrious lineage.

    Given how deeply intertwined their family''s history was with the founding of the empire, it was inevitable that Alex would be forced to learn not just about the creation of the Eswald family but also about the first emperor and the imperial lineage as a whole.

    As the curtains rose once more, revealing the stage for the second act, Alex''s guess was proven correct.

    The man whose vige and family had been ughtered by orcs��Fiore��had begun his bloody arc of vengeance. He made no distinction between the orcs who had attacked his vige and others of their kind. Every orc he encountered was killed on sight.

    The more orcs he killed, the stronger he seemed to be, evolving into what the orcs had once been to the humans: a relentless hunter.

    He single-handedly obliterated entire viges and strongholds of orcs, his efficiency in killing increasing with each encounter. It was as though his thirst for revenge was directly fueling his power.

    At that time, people were unaware of the concept of leveling up or gaining strength through absorbing mana. In fact, only a handful of individuals could consciously manipte mana. For most, it was an unconscious force, and they primarily relied on their innate physical attributes. While the entire continent of Imperion was engulfed in chaos, with every race fighting to assert dominance over the others, humans simply wanted to be left in peace, knowing full well they were no match for the other races.

    s, that peace was denied them. It becamemon to witness horrors simr to what had happened in Fiore''s vige unfold in countless other human settlements.

    The obvious repercussions was that along his way to avenge his family and massacre the orcs, many people joined Fiore in his quest. Some, like him, harbored a deep hatred for the orcs, while others carried simr feelings toward other races, such as ogres, goblins, and even elves.

    As more and more people rallied behind him, Fiore''s goal evolved from simply killing orcs to the extermination of any race that wasn''t human. Over time, this mission expanded further as his group began rescuing people, saving viges, and offering protection to those in need.

    "My friends," the actor ying Fiore cleared his throat to draw attention to himself. Around him, the fifty or so members of his small unit stopped what they were doing and focused on him. "The chaos on Imperion is increasing every day, and humans across the continent are suffering. We can''t save everyone because we can''t be everywhere at once. So I thought of something��how about we create the first human civilization on Imperion? That way, all the humans on the continent could rally together and face the other races as one."

    This idea of creating a civilization exclusively for humans was met with overwhelming enthusiasm by Fiore''s unit.

    From that point on, when they saved people or viges, they escorted these survivors to the ce they had established as their headquarters. Slowly but surely, that headquarters transformed into a bustling vige, and then into a thriving city where people of all ages livedfortably under the protection of Fiore and those who had taken up arms to defend the human race.

    Ironically, despite being the one to suggest the creation of a human civilization, Fiore initially refused to lead it. His sole focus had been avenging his family and ughtering orcs. He believed that bing the leader of the new human settlement would distract him from his mission. Unfortunately for him, his followers insisted, leaving him no choice but to assume leadership.

    Up until that point, everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. However, the moment other races learned of the humans'' intent to establish their own civilization, chaos erupted.

    All of a sudden, the newly formed human settlement came under siege from neighboring races. These races, unwilling to allow the "weak" humans to im their own piece ofnd,unched relentless attacks.

    Fiore and the makeshift army he and his followers had assembled managed to hold their ground for a time. But they quickly realized that if the fighting continued, it wouldn''t be long before their small city was destroyed.

    As fate would have it, rumors began circting about a group of humans living in a forest not far from their settlement. The peculiar aspect of these rumors was that the forest in question was as inhospitable to humans as a dungeon.

    This forest was the site of an ongoing territorial war between the elves and the Virax, two of the most powerful races on Imperion. Most other races avoided the forest entirely. Yet, somehow, a group of humans was reportedly living there?

    Fiore and his followers were skeptical of the rumors, but they decided it was worth investigating. If true, it would mean these humans were powerful enough to survive in the forest and perhaps could lend their strength to the settlement''s defense.

    To their surprise, there was some truth to the rumors. A group of humans was indeed living in the forest, but contrary to their expectations, it wasn''t all the humans in the forest who were exceptionally strong. It was just one individual.

    The other humans in the forest were skilled fighters who had managed to survive in such a dangerous environment. But their survival was only possible because of one person, and after further investigation, Fiore and his subordinates discovered his name: Osmond Eswald.

    When this name was revealed, a wave of surprised gasps swept through the theater. The audience was visibly stunned to learn that the powerful human who had kept the elves and Virax at bay was none other than Osmond Eswald. His name was widely known because he was the ancestor of the current Eswald ducal family.

    Freya instinctively nced at Alex to gauge his reaction to hearing his ancestor''s name, but what she saw unsettled her.

    Alex''s expression was somber, his silver eyes fixed on the actors ying Fiore and his subordinates with a cold intensity Freya had never seen before.

    Why does he seem angry? she wondered. She wanted to ask him, but before she could, the "camera" focus shifted, signaling a transition to another scene in the y.

    In the new scene that unfolded before their eyes, several weeks seemed to have passed. The background shifted from Fiore''s bustling settlement to a secluded area deep within a forest. The tall pine trees stretched skyward, their dense canopies filtering the sunlight.

    In this scene, Fiore stood before one of the towering pine trees, his long hair flowing as if caught by a phantom wind. An undeniable aura of regal majesty surrounded him, exuding both power and authority. His sharp gaze was locked on a particr branch high above, where another man, seemingly in his forties, leaned nonchntly against the tree trunk.

    The man had long, messy deep blue hair that cascaded over his shoulders, a slightly tannedplexion that hinted at a life spent in the wild, and a casual demeanor. His eyes remained shut, and a rxed smile yed on his lips, giving him an air of mystery.

    "Are you Osmond Eswald?" Fiore inquired, his voice calm andposed. There was no trace of arrogance or superiority in his tone. Instead, his words carried a quiet strength and authority that demanded respect without needing to ask for it.

    "I might be," the man repliedzily, his tone as rxed as his posture. Without opening his eyes, he continued, "Who''s asking, and why are you here?" His voice carried an easygoing yet sharp undertone, as if he were simultaneously unconcerned and highly perceptive.

    "My name is Fiore, and I''m��"

    "Oh, you''re the human ying king outside thesends?" Osmond interrupted smoothly, cutting Fiore off mid-sentence. A smirk formed on his lips as he finally opened his eyes, revealing deep blue irises that shimmered with an almost otherworldly light. "To what do I owe the honor of your Majesty''s visit?" Osmond inquired, ncing at Fiore.

    When Osmond''s piercing, ocean-deep eyes locked onto them, both Fiore and his subordinates felt an overwhelming weight settle over them. It was as if they were staring into the endless abyss of a bottomless ocean, their very existenceid bare. The pressure they already felt intensified tenfold, making it difficult for some to even breathe.

    "Be direct," Osmond said sharply, his gaze narrowing. "What do you want from me? I don''t have patience for people who waste my time beating around the bush."

 Chapter 312 : He handed him his ass

    Chapter 312 : He handed him his ass

    "Be direct. What do you want from me? I don''t like people who beat around the bush," Osmond pressed.

    Fiore took a deep breath, steadying himself. Meeting Osmond''s piercing blue gaze with his swirling ck eyes, he replied, "The reason we are here is to ask you and your people to join forces with us so that we can create a ce where the human race can live without fearing death every single day."

    Fiore went into more detail, exining their ideals and the kind of sanctuary they hoped to create for humans. Osmond listened intently until Fiore finished speaking.

    "The ce you''re trying to build doesn''t sound as thrilling to me as life here," Osmond said after a brief silence. "Nevertheless, feel free to ask the others. If they''re on board, they''re wee to join you."

    "Everyone here refuses to leave without you," Fiore said, frowning slightly. "They''ve made it clear��you''re their leader and they won''t leave unless you do."

    Osmond let out a long, exasperated sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Those guys are stubborn as hell. I''ve told them time and again��I''m not their leader," he muttered under his breath.

    "If I may ask," Fiore began cautiously, "why do you insist on staying here? This forest isn''t exactly hospitable to humans, and danger seems to lurk around every corner."

    "Exactly!" Osmond replied with a wide grin, his deep blue eyes gleaming with excitement. "I love this constant feeling of danger. The thrill of survival, the rush of staying one step ahead of death��that''s what keeps me here. The kind of life you''re dreaming of��peaceful and orderly��would bore me to tears."

    "I understand," Fiore said, nodding thoughtfully. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he added, "But then again, the peaceful times we aspire to create for humans are still a long way off. Right now, we''re locked in an endless state of war."

    "Oh, is that so?" Osmond said, his tone shifting slightly as his ears seemed to perk up. Hiszy grin faded, reced by a spark of interest. "Now that sounds... interesting."

    Seeing that he''d gotten the attention of the battle-hungry man before him, Fiore didn''t waste any time and went on to exin the kind of troubles they were facing since the establishment of the human settlement. The more Fiore spoke, detailing the relentless attacks and challenges, the brighter Osmond''s expression became, his grin widening with every word.

    "I''m in!" Osmond shouted excitedly as he leaped from his branch,nding gracefully before Fiore. Without hesitation, he knelt down, cing one hand over his chest. "As long as you can provide me with battle, I will be your most loyal subordinate!"

    "I would rather prefer you bing my friend," Fiore replied warmly, extending his hand toward Osmond.

    "Yes!" Osmond eximed energetically, sping Fiore''s hand in a firm shake.

    It was on that note that the curtains fell, marking the end of the scene and signaling the transition into a new phase of the y.

    During this brief pause, Freya turned her gaze toward Alex, and her heart clenched when she saw the shadow that had fallen over his face. His expression was darker than before, his jaw tight and his silver eyes practically smoldering with restrained fury.

    "Is something wrong?" Freya asked cautiously after a moment.

    "It''s not what happened," Alex muttered under his breath. "What the heck was that fucking soap opera they just yed?"

    Freya blinked, confused. "Huh? What did you say?"

    Alex seemed to snap out of his frustration at Freya''s query. He exhaled slowly and shook his head. "I was saying that they''ve twisted the original history into...this soap opera nonsense."

    "What is a soap opera?"Freya blinked, tilting her head in confusion. The term waspletely foreign to her.

    Alex hesitated for a moment,

    "Ah, um, forget about that," Alex waved a hand, realizing that exining the concept of a melodramatic serialized drama from his previous world to someone unfamiliar with it might be a challenge.

    "Okay," Freya nodded, "what did you mean though when you say that they changed the original story? From my understanding, this is a pretty urate version of what happened. Actually, this is the most urate depiction of the events that happened during the empire''s creation that I have witnessed."

    This time, it was Alex''s turn to stare at Freya in confusion. "What do you mean the most urate depiction of the events that happened during the empire''s creation? This is clearly not the case!"

    Alex knew that the history his father had told him wasn''t the one known by everyone, and now that he thought about it, he shouldn''t have been surprised that what he knew and the actions of those actors didn''t align. Still, he found it shocking that even Freya, an Earl of the empire, didn''t know what truly happened.

    Freya fell silent for a moment before saying, "So the story I know isn''t truly what happened," she inquired with a straight face.

    "If what you know is the exact story of what those people are depicting, then yes," Alex replied, his voice serious as he met her gaze.

    Freya remained silent for a moment, brooding over something, and then she turned to Alex, not just her head, but her whole body turning toward him. She ced her left leg on the couch to make herself trulyfortable.

    She looked at him and said, "Instead of watching a y that is based on a false story, I would rather hear the true story from you. What do you think?" she inquired, her rosy lips curling into a captivating smile.

    ''Damn, she is beautiful,'' Alex thought as he also shifted his body andfortably sat on the couch, staring directly at Freya.

    Since the two of them had been sitting so close to each other from the beginning, now that they shifted positions to stare at one another, their faces were dangerously close. Yet, neither of them seemed willing to pull away from the other. Their eyes locked, neither making a move to break the moment, as if the space between them had suddenly be too small to matter.

    ''I''m supposed to start speaking now, but I just want to press my lips against hers,'' Alex thought, his eyes tracing the curves of Freya''s inviting lips. ''I don''t think that''s a good idea to remain so close to her,'' he admitted. Right now, he could feel the attraction and desire he had for Freya, emotions he had been suppressing, beginning to stir within him.

    He wasn''t the only one in this predicament, though. Freya was feeling the same, or arguably even stronger feelings than his own. Unlike him, however, she had been dealing with these desires the entire day! That was why, although she felt an overwhelming urge to leap at him, she could still restrain herself. After all, she had managed to resist the entire day. Still, the situation now was slightly different: at this moment, they were staring directly at each other, closer than they had been all day.

    A few secondster, Alex managed to suppress his feelings and smiled. "I can definitely tell you what truly happened, although..." His expression became serious, and he continued, "...I would suggest you don''t go telling everyone. It might cause you problems, especially with the imperial family."

    "You don''t have to worry. I won''t tell a soul," Freya promised, her expression matching his seriousness.

    "Good," Alex nodded. He nced back at the stage where the y had resumed, then refocused on Freya. "Although I said they changed the original story, from what I was told by my father, it would seem that the y was mostly urate. The part... where the divergence begins is when my ancestor came into the picture."

    "You see, Fiore might have been the first to create a human empire, but he was certainly not the first to establish arge settlement for humans. My ancestor did that before him," he revealed.

    Freya seemed surprised to hear that, but she only nodded and didn''t interrupt him.

    "Just as was depicted in the y, after the creation of their settlement and the problems they encountered, Fiore learned of the first human settlement that existed. Don''t ask me how they didn''t know about it until that point��honestly, I don''t know. What I do know is that Fiore and his men actually visited that first human settlement, and they met my ancestor."

    Alex and Freya nced over when they heard apuse and cheering from the audience below. They then witnessed that the reason for the cheering was because Osmond and Fiore were single-handedly repelling an orc attack against their settlement. The two of them were weaving in and out of the enemy ranks with a skill that belied their years of experience.

    Alex frowned at the sight and said, "Contrary to what this y showed, Osmond and Fiore didn''t hit it off right from the start and Osmond definitely didn''t decide to be Fiore''s subordinate because Fiore promised him battles." Alex chuckled at the ridiculousness of that im and continued, "In fact, the two of them didn''t like each other, and a fight actually broke out at their first meeting."

    "Oh?" Freya raised an eyebrow. "Who won?"

    Alex offered her a proud smile and answered, "My ancestor won, of course. He handed Fiore his ass."

 Chapter 313 : First kiss (1)

    Chapter 313 : First kiss (1)

    "My ancestor won. He handed Fiore his ass," Alex said in a proud tone.

    If a member of the Imperial family were here to hear what he said, Alex would probably be executed after being whipped a thousand times, but he didn''t care because he knew he was telling the truth.

    Freya, on the other hand, had to double-check the box they were inside to ensure that there was effectively no one else there to hear Alex. It was only after confirming this that she rxed and focused back on him.

    "Your ancestor defeated Fiore, and he was also the one that established the first human settlement," Freya began thoughtfully, "then howe the Eswald family is only a ducal family?"

    "Cough, cough, cough," Alex, who was about to boast about another feat of his ancestor with a proud smile, coughed violently as Freya brought up the one ring inconsistency even his father couldn''t exin.

    "Well, I don''t know about that. There are no recorded ounts of what happened or why we ended up as just a ducal family instead of the imperial one. But what I said previously was true��my ancestor was indeed the first to establish a human settlement and effectively handed Fiore his ass," Alex dered with a righteous tone, though a hint of embarrassment lingered at the unexinable gap in his family''s history.

    Freya looked at him for a long while, wondering if she should trust him on this point, but judging that there was really no reason for him to lie, she nodded her head in eptance.

    "There''s one thing they got right in this y about my ancestor though," Alex suddenly said as he watched the actor ying Osmond grin wildly while cutting through the enemies'' ranks. "He effectively had a wild temperament and liked the thrill of danger. That''s actually thanks to that trait that he was stronger than the majority of humans of his time."

    "How so?" Freya raised an eyebrow in wonder. She knew that during that time, dangers were everywhere, and more often than not, those dangers were far beyond what humans could handle. In such an environment, having a personality like Osmond''s wasn''t exactly an advantage, as one could easily be killed at any moment due to recklessness.

    "Well, there weren''t only dangers at that time," Alex rified.

    From what his father told him, even at that time, dungeons existed, and their ancestor had once stepped inside a dungeon, which was the cause of his strength.

    At that point in time, the mana level on the continent wasn''t as abundant as it is now. Even though dungeons existed, they were rtively low-level ones, and even their grades were low. They were dungeons that even mundane people, granted they had the courage to defy them, could clear on their own. That was exactly what Osmond did, and thanks to the dungeon''s reward, when he came out, he was not only stronger but had also left behind his mundane state and stepped into the Level 1 Realm.

    Because Alex had practically skipped through the levels until Level 4, he was unaware��well, he was aware, but he didn''t experience the difference in strength between each level from Level 1 to Level 4. At least, he didn''t have an intimate feel of those differences.

    Only those who spent several years before leveling from one level to another were intimately aware of the difference between the lower levels. These weren''t as obvious as the difference in strength from higher levels, but even the difference from Level 1 to Level 2 was a huge one.

    With Osmond being at Level 1 while most people at that time were practically what people now refer to as "mundane," he was able to bridge the gap between him and the other races, who, unlike humans, could rely on their racial advantages to assert their supremacy.

    It wasn''t because he went from a mundane man to Level 1 that Osmond was able to bring an idea such as establishing the first human settlement to fruition, though. What allowed him to truly be powerful was the ability he unlocked inside the dungeon.

    Even in the current time, what allowed humans to truly be able to stand toe-to-toe with other races wasn''t their high levels. In fact, most races were so supremely talentedpared to humans that they, in general, had more people with high levelspared to humans. What set humans apart was the vast versatility of their abilities.

    Unlike some races, like the ogres that most often than not awakened an ability tied with their physical strength, humans could awaken a vast variety of abilities, and some of those abilities were broken ones that allowed humans topletely tip the bnce.

    One such ability was Amelia''s Residual st ability. Just imagine the kind of damage Amelia could do, for example, in a war if she had less moral restraint and she used that ability. The destruction would be massive and indiscriminate, devastating entire battlefields in a single stroke.

    Osmond''s ability wasn''t documented among their archives, but from what his father told him, their ancestor had one of those broken abilities that made him fearsome, even to other races��let alone humans.

    "And that was why my ancestor..." Alex''s words trailed off as he noticed that Freya was no longer listening to him.

    She was still intently focusing on him, but Alex could clearly sense that she was no longer hearing what he was saying. Yet, her whole attention seemed to be set on his lips.

    A light blush adorned her face, her breathing was slightly haggard, and Alex noticed that she was very discreetly nibbling at her lips.

    When he understood what was going on, Alex was stumped. After a moment, he shrugged his shoulders carelessly.

    "To hell with patience. I''m done waiting," Alex said aloud, his voice breaking the heavy silence and snapping Freya out of her reverie.

    Before she could ask what he meant, Alex abandoned all pretense of restraint.

    In one swift movement, his arm circled her waist, pulling her closer until the space between them all but disappeared. Freya found herself so close to Alex that the warmth of his breath mingled with hers, his erratic breathing mirroring her own.

    His left hand rose to cradle her face, his fingers grazing her cheek in a feather-light touch. Her skin felt like silk beneath his fingertips, and he savored the moment before speaking in a low, husky murmur. "I''ve been fighting the urge to kiss you since the moment I first saw you, but seeing you struggle as much as I am�� I guess waiting was never the right choice."

    He had just finished speaking when Alex leaned in and sealed Freya''s lips with his own. At that moment, it was like an explosion went off inside his mind. All his repressed emotions surged forth, and Alex pressed further, his lips squishing Freya''s even more in a passionate and electrifying kiss.

    Freya''s eyes widened in surprise, her body frozen for a fleeting moment as the shock of what was happening sank in. She had imagined this exact moment only seconds earlier, and yet, now that it was real, it overwhelmed her.

    But the hesitation didn''tst long.

    As Alex''s lips moved against hers, a torrent of emotions erupted within her, both familiar and utterly foreign. They coiled around her like a tempest, urging her to respond. And respond she did.

    Her hands reached out, one clutching the fabric of his shirt while the other slid around his neck. Freya leaned into him, giving herself over to the kiss, her lips moving in sync with his. Every ounce of hesitation dissolved into an intoxicating blend of love and passion.

    If Alex was in the right mind, he would maybe be grinning mentally, but right now, his entire focus was consumed by the sweet, plump red lips pressed against his, indulging himself to his heart''s content. Freya''s lips carried a faint taste of strawberries, no doubt the result of her lip balm or gloss. Not that Alex minded��if anything, it added an irresistible vor that only spurred him to taste her more fervently.

    Their mouths moved in a rhythm that felt almost instinctive, lips rubbing, sucking, and melding together as they explored one another. Every time their lips parted and reconnected, soft, wet sounds echoed in their immediate vicinity.

    Both of them felt an overwhelming happiness and relief that they couldn''t put into words wash over them as the intimate moment they shared got more passionate by the second.

    The more they indulged in the moment, the more intense the desire and love they felt for the other increased at an rming rate.

    Despite the fact that her lips were some of the softest, juiciest, and sweetest Alex had ever tasted in his long life, he could very clearly feel her clumsiness. Given her earlier story about how she and her deceased husband didn''t like each other, Alex wouldn''t be surprised if it was actually her first kiss.

    However, Freya being inexperienced didn''t mean Alex wasn''t enjoying the kiss. Quite the contrary, he was loving every single instant their lips remained locked against one another. The thought that this may be Freya''s first kiss was even a big turn-on for him, and it only made him want to make her enjoy it even more!

    Remembering the goddess of lust and her mention that he could make his women enjoy their sexual intimacy more when using lust energy, Alex called forth the lust energy and concentrated it around his mouth, allowing it to subtly flow between them.

    The reaction was instantaneous.

    A shudder ran through both their bodies as an indescribable wave of pleasure coursed through them. The kiss that had already been intoxicating now turning into something even more.

 Chapter 314 : First kiss (2)

    Chapter 314 : First kiss (2)

    A mix of a shocked gasp and a muffled moan escaped Freya''s lips as she felt sensations she had never experienced before. A different kind of heat spread throughout her body, one she had never known, and the blush on her face deepened, coloring her cheeks a deeper shade.

    Meanwhile, Alex was just as surprised as Freya��perhaps even more. The goddess had exined that he would be able to intensify the pleasure of his women when he used the lust energy, but he never imagined it would affect him as well. His manhood, already growing harder, stood at attention, making a noticeable bulge in his pants.

    Never had he expected to be so aroused by a simple kiss, yet here he was, his body reacting to the intimate contact. The lust energy certainly yed a part in amplifying the reaction, but in the end, it was simply speeding up the process. Alex didn''t have time to dwell on this, however, because just at that moment, Freya''s grip around his neck tightened, pulling his body closer to hers.

    In her eagerness, she lost her bnce, causing her to fall back onto the couch while pulling Alex with her.

    As the two of them tumbled, Freya found herself lying on her back, with Alex above her.

    They didn''t seem to care or even notice their change in position. Their lips remained firmly pressed against each other without any hesitation, moving together in perfect rhythm.

    The awkward angle of her legs dangling off the side of the couch soon became ufortable for Freya. She shifted, adjusting herself until her entire body was resting fully on the couch, nowpletely beneath Alex. He quickly adapted, shifting his own position so that his body was also sprawled across the couch, aligning with hers.

    Fortunately, the luxurious couch was wide enough to amodate them both without issue.

    Feeling that Freya''s breath was growing increasingly ragged, Alex reluctantly pulled away from her lips. However, instead of the expected relief that she could now catch her breath, a look of reluctance shed across Freya''s face.

    The two locked eyes, their chests rising and falling rapidly as their hearts pounded in their chests, and their breaths came in uneven gasps. Yet, despite the overwhelming need for air, all they could see in each other''s eyes was the burning desire and hunger they felt.

    They held eye contact for two more heartbeats before, with an intensity that surpassed the first, they came together again, their lips crashing into each other. The lust energy flowed between their mouths, deepening the pleasure they shared.

    Alex''s tongue slipped out, gently tracing the outline of Freya''s luscious lips before parting them and entering her mouth, where it met hers.

    Their tongues tangled and battled for dominance, each eager to explore, while their saliva mingled. The sound of their heated kisses, wet and sensual, filled the air.

    Mmm~

    As the passion of their encounters only seemed to be growing, their bodies got even closer to one another until Alex''s throbbing member was rubbing at Freya''s hips through his pants. After the recent increase of his cock, even if he wanted to conceal his hard-on, Alex wouldn''t be able to. His cock was just too humongous!

    When Freya felt the serpent in his pants, her eyes widened in shock, but before that shock could settle, she had already forgotten about it as Alex made another move.

    He wanted to stay gentlemanly, to not go overboard seeing that it was their first time being intimate, but in the end, Alex couldn''t stop himself. Even if they didn''t have sex tonight, there was one thing that he absolutely needed to do, and that was to feel the pair of jiggling,rge boobs squished against his torso.

    Imbuing his right hand with lust energy, Alex ced it on Freya''s pillowy breast after setting aside the mantle she was wearing. He only felt her tits through her dress, but oh boy did they feel good to the touch.

    Freya''s breasts were as full and ripe as the most delicate fruit, yet as firm and sculpted as a work of art, shaped perfectly by nature. When Alex pressed against them, he could feel her hardened nipple through her dress, growing even more sensitive to his touch. Her nipples were particrly hard and seemed to be even bigger than usual ones and as his fingers gently circled them, Alex could already imagine the sensation of teasing them with his mouth, his tongue flicking over them.

    Freya had to break away from their kiss, letting out a soft moan that echoed through the room.

    Inwardly, she was shell-shocked that such a depraved moan escaped from her mouth; that had never happened before!

    Alex wasn''t going to let her dwell on that thought for long though. Now that he wasn''t busy kissing her luscious lips, Alex lunged for Freya''s smooth and blemish-free neck. He kissed, sucked, and nipped at her skin, covering every inch with his lips and tongue, infused with the powerful lust energy. Thankfully, the more he used the lust energy, the easier it seemed to be for Alex to wield it, as if the very essence of desire flowed more naturally through him with each passing moment.

    "Ahnnh~"

    Freya let out a loud, uncontroble moan that rang through the room, her body trembling with the kind of pleasure she had never experienced. Her toes curled in ecstasy, and she felt a flood of warmth between her thighs, soaking her panties and dress alike.

    Freya let out a particrly loud and resonant moan that echoed through the silent room, her body slightly shaking as she experienced a kind of pleasure she had never known in her life. Her toes curled in ecstasy as she felt a flood of liquid drip from between her thighs, soaking her panties and dress alike.

    Meanwhile, Alex''s hand never stopped caressing Freya''s breast. It moved sensually, pressing and massaging the deliciously full mound until it reached the peak, where it found a hardened little nub. His touch was both firm and gentle, eliciting soft moans from Freya as he expertly teased her sensitive flesh.

    As he was busy worshipping Freya''s smooth neck with tender kisses, Alex couldn''t help but also marvel at the size of Freya''s nipples. They wererger and plumper than any he had ever felt, making the sensation of ying with them all the more exhrating. Each nipple was a generous, fleshy bud that stood proudly erect, begging for his attention. The sheer size of them added an extrayer of pleasure to his touch and he reveled in the unique texture and sensitivity they offered.

    Alex gently caressed the erect nub, his fingers circling and pinching with just the right amount of pressure. He could feel Freya''s body responding to his touch, her breath hitching and her hips arching slightly as she sought more of the exquisite sensation.

    Just as he was about to push their passion to the next level, a loud sound of pping and cheering from below interrupted them, snapping them both back to reality.

    Abruptly stopping their passionate embrace, both Alex and Freya turned their gaze through the ss to see that the y had reached its conclusion. The actors were taking their final bows, met with enthusiastic apuse and cheers from the audience.

    ''Damn, how many minutes did we spend making out?'' Alex wondered, feeling a mix of surprise and regret.

    He was lost in this thought when he felt Freya, who was beneath him, shift her gaze from the scene below to look directly at him. When Alex met her eyes, his heart melted. Freya''s breathing was still ragged, her cheeks flushed with a mix of excitement and embarrassment. Despite her attempts to lookposed, the flush on her face and the slight tremble in her lips only made her appear even more adorable to Alex. It stirred a deep desire within him, making him want to devour herpletely.

    "I-I...think we...should leave," Freya managed to say, her voice strained as she avoided Alex''s gaze. "The y...is already over."

    A hint of dissatisfaction glinted in her eyes, mirroring Alex''s own feelings, but she knew they needed to leave. Now that the y had ended, the audience was beginning to filter out of the building. Though they could stay her for as long as they wanted, Freya knew it would be better to leave before rumors started circting about them. ''Not that some of those rumors would be entirely false,'' she thought with a mix of amusement and concern.

    "Okay," Alex nodded, every fiber of his being screaming at him to rethink what he just said and rather continue what they had started. But he had to remind himself that this was only the first time he had gotten intimate with Freya. Unlike his other rtionships, he had only met her the day before, and their rtionship was already progressing at an astonishing pace.

    "Not before this though," Alex said, leaning down to press his lips against Freya''s in a lingering kiss. A momentter, he pulled away with a smile. "We can go now, but we''ll have to continueter on."

    Freya met his gaze and shyly nodded her head, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks.

    ''Sorry buddy, another time I guess,'' Alex chuckled to himself as his crotch pulsed in disapproval.

 Chapter 315 : Ride back home

    Chapter 315 : Ride back home

    ''Sorry buddy, another time I guess,'' Alex chuckled to himself as his crotch pulsed in disapproval.

    He got off from Freya, straightened his clothes, and helped her stand up. Minutester, the two of them left the theater after Freya saluted and personally congratted the director and manager,mending them on how captivating and well-executed the y was. She made a few polite remarks that left them visibly ttered and proud.

    Before boarding the carriage and returning home, Freya approached one of the guards assigned to their defense, whispering something into his ear. The guard nodded and immediately took off toward the center of the city. Freya then rejoined Alex, who was patiently waiting near the carriage.

    "Sorry for making you wait, we can go now," Freya said softly as she adjusted the folds of her dress.

    "Don''t worry about that," Alex replied, offering his hand to help Freya into the carriage. Instead of sitting across from her as he had done the entire time they had been together though, Alex now sat directly beside her, leaving no distance between them.

    Freya didn''t say anything, but as the carriage began to move and Alex''s smoke mask dissolved, she couldn''t help but nce at him. Her heart was beating so loudly in her chest that it echoed in her ears, the rhythmic thumping impossible to ignore. She bit her lip, unsure how to react, as a rush of emotions swirled within her.

    Her cheeks quickly turned crimson as she reminisced about what had happened just minutes ago. The vivid memories were still fresh, making her heartbeat race uncontrobly. When Alex turned to look at her, his piercing gaze sent another wave of warmth surging through her, and for a moment, it felt as if her heart might leap right out of her chest.

    Alex smiled softly when he noticed her flustered expression. His movements were slow and deliberate as he leaned toward her, closing the distance between them. He stopped when their lips were mere inches apart, hovering just close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath. Yet he held back from taking the final step, letting her decide whether she wanted to close that gap.

    Freya''s heart was pounding so hard she thought he might hear it. Her blush deepened, spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, painting her entire face a shade of scarlet. In that moment, she looked remarkably simr to Maya when she was embarrassed��one could even mistake them for twins. Despite her flustered state though, Freya didn''t hesitate. Her hands moved instinctively, trembling slightly as they reached for him. She cupped his face gently, her fingers brushing against his skin, and with a soft but determined pull, she brought him closer until their lips met.

    There was no rush, no urgency, only the moment and the shared emotions it carried. Their lips moved in a gentle dance, exploring and savoring each other with a tenderness that transcended words. Freya melted into the kiss, her earlier nervousness fading into the background as a wave of warmth enveloped her.

    "Hiiek"

    A surprised squeal suddenly resounded in the carriage as Alex boldly swooped Freya up and ced her on hisp, his movements swift yet confident.

    Freya stared at him with a mixture of shock and shy excitement, her lips slightly parted as if to protest, though no words came out. Her cheeks flushed deeply, but she didn''t try to move from hisp, even when she felt the stiff bulge pressing against her thigh. The hardness in his pants was impossible to ignore, something that only deepened the rosy hue of her face.

    Alex chuckled lowly. By now, it was clear��Freya wanted him just as much as he wanted her, and there was no use in pretending otherwise.

    They locked eyes for a moment, their gazes filled with yearning, before they lunged at each other. Their lips met in a heated sh, their kiss passionate and all-consuming. Their tongues danced and intertwined, moving with a feverish rhythm that only grew more intense with every passing second.

    Freya pressed herself firmly against Alex, her hands tangling in his hair as though trying to pull him even closer. Her body moved instinctively against his, her luscious breasts squishing against his firm chest, igniting sensations that sent shivers down both their spines. Every movement of hers seemed to stoke the fire between them, her curves fitting perfectly against his muscr frame.

    Alex''s strong arms wrapped around her thin waist, holding her tightly against him as if he couldn''t bear the thought of letting her go. By this point, his cock was fully erect, its thick length straining against his pants and pushing against Freya''s soft, round ass perched atop him. The pressure was maddening, and the way her body shifted only added to his torment. His dick seemed to pulse with a life of its own, desperate to tear through the barriers separating them and plunge into her dripping, eager cunt.

    Unfortunately, their heated exchange didn''t have the chance to escte further as the carriage suddenly pulled to a halt, the jarring stop signaling their arrival at their destination.

    Alex and Freya reluctantly pulled away from each other, a thin string of saliva still connecting their lips before it broke. They gazed at one another in silence, their faces flushed. Slowly, smiles spread across their faces as they stared at one another.

    "It seems we''ve arrived," Freya murmured, brushing a few stray strands of hair behind her ear in a graceful motion. The gesture, despite so simple, made Alex''s heart skip a beat. In his eyes, she had never looked more alluring��her disheveled appearance only adding to her charm.

    "Mm, we should probably step out before people start wondering," Alex replied with a knowing smirk, though his body showed no intention of moving. Freya, too, remained seated.

    Their gazes held for a fleeting second before the simmering tension overtook them again, and they resumed what they had been doing moments earlier. Lips met with renewed passion, hands roamed, and muffled whispers filled the carriage''s interior. It wasn''t until many minutes after the carriage had stopped that the pair finallyposed themselves enough to step out.

    By that point, the guards outside had begun to subtly encircle the carriage, their postures stiffening with unease. The sudden creak of the carriage door opening caused a ripple of anticipation to pass through them, their hands instinctively tightening on the hilts of their weapons. However, when Freya and the masked man named Arcanor emerged, a collective sigh of relief swept through the guards, their tension eased.

    The two stood side by side, arms linked in a manner that appeared formal, not overly intimate, giving off an air of normalcy. The only noticeable difference was the delicate scarf now draped around Freya''s neck. None of the guards found it strange for her to wear such an essory, especially in this cold weather. However, had they seen beneath it, they would have been shocked to discover the stunning amount of kiss marks decorating the matriarch''s graceful neck.

    Bien s?r, je vais suivre vos consignes pass��es �� lettre pour am��liorer etpl��ter le texte sans alt��rer son essence. Voici une version ajust��e selon vos attentes?:

    ---

    As soon as they stepped out of the carriage, a soldier d in polished armor approached with a firm stride. Alex recognized him immediately as the guard Freya had spoken to before their departure from the theater. The soldier stopped a few paces away and bowed deeply, his respect for the matriarch evident in every movement.

    "Did you find it?" Freya asked, her voice asposed as ever.

    "Yes, Matriarch," the soldier replied, standing upright and extending his hand. In his palm rested a ring that glimmered faintly under the faint glow of nearbynterns��a space ring, Alex recognized.

    "Good," Freya said, her tone tinged with satisfaction as she epted the ring, slipping it into a hidden pocket within her gown. "You may leave now," she added.

    The soldier bowed once more, murmuring a quiet, "As you wish," before turning and retreating.

    After this brief exchange, Alex and Freya entered the mansion, leaving behind the liveliness of the outside world. The moment the door closed behind them, the vibrant noises of the city were reced by an enveloping silence, broken only by the soft sound of their footsteps.

 Chapter 316 : Nothing

    Chapter 316 : Nothing

    The instant they were away from prying eyes, Freya handed Alex the space ring that she received from the soldier seconds ago. "Here. This space ring contains theplete map of the whole city and the location where Lady Talia is staying," she exined, her tone calm yet businesslike.

    "Thanks," Alex nodded, taking the ring with a subtle smirk. "I appreciate your help. Truly."

    "You are an ally of our family. Such information is nothing special to share with you; you don''t have to thank me for it," she replied.

    "Oh, you only helped me because I am an ally of your family? And here I thought there was another reason why you''re so kind to me," Alex teased, his smoke mask parting to reveal the yful smile curling at his lips.

    Freya blushed and lightly shook her head. "Of course it''s not the only reason. There is another reason," she admitted.

    "And what might that reason be?" Alex asked, a mix of curiosity and mischief in his tone.

    "You already know the answer to your question," Freya replied, her lips curving into a gentle smile.

    "I want to hear you say it," he replied, the teasing grin on his face growing wider. He was confident that, despite her usual honesty, Freya would find it hard to admit the real reason.

    Contrary to his expectations, although the blush on her face deepened, Freya held his gaze with unwavering determination and answered as honestly as she could, "That''s because I''m interested in you."

    "...."

    This time, even Alex couldn''t help but feel a flicker of embarrassment at Freya''s straightforwardness. Her honesty caught himpletely off guard.

    ''Maybe I should stop teasing this woman,'' he thought, though deep down, he was sure he didn''t want to.

    If he had paid closer attention to her expression at that moment, he would have noticed the faint curve of Freya''s lips, a small, victorious smile creeping onto her face as she took in his reaction.

    Alex remained silent for a moment before his smile morphed into a yful grin. "I guess I am also... interested in you."

    Freya''s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, but a radiant smile spread across her face. She leaned into him slightly, resting her head on his shoulder as they resumed walking down the corridor together.

    Secondster, they came to a stop in front of Freya''s door.

    Stepping away from him to face him fully, Freya offered Alex a warm smile. "I had a wonderful time with you tonight, Alexandre. Thank you for that."

    "I already told you to just call me Alex," he replied with a soft chuckle. "And you don''t have to thank me��I enjoyed our time together just as much. Still..." He took a step closer, closing the distance between them until only inches remained. His voice dropped, his toneced with a teasing edge. "...Aren''t you going to invite me inside so we can continue what we started?"

    "It would be unbing of ady like me to invite someone I just met yesterday into my bedroom thiste at night," Freya replied, an innocent smile ying on her face.

    "I don''t think what we''ve been doing for thest hour qualifies as dylike,''" Alex chuckled as he gentlybed his fingers through her braid, loosening it to reveal Freya''s hypnotizing visage.

    All the more reason to stop there," Freya said with a yful smile, before adding, "At least for today."

    Alex would be lying if he said he wasn''t disappointed by her decision. His longing for her was so strong that even he found it hard to resist, but he had to admit she had a point��they had only met yesterday, and things were already moving at a pace that felt surreal.

    Things were moving fast, faster than he had ever experienced before.

    What he didn''t realize at that moment was that as he mastered the use of the lust energy, the less time it would take him to attract and seduce a woman if he truly set his goal on having her.

    "I understand," Alex said with a slight smile. "Then I''ll see you tomorrow."

    Both closed their eyes and leaned in, their lips almost brushing, when Alex''s sharp ears caught the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps. He froze mid-action.

    Not feeling the warm lips she hade to appreciate, Freya opened her eyes only to see that Alex''s mask had reappeared, concealing his features. He was already taking a step back, distancing himself from her. Before she could even wonder why he had pulled away, Maya suddenly burst around the corner, running toward them with a grin on her face.

    "Mother! Al-Arcanor! Wee back!" Maya eximed cheerfully.

    Her excitement was short-lived, however, as she stumbled over her own foot and fell face-first onto the ground with an audible thud, her momentum causing her to slide a few feet further.

    "....."

    "....."

    Alex and Freya simply stood there, silent and stunned, watching in disbelief as the young woman rolled a few times before finally skidding to a stop right at their feet.

    "I thought your sister fixed her vision problem," Freya whispered to Alex, her expression filled with concern.

    "She did," Alex confirmed with a nod, "but sadly, there''s no magic strong enough to fix this girl''s clumsiness."

    "I see," Freya replied, shaking her head before quickly crouching to help her daughter up. "You''re not hurt, are you, sweetie?" she asked, worry evident in her voice.

    "I''m fine, Mom," Maya replied, rubbing her reddened forehead with a sheepish smile.

    "You shouldn''t be running inside the mansion! How many times have I told you that?" Freya scolded her.

    "Sorry," Maya muttered, lowering her gaze, then turned slightly toward Alex, hoping for his intervention. Yet, he remained stoic, standing there as if none of this had anything to do with him.

    ''Seriously?! He''s just going to stand there and not back me up? I''m his disciple, after all! He could at least act like he cares!'' she thought indignantly, ring at him while still enduring her mother''s lecturing.

    There was no telling how Maya would have felt if she realized it was actually Alex who used his smoke ability to make her trip and fall, punishing her for ruining his intimate moment with her mother.

    "You should listen to your mother, kiddo," Alex said as he patted Maya on the head��his hand pressing just a little too firmly.

    "Ouch! You''re hurting me!" Maya eximed, stepping back and ring at him. "And I''m not a kid��I''m 19!"

    "Uh-huh, if you say so," Alex replied with a teasing smirk. "Where''s my sister, by the way?" he asked casually, shifting the conversation.

    "In your room," Maya answered, rubbing the spot on her head where he had patted her too hard.

    "I see," Alex said with a nod before turning to Freya. "Lady Freya, I greatly enjoyed our time together," he said, bowing slightly.

    Freya smiled warmly. "As did I, Sir Arcanor. If you are free tomorrow, I hope we can spend more time together."

    "That would be my pleasure," Alex replied smoothly, his tone carrying an unmistakable charm. He straightened up, giving her onest respectful nod.

    "Kiddo," Alex said in a teasing tone, ruffling Maya''s hair as she scowled at him, "see you tomorrow, I guess."

    With that, Alex left the pair of mother and daughter behind.

    As he walked away, he nced at the space ring Freya had handed him earlier, which contained information about the location where Talia, Celine, and Marina were staying. A faint grin tugged at his lips as he thought to himself, Let''s see if Sis is in the mood for a little visit to the girls.

    Unfortunately, by the time Alex entered their shared room, Amelia was already soundly asleep. She looked so serene and adorable in her nighties, curled up beneath the nkets, that Alex couldn''t bring himself to wake her. Leaning closer, he whispered softly in her ear, "I''ll go alone this time around."

    A gentle smile, full of warmth and contentment, blossomed on Amelia''s face, as  Alex ced a tender kiss on her forehead.

    ''Too cute,'' he thought, his gaze lingering on her peaceful expression. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his eyes softening. ''I won''t be long, promise.''

    He straightened up and directly teleported outside of the mansion to appear several kilometers away. At least that was what he believed would happen.

    However, even after several seconds, nothing happened; he still remained standing in his bedroom.

    He attempted to teleport outside once again, fully concentrating on the smokey environment he intended to appear in, but just as thest time, nothing happened.

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 Chapter 317 : Bend her over

    Chapter 317 : Bend her over

    ''I can''t teleport inside or outside of the mansion,'' Alex realized after his third attempt. He could still perfectly sense the smoke element both within and beyond the mansion, yet it was utterly impossible for him to use his teleportation. ''It seems spatial movements are forbidden within the mansion,'' he concluded.

    ''I guess that''s good news,'' Alex thought, ''at least this way, no one will be able to sneak into the mansion using a spatial ability.''

    Spatial abilities were exceedingly rare, but that didn''t mean there weren''t individuals capable of wielding them. Moreover, just as his smoke ability allowed him to traverse space, it was entirely usible that someone else might have a derivative power enabling simr movement.

    "That''s all well and good, but now I have to leave the mansion the old-fashioned way," Alex sighed. He would have preferred to keep his absence unnoticed. Earlier that day, a group of level 5 fighters had ambushed him after tracking him without his knowledge. While he doubted that Earl Drickon or his people would dare to act against him directly for the remainder of his stay in Drisidd, he couldn''t shake the feeling that they were keeping a close watch on his every move.

    ''Well, so be it,'' Alex thought with a shrug. He exited his bedroom, ensuring the door was securely locked, and strolled through the mansion''s corridors until he stood before the grand entrance.

    Without hesitation, Alex pushed open the heavy doors and stepped outside. The instant he did so, every pair of eyes in the vicinity turned toward him.

    When the numerous guards recognized who it was, they immediately bowed in his direction. They had already received clear orders from the matriarch to treat the man before them with the same level of respect and importance they afforded her.

    One of the guards stepped forward, bowing deeply before inquiring, "Is there something Sir Arcanor desires?"

    "Just going for a walk," Alex replied casually as he strode past the guard.

    "Then, allow us to prepare a carriage��"

    "No need," Alex interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I also won''t need guards to apany me. You can stay here and carry on with...whatever you were doing before I showed up."

    Hearing his words, the guards tensed up. Earlier, they had been given strict orders to ensure this Arcanor''s safety at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing their lives. Now, the very guy they were supposed to protect was outright refusing their presence!

    How were they supposed to fulfill their duty when he wouldn''t let them follow him?

    "Apologies, sir, but��" The guard who had approached Alex felt his heart leap into his throat when he turned his head mid-sentence, only to discover that Alex was no longer there. His eyes darted around in disbelief, searching for any trace of him, but to no avail.

    Looking at his fellow guards for an exnation, he noticed that most of them wore the same baffled expression. Meanwhile, a few who seemed to have pieced together what had just happened had tense, apprehensive looks on their faces as they stared at the spot where Alex had stood moments ago.

    ***

    As the guards reluctantly epted the fact that Arcanor had vanished to who knows where and resumed their patrol, Alex appeared several kilometers away from the mansion in a dark alley. The narrow passage was thick with smoke billowing out of the chimneys and vents of an establishment resembling arge alchemical workshop.

    Pulling out the maps of the city that Freya had handed to him, Alex then set out to pay a visit to Talia. His steps were calcted, his path weaving through the alleys and streets to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

    If not for the fact that he didn''t want Arcane to be linked in any way to his cousin and potentially his family, he might have weed the presence of a few guards following him. After all, those men could serve as a deterrent against Earl Drickon or anyone harboring ill intentions toward him. Furthermore, some of those guards were far from insignificant; many of them boasted decent levels of strength, sharp observation skills, andbat experience.

    ''There are also the hidden ones that I can''t pinpoint,'' Alex mused, his brows furrowing slightly in apprehension.

    When he had first arrived at the mansion''s perimeter yesterday, Alex had sensed several concealed gazes watching him. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t pinpoint the individuals behind them. Earlier today, Freya had reassured him that those hidden figures were part of her personal security detail, assigned to protect her. Unless the mansion itself was under attack, they were not to enter. While that knowledge eased his concerns somewhat, it still left him uneasy. The thought of being watched by people he couldn��t detect was unsettling, no matter their allegiance.

    After a few minutes of scouring the city, his presence concealed by his smoke cloak ability, Alex finally located the ce where Talia and the others were staying. That was the good news.

    The bad news was that the girls were currently residing in a small yetvish mansion situated in the noble district of the city��the very area where Earl Drickon and his forces, along with several prominent noble families, were based.

    Alex''s gaze hardened as he studied the mansion from a distance. ''This is going toplicate things.''

    The silver lining in the situation was that the mansion assigned to the Earl was separated from the other nobles'' houses, as if to emphasize that his Earl''s status set him apart from the rest. Well, in hindsight, it actually did. This separation, while meant to highlight the Earl''s importance, also allowed Alex to move more freely around the other noble estates without stepping directly into the Earl''s area of influence....hopefully.

    Alex didn''t hesitate for a moment as he entered the noble district. Half an hourter, he stood on the roof of a building adjacent to Talia''s mansion. He could have arrived much sooner, but he had to ensure he wasn''t being followed. Only after confirming that the coast was clear did he decide to pay Talia a visit.

    Once certain the road was clear, he discreetly sent a wisp of smoke through one of the mansion''s windows and used it to directly teleport inside.

    The moment Alex appeared in the room, his instincts kicked in, and he immediately scanned his surroundings. But barely a secondter, he froze in ce.

    Without knowing it, Alex had teleported inside Talia''s room. However, it wasn''t the sudden realization that made him freeze in his ce.The reason for his sudden immobility was because Talia was, at that very moment, standing in the middle of the room with her back to him, drying her body with a towel. Her naked glory was on full disy for Alex to see, and the sight was nothing short of breathtaking.

    Alex had always known that Talia was sexy, but knowing something and seeing it were two entirely different experiences. In this moment, he truly understood the difference.

    One word echoed in Alex''s mind as he took in the sight before him: "Irresistible." There was no other way to describe a body so wlessly alluring.

    Wet, long, and beautiful blue hair with purple tips cascaded down Talia''s shoulders and supple back, clinging to her skin and entuating her curvaceous and extremely voluptuous body. The towel she used to dry herself was barely adequate for the task, as droplets of water glistened on her skin, tracing the contours of her wide and plump hips. Her body was andscape of temptation, with every curve and dip inviting exploration.

    HerHer breasts were sorge that even from behind, one could imagine their delicious contours jiggling enticingly with each movement. The mere thought of water dripping down her cleavage and over her nipples, which were undoubtedly hardened by the cool air, was enough to make any man weak with desir. The towel, damp and clinging to her skin, only served to highlight the allure of her body, making it impossible to look away.

    And the cherry on top was her big, round, and bubbly ass, perfectly shaped and begging to be touched. The way the water trickled down her spine and over her cheeks, pooling slightly at the small of her back, added an extrayer of excitement to the scene. Every movement she made caused her body to sway and jiggle in the most tantalizing ways, making it clear that she was a vision of pure, unadulterated lust.

    Despite having recently received the lust energy blessing and gaining more control over his desires, the mere sight of Talia''s body awakened something primal within Alex. Unknowingly, a raging erection pressed against his pants, straining the fabric with its intensity. His silver eyes shed a vivid pink as an overwhelming desire to bend Talia over and take her right then and there consumed him.

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 Chapter 318 : Visiting the girls (1)

    Chapter 318 : Visiting the girls (1)

    Alex''s silver eyes shed a vivid pink as an overwhelming desire to bend Talia over and take her right then and there consumed him. The urge was so powerful that it threatened to overtake his rational thoughts, pushing him to the brink of acting on his most carnal instincts. Every fiber of his being screamed for release, for the satisfaction of iming Talia in the most primal and intense way possible.

    Hepletely forgot that the woman he so desired to ravish right now was the very one he had spent more than three dozen years bickering with, pranking, teasing, and insulting. Their history of yful antagonism was momentarily eclipsed by the raw, primal lust that surged through his veins.

    Fortunately��or unfortunately��it was at that very moment that Talia decided to turn around and came face-to-face with a towering figure standing over two meters tall. His face was hidden behind a mask, but his eyes burned with an intensity she had never seen before.

    A small cry of surprise escaped her lips as she grabbed the towel and quickly clutched it against her body. Her expression shifted rapidly��surprise gave way to embarrassment, then indignation, and indignation quickly transformed into a fiery, unrestrained rage. Her eyes zed with fury, and her breath came in short, angry gasps as she red at Alex.

    Grabbing the sidemp perched on the nightstand, she hurled it at Alex with all her strength.

    Alex, jolted back to his senses by her earlier scream, raised an eyebrow as themp flew toward him. ''What damage does she expect to do with that?'' he wondered, amused.

    But his smirk quickly faded as themp shimmered mid-air and morphed into a sinuous tentacle of water, snapping toward him with dangerous speed and precision.

    Alex effortlessly dodged by twisting his head, and the liquid tendril missed him by a hair''s breadth, striking the wall behind him with a loud, wet smack.

    BAM!

    "You fucking pervert! What the hell are you doing here?!" Talia bellowed, her expression a mix of rage and indignation. "You creep! Couldn''t you just knock on the damn door?!"

    Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. The way Talia was speaking suggested that she knew who he was despite his disguise.

    "You know who I am?" he asked, just to be sure, pointing at himself.

    "Of course I know who you are!" Talia eximed furiously, her heavy breasts jiggling enticingly with each movement. "There is no way I wouldn''t recognize your stupid voice!"

    "Damn, woman, would you chill?" Alex eximed as his mask dissolved into smoke, having already realized that Talia had indeed deduced that it was him. "I can''t fathom how people think you''re a prim and properdy. It''s beyond me."

    "What did yo-" Talia suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening in shock as she took in Alex''s face.

    ''D-D-Damn, how did the bastard manage to be even more handsome?!!'' Talia stuttered mentally, as if her own brain was struggling to process the sight before her.

    Although she wouldn''t openly admit it, even before, she had always found Alex to be very handsome. She wouldn''t have fallen in love with him otherwise. Now that his handsomeness had increased, she found it nearly impossible to tear her eyes away from him. It was as if there was something maic about him that made him highly desirable and appealed to her on a primal level. Every line of his face, every curve of his body seemed to draw her in, making her heart race and her breath catch in her throat.

    Talia was so entranced that her grip on her towel loosened slightly, offering Alex a peek of her cleavage.

    Realizing what was happening, Alex didn''t waste the opportunity. He controlled the lust energy to coat his whole face, momentarily boosting his already godly handsomeness to an even higher level.

    "Talia dear, you shouldn''t be vulgar; it''s not befitting of ady," Alex teased, his voiceced with a hypnotizing charm as a grin spread across his face. "It''s also not verydy-like to openly stare at a man, especially your cousin, with such hunger in your eyes. Imagine what people would say if they were to see you now."

    Ironically, despite the attraction she felt towards him, the instant Alex spoke with that annoying teasing tone of his, Talia was immediately pulled out of her trance.

    "Shut it!" she eximed, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

    "Aww, look how cute you are when you are flustered," Alex said as he appeared in front of Talia. "Don''t tell me, gasp! You are this way because of me?!"

    "I SAID, SHUT IT!" Talia snapped, punching out at Alex.

    Alex effortlessly caught her fist and used its momentum to pull her towards him, masterfully wrapping his arm around her waist before she could react.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I see that you still resort to violence when you don''t know what to say," Alex teased, smiling down at Talia.

    Talia struggled to get away from him, but now that she was in his iron grasp, there was no way she could escape unless he let her go. Instead of the furious expression that Alex expected once she realized that fact, Talia actually calmed down.

    She nced at Alex with a look full of disdain and said, "I see that now that you have the strength to, you are not hesitating to fulfill your darkest desires."

    Alex frowned when he heard this, "You might not like me anymore, but you know me better than that, Talia. I would never do something like forcing myself on you. Besides, Amelia and Mother would probably kill me if I did something like that to you."

    "Hmpf," Talia snorted, but didn''t contradict him.

    "Even if I were to do something like that though," Alex suddenly smiled, his voice dropping to a low, seductive tone. "Something tells me that here, right now, you wouldn''t offer any resistance."

    His hand let go of her fist and gently cupped Talia''s beautiful face, caressing her cheeks. "Not because I''m stronger than you, but because you are attracted to me as much as I am attracted to you," he revealed, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her heart race.

    After receiving the blessing of the lust energy, if there was one thing that had changed in Alex was his perspective on his desires. Just like earlier when he admitted to Freya that he was done waiting, Alex had be more honest about his desires. Before, he would have never admitted to Talia that he desired her, even though they had buried the hatchet and no longer harbored as much hostility towards each other as before. His pride wouldn''t have allowed it.

    However, right now, the only thing that mattered to Alex was understanding and satisfying his desires. Nothing, not even pride, would stand in his way of pursuing them. If he wanted someone and deemed them attainable, he would go after them without hesitation.

    It was a subtle but profound change in his behavior that even Alex hadn''t fully noticed. Truth be told, even if he had, he wouldn''t have been mad or worried. In the end, it just made him more honest with himself and others.

    "Me? Attracted to you?" Taliaughed darkly. "You can dream on, that will never happen!"

    "So you are actually telling me that you feel nothing even with you so close to me?" Alex inquired with his trademark teasing smile.

    "Besides pity for your pathetic attempt at seduction, nothing!" Talia retorted, her voice firm despite the slight tremble in her body.

    "What about now?" Alex leaned down until his face was only inches away from Talia''s, his breath warm against her skin.

    "N-No," Talia replied, her voice cracking slightly as a rosy hue spread across her cheeks and her breathing became slightly rushed.

    "C-Can you let me-"

    Before she could finish her sentence, Alex leaned further until their foreheads were pressed against each other and their lips were brushing against one another. At the same time, his arm that held her thin waist pulled her closer until her body was practically pressing against his own, her voluptuous breasts squishing against his chest.

    "What about now?" Alex wondered, his own breathing sounding uneven, a pink light shing in his eyes. "You still feel nothing but pity?" he inquired, his voice a low growl.

    There was a sudden stillness that enveloped the air, broken only by the sound of their breathing. Then, in perfect synchrony, they acted.

    Their lips crashed against each other with such passion and intensity that it was as if they were trying to consume one another. Lips rubbed against each other, tongues moved and twisted around one another in a dance of pure, unadulterated desire. There was nothing elegant about their kiss; instead, it was raw and primal, a sh of two forces finally giving in to their deepest urges.

    There wasn''t any sort of love or affection  in the kiss Alex and Talia shared; it was just pure and unadulterated lust that threatened to consume their whole being.

    That was what Alex thought, at least.

    While it was true that he had no romantic feelings towards Talia and just wanted to bend her over and fuck her senseless after catching a glimpse of her tantalizing body, the same couldn''t be said about Talia.

    The instant her lips made contact with Alex''s, feelings she had buried deep within herself for more than two decades began to resurface. She thought she had gotten over him, that she no longer harbored any feelings for him, but this simple kiss was proving her wrong. It was as if the dam she had built to block those emotions had cracked, allowing the long-suppressed feelings to spill out for the first time in years.

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 Chapter 319 : Visiting the girls (2)

    Chapter 319 : Visiting the girls (2)

    The torrent of emotions swirling within her,bined with the surging waves of lust, overwhelmed Taliapletely. Any semnce of resistance melted away as she surrendered to Alex''s embrace, pressing herself firmly against his body. She savored the intoxicating warmth radiating from him while her lips eagerly sought his, tasting him with a hunger she could no longer suppress.

    Her hands moved instinctively, wrapping tightly around his powerful back, pulling him closer as though afraid the moment might slip away.

    Alex wasn''t to be outdone. His lips moved against Talia''s with a passion and need even he couldn''t exin. It felt as though nothing short ofpletely ravishing every inch of her body would satisfy the burning ache inside him.

    With herplete surrender evident, Alex''s right hand began a slow descent, tracing the curve of her waist with deliberate care. The thin fabric of her towel did little to hide the intoxicating softness of her body as his fingers explored, savoring the sensation of her luscious curves.

    His hand, charged with a subtle coating of lust energy, slid beneath the edge of her towel, lifting it just enough to expose her bare skin to his touch. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that despite her tough exterior, Talia''s body was incredibly soft to the touch. Her flesh was warm, impossibly smooth, and softer than he ever imagined. That impression only intensified when his hand finallynded on the full expanse of her magnificent, rounded ass. The supple flesh was so luxuriously soft that his fingers practically sank into it with the slightest squeeze.

    The sheer size of her ass astonished him��it was far more generous and perfectly shaped than he had realized. Each cheek was so ample that even hisrge hand couldn''t fully epass it, which only made the experience all the more enticing.

    A deep pulse coursed through his body, and his cock throbbed with almost painful intensity as his grip tightened. His hand pressed further into the plush, yielding flesh, savoring the way it molded so perfectly to his touch.

    A low growl of satisfaction rumbled from Alex''s throat as he realized just how much of her there was to worship.

    His dick pulsed even more violently than before and Alex squeezed harder, his hand sinking further into his cousin''s ass.

    Hnnngg~

    Talia moaned deeply into Alex''s mouth as his hands worked their magic on her ass, squeezing, kneading, and molding it into different shapes as though it were pliant dough beneath his fingers. Each movement elicited a new wave of heat that coursed through her body, her moans bing more breathless and needy with every passing second.

    The temperature in the room seemed to skyrocket, the air thick with the sound of furious, passionate kissing and the asional gasp of pleasure. Their bodies pressed together with increasing intensity, rubbing and grinding against each other as though trying to fuse into one.

    It had been over two minutes of uninterrupted kissing, yet neither showed any desire to stop. If anything, their passion grew more fervent. The friction between their bodies caused Talia''s loosely tied towel to give way, fluttering to the floor and leaving herpletely exposed in all her natural glory.

    Alex would kill to have a look at the front of her body. He would lie if he said that throughout the years, he had never dreamed of feasting his eyes on those big melons of hers.

    However, right now, he was too consumed by the kiss. Now that Talia had abandoned all pretense of resisting, she hadpletely transformed into a hungry beast that wanted nothing more than to devour him whole. Her tongue traced and furiously explored every corner of Alex''s mouth, their saliva mingling and mixing in a dance of pure, unadulterated lust. Her teeth gently nipped at his lips, and her breath came in ragged gasps, matching his own desperate pace.

    Her nails dug into his back, dragging across his skin as though trying to mark him as hers. The room spun around them as they lost themselves in the heated embrace, their bodies pressing tightly against each other, oblivious to anything but the intense pleasure they were drawing from one another.

    Alex was contemting shedding his clothes and taking her fully when...

    A faint creak from the door behind Talia broke the spell.

    Alex didn''t n to pull away, even with the potential intrusion, but the same couldn''t be said about Talia.

    The noise, subtle as it was, seemed to snap her out of the lustful haze, and she abruptly broke the kiss. Her head whipped around to see who was spying on them, only to meet a pair of widened ck eyes staring back at her.

    "M-Marina, it��" Talia stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

    "Ah, sorry to disturb you. I thought you were in danger when I heard you shout earlier," Marina, another of Alex''s cousins, apologized, though she didn''t look particrly sorry. "I will leave you to..." her voice trailed off as she craned her head to get a better view of who was with Talia.

    "Oh," Marina gasped in surprise as she recognized Alex. "Hello, boss," she waved excitedly.

    "Hello, Marina," Alex replied with a wry smile and a wave.

    "I''ll leave you two alone now," Marina giggled as she quickly exited the room, making sure to close the door behind her.

    "Wait! It''s not��" Before Talia could finish her sentence, Marina had already disappeared.

    "YOU!" Talia turned to Alex, her eyes zing with fury. Since he was no longer holding her, she stepped away and delivered a sharp, stinging p across his face.

    The p nevernded on Alex''s cheek though as he caught Talia''s hand before it couldnd true.

    "Why did you kiss me?!" Talia eximed, her face full of furious confusion and lingering embarrassment.

    Instead ofshing out at her for trying to p him, Alex could only remain silent when he saw the mixture of emotions on her face. He couldn''t deny that it was satisfying to tease her, but now he could tell there was more than just anger brewing beneath her re.

    Talia attempted to hit him with her other hand, but Alex stopped her once again, catching her wrist gently yet firmly. He drew a deep breath and sighed.

    "You hate me that much, huh?" he said with a wry smile.

    "Yes��No! Ugh, I don''t know!" Talia eximed, her expression shifting into a conflicted, tired look.

    Alex let go of her hands and took a step back, releasing another long sigh. When he nced at the mix of hatred, uncertainty, and an emotion he couldn''t quite ce on Talia''s face, he couldn''t help but feel a pang of guilt.

    If their rtionship was so strained now, it was because of him. Of course, after he rejected her feelings all those years ago, she had lost control of her powers and nearly killed him. But had he not done it so harshly, this situation might have never arisen. Talia had been one of the only people who didn''t mock him and genuinely cared for him, even after it was discovered he had a trash talent. He shouldn''t have treated her the way he did back then.

    Talia took a deep breath, reigning in her anger. She bent forward to retrieve her towel, which had fallen to the ground, and wrapped it securely around herself. She nced at Alex, her expression still conflicted, and let out another sigh. "You do realize that she''s going to tell everyone in the family what happened here, right?"

    "Yup, I know," Alex chuckled nonchntly, leaning against the wall as if the situation amused him.

    If there was one thing everyone knew about Marina, it was that she couldn''t keep a secret. The moment she saw or heard something juicy, it would spread like wildfire through the family. No secret was safe in that girl''s hands and it was more likely than not that she would tell others what she had witnessed moments ago. Not that Alex cared if others knew.

    Fortunately, Marina understood what she could gossip about and what she couldn''t, otherwise, Alex wouldn''t have let her be in the know about his ns of rebellion.

    "Why do you look so nonchnt? Aren''t you worried that your wives would know that you were...cheating on them?" Talia wondered, a slight blush appearing on her face as she uttered thest part.

    "Not really," he shrugged. "They are okay with me being with other women.

    "So they are ''okay'' with you chasing skirts?" Talia raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

    "Not really the way I would put it, but sure," Alex nodded, a teasing smile appearing on his face. "You know, there is enough space for you to be one of my future wives. You certainly have somepelling qualities," he said, his eyes roaming over the area around her chest.

    "Hmpf!" Talia snorted, crossing her arms to hide her chest from his gaze. "It''s bold of you to assume I''d even find you attractive enough to want to be your wife."

    "It''s equally bold of you to pretend you don''t find me attractive when you were melting in my hands moments ago," Alex shot back with a chuckle.

    "...."

    Talia blushed slightly and remained silent, not knowing what to retort. After all, she had indeed let herself go and hadpletely surrendered to the moment. The memory of Alex''s hands on her body and the way her heart raced made her stomach flutter with both embarrassment and something else she refused to name.

    Alex was preparing to make another move on her, when the door creaked for the second time. This time, two heads furtively sneaked inside the room, peeking through the small gap. The first belonged to Marina, who had apparently returned despite her earlier exit, while the second belonged to Celine.

    "They''re doing nothing," Celine whispered, her voice barely audible but full of disappointment.

    "I swear they were kissing just seconds ago, and he was even groping her butt!" Marina whispered back, her tone carrying an air of indignation as if she felt cheated out of more drama.

    "You two!" Talia snapped, her voice a mix of anger and mortification. "Stop spying ande here!" she ordered, ring at her friends, her face now crimson with embarrassment.

    "Tsk, they spotted us because of you," Marina clicked her tongue, throwing an usatory re at Celine.

    "Yeah, sure, me me," Celine shrugged nonchntly, walking into the room.

    "I''m going to change. You three, wait here!" Talia ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. She picked up her clothes and stormed off toward the bathroom, leaving Alex with Marina and Celine.

 Chapter 320 : Visiting the girls (3)

    Chapter 320 : Visiting the girls (3)

    Left alone with the two intruders, Alex smirked and leaned casually against the wall. "You two have a habit of showing up at the best moments, don''t you?" he teased, his tone yful butced with annoyance.

    "Who? Us? Yes, you can say��" Marina''s words caught in her throat as she finally focused on Alex''s face. It was only after Talia had disappeared from the room that both women truly registered his features. And the moment they did, they were struck by his sheer maism.

    ''Too handsome,'' they thought simultaneously, their breath hitching in unison.

    Alex was, without a doubt, the most handsome man they had ever seen. His chiseled jawline, piercing eyes, and confident stance exuded an irresistible allure that made it impossible to look away.There was an otherworldly, almost maic quality to him, one that drew their gaze like moths to a me and made it impossible to look elsewhere.

    When he smiled, noticing their stunned reactions, it was as if their hearts melted on the spot. They felt an inexplicable, almost primal desire to protect him, to do anything to ensure that that smile never leave his dreamy face. Fortunately for them, Alex didn''t even use the lust energy to enhance his features, or the feelings of care and protection that they felt would have morphed into something much more depraved.

    Alex''s smile turned into a grin, something that earned him an even more enamored expression from his two cousins, further stroking the mes of his ego. After all, what sane man wouldn''t feel smug knowing he could render two stunning women utterly speechless with nothing more than a look?

    Celine was a stunning woman with long, straight ash blonde hair tied back into a neat ponytail, giving her a sleek and refined look. Her striking green eyes stood out against her fairplexion, adding a sharp intensity to her gaze, which was often entuated by her serious expression. Her body was slender yet curvaceous, with a well-defined waist, full breasts, and a shapely, firm ass that added to her alluring figure. However, there was a slight problem. Her assets were usually concealed under clothing that resembled more masculine attire. Otherwise, there would be row upon row of suitors wanting to fight for a chance to be with her.

    Marina on the other hand was a cute and petite woman with sleek, jet-ck hair that cascaded just past her shoulders. Her eyes, just as dark as her hair, gleamed with a yful spark. With her small, delicate frame, she had a sweet, almost innocent appearance, but there was an undeniable charm in her presence. Her body was petite yet curvy, with soft, gentle lines that made her look both approachable and irresistibly cute.

    Seeing that if he didn''t say anything, the two women would just stand there gawking at him without moving or speaking, Alex cleared his throat to bring them back to reality. "Ladies," he called out in a smooth andposed voice, inclining his head slightly in a gentlemanly manner as he shed them a soft, disarming smile.

    Celine and Marina were startled awake by his voice, and embarrassed expressions quickly spread across their faces as they realized what they had been doing for the past several seconds. Thankfully, their embarrassment quickly disappeared.

    "Alex," Celine greeted him with a nod, her lips curving into a rare, warm smile. If Talia or Amelia had been present, they would have been utterly shocked to see Celine smiling so affectionately, knowing that she usually wore a stoic expression around people outside their close-knit group. "Purple hair suits you," sheplimented.

    ''Ah, that''s right. I''m still walking around with this hair color,'' Alex realized after herpliment. His original hair color was silver, but by using the all-purpose smoke hidden within his body, he could easily coat his hair and change its hue, giving it the striking purple tone.

    "Thanks," Alex replied with a warm smile. "You two also look lovely."

    A faint blush crept across both women''s faces, followed by blooming, sweet smiles that they tried��unsessfully��to suppress.

    "So Tally was right. Boss is indeed the one under that frightening armor," Marina suddenly eximed.

    "Ah, yeah," Alex admitted, scratching the back of his head. "I had to hide my true personality while representing Arcane, so I wore this." As he spoke, the smoke mantle enveloping him dissolved into a cloud, coalescing into a floating orb that hovered near him. "By the way, why are you calling me boss?" he asked, shifting his attention to Marina.

    "Well, you''re the head of our branch, right? That kind of makes you our boss, don''t you think?" the petite woman replied with a thoughtful look.

    "Now that I think about it, you''re right," Alex nodded, his tone yful. "I am indeed your boss."

    "Whose boss are you?" Talia''s voice cut through the conversation as she barged back into the bedroom. Her curvaceous figure was wrapped in a deep blue dress that hugged her body perfectly, falling just above her knees. While the dress covered her most sensitive areas, each step she took caused her heavy breasts to jiggle in an almost hypnotic rhythm. "Certainly not mine!" she dered.

    Alex nced at her as she plopped herself onto one of the couches and grinned. "If you didn''t want to be under my orders, then you shouldn''t have lost to me in the branchpetition."

    "He''s got a point," Celine remarked, nodding her head in approval.

    "Yup, the boss is right," Marina added, her tone entirely supportive.

    "You two��" Talia red at her friends with a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. "Whose side are you on?"

    "His," the two women replied in unison, without hesitation. "I mean, he is the family head after all," Celine added with a small shrug.

    "Thanks, girls," Alex said with a dazzling smile.

    Both women blushed furiously, their gazes dropping to the floor as they tried to hide the sudden flush on their cheeks.

    Looking at the blush on their expressions, Talia gnashed her teeth, feeling the sudden need to punch her two friends in their faces. ''Just you wait, you traitors��'' she thought to herself.

    Turning to re at Alex, Talia found herself faltering, her gaze inadvertently lingering on his features. She felt herself momentarily lost in the intensity of his eyes before shaking her head and regaining her focus. Finally, she blurted out the question that had been on her mind since he arrived. "What are you doing here?"

    Alex focused on her and raised a brow, "Actually, I wanted to ask the same thing. What are you guys doing here?"

    "What kind of stupid question is that?!" Talia snapped, crossing her arms under her chest. "Why would wee to the Drazen family''s yearly auction if not to participate in it?"

    Hearing this, Alex''s lips twitched in irritation. "Yet, when it was asked during the family meeting who should try to strike a deal with the Drazen family, none of you mentioned that you nned to attend this year''s auction!"

    Surprisingly, it was Celine who responded instead of Talia. "First of all, at that time, we hadn''t decided whether we would attend or not. Secondly, you never asked who intended to go," she said with a deadpan expression.

    "Fair enough," Alex admitted, nodding slightly. "However, why didn''t you mention that you personally knew the matriarch of the Drazen family when we were brainstorming how to secure a partnership with them?" He wondered, his  gaze shifting back to Talia.

    "I don''t really know Lady Freya," Talia rified. "We only exchanged pleasantries when I was hired to perform at her daughter''sing-of-age party. Do you have any idea how many artists performed that day? I was just one among dozens of others." She shrugged, looking annoyed by his insistence.

    "Still, you should have informed us," Alex countered.

    "Everyone already knew, dammit! That''s why I didn''t even bother to mention it!" Talia practically yelled, her breasts bouncing slightly with the force of her outburst.

    "Yeah, it was actually one of the main topics duringst year''s meeting. Howe the boss isn''t awa��ah, wait. You didn''t attendst year''s family meeting," Marina giggled.

    "If I remember correctly," Celine added with a smirk, "you were off somewhere, drinking with some reputed local drunkards."

    "��."

    Alex coughed in embarrassment and changed the subject. "So, I guess if you''re here to attend the auction, that means you have the money for it?"

    ''Shameless,'' the women thought in unison, seeing how swiftly Alex changed the subject once his drunken past was brought up.

    "We don''t have the kind of money to participate in an auction held here," Celine and Marina revealed simultaneously, pointing at Talia. "She''s the one paying."

    "That actually reminds me," Talia said, narrowing her eyes at Alex. "Why the hell did you bid against me for the piano made by ric Stonehand?! You don''t even y the instrument! Was that just to spite me?!"

    "It''s not like everything I do has to be about you, Talia dear��"

    "Stop calling me dear!" Talia interrupted, her cheeks flushed with irritation.

    Alex paused, tilting his head as if evaluating her. Then, his lips twisted into a yful grin. "I refuse."

    "Fuck you, you arrogant bastard!"

    "You wish," Alex retorted. "Unfortunately, being with me is a privilege not granted to just any woman, especially the vulgar type."

    "Who the hell are you calling vulgar?!" Talia eximed, her eyes widening in disbelief.

    "Obviously, I''m speaking about you. What? Besides being vulgar, you''re also too dense to understand what I''m saying? Poor you, I don''t want to be in your ce," he said, shaking his head and casting Talia a pitying nce.

    "You! You! YOU!" Talia spluttered, her face turning an rming shade of red as rage contorted her features.

    "Tsk, here they go again," Celine and Marina sighed in unison, rolling their eyes

    ncing at Marina, Celine whispered skeptically, "Are you sure you saw those two kissing? It seemspletely impossible to me."

    "I''m absolutely certain of what I saw," Marina whispered back with a confident gaze. "If you want my opinion, they''re just trying to throw us off. They want us to believe they still hate each other, but they''re secretly lovers."

    Celine''s small hand formed into a tight fist before mming into her other palm as realization dawned. Her eyes lit up with sudden understanding. "Ah, I get it now! So they''re just acting! That makes so much sense!"

    "Uh-huh, that''s exactly what''s happening," Marina nodded sagely. "What they don''t realize is that they can''t fool us��"

    "If you two don''t have anything of interest to say, SHUT IT!" Alex and Talia bellowed at the same time.

    Instead of silencing them, though, Marina and Celine simply looked at each other and grinned knowingly.

    "Whoa, love is such a powerful thing," Marina whispered in awe. "They''re even synchronized now."

    "I know right? I''m as impressed as you are. What a sight," Celine agreed.

    "��.."

    "��."

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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 321 : All to ourselves

    Chapter 321 : All to ourselves

    Alex stared at the two mischievous women a moment longer before turning to Talia. "Are they always like that?" he asked, his expression weary.

    "Only when Amelia isn''t around to scold them," Talia replied with an equally tired look. "Where is she, by the way? I thought she was traveling with you."

    "Yeah, we''re together," Alex said with a shrug. "She was already asleep when I was leaving, so I came without her."

    "I see," Talia nodded, her tone now calmer. "Let''s get back to what we were discussing a moment ago," she said, shifting gears. "Why did you outbid me and buy the piano when you don''t even y it? I genuinely wanted that piano."

    "Despite what you might think, I do like the piano and actually want to learn how to y one," Alex replied, a small smile appearing on his face.

    Talia raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by his answer, before suddenly bursting intoughter. "You, Alexandre Eswald, want to learn how to y the piano?" she eximed through her uncontrobleughter.

    Alex''s lips twitched in irritation, but he didn''t interrupt her. Letting herugh was easier, especially since the bouncing motion of her chest had captured all his attention.

    "I clearly remember when we were younger, you were the one always skipping sses rted to noble etiquette," Talia said once herughter subsided, her eyes still sparkling with amusement. "Among those sses was one specifically meant to teach us how to y various instruments, including the piano. You never showed any interest back then. What changed?" she asked, narrowing her eyes as if trying to uncover some hidden truth.

    "A lot has changed," Alex said with a casual shrug. "Let''s just say I have a new appreciation for it now."

    "If you say so," Talia shrugged. "But you do realize that you don''t need to spend 20,000 gold coins on a piano just to learn how to y, right?"

    "I want to learn on a quality instrument," Alex chuckled.

    The truth was that Alex had more money than he could bother to count��thanks to Night��and figured the piano might be worth the investment.

    Talia''s brow furrowed thoughtfully before she spoke again. "I can offer you a piano just as good��maybe even better��than the one you just bought. So let''s make an exchange," she proposed with a confident smile.

    Alex raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her persistence. "You''ve piqued my curiosity. Why are you so determined to get your hands on that particr piano?"

    "That''s�� personal," Talia replied.

    "I see," Alex nodded, deciding to let the matter drop. He pondered her offer for a moment, and an idea formed in his mind, one that made his lips curl into a sly grin.

    "I ept your offer," Alex said, holding up a finger to stop Talia from celebrating too soon. "But I have one condition."

    "Of course there''s a condition," Talia rolled her eyes. "For a moment, I almost thought you had a beating heart like the rest of us."

    "Dream on," Alex sneered yfully. "And don''t worry, my condition isn''t something impossible or overly difficult."

    "What is it?" Talia asked cautiously. Nearby, Celine and Marina, who had been quietly observing the exchange, turned their attention to Alex, their curiosity clearly piqued.

    "You''ll have to personally teach me how to y the piano," Alex dered with a triumphant grin.

    "Yeah, that''s not happening," Talia immediately shot back, not even pausing to consider. She crossed her arms, her expression exasperated. Just the thought of spending extended time with Alex, who already managed to get on her nerves in their brief interactions, made her groan internally. He''d likely drive her insane before she could teach him anything!

    "Well, I guess you can keep dreaming about getting your hands on that piano," Alex replied, his grin widening.

    Talia fell silent, her expression turning thoughtful. After a long pause, she asked, "Why does it have to be me? Surely, there are others who could teach you just as well��"

    "I heard you''re one of the best pianists of our generation," Alex interrupted smoothly. "If I''m going to learn, it has to be from the best."

    That wasn''t the whole truth, of course. The real reason was that this arrangement would give him plenty of opportunities to spend time with Talia and if things went his way, eventually fuck her.

    Talia let out a long, resigned sigh. "Fine. We have a deal."

    "Great!" Alex eximed, his grin taking on a mischievous edge. ''This is going to be fun,'' he thought to himself, licking his lips in anticipation.

    Talia shivered involuntarily at the sight of his expression. ''Did I just make the wrong decision?'' she wondered. ''No, I need that piano��it''s important. I''ll just have to survive his antics somehow.''

    "Now that we''ve agreed, hand over the piano," she demanded, holding out her hand expectantly.

    "Ah, ah, ah, things don''t work that way, dear Talia," Alex said with a smug smile. "We''ll start the piano lessons first. Once I feel I''ve reached a sufficient level of mastery, then you''ll get the piano."

    "And what guarantee do I have that you''ll actually give it to me when the timees?" Talia asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

    "You have my word," Alex replied confidently. "And if that''s not enough, these two can act as your witnesses," he added, gesturing toward Celine and Marina.

    "I''m certain the boss won''t cheat you," Marina said with a sly smile, leaning closer to Talia. "And if he does, just deny him your body when he sneaks into your roomte at night like today. Trust me, he''ll fold faster than a cheap chair."

    "Marina!" Talia eximed, her cheeks flushing bright red.

    Meanwhile, Alex burst outughing, thinking that maybe Marina''s advice might actuallye in handy for Talia in the future.

    ***

    "I will be taking my leave," Alex said, straightening up with a stretch.

    He had spent close to two hours in thepany of the girls, most of which were filled with incessant bickering with Talia. But now, it was time for him to go.

    The floating ball of smoke engulfed Alex, and a momentter, his whole body, except his head, was encased in an intimidating armor.

    "Good night, I guess," Celine chimed with a smile.

    "Next time, bring Amy along!" Marina called out, waving a hand casually.

    "Sure," Alex replied with a nod.

    He turned to nce at Talia, his lips curling into a mischievous grin. "Aren''t you going to bid me farewell?"

    All he received in answer was a stern "No."

    Chuckling, Alex closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, his face suddenly mere inches from hers. "Not even a good-bye kiss?" he teased.

    Surprised by his boldness and the sudden proximity, Talia heart skipped a beat, but the realization of what he was attempting snapped her back to reality. She instinctively pulled back and swung her hand toward him in a p. However, her palm hit nothing but air.

    As she was about to utter a barrage of insults his way, Talia stopped in her tracks as she realized that Alex was no longer in front of her��in fact, he had disappeared from her bedroom altogether.

    He had left.

    "The bastard!" she growled, stomping her foot in frustration. "He ran away!"

    She took a deep breath to calm herself, but when she gazed to the side and saw the smiling faces of Marina and Celine, Talia realized that she wouldn''t be able to maintain her calm for much longer.

    "Whatever you''re about to say, please...keep it to yourselves," she sighed, running a hand through her hair in exasperation.

    Both women exchanged amused nces before bursting intoughter.

    "So, you and Alex, huh?" Celine began, her tone dripping with mock curiosity. "How long has this been going on?"

    Talia shot her an irritated look, her eyes narrowing. "Since never. Nothing is going on between him and me," she snapped, her voice firm.

    "I don''t know," Marina interjected with a sly grin, tapping her chin as if in thought. "I''m pretty sure I saw you two pressed together earlier. Looked like a kiss to me."

    Talia whirled to face Marina, her face a mix of embarrassment and indignation. "There''s nothing going on between Alex and me, and for the record, I don''t even find him attractive!"

    Of course, she lied. There was no way she wouldn''t find the bastard attractive, but if this lie could get those two troublemakers off her back, then it would be the most useful lie she had ever uttered in her life.

    Marina and Celine exchanged a knowing look, their grins widening.

    "If she''s not interested," Marina began, her eyes twinkling with mischief, "I guess that means the road is clear for us, right?"

    "Absolutely," Celine agreed with a dreamy sigh, stars practically shining in her eyes. "We can have him all to ourselves."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 322 : Anomaly

    Chapter 322 : Anomaly

    "What the...," Talia stammered, her voiceced with shock, as her eyes darted between the two women.

    "What?" Marina said casually, a smirk tugging at her lips. "If you don''t want him, we do. Did you notice how handsome he was? There''s no way we''re letting him slip from our grasp!"

    "Well said," Celine chimed in, her green eyes shining with mischief as she nodded in agreement.

    "You two aren''t serious, right?" Talia asked, her tone incredulous.

    "Why wouldn''t we be?" the two replied in unison, looking at Talia as if she was the strange one.

    "You do remember that he is our cousin, right?" Talia shot back, exasperation clear in her voice.

    "Vaguely," they both responded nonchntly, shrugging in perfect sync.

    "And it doesn''t strike you as... a problem?" Talia pressed, rubbing her temples as a sudden headache began to take hold.

    "I mean, it''s not illegal or anything," Marina said with a dismissive shrug.

    "What about Amelia?" Talia asked, narrowing her eyes at the two. "He is her brother, after all, and you know better than anyone how insanely protective she is of him."

    The two exchanged a nce, their mischievous smiles growing wider. Turning back to Talia, they shrugged. "We''ll dodge that bullet when we get there," they stated in unison.

    "Why are you trying so hard to dissuade us, though?" Celine asked with a curious smile, tilting her head slightly. "Is it because you truly care about our family bond?"

    "Or," Marina added, her mischievous smile widening, "because you want him all to yourself?"

    Talia''s cheeks flushed crimson as she vehemently shook her head. "I already told you, I feel nothing for him!" she eximed.

    Yet, despite her protests, the wild pounding of her heart as she recalled the intense kiss they had shared moments ago told another story entirely.

    ****

    Unaware of the discussion the girls were having about him, Alex could be seen leaving the nobles'' district with a light smile under his mask.

    Although they spent most of their time together arguing or bickering, Alex was genuinely d to know that Talia was alright��not that he had any doubts about that.

    When his mind drifted back to the moment he entered her bedroom and found her naked, his cock couldn''t help but immediately stiffen.

    Her body was truly a feast for the eyes!

    ''I''m going to im her as mine,'' he decided, licking his lips in anticipation.

    ''In hindsight, Celine and Marina also aren''t so bad. Maybe I''ll add the two of them as well,'' he mused, chuckling to himself. ''If that happens, that means I will have seduced all the members of their little group.''

    A few minutester, he reached the matriarch''s mansion and returned to his room. Along the way, the guards made no attempt to stop him; they merely checked him briefly before letting him pass.

    ''For a day that started at noon, today was specifically eventful,'' Alex yawned.

    Amelia was already sleeping soundly when he returned, so he quietly undressed and slipped underneath the heavy nkets.

    The instant he did so, Amelia, still asleep, snuggled up to him. Her leg intertwined with his, her arms wrapped around him, and she ced her head on his torso, a peaceful smile appearing on her face.

    ''Too beautiful,'' Alex thought, his eyes softening and turning into loving orbs as he gazed at Amelia.

    Despite how much time had passed, his love for his sister never seemed to dwindle. In fact, the more time passed, the more he fell in love with her.

    Taking her in his warm embrace, Alex closed his eyes and immediately fell asleep.

    ***

    Early in the morning, before the first rays of sunlight could fully illuminate the city of Drisidd, Alex''s eyes fluttered open. He stretchedzily, letting out a soft, unhurried yawn as the quiet stillness of dawn surrounded him.

    He nced down at Amelia''s peaceful face, smiled, and gently kissed her on the forehead before carefully getting up and off the bed, making sure not to wake his sister.

    He would have loved to stay in bed a little longer, nestled against Amelia''s warmth, but there was no real need. His stamina was so high these days that he needed only a few hours at most to recuperate��as long as he wasn''t utterly drained, that is.

    Besides that, he also had his work cut out for him today. Since he had sessfully made a deal with the Drazen family to sell his potions, he now had to create said potions. He had several bottles of potions with him right now, but nearly not enough for all the enthusiasm his potions would generate among people once their existence was known.

    Fortunately, he had made sure to take thousands of containers for his smoke potions before leaving the mansion.

    Alex took a few minutes topletely stretch his muscles before sitting down, just a few meters away from the bed, on the wooden floor, in a meditating position. He took out a bottle containing the yellow healing smoke and unsealed it.

    Before the cloud of smoke had time to dissipate, Alex took control of it. Spending a little of his mana, he made the cloud grow and grow still until the whole room was filled with smoke. Of course, he made sure that the smoke came nowhere near Amelia so as not to disturb her sleep.

    He then retrieved several ss containers from his space ring, ced them before him, and began to fill them with the healing smoke potion, after making sure to enhance its healing potency to be above what a normal grade 3 healing potion could achieve.

    He repeated the same process for a good while before he deemed that he had made enough healing potions. He then began making his potions that alleviated one''s exhaustion.

    By the time Alex was done, more than two hours had passed, and he had sessfully made two hundred and fifty of each type of potion. He would have dly made more potions, but he simply couldn''t��not right now, that is.

    Although there was nothingplicated about the process of making smoke potions, it was still a process that cost him far more mana than Alex would like to spend otherwise.

    As the Smoke Sovereign, the act of expanding and enhancing the potency of smoke, although taxing in mana, wasn''t overly demanding. The real issue was that to perfectly encapste the smoke within the ss containers. To do so, Alex had to channel his mana directly into each bottle, and it was this precise step that heavily drained his reserves. If not for this, he could have probably created thousands of these potions in one sitting.

    ''It doesn''t matter that much though,'' Alex thought, a hint of exhaustion furrowing his brows. ''By the time we leave Drisidd, I will have made several thousand potions.''

    With the intensifying war at the borders of Imperion, thepetition to decide the heir of the Eswald family had been postponed. This meant Alex was no longer pressed for time and could spend more of it in Drisidd. He nned to use this time to properly train and create more smoke potions.

    However, he wouldn''t be spending all his time on training. He had other priorities, one of which was to learn and acquire knowledge to leave behind his previous state of cluelessness regarding topics that even random people knew.

    And he wasn''t going to hold back until he achieved that goal.

    With his mana reserves depleted and the sun barely beginning to rise, its faint light glittering on the snowy expanse surrounding the city, Alex found himself with nothing to do. So, he retrieved the stack of books Lilia had given him and carefully selected one to read.

    Usually, he would be reading about the various other races inhabiting Imperion and beyond. But today, his focus shifted to a specific set of books��those that explored the differences between known levels and sub-levels of power.

    By reading such books, Alex hoped to gain a clearer idea of how to gauge his strengthpared to others of the same or different levels. In a sense, he was a unique existence. Thanks to the lust artifact, he had physical abilities well beyond those of a mere level 4, and he wanted to pinpoint just how far beyond he truly was and where he stood inparison to others.

    Around thirty minutester, after going through dozens of books, Alex found what he was looking for. In fact, he found even more information than he had anticipated. The conclusion he came to was that he was indeed an anomaly strength-wise.

    However, he wasn''t the only anomaly recorded, and among anomalies, he wasn''t even close to being the strongest.

    In fact, even among those at level 4, he wasn''t at the top of the list!

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!