ă€ŠReincarnated as a step-dad in a fantasy worldă€‹


 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 clad 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 by comrades just as experienced as him, Jack led his unit through the perilous landscape.

    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 black 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 accomplished 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 former comrades 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 they come 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, "You lazy bunch, get off your asses and get moving! We don''t have much time!"

    The soldiers grumbled in dissatisfaction but still complied, aware that Paul''s words were accurate. 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 glance 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 relaxed. 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:ViiSiit  for latest novels

    "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 misplaced 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.

    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 was coming 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 particular 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 would come 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 it coming 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 exclaimed with a distorted smile. "I needed to climb the ladder, and you were becoming 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 accomplished this mission, I would become 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, replaced 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 glare.

    "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 place like pieces of puzzles, forming a whole picture.

    "It seems that you finally connected the dots. Too bad it''s too late," 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 blank, as if he had entered a realm beyond reality. He sat up, contemplating 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 flawless, unblemished skin exuded an otherworldly radiance, and his immaculate 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 playful smile, the man introduced himself, "I am Alexandre Eswald, you can call me alex. The reason why we both find ourselves in this blank 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 know later".

    As the blank space seemed to envelop them in silence, alex revealed an astonishing proposal.He explained that through his power, the "soul linkage," Jack''s soul could be reincarnated into alex''s body. This revelation left Jack bewildered and anxious.

    Seeking clarity, 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."

    "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 the last one is my blood daughter. But since I raised all of them from their childhood, I consider them all as my own," explained 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 contemplated 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 revelation 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 your last 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 explain it once you decide to accept my offer. So, what will it be? Are you on board or not?"

    Jack paused briefly, thinking before responding with unwavering determination, "Yes, I accept."

 Chapter 3 : System

    Chapter 3 : System

    Jack accepted Alex''s proposal, yet, as soon as he accepted, a question arose in Jack''s mind, and he turned to Alex, seeking clarity, "You mentioned that I must also have sexual relationships 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 relationships with the most powerful women in your world if I am weaker than them? They won''t even give me a second glance."

    Alex smiled at jack and said "don''t worry I have a gift for you that will help you to become 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 fortuneˇŞmedicaments 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,"

    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 process completed, 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 accepted the opportunity to become 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 particularly impressive. According 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 become strong to live a peaceful life.

    Jack also learned how Alex had died. According 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 explained 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, but lacking 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, displaying:The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

    [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.

    [Relationships and encounters before the activation of the system are not accounted 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''m coming for you, and this same forest will be your final resting place," 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 become 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 village as he emerged from the woods. It was the village of Elmdale, the place he had decided to settle with his family.

    However, instead of heading directly to the village, 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 village, his home resembled more of a grand mansion. The estate was vast, built to accommodate 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, "Welcome back, master." Alex glanced 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 accentuated 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 moments later, 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.

    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, he laid 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 flaming 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 occasion 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 gladly 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~

    He kissed her breast one last 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 place 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 the last 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 played 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 blank and all she could think of was her husband pleasuring her. Alex also started stimulating 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 splashed 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''t lack 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 placed

    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~

    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 turned completely 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 ejaculated 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 just laid 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 continue later''

 Chapter 8 : Statuses

    Chapter 8 : Statuses

    Alex woke up an hour later 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 glanced 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:

    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 relationship 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 accelerating 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.

    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 penetrating 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.

    *slap* *slap*

    The only sound one could hear from the room was the sound of flesh hitting flesh, with lilia becoming 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)

    *slap*slap*slap*

    "Aaannh~aaanhh~aannn~dear~"

    The only sounds one could hear in the room was the sound of flesh slapping 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 penetrated 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 collapsed on the bed.

    Due to lilia collapsing 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 that later, 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.

    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 penetrated 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.

    *slap*slap*slap*slap*

    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 one last time and cumming in her womb, painting it white.

 Chapter 11 : Dinner

    Chapter 11 : Dinner

    Alex woke up after their earlier escapade, glanced outside, and realized it was almost night.

    "Hmm... We really did that all day, huh?" Beside him lay 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 exclaimed, "Oh my god, it''s late!"

    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 plan for the upcoming meeting next month.

    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 plan 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 who commanded attention in her elegant red dress. Her figure was graceful, accentuating enviable curves, fuller hips, and generous breasts, yet her attire was provocative without being indecent, perfectly complementing 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 black suit adorned with silver accents, 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 black shoes completed his impeccably refined attire, showcasing his commanding 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, displaying:

    [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?''

    [...]

    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 quickly composed 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 young ladies 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 minutes later, 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 welcome 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 had last 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 of comfort 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 explained 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 these last few months."

    Still in her sulk, Viviane retorted, "Hmph, even with work, you could''ve visited me."

    Seeing that Viviane was still pouting, Alex playfully said, "How about I make it up to you by spending an entire day with just us?"Upstodatee from

    Hearing Scarlett''s absence, Alex chuckled and commented, "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 displayed 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 her later 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 the company of these two women clinging to his arms, Alex regained his composure 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, "Welcome, 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 she lacked 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 accentuated by a sense of grace that accompanied her every movement.

    Their relationship 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 display 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 relationship,'' 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 was coming 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, come 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, Alex composed 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 they completely separated, Alice whispered one last thing in his ear.

    "We''ll continue this discussion later."

    As they broke away, Alice planted 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 planted a kiss on his cheek. In response, Alice remarked, "Very infantile."

    In response, Viviane stuck her tongue out at her.

    "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 relationships 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 exclaimed, "Motherf*cker."

 Chapter 16 : Girls (4)

    Chapter 16 : Girls (4)

    Without meaning to, Alex exclaimed 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 welcome 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 accumulate 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 contemplate 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?"

    ***

    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 become 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, welcome."

    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 place resembled a laboratory 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 glasses she wore enhanced her charm and accentuated her beauty. They perched on her nose, giving her a natural symmetry of her face.

    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 relationships with the girls are all quite different,'' Alex pondered.

    Indeed, his relationship 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, occasionally 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 relationship 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 contemplation about his relationships 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 like lanterns, and she quickly approached Alex, exclaiming, "Really? Let''s try it!"

 Chapter 18 : Explanation

    Chapter 18 : Explanation

    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 exclaimed, 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? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

    The way Scarlett was looking at him annoyed him a bit, but he calmed himself and explained, "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 exclaimed 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 resultsˇŞ"

    "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.

    "Truly fascinating! It can quantify your abilities!" Scarlett exclaimed 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 explaining 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 particular ''activities,'' and with these points, I can increase the ability I want."

    He wanted to explain everything to her, but he hesitated to tell her how he earned these points. He even wished she wouldn''t ask him how.

    Alas...

    "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 relations with women."

    Scarlett''s eyes widened slightly, and she responded with a simple, "Oh."

    Following Alex''s unexpected revelation, 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 exclaimed.

    Alex, slightly taken aback by her nonchalant 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.

    "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... So come 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.

    Alas, If only he knew.

 Chapter 20 : Itâ€™ll be different

    Chapter 20 : ItˇŻll be different

    Arriving at a large 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 explained.

    "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 succeeding 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.

    The punching bag shook for a moment before coming to a stop. Together, Alex and Scarlett looked at the number displayed 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 abilities comparable 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.

    Hearing the confirmation that he could increase his strength later, Alex didn''t hesitate for a second to make his decision. It would be foolish to refuse. Just as he was preparing to explain the new situation to Scarlett, another message from the system appeared.

    [I should clarify that reconstructing your body will be extremely painful.]

    ''How painful?''

    [To rebuild your body, I will have to destroy it down to the cellular level before recreating it, so it will be very painful.]

    Alex was sure he felt a viciousness coming from the system when it said the last 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 pain compared to that?

    Shortly after, he explained 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 plan on dying, so

    there''s no need to worry them for no reason."

    "Okay."

    "Now that everything''s settled, let''s begin."The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

 Chapter 22 : Pain

    Chapter 22 : Pain

    "Is there a place 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.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

    "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 patientsˇŞor 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 guessˇŞit''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.

    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 the largest units, went through this harrowing process.

    After a while, even his screams ceased. His vocal cords had been completely 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 place 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, becoming 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 become 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 related to those senses were being reforged.

    "What is this?" Scarlett wondered, seeing some sort of black 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:

    [Process complete]

    With these liberating words, the system''s voice seemed angelic to Alex''s ears at that moment.

    "Hah...hah...hah...hah..."

    Alex''s breathing was labored. He had survived, but he felt an immeasurable fatigue. He grinned a victorious grin before finally passing out, but not before he had succeeded.

    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 exclaimed, 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.

    ***Upstodatee from ... Where am I?'' Alex wondered as he opened his eyes, not recognizing the place 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.

    ''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 explained.

    ''I see... wait a minute... If I understand your explanation 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 displaying 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 eyesˇŞan hope that he could now become stronger.

    In fact, he was going to start right now.

    "Allocate two soul points to each of my stats"

 Chapter 24 : Does that meanâ€¦.

    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 penetrate his body and disperse throughout every nook and cranny. This sensation lasted for a few seconds before fading.

    [It''s done], the system said once the sensation had faded.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

    "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]

    To advance from one level to another, absorbing monster cores was crucial, but having the talent to access 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, come 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 explain 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 increased compared 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 planning

    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 become 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 the last time, your body released some kind of black liquid. Do you know what that was?"

    "What is she talking about?" Alex asked in turn, addressing the system.

    [The black 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 explaining to Scarlett what the black 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, "How come 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."

    ''She''s right,''Alex thought before proposing another deal.

    "Okay, let''s do this: if you join me for dinner tonight, I promise to come 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 voice coming 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 planning 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... muscular ?''

    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.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

    ''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?"

    "Great!" Alex said before asking, "Why did you come 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 young lady Scarlett. She said that your mother and younger sister will arrive soon."

    "Understood. You can tell her that I''m coming," Alex said, removing his arm from around Anna''s waist but not before giving her a peck on the cheek.

    "Alex!" she exclaimed before quickly turning around and walking away, her face still flushed.

    When he finished laughing, Alex entered the library and found Scarlett descending the stairs. She was wearing a purple dress that complemented her hair and showcased her curves.

    Alex was mesmerized as he watched her come 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 playing 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 delays," Alex replied, scratching his head.

    "What kind of delays?" Lilia inquired.

    Just as Alex was about to use the excuse he had come up with on their way back, Scarlett interjected into the discussion, "Cut him some slack, 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.

    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-in-law?'' 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 black 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 beautifully complemented her stunning eyes. Her figure was voluptuous, with large 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 exclaimed 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 relationship with Amelia, or Amy as he liked to call her, was quite special. In fact, their relationship had long transcended the typical sibling bond.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

    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 relationship go beyond just kissing, and when he married Lilia, he put an end to this relationship he had with his sister, despite her strong objections.

    ''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 become an emperor in his life. However, since his talent test and everything that followed, he had come 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 playfully 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 into laughter.

    ''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 alarming."

 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.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

    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 playfully. 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 in combat together. So for Amy they were friends.

    "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 FioreˇŞthe empire where their family residedˇŞto 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 moment later, Lilia asked, "But what does this have to do with the rest of the family not being able to come until next week?" By "family members," Lilia was referring to the members of their branch of the family.

    Ava glanced 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 accept 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.Upstodatee from

    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 accept that Alex''s father would become 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 becoming the head, stating, "It''s unacceptable for such a weak and good-for-nothing person to become 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.

    "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 the competition to become 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 plan to compete against the others? Just so you know, all participants are at level 4. How do you intend to fight them, givenˇŞ" 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 explanation 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 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 plan 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 claimed 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 becomes capable of absorbing large amounts of mana. That''s also why it takes decades, even for talented individuals, to reach higher levels. Considering what I just explained 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 explained. 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 explained 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.

    "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 the competition to determine the future heir of the Eswald family will take place, 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 remained composed, 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 plagues it.''

    Seeing that the mood was darkening, Amy suggested, "What if we talked about how the mini-competition within the family is going to play out instead?"

    "You are right," Lilia said, also wanting to change the subject.

    So, for over an hour, Alex and his family discussed the competition, as well as various other topics, relaxing and knowing that the coming 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, lay a cave. At first glance, 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.

    Moments later, a man with jet-black hair emerged from the portal. His features remained elusive, hidden beneath the hood of a long, dark robe resembling those often worn by scholarly 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 black 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-haired companion.

    "But it saved our lives, so maybe you should be thanking me instead of complaining," 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 black 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 how come you failed this simple mission?"

    "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 black hair remained still, wearing a solemn expression, while the others had already started moving.

    "What''s got you so serious?" inquired one of his companions.

    "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 accomplish 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 into laughter.

    "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 succeeds," muttered the man with black 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 accompany him so they could return to their rooms, where he intended to explain 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 glance 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 minutes later, 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.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

    ''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.

    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 playing 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!" exclaimed 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 placed her on the table once they reached it. After placing 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 playing with Anna''s breasts like some kid.

    Mmm~

    Meanwhile, Anna started moaning again the moment Alex took hold of her breasts.

    He played 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.

    Anh~

    Anna clutched Alex''s hair as her body squirmed from the constant electrifying sensation she was feeling from his mouth playing 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 to last 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 stimulating her cute little clitoris area while starting to eat her pussy more furiously.

    That combination 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 exclaimed:

    "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 her come back for more later. 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 sounding commanding and teasing at the same tjuime.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

    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.

    Gently, he directed his attention toward his cock, which was throbbing continually, like inviting those lips to embrace it.

    Just before penetrating 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 penetrating 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 accustomed 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 become 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."

    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 a commanding 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''t coming" 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 exclaimed:

    "Oh, I almost forgot"

    She shot a glance 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''s last remark.ViiSiit  for latest novels

    "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 exclaimed 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 explaining 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 play 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 playing with her because the games never lasted. At those times, the only one willing to play with her was Alex. That''s why he scolded himself when he remembered that she had those eyes. He was the one who comforted her when her eyes became a burden, so how could he forget?

    ''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 relationship was, how-]

    "Okay, okay, I get it. There are several factors at play."

    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 minutes later, 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 were coming, 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 would come 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 flash her an annoyed glance.

    "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 play with you two, hence the reason why I acted as thought I couldn''t see you" said Anna in a playful 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 ?"

    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 uncomfortable. There was something in her gaze that was disturbing.

    If Anna could read his thoughts right now, she would burst into laughter. 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, Alice lay down on her bed and started giggling.

    "That look on his face when I said I wanted him was absolutely hilarious," she exclaimed while laughing.ViiSiit  for latest novels

    After some time, she calmed down and started remembering what had happened during the last hour.

    ***

    While the glance Alex shot at Anna before leaving the meeting room was subtle, Alice noticed it but didn''t say anything.

    A few minutes later, 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 minutes later, 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 moaning coming 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 particular.

    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?"

    "Oh, I almost forgot"

    She shot a glance 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 penetrate 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 replacing 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 playing 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 : Sinâ€™s Game (1)

    Chapter 41 : SinˇŻs 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 bed combing her hair.

    Alex walked to his wife''s side and gave her a small peck on her cheek before sitting behind her and starting to comb 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 flabbergasted. 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?"Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

    Lilia narrowed her eyes further before smiling warmly and exclaiming happily, "Okay."

    ''cute.''

    Alex combed 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 placed her down before sitting in front of her with a serious look.

    At this point in the story, he thought she would make a comment, but contrary to his expectations, she didn''t do anything to stop him. In fact, she didn''t speak at all.

    Nevertheless, Alex continued, explaining 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 become more powerful.

    When he finished talking and glanced 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 become 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 become 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 : Sinâ€™s Game (2)

    Chapter 42 : SinˇŻs 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 explain 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 something completely different.

    "Yes."

    "But in danger from whom? Who would want to harm us?"

    "Those who possess artifacts similar 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 explain everything in detail," Lilia said, holding her head and sensing a massive headache coming 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."Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com

 Chapter 43 : Sinâ€™s Game (3)

    Chapter 43 : SinˇŻs Game (3)

    "Killing each other? Why?"Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

    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 become 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.

    However, how could there exist something like that, the artifact indeed had its drawbacks, one of them being involved in this accursed 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 become 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 become aware by now, but these, in particular, 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?"Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com

    "Pfft... Hahaha, only you would pay attention to such details at a time like this," said Lilia, bursting into laughter. Her laughter sounded so angelic and sweet that Alex was tempted to keep making jokes just to hear her laugh.

    "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 you land where you would be the lord, simply because you have reached level 5.

    So hearing that there were organizations where the minimum level for acceptance 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.

    "N-No."

    "Oh my god, you are really crying!" exclaimed Lilia, bursting into laughter 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 a complete 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''s laughter, and he smirked mischievously. He approached her ear and whispered, "Laugh while you still can because tonight, you won''t get a single second to laugh."

    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 hilarious. 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 playful 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 plan 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.''Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

    [Are you sure?]

    ''Yes, do it.''

    "Hello"

    "Hmm, Master ? What are you doing here this late 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 him completely, she then couldn''t help herself from exclaiming 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 this late at night" said Alex seductively, wrapping his hands around Anna''s waist after he closes the door.

    "What are you doing here this late? 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 blank, 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 might come to bit her later.

    "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 playing 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 hair lay 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 to come 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 : Itâ€™s time (R-18)

    Chapter 46 : ItˇŻs time (R-18)

    "So big..." marvelled Anna at the sight of Alex''s hard cock.

    Alex got on the bed and planted 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 planted 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.

    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" exclaimed 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, placing 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 becoming 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 claim 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 instead laid 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" exclaimed 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 penetrate her yet, no, he instead used his cock to gently stimulate 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 relaxed again, then he resumed to thrusting till he felt something obstructing him.

    Alex stimulated 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" exclaimed 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.

    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~" exclaimed 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 blank.

    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.

    *Slap*slap*slap*

    The slapping 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~" exclaimed 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 he laid 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 glanced 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 become 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 exceedingly complicated 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.

    "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 nonchalantly.

    "You might not care, but people will, what would happen to your reputation if people were to know that you have a relationship with one of the maids"

    Hearing her, Alex couldn''t help himself from bursting of laughter, "hahahahaha...."

    He laughed so hard that the bed was starting to shake.

    "What is so funny ?" Asked Anna that was confused about what was making Alex laugh.

    "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 become 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 become much stronger than before, if that''s the case, everything will happen as I said and people will mock you for being with a commoner 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 every single one of them live hell"

    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)

    *clap*clap*clap*

    A clapping sound reverberated in Anna''s room as Alex took her from behind, driving his cock fiercely in her dripping cunt that was constantly splashing love juice all over his balls.

    "Anh...Anh...Anh...mmm~"

    Amidst the clapping 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 while laying down next to her.

    Hearing him confess his love for her made Anna, still reeling in the sensation of orgasm, immediately sober up.

    Alex then moved his hand down till he felt a little bud and started stimulating it using his finger''s.

    Mmmm~

    The sensation of Alex playing with her clit coupled to the sensation of being penetrated while someone might see them made Anna reach the pinnacle of pleasure, and she orgasmed by releasing a flood of love juice that splashed on the window.

    "That was...hah...hah...intense~" said Anna with a labored breathing.

    "Yeah, but we are not done here" replied Alex before reaching down and raising her up while outstretching her legs towards the glass 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 penetration, thus when he thrust his dick into Anna''s moist cave she felt the head of his dick kissing her womb and trying to penetrate 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 played 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 penetrated 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.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com

    "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.

    "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 and laying next to her to rest a little.

    Minutes later, 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 glass window, they caressed Alex''s face, coaxing him awake from his slumber.

    ''Hmm... it''s already morning ?'' Wondered Alex with a muddled expression, after last night intense exercise he felt a little tired despite his increased stamina.

    He felt a gentle movement on his torso and glanced 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 becoming 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 the coming competition.

    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.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

    ''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 glanced 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 :

    [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 manipulate 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 Assimilation: allows the user to assimilate with their abilities.]

    "Is this even real?" Alex wondered aloud, completely 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 contemplated 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 playfully 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, "How come 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?'' contemplated 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 explained 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.

    "Is she okay with that?"

    "Yep."

    Hearing his last 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 particularly. 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 are late for your work."

    It wasn''t until Alex hinted at it that Anna finally glanced 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 was late.

    ''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 : Youâ€™ll need it

    Chapter 53 : YouˇŻll need it

    As Alex was still laying 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 quite late 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 was late 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 planned for the coming 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.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

    She approached and, with a smile on her face, planted a kiss on his cheek before exiting her room.

    ***

    Two hours later, Alex awoke from his slumber, took a bath and dressed up and exited Anna''s bedroom.

    "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 become a level one" continued Ava with a serious expression, making Alex understand that she wasn''t playing 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 become stronger or even how he needed to sleep with women to become stronger.

    Much to his surprise, Ava didn''t appear as shaken as he had expected. In fact, she even sought clarification 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 become 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 plan," 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 glance.

 Chapter 54 : Cold expression

    Chapter 54 : Cold expression

    Alex got up from the bed and planned to leave when he stopped and asked Ava "where is Amy ?"

    "Well, we are planning to go to the nearby city and spend time with the girls, we will come 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 the competition, 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.

    However, his smile froze when he heard Lilia say with a cold but calm tone "you are late"

    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 display 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 to come 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 she comes, we have already lost enough time as is"

    ''Sh*t''

    Seeing that whatever he was going to say would save him for what was to come, 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"

    "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 accomplish break the common sense even if we take in account 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 the last 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 power that 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 accepted 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 occupying 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 relation 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 accept, especially since the Lust artifact should have no business having healing properties."

    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 her composure 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 play. 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"Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

 Chapter 57 : Soul-related ability

    Chapter 57 : Soul-related 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.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com

    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 accept 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-related 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-related 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 become more powerful, even if you had a poor talent"

    "..."

    Seeing that he didn''t seem to believe her, Lilia clarified, "the advantage I''m talking about is that those who have soul related abilities naturally have a sturdier, deeper and bigger souls than normal people''s"

    "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 to come 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 related 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 related 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 the competition 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.

    "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 minutes later, 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 similar 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.

    Seconds later, 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 glass shattering and a moment later 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 moment latter 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 glasses 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 accomplish 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!" Exclaimed 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 organsˇŞmostly the heartˇŞcan''t keep absorbing mana. If that person persists and continues absorbing mana, they would die, or in extreme cases, explode," Scarlett glanced 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''s comparable 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, orˇŞ"

    "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 hilarious to mess with her''.

    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 glanced 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 become 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 was compelled to kiss him.

    His whole face gained a sort of sharpness that wasn''t there before, making him become like a work of art, and like it wasn''t enough, his flawless, 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 succumbed 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 embarrassed ladies, 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, "Congratulations 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 your combat 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".

    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 clash.

    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 enough to 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 display 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 to completely 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''t completely 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 in combat, 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, particularly the part of Jack Green that composed 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 planned 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 even comprehend 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 success.

    Just then, he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

    Seeing the relief on Scarlett''s face as she got up, Lilia exclaimed 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 was laying 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 was laying 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 successfully 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 black 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 never landed. Instead, he felt a sudden jolt of pain originating from his leg, causing him to momentarily lose balance and lower his arms. A split moment later, 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.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

    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 still laying on the ground, Alex.

    "A pity Scarlett didn''t come with us," said Amelia.

    "There was no way that bookworm would have joined us for something like shopping," replied Alice with a chuckle.

    "Welcome 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 explained.

    "Oh, let''s go see!" Viviane exclaimed 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 them completely 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 a combat 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 was laying 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 be comical 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 from laughter 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"Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

    "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 the last 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 it comes to fighting, but she didn''t stop Lilia nevertheless and continued listening.

    "However, I still think that his current body plays a role in his fast growth, at the start, he couldn''t even resist three exchanges before collapsing, but now he can last at least a few dozens"

    Ava whistled and said, "He can last 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 these last 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 accustomed 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 manipulation. With each spar we had, his manipulation 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 manipulation and technique grow the more he fights."

    Hearing this Ava fell silent for a moment before asking "do you think he could win the competition 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 "becoming 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 occurred 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 the competition?"

    ''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 the last 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 personality completely 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.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

    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 occasionally gently biting his lips, before invading Alex''s mouth again and starting to play 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.

    "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 regret later 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 relationship 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 the last 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 might later 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 place 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 playfully 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 placed 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.

    The lavishly designed space boasted a center stage occupied by a bathtub, generously sized to comfortably accommodate at least 10 people.

    Alex walked towards the bathtub, filled it with hot water before stepping into it.

    "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, accompanied by a subtle splashing sound.

    A moment later, 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.

    "Welcome-" 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 stimulating his gland.

    "But you don''t need to worry, no man beside you has ever touched me, what I know mostly comes 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 relationship, 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" Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

    A moment later 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 penetrated 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 then combed 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.

    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 placed her over his shoulder, but she didn''t complaint 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.

    *Slap*

    "Good girl" said Alex as he gave her a slap 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 plastered 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, collarbone, 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 place 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.

    "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 in laughter, 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 to comfort 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 was completely 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 relationship 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 blame, all she said back then was just her teasing him.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

    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.

    *clap*clap*clap*

    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.

    "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 flashed 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 penetrate 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 penetrating 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 penetrated 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 glanced 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 moment later, they distanced their faces from each other to breathe, but still didn''t stop their bodies motion.

    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!" Exclaimed 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 clapping 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 to come~" 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 moment later, Alex also grunted and released his essence inside his sister.

    Amelia slumped on his chest as the both of them breathed with labored breathing.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

    "Was it...the tenth...or eleventh this time ?" Asked Amelia, still laying above Alex.

    "I really... don''t know" replied Alex.

    Since their first time becoming 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 those last hours he had come 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 had come 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.

    "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!" Exclaimed Amelia as she glared 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 I come from, it''s not uncommon for family members to marry in order to preserve the purity of their bloodline," explained Lilia.

    "I see" replied Amelia before asking the most important question that was on her mind, "you won''t ask us to stop our relationship 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 relationship 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 explain to you later" 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-" exclaimed, 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.

    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''t completely 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 a combustion or vaporization of certain materials, making it a secondary and derivative manifestation in the elemental hierarchy, why it''s low level" explained 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 seconds later.

    "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 plan 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!" exclaimed 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 these last 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 blame 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.

    ***

    ''Hey system, I want to copy Lilia''s smoke ability''

    [Are you-]

    ''Yes, unseal and copy it''

    [Unsealing smoke ability...]

    [Unsealing complete]

    [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 aloneˇŞsimultaneously, as the process commenced, 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 was coming 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 moments later, he felt his soul being stitched back together. After it was complete, he collapsed 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 place, 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 explain 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 blame 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 place:

    [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~]

    ''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 playful, but Alex''s instincts were screaming to him that the owner of this voice was dangerous.

    Soul Points: 40]

    Just seeing "smoke" in his abilities, a big grin appeared on his face as he said to Lilia, "The copy was successful, 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 manipulate 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 becoming 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 explained to her what the new description of the ability said, and at the end of his explanation both Lilia at Scarlett next to her seemed shocked.

    After a moment, Lilia released a soft laugh.

    "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 manipulate 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 explain the difference, contrary to the description given to my smoke ability, here it says that you can manipulate all 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''s lack 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 manipulate smoke and being able to manipulate all kinds of smoke"

    "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 become 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 become 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 becomes 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 places, and there is even one such place on this continent and you''re already familiar with it, maybe you could visit it later and try your luck" said Lilia with a wide mischievous smile.

    "One place where one can boost his soul, there is no such-" as he was about to finish his sentence, one such place came to his mind, making him shudder as he exclaimed:

    "No, no, no, there is no f*ucking way I''m going to that cursed place!"

 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 place you are talking about?" Asked curiously Scarlett.

    "The place 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," explained 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 to come back alive, people are just saying nonsense, I''m telling you!" Exclaimed 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 manipulate 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.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

    "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:

    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," explained 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 manipulate the smoke element. To achieve this, they used devices created by Scarlett.

    Those device released smoke and were placed 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, placing 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 uncommon 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 itâ€™s time

    Chapter 78 : Till itˇŻs 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 manipulate 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 manipulate is more than the number of attributed smoke that person use we will assume that you can effectively manipulate all kinds of smoke, for now" explained Lilia.

    "Who holds the record of being able to manipulate 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 manipulate 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, manipulating 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 manipulate 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 exclaimed 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.

    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!" Exclaimed 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 the competition to begin".

 Chapter 79 : New arrivals

    Chapter 79 : New arrivals

    "With what will we start ?" Asked Alex.

    "Since your manipulation 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" explained 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 explained, "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 become a monster after three whole days of training'' thought Lilia with a faint pleased smile.

    ***

    One day later

    ''Guess I won''t escape it'' sighed Amelia.

    Together, the girls made their way out of the mansion, and waited for the carriage to come.

    Minutes later, a white large carriage pulled by two white pegasi landed 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:

    "welcome mother"

    Then she asked, "Weren''t you supposed to come in two days ?"

    "Ah yes that was the arrangement, but I was bored, so I decided to come 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 7 last 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 become a level 6, it becomes 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 voice coming from the carriage.

    A few seconds later, 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 hair complemented her appearance, and she wore a flowing black gown that harmonized with her hair, accentuating her captivating presence.

    She may look like the serious type of person ˇŞ which she quite frankly was ˇŞ but paradoxically, her favorite person in the family was Alex, who happened to be the most lazy.

    Their relationship was something that, until now, many didn''t understand. Eleanor was a woman who despised the concept of lazing 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 family competition had taken place a couple of years ago, she might have participated. If that were the case, she would surely have become the next heir of the Eswald family.

    People couldn''t understand how such a woman could be affectionate toward a lazy 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 a late 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 the last.

    "He is training because he intends to become the head of our branch."Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

 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 become the head of their branch was even more shocking, as it implied another thing:

    He wanted to participate in the upcoming competition 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 started laughing uproariously.

    "Finally! That lazy 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 ''lady-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 glare toward her; even her daughter was glaring at her frown.

    "...."

    "...."

    ''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 become 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 and company 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 : Nebula 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 seated comfortably, 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 was coming.

    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.

    "It''s just been a few hours, so-"

    "STOP!" Exclaimed Grace, making Lilia and Ava shut up as they were surprised by her outburst.

    "Mind explaining to the rest of us what you two are talking about? What are those "nebula stones" you are talking about, and what is going on with Alex, why did you say that he might miss the competition..." Grace fired question after question.

    Lilia and Ava looked at each other before nodding their heads.

    Lilia pointed at the rectangular-shaped gray stones, then explained:

    "Those stones are called the nebula stones, where I come from, they are essentially used to boost one elemental affinity".

    When they heard the explanation, 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 nebula 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 related to that element comes 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" explained Lilia

    "I see, that would explain 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.

    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 become 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 become 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 will come out from this state before the competition, 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 months later 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 to come out, in fact..."

    Lilia smiled faintly then continued :

    "... I believe that it won''t take him more than a few hours to come out".

 Chapter 84: Classic and sovereign route

    Chapter 84: Classic 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 had completely 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 becoming 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 explained the method he could use to augment his affinity when in this situation.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    "If you want to take the sovereign route, there are three steps that you need to complete" 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 would completely 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 you completely, 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 this last 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"

    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 succumb will be the winner" explained 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 the last 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 enslave 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 become 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 nebula stones and placed 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 classic route, he knew very well his wife and understood that she wouldn''t in no way settle with the classic 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 become a true sovereign".

 Chapter 86 : Strange

    Chapter 86 : Strange

    "Haha, if so, then as your husband, I will also be gunning to become a true sovereign".

    ''I said that I will also become 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 becoming 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 thing comforting 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 he completely loses his ability even if he severed the chain linking him to it.

    He kept lamenting 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.

    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 relationship but one of master and slave.

    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 played 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, becoming his subordinate, slave or whatever he wanted it to be, but instead of him being glad 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...

    "You are quite a strange one, you took the sovereign route, yet, it seems that you can''t bring yourself to enslave me".

 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.

    "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".

    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.

    "Don''t worry, I''m not here to stop anything"

    ''Wait, you can read my thoughts ?''

    "We are in your consciousness, so it''s normal that I hear everything that you think"

    ''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 becoming 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''

    "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" 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-''

    "What are you thinking about ?"

    ''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.

    "Hmm, I think that you are wrong, sometimes you might activate your ability even if you don''t do it consciously"

    ''But, why would it activate, though?'' Questioned Alex.

    "I think I get, from what you explained, your ability allows you to link your soul with that of another being, right?"

    ''Yes''

    "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 extrapolation, we can infer that our souls came in contact when you interacted with my wisp of consciousness."

    ''What you mean is that my ability kicked in at that moment and tried to link our souls together?''

    "Bingo"

    ''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 become 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 become a real true sovereign?'' shamelessly asked Alex.

    "...."

    There was some silence after Alex asked the spirit of smoke how to become 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 spirit laugh.

    "Hahaha, I like your shamelessness, human, but unfortunately you can''t become a true sovereign, you don''t meet the requirements"

    ''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 become a true sovereign in the future.

    "You are not going to let go of the thought of becoming a true sovereign, huh?" Chuckled the spirit.

    ''Nope'' replied Alex without hesitation.

    "Hmm, I like your spirit" said the spirit before disclosing :

    "Beside the approval of the spirit, there''s only one requirement to be a true sovereign: being at level 8"

    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 become a true sovereign the requirement was to become a level 8 was pretty shocking, and it was also disappointing as it really meant that he couldn''t become a true sovereign for now.

    However, Alex''s disappointment didn''t last 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.

    "...."

    "Human, I said that I liked your shamelessness, that doesn''t mean you should abuse it," said the spirit with an annoyed tone.

    ''Sorry'' apologized Alex.

    One couldn''t really blame 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''

    "In other words, you are asking me to bet on you ?"

    ''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 spirit laughed again, then asked :

    "I can wish anything?"

    ''As I said, you can ask anything as long as it doesn''t go against my principles'' answered Alex.

    "Haha, human, you don''t know what kind of promise you just made, but..."

    "...You have a deal"

 Chapter 89 : Birth of a sovereign

    Chapter 89 : Birth of a sovereign

    ''Yes!'' Exclaimed Alex, hearing the smoke spirit approval.

    ''Come on, let''s start right now''

    "Hold your horses, before we start, I want to make something clear for you".

    ''What is it ?''

    "You need to understand that becoming a true sovereign may bring you some unwarranted attention and you may be confronted to a lot of trouble by becoming a true sovereign," warned the smoke spirit.

    ''What kind of troubles ?''

    "I don''t know" answered nonchalantly the spirit.

    ''So, you say that I might find myself in troubles by becoming a true sovereign, yet you are not sure about the specific nature of those troubles, is that correct ?'' Asked Alex incredulously.

    "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 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''

    "Well, suit yourself, anyway, let''s begin the process".

    ''What do I need to do ?''

    "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." explained the spirit.

    Everyone on the continent suddenly halted their activities, whether it was women cooking, children playing, 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 presenceˇŞa 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 light laugh 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 glanced 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 glanced at his colleagues behind him.

    They have been summoned to the throne room the moment the smoke started to coalesce to form those pillars.

    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.

    They were currently on another shopping spree with Grace, Ava, Amelia and Anna.

    Candace didn''t come 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 flashed with a blinding white light, and simultaneously, a mark appeared at the back of his hand, flashing 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 glanced 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, undulating 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 black color, now it looked just like a tattoo.

    As he was admiring the symbol, Lilia quickly approached him, crouched and placed 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 occurred.

    "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 explained 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 explain everything that occurred 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.

    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..."

    *Slap*

    Alex slapped 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 claiming that ass" replied Alex with a grin.

    "Hmm, why are you so sure of yourself ?" Asked Lilia curiously.

    "You will see later, 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 succeed, 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 the competition, 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 day later

    Very early in the morning, as the sun rose, a line of large 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.T/his chapter is updated by

    The trail of carriages arrived minutes later at just at the entrance of the mansion where Candace, Ava, Eleanor, Lilia and all of Alex''s daughters were waiting as a committee of welcome.

    Meanwhile, Grace could be seen laying on a nearby chair with black sunglasses on.

    She didn''t even bother to look towards the carriages that just arrived, all the more so going to welcome those that had come, and why would she do so ? She was the head of the branch, she wasn''t supposed to be the one to welcome 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.

    "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 a latecomer.

    "Where is sh-" before he could finish his sentence, Candace pointed to Grace laying 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 sunglasses 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 the competition 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 the competition"

    Grace looked towards who said this and when she saw who it was she scowled.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    "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 always come 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, ladies, we are not here to fight - beside those participating in the competition -, 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 the competition" said Madison.

    "I also think the same" supported Abigail.

    Seeing that everyone was hell-bent on starting with the competition, Grace shrugged her shoulders.

    "If you want, we can start with the competition"

    "Good, let''s go" said Adrian.

    With Grace at the front, the large group of people made their way around the mansion, where a kind of arena was set up for this kind of occasion.

    "Firstly, the number one genius of our branch, Jonathan" said Talia while pointing her finger to a tall man with broad shoulders and black 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 place".

    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 accepted 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 this competition" 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 the competition, step forward!" Exclaimed 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 the competition 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.

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com

    Everyone looked at Grace with speechless expressions, including those from the older generation, before laughter suddenly echoed in the air.

    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 extre?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, coming to a battle competition 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?" Exclaimed 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 after coming 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 that come with a price. If he becomes 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 become a laughingstock for allowing such a person to become 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 the competition. Like earlier, many people supported him; however, this time there was a second group that was against such a thing.

    This group claimed 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?"

    "If he wants to be in the competition, he would need to fight with one of the sixteen actual participants, if he wins, he will take the place 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 friends last 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 to compete 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 powerful land 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," declared 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 accept 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 glanced 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''t last 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 than last year" complimented Alex while his gaze lingered around her chest area.

    "Stop leering at me, you pervert! I hope you get the beating of your life!" exclaimed 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 becoming 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 stimulants, where fatigue lingers, but an extra layer of energy is added.

    "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 gladly accept 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!" Exclaimed 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 black 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 black 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 place. 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 plan 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 incoming attack, but he only had time to turn his head before his eyes locked onto a fist coming straight for his face.

    ''Sh*t''Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

 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.

    Alas, 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 even comprehend 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 from last year then it was possible for him to possess a decent amount of knowledge and experience, but it shouldn''t explain his speed.

    Alex''s speed clearly surpassed that of a normal level 4, how was it possible ?

    They all glanced 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.

    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 place, not due to his son being beaten black 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 place, 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 slapping Nox from right to left until he stopped, sensing that nearly ten minutes had passed since the fight began.

    When he stopped slapping 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 gladly return to teach you some manners, but I must warn you..." Alex''s smile faded, and it was replaced 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 slap, rendering Nox unconscious.

    ''Guess the show is over,'' sighed Adrian with disappointment before declaring:

    "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" laughed 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 this competition to end quickly, so this woman would step down. They didn''t even care who would become 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''t last 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 relationship 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.

    "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 placed on his heart while looking at Talia.

    "Who love you ? I would rather end up single than-"

    Before she could finish her sentence, the large 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 glanced towards him.

    ''So that''s you''

    With a smile, Alex waved to greet him, but the twin, En, completely 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!" explained Talia.

    "Well, that''s also a possibility, either way, it still comes 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 displaying 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," exclaimed Talia upon seeing who was going to fight the first battle.

    Not understanding, Alex glanced at the screen, which read:

    **Ector Eswald VS Amelia Eswald**

    ''Well, I guess my battle will be the last of the first round,'' thought Alex.

    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 particular.

    "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 - mostly composed 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 glanced 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 themselves later 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: Plant manipulation; Cell master; Residual Blast]

    ''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.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

    ''Well, they might be bad names, but at least you directly understand what they do.''

    ''Show me the description of cell Master and Residual blast'' 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.

    The tornado swept away the poison mist and even charred the vines while directing itself toward Amelia''s cocoon of plants.

    "We will see how much time your plant protection would last," smirked Ector.

    However, at that moment, something unexpected happened. The plants 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 sphere coming 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 was coming straight at him.

    ''Let''s dodge. I feel like this orb is dangerous,'' thought Ector as he decided to dodge; he could later 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 powerful combo, tearing through everything in its path with devastating effects.

    The explosion lasted 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 a large crater, and no Ector was in sight anywhere in the arena.

    "What the..."

 Chapter 101 : Residual blast (1)

    Chapter 101 : Residual blast (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" exclaimed Adrian as he appeared, gripping Ector by the collar.

    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 glanced at the description of the ability.

    [Residual blast: 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 plant manipulation and cell mastery abilities a year prior.

    At that moment, she was acclaimed 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.

    A second later, 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 black.

    Days later, he who was laying on his stomach suddenly jolted up, winced, then laid down again on his stomach.

    "Don''t move, you are still not fully healed" said a man with a deep voice.

    Alex, still laying on the bed, turned his head toward the location of the voice.

    "How come 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 black 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 moments later.

    "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 a coma."

 Chapter 102 : Residual blast (2)

    Chapter 102 : Residual blast (2)

    "COMA? I thought you said she only suffered minor wounds!" exclaimed 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 explanation, 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 her coma 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 claimed she could control the luminous particles, though she didn''t understand why it exploded.

    To truly understand what occurred, their father decided to replay 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 like last time, she could see them perfectly, while Alex and Theodore couldn''t see anything.

    "Try to merge them together like last 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 moment later, 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.

    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.

    Alas, Alex''s answer disappointed them.

    "No comment"

    "Tsk, useless" growled the participants.

    Meanwhile

    "The first battle ended with Amelia winning!" Exclaimed 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.

    "Congratulations, 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 placed 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!" Exclaimed 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 glanced again at the tent in Alex''s pant, then at Amelia''s blushing face and had a strange suspicion.

    ''Could it be that their relationship 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 accurate, 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.

    "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!" Exclaimed 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 explained 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, a large wave that looked like a tsunami surged toward Celine.

    A second later, the column of water was upon her and engulfed her, or so it seemed as a second later Adrian appeared with Cindy in his arms.

    "The fight ends with Talia''s victory, we will now proceed to the last 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 the latter 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 glanced behind him, he understood why.

    The majority of the current participants were giving him a nasty glare 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.

    "Did you see how-"

    Talia came to a halt when Alex directly passed by her, not even bothering to glance 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 tobacco pipe, measuring at least fifteen centimeters (5.91 inches).

    This tobacco pipe was the item he had requested Scarlett to craft for him. The reason for asking her to make a tobacco 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 tobacco 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!" Exclaimed 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 occurred.

    ''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 explain 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. T/his chapter is updated by

    ''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 seconds later, 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 tobacco pipe while En clapped his hands on the ground.

    The moment he clapped his hands on the ground, it started to shake, and soon, six pillars of earth rose and started to be shaped into large 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 planned to launch at Alex to keep him from approaching while his golems were being created.

    ''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 glanced at Ava and Lilia for explanation, but before she could ask.

    "No comment"

    "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 similar 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 become 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 started launching 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 problem lay. 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 penetrate 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 he launches 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 more complicated 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.

    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 the latter 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 to launch 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 disappearedˇŞno, 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 he launched the projectiles with even more speed and force.

    However, it seemed like anything was happening, but she still persevered and launched 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 ceased launching projectiles, realizing they were clearly ineffective.

    ''Hmm, he stopped? Why, I was sure that he would continue to attack with theˇŞoh, it''s because of that?'' Alex spotted the reasonˇŞor rather, the reasonsˇŞwhy En stopped launching the projectiles.

    ''It seems like his golems are finished''

    He glanced 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 available 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 dissolved completely!

    Alex shrank back the sphere, then resumed his walk unbothered.

    "Damn! It''s becoming frustrating; what the hell is happening there?"Exclaimed Talia

    Since they couldn''t sense Alex, everyone focused on sensing En and what he was doing. Just a few seconds later, 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. Alas, 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.

    ''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!" exclaimed 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 and commoners. No way!

    En was one of those nobles who believed that nobles were far superior to commoners, while for Alex, there was no difference. So, for En, this battle was a clash 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 will last long," said Alex as he retrieved the tobacco 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 black.

    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 gladly released him and fell to the ground.

    As seconds passed, the pain started to spread throughout his whole body.

    Barely one minute later

    "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," exclaimed Adrian.

    "Healers, come 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:

    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 is competing 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 that comes 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 started laughing uproariously.

    "Now you look like your father, interesting" as he said this, the pressure on Alex suddenly disappeared like it was a lie.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com

    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!" Exclaimed En.

    "Apologize to her" ordered Robert.

    "H-How can you a-ask me to apologize...to a commoner, 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 and completely 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.

    "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 discussion later, 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.

    Seconds later, 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 him later'' 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 become the next En.

    "See? No one is against you sitting her, come 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 disgusting coming from you! I don''t even know how woman the like of Lilia and Anna can be with a man like you" CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

    "Oh you do know the reason, if I recall correctly, weren''t you also-"

    "Shut up!" Exclaimed Talia to keep Alex from continuing his sentence.

    She shot him a death glare 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 glared at Alex one last 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 plants, 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 plant 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.

    What Zo didn''t know was that contrary to what he and everyone else who didn''t know Amelia''s residual blast 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 the lack of residual energy in the air and the ground at the start of the fight. However, how many battles occurred after hers? How many abilities were used, and thus, how much residual energy was available 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!" Exclaimed 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 the competition, 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 manipulation, to win the battle.

    After this fight, there was another one and then finally it was time for the last 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!" Exclaimed 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 be coming back, I''m the one that''s going to come back!" Exclaimed 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 manipulation 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 played 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 glanced at Talia to make sure she was ready.

    "Start!" Shouted Adrian after Talia nodded.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com

    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 a large wave, at least ten meters high, was coming toward him, intent on engulfing him.

    For Talia, catching him became as difficult as trying to catch fish with bare hands. So, she merged all the arms and created one super large arm, 30 meters in height and 20 meters in width.

    Despite the super large 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 to land 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, seconds later, 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 manipulating 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 ?" Exclaimed someone a few seconds after Alex landed 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 manipulation?" Asked Victoria after a long moment.

    "Yeah"

    "Well, it doesn''t look like a smoke manipulation 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 elastic?" 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 play 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''.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

    Indeed, Alex didn''t perceive his actions as particularly 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.

    ''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 were coming 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 were coming 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 the last.

    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 exclaimed:

    "The battle ends, Alex wins!"

 Chapter 113 : Letâ€™s bury the hatchet

    Chapter 113 : LetˇŻs 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 suddenly come 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 miscalculated," 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 place" 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 are compassionate, 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''t last 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!" Exclaimed Adrian.

    "Are the both of you ready ?"

    Amelia and her opponent -Silas- nodded in unison.

    "Then, start!"

    One fateful day, she decided to confess her love to him and his answer crushed her heart.

    "Sorry Talia, but you are flat. I don''t like flat 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 becoming 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 accident. However, Talia was nowhere to be found.

    He didn''t manage to see her until two years later.

    The day he saw her again, his mouth nearly dropped to the ground as the ''flat'' 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 relationship 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 : Iâ€™m interested in you

    Chapter 114 : IˇŻm 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 glasses 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 become 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 artifact later, 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 anything later 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 will comply. If not, then you would have to find another thing."

    Talia thought about his proposition for a moment before nodding her head.

    "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 glanced at Jonathan who nodded to him.

    "Then, start!" Exclaimed 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!" Exclaimed 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 being lazy, he said that when that day comes I need to help you in accomplishing 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 goals later 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 second later, 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.

    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 regular ones. The punch projected is proportionally stronger based on the user''s overall strength.

    It might sound simple, but it''s actually quite complicated because you need to circulate 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 place 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 try later''

    Meanwhile, Jonathan had to cease sending punches Alex''s way. Aside from the initial one, none had managed to land 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 he launched at Alex.

    Although the fireballs were powerful, they lacked speed, so it was easy for Alex to dodge them. However, the situation changed when Jonathan used his wind manipulation 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 second later, 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 accurately gauged your strength, so it''s time to finish this battle," declared 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 accurately 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 claws.

    "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 claws toward Jonathan''s head, while the latter 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 claws, 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 instant later, 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 enlarged 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" lamented Jonathan.

    "What did...you mean...by ''what I''ve been waiting for''?" asked Jonathan as he rolled on the ground to lay 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 the latter 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 is lacking in terms of control over his abilities; besides that, everything is good,'' thought Alex with a satisfied smile.

    Alex suddenly chuckled.

    "Why are you laughing" asked Jonathan.

    "Oh, nothing, don''t mind me".

    What made him laugh was the fact that he was judging the strengths and weaknesses of others, while just last week, he was considered a useless weakling by everyone except his close family members.

    ''Life sure has a way of coming 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.

    "Glad to hear that" replied Alex with a grin.

    A few seconds later, 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 outcome; 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 glanced 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 the last fight of the competition. This fight will determine the one who will be the head of our branch and also the representative of our branch in the competition that will determine the future head of the entire Eswald family!" exclaimed 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 clapped and started to speak among themselves, wondering who would win the fight.

    She wondered if she should use her residual blast 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 blast right now or wait later 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 blast 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 collapse 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 the largest she had ever made from the start of this competition, it was at least the size of a basket ball of earth.

    She decided to make it this large 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 ˇŞ smoke, fire, wind, plant, and every element used in battles since the competition 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 collapse, 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 blast," 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 the large mushroom created by the explosion.

    The smoke mushroom was at least five times larger than the one Alex caused by combining 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 could come 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.

    "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 explain 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 particular 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 elated, 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''t come up with a reasonable answer as to why he can teleport in the first place.

    Seeing that he was wasting time pondering something that would likely take him a lot of time to comprehend, if he could even comprehend 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 plants had blocked the smoke from reaching her. When the explosion occurred, and Amelia used her plants 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 explained 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 place, 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," explained Amelia.

    "Then why fight me in the first place ?"

    "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 become 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 me launching such an explosion against you"

    "That''s thoughtful of you, but there''s a flaw 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 outcome will be the exact opposite of why you created this big explosion to begin with : some people will contest me becoming the head of the branch".

    "Well, there would only be a few that would complain, 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 to come 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 so large; I have already made much larger orb explode, yet none of them caused such a large 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 whole competition,'' thought Alex. Using his remaining mana, he cleared away the smoke in the arena by compressing it.

    As the smoke started to compress, 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 been compressed enough to allow them to see what was going on in the arena.

    "Cough, Your attention here" said Adrian, cutting off Grace.

    "We will continue later, 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 entire competition, which means thatˇŞ" 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 been compressed rushed to him, engulfing his whole body.

    A second later, 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 exclaimed:

    "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 declaration, 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 war commander, which he actually was, but they didn''t know about it.

    Alex''s gaze then focused on someone in particular ¨C none other than his uncle Robert, the very one who had opposed his ascension to the head of the branch years ago, claiming that he was weak and useless.

    "Don''t you have anything to say ?" Questioned Alex.

    Instead of answering, Robert jumped from his place and landed 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 seconds later, Robert came face to face with Alex. He was shorter compared 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.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    "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!" exclaimed Robert.

    "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 glanced 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 he compressed 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" Exclaimed 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 claimed 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 maidˇŞ"

    "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 relaxing. It''s your call."

    Anna shook her head.

    "I would rather be working than doing nothing"

    "Hmm, in that case, how about you become 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 unqualifiedˇŞ"

    "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 become my personal assistant, it''s mean that we will be working together, isn''t that a great thing ?"Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com

    "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," exclaimed 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 a commitment 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," explained 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 the competition, 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?"CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

    "Wow, I have never heard you speak so much" exclaimed 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 plan to lead a rebellion against the Fiore imperial family."

    "Interesting," said Richard before shutting his mouth again.

    Richard seemed calm despite hearing what Alex planned, but he was the only one in that state. Everyone else took a sharp breath at Alex''s revelation.

    "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"

    "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 that lasted 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 become 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 plan in mind, right?" asked Candace, speaking for the first time.

    "It''s not perfect, but I indeed have a plan," 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 plan 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 explain?" Victoria asked, perplexed.

    "Instead of explaining, 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 explained, "This smoke has an attribute that allows it to erode wood. If it comes 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 platform on which he stood.

    As everyone watched, the wood of the platform started to erode, but it was at such a slow pace that even after a few minutes, not even a small part of the platform 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.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

    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.

    "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," explained 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 accept, 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 me lame 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 the competition).

    "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."CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

    "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 place them in an auction house, for now" said Alex.

    "Then, it comes 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 place 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 accept 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 are committing to his nonsense of creating a secret organization ?" Asked En.

    "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 explain his reasons even if they asked.

    "Haha, you are similar 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 reclaim our status as the principal branch. So, you have my support as long as you don''t completely mess up our chance to become 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 black 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 glanced 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 income, but for a start, we will concentrate on those two things," explained 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," explained 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 regular strength of the empire''s soldiers, I''m sure that they are stronger than regular 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 a completely normal person into a good warrior?" asked Alex as he glanced at Lilia.

    "Hmm, if they have at least a little bit of talent, then even one year should suffice," replied Lilia.

    ''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 seconds later, 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 accordingly, someone who can formulate comprehensive plans, 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 flatter 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 family coming 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 into laughter.

    "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.

    Truth be told, Alex had thought about making the members of the branch sign a soul contract before revealing his plans 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 use later," 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 the coming 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 becomes 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 the competencies of my wife will fight her in a hand-to-hand battle. Is that clear?" asked Alex as he descended from the platform.

    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 : Husbandâ€™s duties (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 127 : HusbandˇŻs 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!"CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

    "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 glare.

    "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 declared 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.

    "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 areˇŞ" 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~" exclaimed 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 must comply~"

    Just after saying that, Lilia immediately wrapped her mouth around Alex cock.

    "Oh, gods...."

 Chapter 128 : Husbandâ€™s duties (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 128 : HusbandˇŻs duties (2) (R-18)

    "Oh, gods...." Exclaimed 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.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com

    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 nonetheless. 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 the last 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 glanced 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 glanced down at Lilia who seemed drunk in pleasure and exclaimed:

    "I''m going to cum!...make sure to swallow everything!"

    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 second later 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 to come" exclaimed 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 claim 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 : Husbandâ€™s duties (3) (R-18)

    Chapter 129 : HusbandˇŻs 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, glancing 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 relax 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 relaxed, 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, stimulating 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 relaxed, 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.

    "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 a large 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 at later dates, but not consistently. I don''t want to be in constant pain while sitting."

    "You are the best wife one could wish for" complimented Alex.

    "I know, that''s why you love me" replied Lilia.

    "Yes, I do indeed love you" said Alex in a tender voice while planting 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 into laughter.

    "...."

    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 formulate her question, Alex flipped Lilia on her back and a split second later, his cock penetrated 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''t come complaining later" said Alex as he started plowing Lilia.

 Chapter 130 : Will you accept my help ?

    Chapter 130 : Will you accept 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''s lap.

    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 succeeded 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 become the next emperor, right? Then what does that mean for me? Wouldn''t I become 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 flashed 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 the competition 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 the competition, 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

    "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 relationship with his mother, right ?"

    "Yes, so? You are already in a relationship with your sister anyway," remarked Lilia.

    "It''s not the same-"

    "Pretty similar 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!" Exclaimed 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 explained to you that where I came from, family members being in a relationship isn''t that uncommon."

    "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 instant later, 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 accept my help?"

 Chapter 131 : Now, we wait and see what happens

    Chapter 131 : Now, we wait and see what happens

    "So, Will you accept 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 accept 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, planting a kiss on Lilia''s forehead.

    Lilia made a soft sound of acknowledgment and laid 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 plan to be have sex with other women in your family to gain extra points, right? What about the girls?"Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com

    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!" Exclaimed 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 accept 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 place.''

    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.****

    "Huh? What is it, then?" asked Alex excitedly.

    "What will I gain in exchange for telling it to you?"

    "..."

    ''I should never have accustomed 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 elaborate?"

    "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," explained 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''t complain," grumbled Scarlett.

    However, Alex wasn''t listening to her and had resumed walking toward the lab 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 the lab bench and snatched one of the glass 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 glass tube with his mana and then pushed the smoke inside the glass 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 know later 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 explain 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 explaining already. If not, good luck finding money," Alex voiced with a smirk.

    "..."

    "So?"

    "Okay, I''ll explain. 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 a large 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 similar to the residual blast, then our chances to win the upcoming 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," explained Scarlett.

    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," explained 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 groundbreaking compared 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 a large 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 moneyˇŞmoney 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 the laboratory while shouting:

    "Aunt Amelia, we will continue later; 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 glaring at her.

    "Uhh, I-I will also take my leave."

    "...."

    "S-See you later, brother," said Amelia before rushing out of the laboratory.

    "Damn it! Now that she knows the true value of this device, she is going to demand a larger 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 glass tube filled with smoke; while the three of them spoke, enough time had passed for the smoke in the glass 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 glass 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 black 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 become 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''t come complaining later," 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-hand combat, 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 black 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.

    Alas, 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 occur.

    Instead of the competition 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 the last 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, ladies, don''t get into an argument," said a voice coming from the training ground door.

    Everyone''s eyes twitched, seeing Alex approaching them with a beach shirt, shorts, dark sunglasses, and carrying a bowl of snacks with him.

    "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!" exclaimed Violette loudly before coming 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 relationship, why?'' wondered Alex, seeing the way Violette was acting.

    ''I will ask one of the girls later; for now, I''m just going to enjoy the fact that my little princess wants to be close to me again,'' thought Alex with a large smile.

    "Do you want to watch the battle with me?" asked Alex.

    Violette nodded her head.

    "Then come 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, come sit on daddy''s lap," said Alex.

    Violette glared 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 glanced toward a man who was leaning on the wall of the training grounds and called out, "Hey, Sillas, come here!"

 Chapter 134 : It wonâ€™t be fun otherwise

    Chapter 134 : It wonˇŻt be fun otherwise

    Alex then glanced toward a man who was leaning on the wall of the training grounds and called out, "Hey, Sillas, come here!"

    "Huh? Me?" Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    "Yes, you, come here"

    ''What does he want from me?'' wondered Sillas as he made his way towards Alex.

    Sillas 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 Sillas, trying to sound polite.

    "Here, sit," proposed Alex as he materialized another chair of smoke next to him.

    Sillas 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 Sillas was that he was intrigued with the latter refusing to spar with Lilia. Seeing Sillas 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 become the head by defeating my wife? You participated in the competition and reached the semi-final, showing that you''re quite resourceful. So, why aren''t you participating?"

    Sillas 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 accurately 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 Sillas.

    ''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 the competition ranking, and the second was to draw lots.

    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 Sillas.

    "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 Nˇă1: 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 display 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 the latter 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 mocking laughter rang out in the training grounds as he observed Jonathan, who was laying on the ground. Jonathan had been taken from the center of the training ground to get healed. What made Alex laugh so hard was none other than the sheer hilarity 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''s laughter continued to grate at their ears, but this wasn''t even the worst part. The worst part was that he wasn''t the only one laughing 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''s comment."

    ''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 grandson laughing 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 accept 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-"CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

    "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 glass vial containing yellow smoke from his spatial ring.

    "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 a composed expression.

    "Yes, let''s go."

    Knight Triskan and his soldiers guided the young man towards a flamboyant 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 second later, 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 palace, 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 collapse 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 succeeding 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 to complete 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.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

    ''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.

    Minutes later, 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 relaxed 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.

    "Welcome to the Fiore Imperial Palace. 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 black 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!" commented the young man with an astonished expression.

    "Pfft..."

    Despite the guest''s comment and Triskan''s muffled laughter, Donald maintained his calm expression.

    "Thanks for the compliment-"

    "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 the laughter directed at him.

    "How dar-"

    "Let''s make something clear right this instant," the young man interrupted. "I only kneeled in the first place 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 flashed 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 palace. 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 occurred in my empire. Due to that, the noble families composing 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 I come 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 family competition are just normal kids at level 4. Nothing or no one should be able to stop him from succeeding 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 into laughter.

    ''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 accurate 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 would last the longest.

    Despite that, the fights barely lasted a few minutes at best. Seeing that if it continued like that, the whole mini-competition would end in an hour at best, Alex instructed Lilia to make the fights last 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 fights last 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?

    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 second later, he was upon Lilia and swung his sword in a vertical slash.

    Lilia gracefully moved and evaded the slash 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 place.

    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 succeed in taking down the Fiore empire or any of the organization that would soon come 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 explain, 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 isˇŞunfair.

    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 explains why people thought of Alex as lazy.

    "Not really, but I feel that your answer is the most fitting one. After all, no great person has succeeded 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 hour later...

    "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 those last ones didn''t just stay in their places waiting to be eliminated, not even trying to struggle," said Alex while looking disappointedly at Marina, En, and Nox. However, they completely 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," declared 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 todayˇŞ"

    "Come with me."

    Before Alex could finish speaking, Grace took him by the collar 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 collar.

    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 become 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 they come 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 explained 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 the last part to gauge her reaction, but contrary to his expectations, Grace remained calm throughout the conversation.

    "Ultimately, you''re saying you become stronger each time you fuck a woman?" Grace crudely asked after Alex finished.

    Alex nodded.

    "You seem awfully calm despite everything I''ve explained," remarked Alex.

    Grace chuckled.

    "Although what you just explained is pretty wild to accept, 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?"

    "What to find out~" asked Grace in a seductive tone as she gazed at Alex.

    "What? No way!" exclaimed Alex.

    "Oh, come on, it will be pleasurable, I promis-"

    "No freaking way, I''m getting out of here!" exclaimed Alex.

    He stood up and quickly exited Grace''s room under her mocking laughter.

    After exiting her room, Alex glanced 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 similar 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 circulating 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 into laughter.

    "Why do you all think it''s something to joke or laugh about? It''s not!" exclaimed 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!"Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com

    "So? Aren''t you trying to get in the pants of your mother? I don''t see the difference"

    "...."

    Anyway, from her explanation, Alex understood that the first levels were foundational, and their importance became clearer later on.

    Apparently, when you breakthrough to level 5, the stronger your foundations, the more potent your strength becomes 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," explained 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 she come 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.

    According 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 the late 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 access, 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 minutes later, 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 haˇŞno, 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.

    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 occupying.

    Since they were one of the four duke families, the Eswald family managed a large territory. In fact, it governed the third-largest 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 baronet to oversee. Even this baronet 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 baronet 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 uncommon. 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 of land, is that the territory they received was fertile land, 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 baronet.

    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 baronet."

    "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 Clark 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 the last 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 Clark, 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.

    Clark 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.

    Clark 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."

    Amelia nodded and began the healing process. However, contrary to what the old man claimed, 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 accidentally 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 moment later. 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 just lazy 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 more complicated 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 income comes 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?!" exclaimed 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, explaining why, even after a couple of years of doing evil deed, nono one has uncovered their whereabouts," Amelia explained.

    "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 accomplish it.

    "It''s not the kidnappers I can track, but my daughter. My ability lets me place 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 become 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 placed?" Amelia inquired.

    "Sorry, but I don''t know. The only ones I placed a tracker on are my wife and daughter, and I always try to remain close to them. So, I don''t have an accurate range; I only have a rough estimate that lets me know if I''m near or far from my target," Cedrix explained 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.

    "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. Similar 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''tˇŞmanifest pure mana out of their bodies and manipulate it.

    They had the capability to manipulate 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 glaring 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 become 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 black market.''

 Chapter 144 : Welcome

    Chapter 144 : Welcome

    ''If his daughter isn''t rescued very soon, she will be sold on the black 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 slave was considered its master''s property, and it was illegal to take someone as a slave by force. Their one chance would then be to buy her from her master. The problem was that Virax slaves were highly valued, and their price was exceptionally high. Whoever could buy a Virax slave was undoubtedly wealthier than Alex and his branch; that''s how much Virax slaves 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 plans.

    He had planned to train during the coming 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 the competition 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."

    "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 exclaimed 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 glances 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 glanced 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, lavish 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 people coming 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 newcomers, 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 place, right? Anyway..." Anita smiled "...I wish you a warm welcome 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 place, right? Anyway..." Anita smiled "...I wish you a warm welcome 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 place," 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 place, but worry not! I''m certain the goddess has a plan!" exclaimed the nun, trying to sound cheerful.

    However, the only ones who seemed to have been cheered, apart from the nun''s two comrades, were the nobles. Anita chuckled at the nun''s naivety, while the ones coming 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 slaves, 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!" exclaimed the nun as she walked towards Anita.

    ''Why are they coming towards me?'' wondered Anita as the nuns and her two comrades 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."

    "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 accurate 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 instant later, 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 instant later.

    Alex gazed at Lilia, who nodded.

    "You can come 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, or committing mischief to come 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 me lately. 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 plans in the laboratory," remarked Alex.

    "Yes, it was... Sigh, okay, I admit, I might have caused your plans to fail. Sorry," apologized Amelia.

    Alex smiled.

    "Glad 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 meˇŞor rather, the branchˇŞa larger 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 the competition 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, on the other hand, was getting aroused, his pants suddenly becoming tight as his member was trying to free itself. He placed 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," complimented 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," she complimented 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 playing 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''s laps, 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 heˇŞ''

    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 becoming tight as his stiff member seemed to try and tear it apart, and Anna, sitting on his laps, felt it, so she scurried off his laps 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''s laps, Amelia placed 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 glanced at each other, a hint of irritation flashing 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 glared at each other and were about to speak when...

    "Stop!" Exclaimed Alex with a stern expression.

    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, occasionally one of them sucking on the head of his cock.

    Feeling that they wouldn''t be able to make him cum before landing 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 improved compared to the last 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~" exclaimed 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!!!" Exclaimed 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 one last final stroke, he threw his head back and ejaculated directly on the girls'' faces.

    *Spurt*Spurt*Spurt*

    Rope after rope of semen were coming from Alex as he emptied his balls on the girls, his cum landing 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 the last vestiges of his ejaculation, 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 had landed 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 glance. "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 we landed 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 exclaimed 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 snorts coming 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 second later, 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.

    "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, penetrating 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 succeeded, 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, Alex landed gracefully on the ground and walked towards the girls, flashing 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.

    According 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 relax nonetheless; 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 planted 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 instant later, silhouettes of men clad in leather armor and holding various weapons appeared around the carriage.

    Like Alex''s group, the newcomers 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, come 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 black 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 his comrades.

    "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," explained Starx with a charming smile.

    Alex and the girls relaxed a bit, hearing his explanation.

    The young man''s words before them seemed logical. If a dungeon break had indeed occurred nearby, it would explain the appearance of ogres here, as ogres weren''t known to inhabit this kind of environment.

    A dungeon break is a phenomenon that occurs 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.

    "Thanks!" exclaimed Starx.

    "Guys, take care of it!" he shouted to his comrades.

    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 accommodate such a big corpse.

    Starx bowed to Alex one last 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 gaze landed on them, a peculiar light flashed in his eyes.

    Having witnessed the man''s gaze on his wives, Alex glared at the man coldly.

    The man lowered his gaze under Alex''s glare, turned around, and left, not before glancing at them one last 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 relationship 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 minutes later, the sun completely disappeared, leaving the world cloaked in darkness. However, this posed no problem for Alex''s group as they had successfully lit a fire. Gathered around its warm glow, they sat, the flickering flames 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 become 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 definitely come 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 particular, 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 explain the different races on this continent, from sentient ones to monsters, their characteristics, their lifestyle...."

    A moment later

    "...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!" exclaimed 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..." explained Lilia, pointing to one pile of books.

    Next, she pointed to another pile.

    "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''s laps, 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 continue later."

    She gave Alex one last 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 the last 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 might come in handy''

    With the light of the fire illuminating the area, Alex began reading, completely focusing on the task and not paying any attention to his surroundings.

    However, a few hours later, deep in the night, he tore his gaze from the book and sighed.

    ''Looks like they came back.''

 Chapter 151 : The banditsâ€™ attack

    Chapter 151 : The banditsˇŻ attack

    Rustle Rustle

    "I know you are here, come out!" said Alex aloud, not bothering to look up from his book.

    A regular 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 than last 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 glancing 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 into laughter. "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 display of cowardice.

    Seemingly realizing his mistake, the tattooed man composed himself and stepped forward, his eyes red with fury.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    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.

    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, it landed 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 the last time, his fist landed on something. Unfortunately, it landed 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 instant later, 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 that compared 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 the latter''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.

    "At last!"

    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.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    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 displayed was astonishing.

    A fraction of a second later, 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.

    ''Huh? What-''

    Just as his sword was about to cut off Alex''s head, he briefly noticed a flash, and a split second later, 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 collapsed on his knees.

    His vision was blurry, the wound of his missing eye more painful than ever, each breath labored 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 flashed Alex a bloody smile.

    An instant later, 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 black serpentine tail slithering from left to right, seemingly guarding its owner, whose body continued to convulse.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    ''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 second later, the man''s body convulsed again, and he was thrown sideways, the tail following suit. Another second later, 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 succeeded.

    In a fountain of blood and gore, two thin yet toned arms emerged from the man''s body, each terminating with razor sharp claws.

    Simultaneously, the pre-existing arms slimmed down to match the size of the new pair, also acquiring claws 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-black 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 creature completely peeled off.

    It raised its head and stared back at Alex with slitted eyes, then released a screech particularly grating to the ears.

    ''A serpentine tail, serpent''s eyes, black scaled skin, four arms... this thing looks more like a chimera than anything else.''

    Screech

    The creature screeched one last time and lunged at Alex, moving on both its four arms and legs!

    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 one last 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 thenˇŞSir!"

    Starx suddenly shouted mid-sentence while pointing behind Alex.

    Following Starx''s finger, Alex glanced 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, large vines emerged from the ground and wrapped around the creature''s body, preventing it from moving even a finger.

    An instant later, 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 : Starxâ€™s request

    Chapter 154 : StarxˇŻs 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 beforeˇŞ"

    "Still! You shouldn''t divert your attention from your enemy!" exclaimed Lilia.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    "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 slapped 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 body lay on the ground with blood oozing out of his mouth.

    They crouched next to him and observed his face.

    "He is really ugly," commented 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 had come 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 to come out of the carriage and save the old man! This action had spoiled all his plans. They had spoiled all his plans, 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 becoming drenched.

    However, he still pretended to be unconscious.

    ''I''m certain she is just bluffiˇŞ''

    "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 anywayˇŞ''

    Before he could even finish his thought process, vines appeared from the ground, coiling around the man like serpents seeking to claim their prey.

    ''Sh*t.''

    The instant the vines wrapped around his body, the man became aware that he was completely and utterly screwed.

    ''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 moment later, 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 village 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 villagers, it didn''t take them long to completely loot our village. We thought that they would leave after that, but instead, those bastards decided to turn our village into their base."

    "During that time, they started persecuting the villagers, and before long, they began selling the villagers as slaves. 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 accept working for them for a year or two, they would release my mother and sister. Obviously, I accepted 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 place 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 headache coming his way, but he still asked Starx what his second request was.

    "BECOME MY MASTER!"

 Chapter 155 : Stubborn

    Chapter 155 : Stubborn

    "Become 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 become someone else''s master while I''m weak and am also trying to become 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? He lacked 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 become a chimera.

    For someone who has lived in a small village 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 and come 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 become my master,'' he told himself.

    Thus, his heart nearly broke when Alex rejected his request to become his master without a second thought.

    "Is it because I lack talent?" he asked.

    "No, I just don''t want to," replied Alex.

    Starx finally raised his head, understanding that Alex had no intention of becoming 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 become my master,'' he thought.

    Alas, 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 accept since he rarely denied her something, she didn''t want to be the one to force him into a master-disciple relationship.

    She knew all too well the weight of such a relationship. 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 glanced 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 the latter''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 accept to become my master. I won''t move from this position until you accept to become my master!"

    "A little? Did you forget that you gotˇŞ"

    "Alright, I may have been stubborn at that time, but at least it was because I was certain that I would succeed in conquering her heart, which I did, by the way."

    Alex glanced 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 waˇŞ"

    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 flashing in them, but then he remembered that they had landed 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 was coming 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 woman coming 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 was laughing off the old man''s reaction so much that tears could be seen at the corners of his eyes.

    A long while later, when the old man had completely 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 plan 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 declared that he wouldn''t budge from his position unless Alex accepted 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 accept 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 accept taking you as my disciple if you fulfill these two conditions."

 Chapter 156 : The two conditions

    Chapter 156 : The two conditions

    "I accept 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 accept to become 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 accept to become 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.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    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 glad 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 becoming serious again, Alex raised another finger. "My second condition is that... you become one of the heads of the underworld."

    The smiling Starx suddenly stiffened, his eyes widening and studying Alex''s face to see if the latter was joking. Alas, Alex was dead serious; his second condition was really that Starx become 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 nonetheless. In that case, Alex would gladly accept to become Starx''s master. After all, becoming 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 become his disciple after becoming a head of the underworld, but it was doubtful if he could become one of the leaders in the mafia in the first place.

    However, if that were to happen, then Alex just needs to make him remember the awe he felt today watching him slaughter 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? Becoming one of the heads of the underworld?!''

    "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 instant later, 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 forthcoming thirty years, his soul and life weren''t his anymore.

    ''Still, it is better than dying,'' he comforted 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 delay of a second before executing Alex''s order might be considered an act of disobedience.

    "Starx, come 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 flashed Bogre a cold smirk, making the latter shiver.

    Normally something like that wasn''t possible, but since Alex has made a clause in which he states that he could assign Bogre to whomever he wants as a subordinate, and the latter couldn''t refuse, Bogre has no choice but to comply.

    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 seconds later, the carriage departed.

 Chapter 157 : Starx Rimkass

    Chapter 157 : Starx Rimkass

    "A space ring filled with enough monster cores to allow him to become 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 glance 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 place in the coachman''s box to keep his wife company.

    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 succeed."

    "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 related to Starx or their stop from his mind.

    ****

    On the ground, Starx kept waving his hands until the carriage had completely 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 exclaimed in his mind in surprise. Even when he traveled with bandits that raided villages 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 placing 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 the latter.

    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 glare 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.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    "Are you insane!? Why are you releasing it?"

    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, completely 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 slashed down with all the remaining strength in his body exactly at the spot where Alex''s leg had landed 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 second later, 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 plastered 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 planning to do now?"

    Starx retrieved his sword and placed it in his newly acquired space ring. "I will go search for my family later. For now, I need to establish a footing in the underworld!"

    With that, Starx, followed by Bogre, walked back toward the village 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 muscular 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 glare from the muscular man.

    "Don''t make too much noise," whispered the nun next to her.

    ''But you''re making more noise than me!'' Anita glanced towards the muscular 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 glance in her direction!

    ''How is that fair? I just chuckled, and he glares at me. She''s literally speaking, and nothing. Bunch of racists!'' Anita grumbled before turning to walk towards the door the muscular 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 gaze landed 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 societyˇŞnobles, 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!" exclaimed 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.

    Before coming 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 was lamenting this fact when suddenly his eyes widened in delight, having found a solution.

    "Cell master!" he exclaimed.

    "Hm?" Lilia glanced 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 explained 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 nonetheless. "I''m certain this might work, and I''m even more certain that sis could do it!"

    "Well then, talk to her about it later."

    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 glanced at Lilia and remarked that she was also frowning.

    "Ask Cedrix if he is certain we are at the right place."

    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, they landed 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 how come 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''s lands might be directly affected, so why didn''t they know about it?

    As the girls chatted amongst themselves to comprehend 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 minutes later, he suddenly chuckled. Before the girls could ask him why he was laughing 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 place, their gazes following Alex''s finger until it landed on the battlefield where the two armies were still engaging in a furious battle.

    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 glaring 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 the latter''s family used other ways besides physical resemblances 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 explained 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 it comes 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, how come 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 and come investigate, right?!" said Anna with a puzzled face.

    "Forget it, it''s not our place 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 this land is incompetent 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: how come 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 accomplish 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 elseˇŞa 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 these lands," 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 those lands wasn''t aware?

    "It''s impossible to be incompetent enough to not notice that a whole forest that is situated in your lands has disappeared, so he is either in cahoots with whatever is happening here, or he is manipulated, I can''t see another possibility," added Amelia.

    "We will think about it later; 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 place 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 signal comes from this direction, my lord," answered Cedrix.

    Alex glanced 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 flanked 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 place for a plant 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 a large 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 suddenly come 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!Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

    He was proven right when he felt a tremor running through the ground, and seconds later, various monsters, wild animals, and mindless beasts appeared, each running towards their group.

    "That''s quite the welcoming party," Amelia chuckled.

    "Indeed" Alex nodded with a smirk.

    He quickly used his senses to gauge the levels of the monsters coming towards them and realized that almost all of them were just level 3.

    Seeing that they were low-level monsters, he relaxed 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, come, come, let''s play together,'' Alex grinned.

    The instant Alex thought this, he expanded the smoke around him before shaping it into several figures.

    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 splattering on his clothes.

    He looked up just in time to see Lilia''s sword about to clash with another wolf''s claws.

    At the very moment when Lilia''s sword and the wolf''s claws 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 could land on the ground, Lilia''s sword flashed three times, piercing the heads of the three wolves.

    As the wolf''s corpse finally landed 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 flashed, one or many lives crumbled away like a fragile sandcastle succumbing 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 onslaught, leaving a trail of fallen monsters in her wake.

    Meanwhile, the smile on her face distorted, becoming 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 corpses lay 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 replaced 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 mere lambs. 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, replaced by a large 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 waves combined.

    "Level 5...." Anna muttered with a blank 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 declared.

    Now that she had regained her composure, 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 explained, "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 explained 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 the largest mountain in the forest, "there."

    "Okay, then let''s go!"

 Chapter 161 : Pursuit

    Chapter 161 : Pursuit

    "Okay, let''s go!" declared Alex, lifting Cedrix and placing 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 glanced 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 glanced 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 alas...

    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 only last 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...

    [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 glanced 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 monsters completely 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 become elastic, similar 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 balancing from branch to branch was very similar to how a superhero of Earth comic 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, Alex completely 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 placing 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 the lady said-"Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com

    "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.

    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 playing 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 flailing in the air to try and stop Alex from attacking it again. It succeeded, but only for a very short time because a moment later, 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, compelling 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 to come 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 becoming 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 its lack 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 onslaught 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 more comfortable 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 occurred.

    All of a sudden, something moved under the skin of the monkey, and a large 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 plastered 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, accompanied 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 blank 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 his composure.

    The monster''s body tore through the smoke at such a swift pace that it scattered the surrounding smoke in its wake.

    Its body slammed 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 it landed 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. Placing 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 become 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 succumb.

    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 nonetheless. This way, should the little guy try to cause any ruckus later 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 the largest 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 explained.

    "So there''s no one here?" Anna wondered.

    Lilia shook her head. "Unless they are complete 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, Alex landed 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."

    "I will go. My ability is more suited for this kind of mission than yours," Anna declared 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 account, 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-black 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 placed something in them.

    "If there is anything weird going on there, let us know, and we will immediately come," he said with a solemn tone.

    Anna glanced at what he placed 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 a communication 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. In comparison, a communication 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 exclaimed, 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 instant later, she leapt from the branch they stood upon. Before she could even land 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 glanced 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 happen later, 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 Anna landed 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,'' Anna commented 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!"

    "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 exclaimed 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, a large 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 seconds later, Anna''s stunned expression was replaced 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.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    "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 screams coming 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 youˇŞ"

    "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.

    She wasn''t naive enough to let a potential danger survive just because he complied 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 gaze landed 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 glanced 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 glance towards it. Some looked down with a sense of resignation, while the majority displayed 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 the last 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 to comfort themselves or for other reasons. Either way, Anna didn''t care enough to think about it. The moment she spotted the one she had come 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 be comparable to Lady Lilia and this was considered high praise coming 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?" exclaimed 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 elation.

    "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 plan 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 clarified.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

    "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 to come save you."

    "Then who sent you?"

    "Alexander Eswald, my...master," Anna answered.

    "Eswald, hmm, where did I hear this name?" Anita placed her finger on her chin as she thought.

    "He is-"

    "Ah, I now remember!" Anita exclaimed, 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."

    For Anna, Anita was one of those people with a hero complex, 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 second later, 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 clad in a white tank top paired with long black pants. He sported a bald head and a serious expression, but the combination with his large eyes gave him a more comical appearance than a stern one.

    The other man, however, had a lithe body, with fiery orange locks cascading down, and black eyes. Unlike the man walking next to him, who was dressed like a thug, this one was finely attired in luxurious orange and black garments. His tunic carried a regal orange hue adorned with intricate black embroidery, complemented 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 glanced 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 glanced in their direction.

    Feeling that his friend had stopped, the bald man also halted and glanced 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 kept coming 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 succeed? 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 in laughter 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 glanced 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 a complete waste of human genes," the noble added.

    "It''s not like you value human genes that much anyway," the bald one shrugged.

    The moment Alex affixed the talisman to his forehead, he heard Anna''s voice directly in his head!

    This was how communication talismans functioned; upon contact, you could hear everything the other person was thinking. Of course, this was true for basic communication 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 the communication 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 explained.

    "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 display 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 display 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 explained 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 are coming 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!" complained 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 place."

    "No one likes the place."

    "Yeah, you are right," the bald one nodded and resumed his walk.

    Soon, they passed by the narrow corridor and emerged in an immense circular 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 newcomers and draped in an ominous black robe.

    Despite the sounds of their footsteps, the man didn''t bother to glance 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 newcomers with his green eyes. A wide smile crossed his face as he greeted them, "Oh, Eric, Stanis, it''s you guys. Welcome, welcome."

    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.

    Glancing 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 glanced 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 glared 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.

    ''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 getting complicated,'' 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 problemˇŞa 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 overcome 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 then launch counterattacks.

    The factors determining the outcome 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 be compared to human intelligence. Additionally, humans don''t usually fight alone, making it possible to slay 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 glanced 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 was launched toward him, aiming right at his heart!

    Due to how close he was to the woman, the moment the arrow was launched, 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, launched 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 to land, the woman explosively retreated, successfully 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.

    Planting 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''m coming, I mightˇŞ''

    ''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 getting complicated," Lilia commented 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 bit later, the dust settled, showing two men ¨C one standing and the other crouching.

    The standing man was the same muscular 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 before coming 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 glanced at Niya and said in a teasing voice, "Are you sure? Because it seemed like you were the one on the losing end."

    Niya glared 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 muscular 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.

    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''s laid 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 muscular 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 exclaimed, 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 kick coming 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 muscular man sneered.

    They could perfectly sense Lilia running towards Niya, but they didn''t care to stop her nonetheless. 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 had complete 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, come 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 flashed 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 a large door.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    With a slight smile, Amelia approached Anna and Anita, coming to a stop just in front of them.

    As soon as she placed 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.

    ''Thalassa, 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 replaced by a warm smile.

    After spending a few days in the company of the old man, they had come 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 glad 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.

    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 as large as Alex''s head.

    Each time his hammer fell on Alex, the latter felt like his bones were slightly cracking, and an instant later, he found himself flying through the air before violently crashing into something.

    Although fighting either one of those two alone would be complicated, it was at least doable, but fighting them together was a total nightmare for Alex because those guys practically complemented 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 blow coming behind him, but before he could even move, the attack already landed.

    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 second later, 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 exclaimed and teleported.

    A split second later, Tobias'' hammer crashed against the ground.

    Boom

    "What the- where is he?" wondered Todd with a puzzled expression when Alex suddenly disappeared.

    Placing 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 the last enhancement. In fact, he had no intention to enhance them even without taking into account the last 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 problem lay; he didn''t have much time.

    Alex needed another ability that was made for fighting. Although the smoke element could do so, the strength displayed wasn''t satisfactory, or rather, the strength that Alex could display wasn''t satisfactory. It was clear to him that should he further train with the smoke element, the strength he could display could be damning. Even the smoke spirit had said so before they parted.

    But as was explained, he didn''t have much time. The competition 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 become the strongest possible before presenting himself at the competition.

    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.

    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 second later, 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 instant later, Tobias'' muscular body was sent back with even greater force than it had come with.

    ''What the-'' Todd, who was next to him, suddenly froze in his place, his mind struggling to comprehend 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.

    Todd landed 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 second later, he stood before Todd''s unconscious body.

    ''I''m finally getting adapted to my body''s strength,'' Alex thought, seeing that he didn''t slam 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 hilarious. Did you really think you could defeat me? Hahaha..." Niya laughed madly while staring at a panting Lilia.

    Lilia glared 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 places, 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 miscalculated when he chose to let Lilia face Niya alone; after all, the latter 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 blame 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 slaughtering level 4 monsters like they were mere lambs 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 account 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 memoryˇŞthe 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 blaming 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 second later, 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," Niya laughed maniacally as she shot arrow after arrow at Lilia.

    However, none of the arrows hit Lilia. Her evasive maneuvers resembled a dance, a graceful display as she slipped away from each arrow.

    Barely a second later after the rain of arrow started, Lilia stood in front of Niya, swinging her light sword.

    However, Lilia was too slow compared 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 incoming attack, Lilia swiftly retreated, and in the blink of an eye, a wind arrow shot towards the spot she had just vacated.

    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 becoming blurry.

    ''Poison?'' Lilia glanced down and noticed a purple liquid oozing from a slight wound on her upper chest.

    ''I must have been touched during the last 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 a laughter 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 succumbing to death. All the while, she observed the scene, deriving sadistic pleasure from it.

    Cough cough cough

    As Niya observed with a sadistic smile plastered on her face, Lilia began coughing up blood. Simultaneously, her eyelids swelled, and black 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, succumbing 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 novelˇŞmentioning 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.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com

 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 voice laced 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, black 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 become 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 playing 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 exclaimed. ''With your talent, breaking the curse placed 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 explained 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 access 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 black 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".

    According to the book, the members of this family were able to destroy mountains with their fists, reshape landscapes 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.

    ''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 nonchalantly.

    ''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 into laughter, ''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 the last 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 contemplated.

    After several months of training and attempting to control Zid, Lilia had come to understand that what she was lacking wasn''t something like a method that would allow her to control Zid; no, what she lacked was comprehension. There was something about Zid that she needed to grasp before being able to control or manipulate 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 that last 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 flame.

    However, contrary to the usual, where that flame shimmered intensely, it seemed to be flickering in and out, as if her impending death was causing the flame to die out.

    It was then that everything clicked in Lilia''s head, all her comprehension of Zid coming together and forming a cohesive whole.

    Exactly at that moment, her breathing stopped, and her body went completely 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 was coming from, he remarked that it was coming from the exact same spot Lilia''s fight was happening.

    He suddenly felt a pang of worry for his wife''s safety, but it lasted only for a brief moment. An instant later, 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 exclaimed 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.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com

    The wild, almost bestial pressure coming 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 was completely ignoring Niya''s presence. In fact, judged by the unfocused expression on her face, there was a chance that she had completely forgotten about Niya.

    All that occupied 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 nothing compared to the profound changes she sensed occurring 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 had completely 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 occurring 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 a completely 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 replaced 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 be complicated. 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.

    Before she could finish speaking, Lilia suddenly collapsed 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 explosion coming from Lilia''s location.

    ''I should go see what is happening there,'' he decided.

    Turning the muscular 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 was completely 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 collapsing.

    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 collar, Alex slapped 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, "How come 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 slap 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 instant later...

    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 slapped him.

    "Well, what to do now?" Alex glanced 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 plans 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 a large 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 gaze landing 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!

    ''But, there is still a problem.'' Alex glanced 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 it later.''

    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 minutes later, 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 plans 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 slave, much like he had done with Bogre.

    Even though a part of him originated from Earth where enslavement had been abolished for a long time, Alex had no qualms about transforming someone else into his slave. Furthermore, the individuals he was turning into slaves were criminals in the first place, so he considered it a service to society while simultaneously gaining level 5 slavesˇŞa 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 glanced at each other, then at the person who had just spoken, confusion in their gazes.

    "How come, 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 glance, 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 glanced 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 a layer of gleaming metal, reflecting the dim light that flickered from the ceiling.

    This kind of environment was challenging for a plant user, as the seeds couldn''t pierce the metal or penetrate the ground. However, it wasn''t a problem for Amelia.

    With her Cell Master ability, she had managed to create plants that only needed mana to grow, although she would still prefer a more earthy ground.

    ''''Another problem is that this place is too narrow; I can''t use my residual blast ability,'' her frown deepened.

    "This place 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 placed the monkey on the ground with its back leaning against the wall of the corridor.

    "Rest well, little guy. I will come 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 was completely depleted, so it was decided that she would use her ability only on herself.

    Amelia glanced 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 circular chamber.

    ''Fortunately, it isn''t narrow,'' Amelia released a sigh of relief, but an instant later, 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 playing 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.

    "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.

    Stanis laughed 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 flames appeared. These balls of flames surged from behind him and met the branches attacking him.

    A blinding light erupted as the attacks collided, and in an instant, the flames began consuming the branches.

    In the blink of an eye, the fire had completely devoured Amelia''s trees.

    ''He has a fire ability, it''s going to be complicated,'' Amelia clicked her tongue, aware that Stanis'' fire ability was the perfect counter to her plant 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 second later, 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 second later, he breathed his last.

    "...."

    "...."

    Rangyl and Eric could only stare with wide, disbelieving eyes as their comrade died without even knowing what killed him.

    Stanis had been able to sense Anna staring at him when the latter 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 glared 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, EricˇŞnow an apeˇŞcharged 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, EricˇŞnow an apeˇŞcharged 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 glanced 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.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

    The full transformation, however, is when an individual completely 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.

    Explained like this, it is evident that the half-transformation mode is better, since you still retain your intelligence. Knowing the role intelligence plays in a fight, someone who has fully transformed is actually less dangerous than someone with half-transformation.

    The lack 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 glared 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 a labored breath.

    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 seconds later, the ape, Eric, had completely disappeared from the face of the world, not even a nail remaining in the place 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 it later," 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 accept what he saw for what it was. However, he eventually recognized and accepted 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 had commenced 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 collapse 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 occur inside Rangyl''s body.

    His skin blackened to the point one would think that he was pulled straight from the depths of a lightless abyss, then black, 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 process coming to a halt.

    In a matter of seconds, his scales disappeared, the tail that was about to emerge retracted into his body, and his black skin receded, returning to its usual white colorˇŞor rather, his face appeared even paler than usual.

    ''M-My go-''

    ''Can you explain 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 attentionˇŞan outcome 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.

    Alas, the moment Rangyl wanted to explain 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 explain 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.Visitt  for the latest updates

    "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 he comes 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?

    As Anita scrutinized Alex from behind, Anna walked next to her and placed down the two unconscious women that she was carrying.

    The instant Anita noticed that the women Anna was placing 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 placing 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, glanced 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''t come 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 glanced 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 gladdened 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 that compared to Alex, she was an angel.

    During the few days they had traveled together, he had come 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 relationship 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 glanced 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 to comply," 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."

    "accept....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 become my husband, hmph!'' yet...

    ''Why is she blushing like that? Why is she fidgeting in her place?'' 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 accept that his daughter agreed to marry Alex. But as if the universe was playing 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 foam coming 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 placed her hand on him to check his condition. After a moment, she exclaimed 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 exclaimed, 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 hilarious, but he refrained from laughing, 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.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com

    "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 manipulating 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 playing it like that, huh?" Alex grinned, inching his face closer to hers until he could feel her warm breath.

    "Playing 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 playfully 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 plant 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 planted 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."

    "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 it landed 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, completely 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 collarbone 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 penetrating 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 exclaimed with heavy breath.

    "How can I refuse such a request when it''s asked so nicely?" Alex''s grin widened, and his finger penetrated 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," Alex commented 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 second later, 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 second later, she let out a piercing scream :

    "DEPRAVED MISCREANTS!"

 Chapter 182 : Teasing the nun

    Chapter 182 : Teasing the nun

    "DEPRAVED MISCREANTS!"

    ''Hm?'' Alex glanced towards the location the shout had come 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 glance, 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 enlarged 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 hilarious,'' he sneered internally and licked all the remains of Anna''s love juice on his fingers.

    "Delicious!" he exclaimed loudly, ensuring that Mina could hear him, then burst into laughter, 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, still laughing.

    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 exclaimed 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! Glad to see that you are doing well!" The nun exclaimed 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 relationship?'' 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.

    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 place is not completely 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 glancing 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 placed 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, exclaimed.

    "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 flashed Mina a smile, "I''m flattered."

    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 plans 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 glance 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, compared 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 explained, "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 for compensation 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 you laugh," Alex complimented his sister, causing her to blush.

    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 exclaimed, "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 glanced at Alex and exclaimed, "Shame on you!"

    Her words made Alex sputter into laughter, "I have never seen a nun as shameless as you, Sister Mina," he said through his laughter.

    "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 salacious! How can you ask such a thing from a nun?!" Mina exclaimed 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 exclaimed, 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 exclaimed.

    She ripped the golden necklace from around her neck and forcefully pressed it against Alex''s chest.

    Alex raised an eyebrow and mentally urged her to continue.

    [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.]

    ''As I thought,'' Alex smirked faintly.

    [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.]

    ''Who is the old hag you are talking about? The goddess of light?'' Alex inquired.

    [Who else? Of course, I''m talking about her. Anyway, I''m done talking here.]

    ''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 necklace that Mina had given him.

    The golden necklace took the form of the goddess of lightˇŞa beautiful and graceful female deity with both hands extended forward.

    ''It''s just the emblem of their religion in the form of a necklace, what is valuable about this?'' Alex pondered, feeling that he had been scammed by the nun.

    He scrutinized the necklace 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 glad for that, but you know, you can be more relaxed around me; after all, I''m going to become your husband soon," Alex teased.

    The flush on Anita''s face grew, and she quickly averted her gaze from Alex, causing the latter to sputter in laughter.

    "Alex, we should also prepare to leave; we need to take the heiress and get out of here before other members of the Night group come 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 smoke come from? I didn''t see him smoke anything.''

    "Wait and see," Alex grinned at them both.

    He commanded 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, replaced 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 necklace; 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 explained what Mara meant.

    Hearing the explanation, 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 necklace, I will explain 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 one last time, she sighed internally, ''I hope giving the necklace to him won''t come back to bite me in the ass later.''

    If only she knew the consequences of giving the necklace to Alex, there''s no doubt she would have turned back immediately to reclaim 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 flaunting 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 glances 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.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.comn girl, you are lucky,'' she thought as she glanced 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.''

    "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 the large 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 explained 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 the last symbol, the large 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 glanced 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 of common people weren''t even at level 1, seeing such a large quantity of people with at least level 1 was stunning. This was particularly 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 to land 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 as lambs,'' 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 glances 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 gaze landed 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.

    "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 glanced 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 place? 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 glance 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 plans; 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 flashed 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 into laughter.

    "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''t come to rescue us?"

    ''Tsk, arrogant fools, always thinking the world revolves around them,'' Alex clicked his tongue in displeasure.

    "No, we didn''t come here to specifically rescue you," Alex responded.

    What he said wasn''t entirely accurate. 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 claim that they had come to rescue them.

    "Then why did you come 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," contemplating 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 might come 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''t come to rescue them specifically?"

    "Because that''s true; we indeed didn''t come here specifically to rescue the nobles," Alex explained. "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 glanced back just in time to see Amelia nodding.

    "That''s where you''re mistaken. Don''t forget that nobles are arrogant. If I had claimed 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''t last. Soon, they''d start questioning our motives. Nobles are arrogant, but not complete 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 explained, he continued walking through the corridor, leading the way to their next destination.

    "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 contemplation.

    "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 black 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, particularly 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 black 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 black 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 black and lusterless door, it was sent flying off its frame.

    ''Oh, it was easier than I thought-'' Alex froze, his thought process coming 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 black door, a wide and excited grin spread on Alex''s face.

    "Bingo!" He exclaimed 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 glow coming 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, replaced 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 to commit 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 becoming a kidnapper but had another idea the following second.

    ''I can''t become a kidnapper, but I can definitely become a kidnapper hunter, specifically hunting the Night group,'' Alex grinned evilly.

    Taking a space ring that was on the ground, she started sucking all the treasures one by one.

    "As efficient as always, glad 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 place.

    She flashed Alex a small smile and returned to her work.

    Soon, Amelia and Anita rejoined the duo, boosting their speed.

    With the help of the three ladies, 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 the last one, should be easy,'' Alex smiled as he took on a punching position.

    Without using mana like the last time, Alex unleashed a devastating punch to the black 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 the last one. In this case....''

    Alex took on his previous position, and in a split second later, 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 seconds later, the door creaked one last time and swung open.

    "Finall-"

    Before Alex could finish his sentence, he collapsed on the ground.

 Chapter 189 : Black heart

    Chapter 189 : Black 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 blank.

    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 had completely 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 have completely lost that ability.

    Fortunately, a few secondsˇŞor what felt like an eternity to AlexˇŞlater, 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 become accustomed 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.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

    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 surely come 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 place, 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.

    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 black 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 black heart?!'' Alex pondered as he took a step back to distance himself from the chest.

    However, at that exact moment, the black 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 brain coming to a halt, unable to comprehend 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 black 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 black heart!

    It didn''t take the place of his own heart like Alex feared, nor did it implant itself inside his body, it just vanished like air, no trace, not even the faintest trace of the invading black heart could be felt inside his body.

    As seconds ticked by and he still couldn''t feel the black heart''s presence, a deep scowl appeared on Alex''s face, his anger beginning to flare up.

    ''What was that thing and how dare it-''

    At that exact moment, Alex felt something rush through his body. It wasn''t the black 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 similar 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, accompanied 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 collapsed 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 sweatˇŞeverything 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 roomˇŞsounds of rustling and footsteps coming 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.

    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 place to reveal the whole picture.

    ''It''s my soul linkage ability!'' Alex exclaimed 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 explained 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 soulˇŞwell, "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 exclaimed out loud with a pale expression.

    His first thought was that it was caused by the strange black 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 become 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 become 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 instant later,'' Alex thought once he calmed down.

    ''No, in fact, there may be some sense to it. In this world, nothing comes freely. Maybe the price for the enhancement is to have my soul fractured," Alex hypothesized before shaking his head a moment later, ''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 a comforting 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''t come 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.

    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 glazed and he was suddenly hit by a wave of vertigo.

    [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.

    [Tsk, bothersome] the goddess clicked her tongue in irritation.

    [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.

    The sudden outburst of the goddess caused startled Alex awake and after a moment, he regained his composure, although, judged by the frown on his face, he was still pretty troubled.

    [Good, now where were-]

    ''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. According to what Lilia explained, he was supposed to meet the goddess so she could explain how her artifact functioned and inform him about the Sin''s Game the first time he fused with her artifact.

    [Yes, I did meet him,] the goddess answered in a nonchalant tone.

    ''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.''

    [Don''t you think it''s a bit late 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.]

    Hearing the last 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.

    [Now, let''s get back to your little problem,] the goddess spoke, her usual alluring voice returning.

    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.

    [Like I said previously, your current situation isn''t as disastrous as you think,] the goddess stated. [Sure, the souls of the lazy one and the soldier haven''t completely 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 explained.

    [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:

    [They explode, and you die in terrible, terrible pain.]

 Chapter 192 : Soul issue (2)

    Chapter 192 : Soul issue (2)

    [They explode, and you die in terrible, terrible pain,] the goddess of lust said in an exaggerated, theatrical tone.

    Despite her ridiculous tone, Alex felt a chill creep over him.

    Gulping hard, he inquired, "Why would the two souls explode in the first place? If they separate, wouldn''t they just re-"

    [Nope, the instant they separate, both cease to exist, for the simple reason that they already form one soul,] the goddess clarified.

    "Ehh..." Alex scratched his head, not understanding what the goddess was explaining.

    [What I mean is that although the two souls haven''t completely 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 explained in a light tone that contradicted with the horror of her words.

    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...Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

    [Yes, I do know how you can complete 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.

    "Just give me the answer?" Alex''s eyes twitched in irritation.

    [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.

    Suddenly, Alex was reminded why he hated gods in the first place.

    ''Is your amusement the only thing that matters to you?'' Alex wondered in an irritated tone.

    [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.]

    "...."

    [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 strongly doubt that will happen,'' Alex replied as he calmed himself.

    [Bold words coming from someone who doesn''t know himself,] the goddess of lust giggled once again.

    ''Hm? What are you-''

    [Well, time''s up. I hope you will be more relaxed the next time so we can have a good time together. Until then-]

    ''Wait, I still have one last question,'' Alex interrupted the goddess of lust''s farewell.

    [What is it?] She inquired in a slightly annoyed tone.

    "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, I come 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 problems later 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 the last 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 the last 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 minutes later, 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 exclaimed 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 nai?ve or too innocent. Though, I have the impression it''s the latter,'' 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''m complaining,'' 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 place my-"

    "Deal"

 Chapter 193 : Maya Drazen

    Chapter 193 : Maya Drazen

    "I want my items to be plac-"

    "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 place, 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 my last one; I hope the girls found others inside the treasury,'' he thought just as he finished writing the last 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 gladly 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 glasses," 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 glasses 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 placed 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 glasses manifested in Maya''s palm.

    Taking both the pair of glasses and the rings from her palm, Alex delicately placed the glasses 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 glasses? 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.

    "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 her completely this time.

    "Ahh, finally!" Maya exclaimed with relief as she rubbed her wrists, which were swollen and red. Her pale, soft skin subtly contrasting against the inflamed 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, clasping 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 relationship. Maybe they were close before,'' Alex sighed and waited for Maya to finish her prayers.

    Minutes later...

    "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 blood coming out of her nose.

    She glanced down at the bottle in her hands, feeling a bit cautious, but ultimately opened it and brought it to her nose. The contract stipulated 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 planning 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 plastered 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 elaborated to Alex that he had witnessed other villages 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 these lands weren''t doing anything was completely beyond Alex''s comprehension; 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 similar paths, but unlike level 3s, they might not receive the same warm welcome in noble circles due to their commoner status. Discrimination against level 3s might exist, but it''s usually less intense. However, this group might face harsher discrimination.

    Glancing at the assembly, Alex swiftly concluded that these folks weren''t fighters at all. Even if they possessed combat 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 incompetent leader might do that,'' Alex mused.

    ''What do I do with them?'' Alex pondered.

    If trained well, these folks could easily become 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 plans 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 to come 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."

    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 glanced 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 black heart penetrated his chest was significant, but at that moment, he had thought it was lacking, given all the suffering he went through. However, apparently, he was wrong.

    ''But how come I''m not crashing into anything then?'' Alex pondered aloud, feeling perplexed.

    The last 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 black heart was,'' Alex sighed as he retrieved a communication talisman similar 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 even completed his thought when a bright and cheerful voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

    ''Finally!''

 Chapter 195 : Departure (1)

    Chapter 195 : Departure (1)

    ''Finally!'' Grace exclaimed 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!'' Grace complained.

    ''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!'' Grace complained 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 plays a significant role in why you''re my favorite,'' she admitted.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

    ''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 notˇŞArg, 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 clarified, his tone shifting to a more serious note.

    ''Expected as much. What can I do for you?'' Grace inquired, the previous playfulness of her voice having disappeared, replaced by a serious tone.

    ''Well, as you know....''

    Alex explained the core of the situation to Grace and outlined what he needed her help with.

    ''You seem to be having a blast,'' Grace remarked after hearing Alex''s explanation. ''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.

    "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.

    Placing 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.

    Glancing at his sister and noticing her expression, which seemed to say, "I also want to be patted!", Alex smiled and gently placed 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 not coming 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 one last 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 minutes later...

    "We are ready to depart," Amelia announced to Alex, who was calmly sitting on a tree branch while playing 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 one last 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 glanced 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 glanced back towards the convoy of carriages, analyzing if they were far enough to not be caught in the incoming 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 playing 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 playing on his lips he watched the base erupt in flames. The flickering flames painting mesmerizing patterns in his silver eyes, adding an otherworldly glow to his expression.

    "What was that?!" Anita and Maya exclaimed 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, alarmed 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 flap in the air and their clothes to ripple like flags in a storm.

    Glancing back towards the source of the explosion, their hearts raced with disbelief, and a hint of fear creeping into their expressions.

    The occupants 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 platinum 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 accepted 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 even larger 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 flames originating from the explosion, and the whole process of destruction was accelerated by mountain above it.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    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 the lack of snacks. I should remember to bring some next time I travel," he mused, scratching his head.

    "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 glanced 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 helpˇŞ" 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, planting a quick peck on her cheek before leaping from the carriage and landing 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 glance 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 seconds later, 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 her later.''

    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? Quickly come 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, just come 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 was completely surrounded by level 5 monsters, there were even more of them than the last time!

    "That''s more like it," Alex grinned.

 Chapter 197 : Venting

    Chapter 197 : Venting

    "That''s more like it," Alex grinned, feeling multiple monstrous gazes land 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 nonchalantly, his voice so relaxed 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 glad 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 had come 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 playing 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 the last enhancement, his senses had become 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?Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    "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 claws 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 the last 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 black heart from messing with him. Plus, he worried about what the black heart enhancement price might be. On top of that, he felt anxious about his soul possibly exploding.

    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 gracefully landed 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, landing right in front of Alex with the tree''s trunk just behind her.

    Placing 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 the last 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 accept to-"

    Before she could finish her sentence, Alex did something that completely 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 relationship with her grandson!

    She just liked playing with him and seeing his embarrassed reaction; she never thought he would actually act and pull her into a kiss.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

    Meanwhile, Alex was completely 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, the last bit of reluctance he had over the idea of banging his grandmother completely 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 escalate, Grace summoned her strength and forcefully freed herself from Alex''s grasp.

    "What are you doing, have you gone mad?!" She glared at him.

    Ignoring her glare, 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 planted another kiss on Grace, completely disregarding her resistance.

    Grace''s eyes widened once again at his boldness. Usually, a mere glare 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 glare 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.

    Glancing upward, Alex noticed that she was still glaring, prompting him to chuckle.

    Alex planted 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 play dumb, you know very well that it was just playful teasing," Grace replied, her face still displaying a hint of anger towards Alex.

    "Well, consider this the aftermath of your playful 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.

    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," Alex complimented.

    Usually, if her grandson complimented 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 particular compliment 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," Alex complimented 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, claiming 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 the complete 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 accept 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 becoming 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 instant later, he lost consciousness.

    As his consciousness was drifting away, he heard an irritated voice resound in his mind.

    [Tsk, what an idiot]

 Chapter 199 : New informations

    Chapter 199 : New informations

    "Alex!" Grace exclaimed 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 glance, 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 second later, Grace vanished from her spot only to reappear seconds later, two creatures in hands and a third, a snake, coiled around her neck, it''s black 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 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-''

    [Quiet] the goddess ordered, the annoyance apparent in her voice.

    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.

    [Do you have an idea of what you attempted to do?] She questioned.

    ''If I remember correctly, I was-''

    [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].

    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, he complied with her command and shut his mouth, though he made a mental note of it.

    [You tried to control someone else''s lust,] the goddess of lust stated, [do you know how dangerous that is for the current you?]

    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.

    [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.

    Alex didn''t reply and remained completely silent.

    [Don''t be cocky with me, answer] said the goddess of lust, the irritation in her voice having returned.

    ''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.

    [Just how lowly do you think of me?] The goddess questioned in a hurt tone.

    Before Alex could reply, he heard her sigh in defeat.

    [Forget it, I guess it''s my fault for not explaining the use of my powers to you, once again]

    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.

    [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]

 Chapter 200 : Changes

    Chapter 200 : Changes

    [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]

    Alex raised a brow when he heard the goddess''s explanation. "What are the conditions?" he inquired an instant later.

    [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.

    ''Then why did you tell me this if you knew that you were going to refuse to tell the conditions?'' Alex''s lips twitched.

    [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 incomparably 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.]

    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.

    [Forget it, just don''t try to do something like that until you are ready,] replied the goddess.

    ''And how do I know that I''m ready?''

    [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.]

    ''Hm, it does strangely make sense,'' Alex nodded his head.

    [What is strange here? it''s logical!]

    ''Yeah, yeah, you are right. In any case, if the requirement is to be able to control my lust, then it will be eas-''

    [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.]

    Alex got silent, not having anything to retort.

    [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.

    Alex nodded his head, a serious expression on his face.

    [It will continue; the more time passes, the more lustful you become. That''s what it means to carry the sin of lust.]

    [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 will completely destroy the purpose of being the carrier of the sin of lust~]

    With that, the voice of the goddess of lust faded from Alex''s mind, though he didn''t really notice, his thoughts consumed by contemplation.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    ''My lust is going to kee increasing?'' Alex pondered.

    The idea of him becoming 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.

    "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 you later. 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 playful.

    "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 become 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 exclaimed, 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 saiˇŞ" 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 exclaimed in exasperation.

    "Haha, I''m joking. Thanks for the compliment," 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 nothing compared 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."Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

    "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''t come 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 was lacking in my comprehension 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 exclaimed, 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 become 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. Nonetheless, 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.

    "I actually have four other daughters with another woman," Alex revealed as he shifted uncomfortably 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 exclaimed 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 glad 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 into laughter, 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 of laughing alone like a maniac.

    Seeing the expression on Alex''s face that practically screamed ''what the hell is going on here?!'', Lilia chuckled, placed her hands on his shoulders, and dropped a bomb.

    "Dear, I already know about your relationship 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 playfully 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 relationship 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 : Revelations (1)

    "Your relationship 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 relationships 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 revelation 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 relationships 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 playful 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 hella creepy," Alex remarked.

    "Yeah, that didn''t come out as I intended," Lilia nodded in agreement.

    The couple stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

    "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 nonchalantly.

    "Wait, what?" Alex looked at Lilia incredulously.

    "It happened just before our wedding..."

    ****

    Back to present

    "I can''t believe it," Alex exclaimed, 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 playfully, "Well, if it helps, you lasted 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, her laughter echoing melodiously through the carriage.

    After a moment, she ceased laughing 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 claimed everything else. Alex then narrated how Felix, after depleting his own share, attempted to reclaim 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, replacing any trace of warmth from her face.

    By the time he was relaying 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 pressure coming from his wife was targeted at him. However, despite this, large 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 in comparison to the overwhelming reaction Lilia was experiencing.

    The pressure emanating from Lilia was such that a few seconds later, the metal and wood of the carriage groaned under the strain, and...

    Crack

 Chapter 203 : Revelations (2)

    Chapter 203 : Revelations (2)

    Crack

    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. Moments later, 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 seconds later, 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 flared up again.

    No one knew the place 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 succumbed to depression after completely 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 flaws, but who was perfect?

    "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 relationship 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 becoming part of the Blackwood ducal family as an in-law. But since the Blackwood family wasn''t actually fond of her, they arranged her marriage to Felix Blackwood, the family''s black 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 playful 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 moment later, 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, sorry ladies," Lilia said, flashing 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.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    "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, planting 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 circular 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.

    She was the oldest here and claimed 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, claiming 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 explain 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 plan on training them as soldiers, but fighting isn''t for everyone," Alex explained. "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, playfully 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 glared 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 played with.

    "Where do you plan 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 a large 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 access 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 : Planning

    ''Tsk, it''s going to be troublesome,'' Alex rubbed his face, feeling another headache coming his way.

    As he contemplated ways to circumvent city surveillance, his hand, placed firmly on Anna''s buttocks, persisted in its actions, caressing and occasionally 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 contemplation.

    "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 explained.

    "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 acclimated to the mana absorbed through the mana core before attempting to absorb more. Otherwise, as explained 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 in comparison to the vigilant 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!

    "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 explained apologetically.

    "I...understand."

    Alex would be lying if he said he wasn''t a bit sad. It''s true that the original plan 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 accompany 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 declared. "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 glanced 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 their land."

    "If you say so, then I don''t have anything to add," Alex shrugged.

    "Then-"

    Knock Knock

 Chapter 206 : Getting caught

    Chapter 206 : Getting caught

    Knock Knock

    "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 one coming couldn''t be coming 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''ll come 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 glanced 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 accept."

    "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 declared 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 place 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 a comfortable red and white dress.

    "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 holesˇŞto ravish her until they both collapsed, 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 glanced 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 one last 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 particular direction where they found Grace intensely glaring 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 accept 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 glare, 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 glaring 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 playfully as they regrouped with her and Anna.

    "Well, it is what it is," Alex shrugged nonchalantly.

    "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 nonchalant 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 placed 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 glance 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 had completely 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 regular 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 splattered 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-glanced Grace.

    Feeling his gaze, she met his eyes and clicked her tongue. "I''ve got it covered," she declared 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 and commanding 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 flashed 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 particular, 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 clapped his hands to rouse them from their reverie and asked with a playful tone, "Nothing? Not even a good evening or a nice to meet you?"

    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 quickly composed herself and bowed deeper. "I don''t know what makes you think so, but I''m really grateful for you coming 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 accepted 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 accepted 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 become 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 their companion 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 and landed on her bum!

    Thud

    "Ouch," Maya exclaimed 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 into laughter.

    Well, everyone besides Anita, who remained in her bowing position, sweating profusely.

    "Relax, 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 acceptance.

    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 tone laced 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 glances as they observed the teasing couple relentlessly tormenting Anita.

    Amelia sighed and decided to come 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 glancing at the furiously blushing Anita, Alex and Lilia burst into laughter.

    "Okay, okay, we are stopping," Alex conceded, trying to stifle his laughter, "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 glasses 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 to comprehend how Maya had deduced their identities from the carriage alone.

    "Not the carriage, the pegasi," Maya clarified, "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 the large 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 glanced 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.

    "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, comforting her as she cried.

    "Congratulations, I suppose," Alex exclaimed, applauding.

    After him, all the other women chimed in and congratulated 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 placed his hand over Anita''s cheek.

    "Glad 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 tone laced 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, glaring at him.

    "Cough, cough, Amelia, could you please check on the old man''s condition?" Alex smiled wryly.

    She shot him an intense glare 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 glare 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, flashing 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 glance 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 seconds later, 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 place 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 minutes later, everyone had a meal plate in their hands.

    "Let''s dig in, I''m starving!" Alex declared as he eagerly plunged his spoon into his mouth.

    As the flavors 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," Maya complimented, 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.

    "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 declared.

    "And I''ve already marked her as my woman. I won''t allow another man to lay his fingers on her," Alex declared possessively.

    "That woman as you say is your sister, does your wives even know about the relationship 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 relationship 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 exclaimed, 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 playfully.

    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 relationship 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 declared.

    "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 that last 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 prettyˇŞwait! You and grandma kissed!" Amelia exclaimed.

    "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 playing 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 these last 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."

    ''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 the competition. This explosion, in itself, was triggered by her residual blast 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 blast 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 blast 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 the last 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 attributes coming 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, blackish purple.

    ''I prefer this color,'' Alex thought as he adjusted the percentages of the other types of smoke to achieve just the black-purple shade, though the other colors still shimmered occasionally.

    "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 new combination of attributes. Unfortunately, there was no one available 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.

    The woman she was referring to was obviously not Ava. Though Ava did train Anna, she wasn''t an assassin. Seeing that the latter 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 circular room, detailing the battles that took place 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''s comment 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 blast 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 were lacking something.

    However, lacking 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, ''but later.''

    "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''t compare yourself to me, or anyone else for that matter," Alex lightly scolded. "Ultimately, we are all different, so comparing 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 loveâ€¦

    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 moment later.

    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 be compared 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 become 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 become 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."

    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 explained 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 only come to realize what she missed when she decided to stop him earlier.

    "Now, let''s get you out of this dress," Alex smirked playfully.

    "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 it later," Alex reassured her. "Instead, come here, turn around."

    Anna giggled playfully and swiftly turned around, settling herself onto Alex''s lap, her smiling face tinged with a blush.

    As soon as Anna''s two bouncing breasts came into view, Alex couldn''t stop himself from placing his hands on them, a silly grin spreading across his face.

    "They''re as magnificent as I remember them," Alex complimented 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.

    "Relax, 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, planting 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.

    Minutes later, 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 play a lot in making me fall for you," Alex confessed with a playful grin.

    "And what do you like about this body of mine?" Anna inquired with a hint of curiosity, her breath still labored 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 placed 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.

    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." He completely 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 she completely slid off the trousers, Alex''s cock sprang up in a majestic display, display 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 these last 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 placed 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 declared.

    A second later, 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, placed 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 escalate with each passing second.

    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, placing 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. Seconds later, 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 muscular 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 liquid coming 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 exhales coming 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 was completely 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 penetrate 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 flashed 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!

    Slap

    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 glazed with the intense pleasure coursing through her each time she was penetrated 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.

    Slap

    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, stimulated him and fueled his arousal and desire to penetrate 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 penetration, 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.

    ing...anh," Anna''s voice was muffled against Alex''s neck, her lips firmly planted against his skin.

    Alex played 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.

    Anna complied 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 the lace 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 played 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 place? 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 play 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 place, 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 played 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 claim, 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 become 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 a comfortable position in his arms and tightly closed her eyes.

    "Good night I guess," Alex chuckled and planted a kiss on her forehead.

    Before long, Anna''s breathing slowed, and she fell asleep, her body sinking into the comfort of Alex''s arms.

    ''Show me Anna''s status,'' Alex addressed the system a moment later.

    An instant later, 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 assimilation

    Nicknames : child of darkness; Specter of Death]

    ''No changes,'' Alex remarked with a sigh, glancing at the screen displaying 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 accustomed.

    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 a larger quantity of mana compared to others, or one that quickly digests the absorbed mana to allow one to absorb mana once again after a short lapse of time, or the combination of both constitutions.

    For Alex who could absorb mana through mana core and never feel the need to pause, the concept of genius was completely meaningless.

    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," Alex commentated 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 glanced 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 moment later.

    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 with comfortable-looking pants of the same gray hue.

    Although the clothes he wore weren''t the most flashy, it still gave him a dignified appearnmance all the while being comfortable.

    ''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 glance at her, he couldn''t help but gulp in astonishment.

    The dress she wears is an elegant and tight fitted black 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 black fabric.

    Her dress didn''t reveal too much skin, and even her cleavage and most of her slender legs were completely hidden. But despite that, the combination 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 playful 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, her laughter 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 glanced 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 about last 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 particular 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 place 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 hour later, 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 moment later.

    Cedrix glanced 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 can come live in my mansion," he proposed.

    The old man regarded him with suspicion and spoke, "I''m sorry, my lord, but we can''t accept that. You''ve already done so much for us. We can''t be freeloaders. My pride won''t allow me to accept such a thing," Cedrix declared firmly.

    Looking into the old man''s eyes, Alex understood that he wasn''t joking.

    "If that''s the case, then come 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 will come live at your house."

    The reason he accepted 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 will come live with me. If you don''t want to come, then it means you''ll be living alone," Alex reasoned with a smirk.

    "Wait," Alex interjected, placing 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 flashed 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 collarbone, her hands trembling slightly.

    Just as Alex opened his mouth and was about to tell Anita to relax, the latter moved with a swiftness Alex didn''t think she possessed.

    Anita placed 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''t last 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 she laid 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 contemplating when he should arrange the wedding with Anita so he could claim her as his own.

    Although he was attracted to Anita, the talk about the wedding was just playful 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," he complimented 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 one last time before they separated.

    The competition 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, "the competition 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 the competition increasing.

    Grace shrugged, "That wimp used the excuse that the war at the borders of the empire was getting out of hand to push the competition 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 the competition? Designating an heir isn''t something that should be happening right now in the first place, and it was him who decided to organize the competition so that his son would become the heir. So, I fail to see how postponing the competition 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 become the heir of the Eswald family even if the competition got postponed to a later 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 the competition 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 collarbone 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 collarbone. With practiced precision, she grazed her teeth lightly against his skin. With a combination 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.

    "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 playfully, "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 place,'' 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 exclaimed, her cheeks turning slightly pink as she shot Grace a playful yet embarrassed glare.

    Grace sputtered in laughter, 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 slap 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 slap his hand away.

    ''She''s keeping me in check,'' Alex remarked.

    Despite her uproarious laughter, 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 her large 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 moment later.

    Grace nodded. She waved at the three of them one last time before heading off towards the carriage.

    As she flew, she discreetly glanced 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 : One last 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 her late 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 relationship with Amelia, Grace understood that he had no qualms about engaging in a romantic relationship 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 relationship.

    Though, that was not why Grace was wondering; rather, she was pondering if an eventual relationship 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 relationship 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 minutes later, 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 glanced at Amelia and Maya, "wait for me here," he said.

    The two women glanced 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 the landscape 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 acceleration, accompanied by the emergence of deep cracks on the ground.

    Seconds later, 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?"

    "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 relaxed.

    "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 balance 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 delay, 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 glasses 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 exclaimed.

    A moment later, 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 reclaim 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.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    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 moments later, his life was extinguished.

    In the very instant the captain drew his last 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 playing 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 glanced 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 way compared 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 to compose 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 even lasted half an hour before the young man had completely 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 accompanying this young man were terrorized by him.

    "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 flames 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 flames 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 enlarge 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 manipulation 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 a lame place,'' Mustang grinned.

    "A-ATTACK HIM! NOW!" the commander of Gast''s soldiers shouted to his men when he finally snapped out of his shock.

    Unfortunately, he was too late. Before the soldiers could do anything, Mustang unleashed the onslaught, hurling the dozens of gigantic fireballs towards the fortress.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    A series of explosions took place the instant the fireballs collided with the fortress, their immolating flames 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 the land, 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 accepted 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 become 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!" exclaimed 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.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    "If you accept, 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 declared a moment later, seemingly accepting 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 access 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 manipulate 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 explained.

    "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 explained. "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 instant later, 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 plan to make us spar with you later on, right?"

    "That''s absolutely not the case!" Viviane exclaimed. "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 plan 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 become 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 become 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, glaring 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 moment later.

    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 clasped 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 in common.

    One such thing was their love for their youngest sister. All of them particularly doted on Violette and didn''t allow any harm to come 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 herˇŞno, 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."

    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 glasses. Her hourglass figure, complemented 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 black and white maid outfit.

    Under the bright sun, her flawless 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, glancing at Alice.

    "Aunt Anna''s replacement," 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 she come 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, how come?" 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 or later, 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 moment later. 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.

    Glancing down at the plate Eve was carrying, she wondered, "Judging by what you are carrying, you were definitely waiting for us. How did you know that we were coming?"

    "Ah, I was the one who warned her," Alice answered.

    Scarlett frowned, "I didn''t see you take out a communication 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'' to communicate, help them, or harm them," Eve replied, the last 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 exclaimed, interrupting Scarlett. "We are not here for that; we are here to spar, so let''s spar!" she added a moment later.

    "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 glasses.

    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 second later.

    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 Viviane coming perilously close to landing, yet failing to even graze her.

    ''If I didn''t know better, I would have thought she''s just lucky, but...'' Eve''s gaze landed on Scarlett, ''...this child, she''s deciphering and anticipating every move of her opponent, moving accordingly 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 start complaining now, you were the one who insisted on coming 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 particularly peculiar about her eyes.

    Everything about Scarlett''s eyes seemed normal at first glance, but if you looked closely, you could see something strangeˇŞlike 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 flawlessly 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 become 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 calculated 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 immediately launched 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 balance.

    "Not untouchable anymore, huh?" Viviane grinned, seeing the frown on Scarlett''s face as she glanced 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, Scarlett launched 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 playing on her lips.

    Boom.

    A small explosion, followed by a cloud of dust, appeared as the two young women clashed.

    Seconds later, 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 clash, a testament to the ferocity of their combat.

    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 display of skill, with each of them flawlessly 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 impeccable that it seemed impossible for either to land 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 calculation; she anticipates and moves according to her opponent''s actions," Alice explained. "Viviane, on the other hand, relies on talent and experience to fight. Though their styles are completely different, the one thing they have in common is that it''s extremely hard to land 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 glanced 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 accepted 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 becauseˇŞ"Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    "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''s lacking something."

    "What?" Violette wondered.

    "It lacks 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, placing 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, young lady?" Eve inquired politely.

    "Um, milk... yes, milk!" Viviane said.

    Eve gave her a suspicious glance 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 playing 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 to come back with a glass 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 declared 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 exclaimed.

    "Lady Candace ordered me not to let any of you come into contact with alcohol, so no, I won''t be giving that back," Eve asserted.

    "Here''s your milk," she said, handing Viviane a glass of milk.

    Viviane grumbled in protest, but eventually acquiesced, taking the glass 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 black 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''s commands were absolute. The problem this time was that this order came at the worst possible time.

    As if things weren''t complicated 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 here compared to the outside!Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

    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 black as carbon and as lusterless as obsidian. While his legs bulged, the muscles growing more firm and potent. After the transformation was complete, 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 blade.

    Without pausing, Rangyl continued to sprint in that direction, never deviating from his path.

    Minutes later, 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, compared to places like the capital of the Fiore Empire, for example, this city looked very small. One might even call this place a village. 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, flanked by rows of towering structures that reach towards the sky. Despite its modest size, the city''s charm and beauty was undeniable.

    However, Rangyl completely 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 exclaimed with a grin on his face.

    This man had a light brown skin, black hair, and deep black eyes, but the thing that stood out the most about him was the robustness of his body. He was so large and muscular 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.

    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 one last 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 relatively 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 delay, 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 the lack 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 the last 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 collapsed 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 the last time he had climbed the heavenly stairs and he had come 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 exclaimed 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 placed 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 accommodate 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, blood coming 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, landing 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 that last step was akin to, or even greater than, the combined pressure of the preceding 29,999 stairs.

    Yet, it wasn''t the first time Rangyl had stepped on this last stair and it surely wouldn''t be the last time!

    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 exclaimed, "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 god commanded, sounding genuinely intrigued.

    Without delay, 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 haveˇŞ"

    "It''s acceptable," 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 explain to you how tricky it is to extract something from someone soul, in most cases, the instant you try to tamper with soul, it collapse."

    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 toˇŞ" The god paused abruptly.

    He glanced 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 newcomer.

    Kneeling, the man briefly glanced 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 newcomer glanced 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 newcomer.

    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 collapse. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling, and ancient pillars seemed to groan under the strain.

    Meanwhile, Rangyl and the newcomer 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 newcomer, 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 his companions 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 glanced 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 writ large 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 collapsed 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 placed 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 incompetence, 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 her companions took the heart with them, we can easily find them by tracing the heart''s location!" Rangyl explained.

    "Hmm, that''s true," the god approved, "Disyo, what is the new location of the heart," he ordered.

    The newcomer, Disyo, looked towards his boss, a fearful and hesitant expression appearing on his face.

    "What is it? Speak!" The god demanded impatiently.

    "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. ''How come 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 again come 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 collapsed 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 its lands, 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 displaying the differents base of Night was astronomical.

    However, even this wasn''t the true number of bases they had. There were bases, similar 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 her companions looked like.

    The second reason why some bases weren''t displayed 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 displayed 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 with laughter.

    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 playful giggle.

    She had long, wavy black 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 exclaimed.

    With a swift motion, his hand rose, and he delivered a resounding slap to the black-haired woman''s ample, shapely butt.

    Slap

    "Hmm," the woman moaned and glanced at the man, "that will cost you 10 gold coins," she said to him, her tone tinged with amusement.

    Hearing that, the man erupted into laughter. "You heard that? The woman you''re so infatuated with is nothing but a gold-digging whore!" he exclaimed, "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 black hair and dark eyes ablaze with fury.

    This man wore lavish black clothes embroidered with gold. His neatly combed 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 her comfortably on his lap.

    "Rest of you, prepare for combat!" 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 glanced 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 moment later, his solemn expression reappeared as he glanced 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 become 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 account for such stunning beauty.

    "Hmm, what shall I use this time?" Astarte wondered aloud.

    A few seconds later, 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 second later, she retrieved her sword and placed 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 could comprehend what was unfolding, the line began to expand at an astonishing rate.

    Barely a few seconds later, 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 flashing 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 light coming 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.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

    These wings, coupled with her captivating face, gave Astarte the appearance of an angel. In fact, one might doubt the truthfulness of this statement, as comparing 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, flapped once. That single flap 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 collapse as Astarte thought it would.

    "This barrier seem to be really sturdy," Astarte murmured to herself, "well, at worst it will just delay 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.

    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 exclaimed in surprise.

    All the other heads of the base, upon hearing Tobias''s statement, immediately turned to question him about the half-virax he claimed to possess, completely 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 black 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:

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 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''t comprehend Kurdent''s action. Gogis might think of him as an annoying, manipulative psychopath, but he never considered him a coward. If he was, there was no way his base would become 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 exclaimed 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 declared. "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, displaying 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 clarified.

    "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 gladly do," Tobias said.

    "Deal!" Gogis replied without hesitation.

    ''Four level 5, ten level 4, and around fifty level 3,'' Astarte evaluated the strength of those in the plaza. ''Their military power rivals that of some minor noble houses.''

    ''They''re not attacking?'' Astarte raised a brow in surprise as she proceeded to land in the plaza, 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 glance 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 had come to the conclusion that it was in their best interest to attempt negotiation with Astarte. He didn''t feel that the negociation will be successful though.

    ''It''s still better than engaging in combat 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.''

    Seconds later, 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 declared, his tone commanding. "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''ve come 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 the later was that there would be nothing stopping Astarte from attacking them anymore.

    "So...what will it be?" Astarte wondered, a smile playing 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 had come 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.

    Seconds later, Feynor had regrouped with Astarte and took cover behind her.

    Astarte glanced 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 exclaimed, "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 plaza 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 slashed by a mysterious force, causing it to disintegrate into countless tiny pieces.

    "...."

    Gogis and his subordinates watched in terror as one of their comrades 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 place, 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.

    Similar to the one who had just been unceremoniously killed, Gogis was also at level 5, and just like his fallen comrade, 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 to come up with a way to escape this place.

    "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."

    Her laughter 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 it later, 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 was completely 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 explained, he would never do that.

    "You know," Astarte spoke as she casually walked towards Dinos, "I can see from here that you''re contemplating 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 glanced 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 glanced at the spot where Tobias and Gogis had been a few seconds ago.

    Although she had largely 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 place.

    "Umm, t-thanks for rescuing me, Lady Astarte," Feynor said, his face flushing with embarrassment.

    ''Ah, I had completely 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 place gives me the creeps," Feynor said, glancing 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 minutes later, she emerged from the building with several people trailing behind her.

    "Other abductees?" Feynor mused as Astarte landed nearby.

    "Mmm," Astarte nodded, about to explain further when she paused.

    She pulled out a communication 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 placing 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 explained.

    ''It doesn''t matter... does it?''

    ''Not really.''

    ''So, did you get access 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 you coming 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.

    "Prepare the Jaiku #001 to be sent to Imperion," Disyo ordered.

    "What? You can''t be serious!" A man in a lab coat exclaimed. "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 the lab 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 hour later, 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 displaying fluid-like properties that danced and shifted with an otherworldly grace.

    The egg rested atop a circular pod, emanating an intense black glow.

    "Location?" The man in the lab 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 glanced at the pod where the egg was placed just a second ago and nodded his head. "Let''s hope it won''t come 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 accurate 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 relationship 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 in common 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 only lasted 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, they completely 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 these last few days, Alex and Amelia had learned many things about the young heiress. One of the most surprising revelations was her ability, which left Alex feeling quite shocked due to it being overpowered.

    Maya''s ability had to do with her mind, particularly 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 a computer.

    Due to this ability, she had spent a great deal of her life reading books and slowly building a network 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 regular 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 placed 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 exclaimed, her tone tinged with suspicion.

    Alex glanced 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.

    ''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.

    Similar 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 explained.

    "What do you think it is?" Maya questioned.

    "I don''t have a clue," Alex answered, staring through the window, "but it seems to be coming from a cave," he informed.

    A few seconds later, Alex stopped the carriage right in front of a cave large enough for their whole carriage to pass through.

    Alex and the girls glanced 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 glance 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 two companions.

    "I''m feeling ominous vibes from this cave," she commented 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 unexplainable pressure, and the sound of their own breaths became their only company.

    "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 exclaimed.

    "Stop shouting," Alex warned, "you might attract the monsters on this floor."

    Maya instantly clamped 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 relaxed 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.

    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, becoming larger. 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 themˇŞwell, AlexˇŞcompletely 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 even larger than the first. Even the rough and uneven walls of the first floor seemed polished in comparison.

    Another change compared 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, slaughtered 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 accordingly. However, the increase of monsters in this dungeon was too insane!

    ''I hope this is the last 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 the last 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 explained, those at the peak of a level were beings just a step away from the next level. Their strength compared to others tiers within the same level is significantly higher. This statement becomes 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 was completely 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 their last 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 the last floor, which meant that if there was another floor besides the fourth one, Alex and his two companions 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''t come 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!

    "Of course I know, sis," Alex said, planting a kiss on Amelia''s forehead. "Anyway, we are done here," he added, glancing at his surroundings.

    "Yeah, about that," Amelia cast a glance 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 placing them in a space ring Alex had given her. "Hey kiddo, hurry up."

    "Okay," Maya nodded, accelerating her work.

    Minutes later, 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 to comprehend what this ''autopilot'', as he called it, was.

    After several encounters, Alex finally came to understand what was going on with him.

    ''My body has completely adapted to their fighting style,'' Alex noted. ''That''s why evading and counterattacking had become 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 welcomed 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 had completely 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 account, 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 place. 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 weak compared to his opponent.

    All of this is when ignoring the glaring 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 glanced 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 placed 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.

    Minutes later, 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 glanced 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.

    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, accidentally 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 at last, 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 glared at him and retorted, "Thanks for reminding me for the hundredth time."

    "You''re welcome," 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 waˇŞ" Maya suddenly stopped mid-sentence, her expression brightening.

    "You''re really good at hand-to-hand combat. 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-hand combat.

    "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, laced with promise.

    She leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered with her bewitching voice, "if you accept, I will be giving you a reward later 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 accept, I will be giving you a reward later today~"

    That was the final nail in the coffin.

    Alex glanced at Maya looking at him with bright expectant eyes and sighed, "okay, I will teach you how to defend yourself."

    "Yay!" Maya and Amelia exclaimed in unison, clapping their hands against each other in joy.

    "I will make sure to pleasure you later as a thank you~" Amelia whispered to Alex and planted 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 accepted; 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 family lacked 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 to completely 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 hour later, 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

    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, compassion, or even consideration for that matterˇŞnot 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 glaring 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; moments later, 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 second later, 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 whereˇŞ" 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 flames, destructive force and swiftness threatening.

    Not wasting a moment to comprehend 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 second later, 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 was comfortably 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 flames of the explosion.

    Resting on the boss'' lap 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 blade 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 blades, 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 clarity 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 glanced 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 flashed Alex a cold grin and continued, "But from my understanding, guests don''t usually come 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 clear lack of aggressiveness, Alex cast a glance around the boss''s room. The architecture and layout of the room were going to greatly impact their plans 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, circular room filled with an aura of majesty. Tall, gray pillars line the walls, their imposing presence supporting a high golden ceiling. Mounted on these pillars are lit torches, their flames 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.

    Placing Amelia down, Alex glanced 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.

    ''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 to land...'' Alex frowned behind his mask.

    He had deduced what that odd feeling was, but he found it hard to accept that the boss monster at the peak of level 5 could accomplish 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; it comes 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 uncommon 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 the latter asked him to free En from his suffering during the competition. 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 outcome 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 grew larger until it completely 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 oncoming 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 to launch it towards the oncoming 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 blazing comet. 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 the last, echoed inside the dungeon boss''s room the instant the immolating fire launched 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 blast, 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.

    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 place just as quickly.

    ''It won''t last 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 flanked 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 claws 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 had come 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 clashing 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 glance 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 blades, curved like deadly wings or demonic horns.

    ''I guess that explains why I couldn''t defend against that last attack,'' Alex remarked, his eyes tracing the weapon''s sinister curves. The dual blades 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.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com

    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 blade deflecting the spear. He then attempted an attack, swinging the scythe in a wide arc, aiming to slice the lizardman''s flank.

    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 a lateral strike.

    The scythe flew off from Alex''s hand and he was left defenseless. Taking advantage of this, the lizardman slashed 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 strike coming at him just in time.

    ''He won''t let me change weapons,'' Alex realized as the boss kept pressing forward, its attacks coming 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.

    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 penetrate. 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 would come 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 to complain 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''t completely 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 slash 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 line coming 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 oncoming attack.

    An instant later, the wall of flames 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 moments later, 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 place, he only followed that hunch he had the instant his mana penetrated the scythe.

    Before Alex could feel elated, 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 had launched 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 semblance 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 balance 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 incoming 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 blade 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.

    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 collapse. The blast 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 blast ability was so devastating that its effects even spread outside.

    ****

    Maya, who was outside of the boss'' chamber diligently practicing the intricate combat 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 her completely off guard, interrupting her focused training session and sending a jolt of alarm 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 the large, 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 several layers 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 did last quite a while, it had died out before Alex completely ran out of mana. That wasn''t to say that he was in a good condition though.

    Alex collapsed to his knees, his body and clothes drenched in sweat and blood. He violently coughed, blood coming out of his mouth in alarming amounts. His body was already at its limit after he had launched that dark blade 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 occasional 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 incomparable 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 flawless, with a gentle, radiant glow, and her long, dark eyelashes 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 the compliment," Amelia suddenly spoke, her eyes still sealed shut.

    "I''m only stating the truth," Alex replied, gently rubbing his head against Amelia''s pillowy lap.

    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 blast 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."

    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 manipulating 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 circular 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 flashed 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 plant manipulation 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, admiration lacing 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 ability compared 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 moment later, 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, displaying 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 account his sovereignty, then the cost to copy his ability would skyrocket. But, Alex doubted that one could copy a sovereignty in the first place; after all, one needed to link their soul to that of the spirit of the element they wielded to become 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.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

    ''Probably hundreds if not thousands of years,'' Alex remarked, ''no, it might take less time,'' he thought a moment later.

    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 flashed in Alex''s mind.

    He had already shed his inhibitions about a romantic relationship 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 second later, 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.

    ''Well, it''s better than being dead,'' he told himself, slowly pushing himself up.

    He staggered for a moment before managing to stand firm. Glancing down at the sleeping Amelia, Alex smiled lovingly and murmured, "I''m coming 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 glance 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 extraordinarily large 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 been completely 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 glanced 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 collapsed 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 one last glance 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.

    Seconds later, he stood before a large 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 : Thatâ€™s it?!

    Chapter 244 : ThatˇŻs 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 place.

    Granted, he had come 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 nonetheless 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 exclaimed, his body relaxing. "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, larger than average, was barely contained by the fabric, creating an enticing display of cleavage. The towel hugged her curves, accentuating her hourglass 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 the last 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 claim Maya and make her his own.

    "Who are you calling a deceiver?! I have been nothing but sincere with you guys the whole time!" Maya cried out, her orange eyes blazing 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," Amelia laughed 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 planted 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 eyes landed on Maya''s towel-clad figure.

    "What are you doing in a towel?" Amelia asked, a puzzled expression on her face.

    "You''ll understand later," Maya replied with a mysterious grin.

    "Won''t youˇŞ"

    "Wait," Alex interrupted, cutting off Amelia. "We can continue that chit-chat later, 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.

    Seconds later, a disappointed shout echoed from the treasure room, "That''s it?!!"

    ****

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    /invite/F52tHyFf

 Chapter 245 : Treasure room

    Chapter 245 : Treasure room

    "That''s it?!!" Alex exclaimed, 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 similar 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 slain monster, while a mana crystal formed from the condensation of ambient mana.

    Mana crystals were expensiveˇŞhella expensive. That was simply because they didn''t come 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. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com

    As it was explained 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 the lack 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.

    "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 explained.

    "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 moment later, glancing 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 glanced 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, lay a small lake, its surface sparkling with an almost unnatural clarity. The water was so clean it seemed to glow with purity.

    Wisps of steam rose steadily from the lake, 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 the lake, 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 the lake.

    "It''s not only beautiful," Maya replied, her voice edged with excitement. "I don''t know how, but the water in this lake 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 the lake, 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 relaxation. 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 relaxation 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 black 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 black 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, replaced 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''t complicated, 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 significantly larger than the other, and if Alex had to guess whose soul this larger 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 a lazy ass, he still possessed a soul-based ability which granted him a far sturdier and more powerful soul compared to even other wielders of abilities.

    Many aspects of his current character and mannerisms came from the previous Alex. For example, there was his playfulness. While Jack could crack a few jokes if he was in the right mood, he was ultimately not someone who was very cheerfulˇŞand how could he be when he spent his days fighting someone else''s war and burying fallen comrades? 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 playfulness. While Jack could crack a few jokes if he was in the right mood, he was ultimately not someone who was very cheerfulˇŞand how could he be when he spent his days fighting someone else''s war and burying fallen comrades? 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 lived completely 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.

    His fingers trailed down her back, sending shivers down her spine before finally coming 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, "come 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, penetrated her dripping cunt.

    Annh~

    ****

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 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. Ne/w novel chapters are p/u/blished on

    "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 playing 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 the last 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 two large 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 relaxed 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 relaxing 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 to come.

    "That''s it, sis...come for me," Alex urged her on, his fingers moving faster and faster as he felt her walls beginning to clench around him.

    He could only sigh in relief knowing that his sister had waited for him all this time and that no other man had claimed her besides him.

    Alex placed 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 derrie?re of his sister.

    Now that he looked even closer, his sister''s butt could only be declared 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 placed 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, his complete 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 what lay 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 penetrated her cunt. The soft, spongy and wet sensation of his tongue was completely different from his fingers, and in a way much more stimulating. 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 particularly 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."

    ****

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 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 placed 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 flashing 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 glanced 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 claiming 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.

    "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 become 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 into laughter, "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 moment later, 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 placed 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 placed 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 another lays his dirty hands on her.''

    Pak!

    Alex''s hand slapped 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.''

    ****

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 F*cking Brother and Sister (4) (R-18)

    F*cking Brother and Sister (4) (R-18)

    Alex raised his hands and slapped 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 voice laced 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 slapping against her ass as he claimed 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 places 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 slapping 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 penetrated his sister.

    In a matter of seconds, the sound of moaning and lewd slapping 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 penetrated Amelia, his sister''s ass cheeks jiggling with each thrust.

    He couldn''t explain 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 when combined 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 becoming a blur as he pounded into Amelia.

    As they lay 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 penetrated 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 slamming into hers with a wet, slapping sound. Amelia''s moans grew louder, her breath coming 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 to lavish 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 to come!" 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 Amelia come 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 breath coming 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 slapping against flesh filled the surroundings, accompanied 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 a large 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 had come to accept 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.

    The feeling that had awakened him was all too familiar - lust. Lust directed at him, but not coming from his sister. It was instead coming 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. "Now come back here and continue what you started," he ordered, placing 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 place. With a final thrust, he spilled his seed into her mouth, his cock pulsing as he emptied himself into her.

    Amelia swallowed every last drop, her tongue lapping 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 playing 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 glad, 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 succubus, come 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 relaxation.

    She was in the warm waters of the rejuvenating lake, her back facing Alex, who was sitting on the edge of the water. He was gently washing her hair and occasionally 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.

    "Stop complaining; 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 bodyˇŞI''m sore all over from your ''attacks'' last 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, glancing 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 glad 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 planted 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.

    "Quit complaining," 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 playful tone.

    "Oh please, we''re past that point now," Alex chuckled as he stepped into the lake, 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 relationship 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 too late."

    "It seems to be," Amelia sighed, "now I have become one of his wives."

    "And you absolutely love it," Alex added.

    "That I do," Amelia giggled.

    The two of them continued talking and laughing, 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.

    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, placing 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 hand coming 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 up completely. 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 to come.

    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 penetrated 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 slamming 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. The combination 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 her come 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 playing 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 into laughter. "What a sex-crazed woman you are," he said as he planted a deep kiss on Amelia''s lips, his tongue exploring her mouth as they both panted for breath.

    "Now come 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

    "Now come 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 glanced 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 planned.

    The outfit was magnificent. He wore a long, silver robe that nearly reached the ground, featuring a high collar 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, accentuating his strong, muscular build. The sleeves were long and silver, blending seamlessly with the robe to create an elegant look.

    Decorative gold elements adorned the collar, chest, and sleeves, adding a touch of opulence. These elements, possibly buttons or ornamental clasps, 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 similarly luxurious material.

    As he admired the ensemble, he noticed how the color combination of silver and gold perfectly complemented his silver eyes, making them shine with even more brilliance.

    "Those clothes are really great, wheˇŞ" 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 similar 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, accentuating her ample chest and slender waist. The silver fabric made her gray eyes shine with mesmerizing brilliance, while the gold accents created a striking contrast with her flowing black 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.

    Seconds later, 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 collapsed."

    "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 one last round~?"

    "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 theyˇŞ"

    "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 relationship.

    "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 relationship 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, coming 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 relationship would likely become 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 and laughing on the way.

    Since they had completed 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, placed 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 to completely engulf him.

    A moment later, 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 implanted in his mind.

    In most cases, even after a dungeon is conquered, it doesn''t vanish instantly. The conquerors of the dungeon could then become its owner by doing exactly as Alex did. By becoming 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 Scarlett completed her research and he fully understood their value, or lack of value, he planned 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 flake of snow landed on her palm.

    All around them, the landscape was a blanket of white. Snow continued to fall steadily, the wind blowing it into swirling patterns. The once barren landscape 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, he commanded 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, collapsed in a shower of rocks and debris. Moments later, the falling snow swiftly covered the rubble, completely 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 access any other functions... it''s strange."

    "Who is coming," 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 the lands 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!

    The last time Grace had visited a noble house that dared to complain 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 uncontrollable, 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 be coming 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 place was her backyard.

    "Make all the preparations to welcome 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.

    Glancing at the ceiling of his office, Baron Golddark sighed, ''I truly hope there''s nothing wrong coming 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 this land, welcome 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. Glancing slightly over his shoulder, he caught sight of a cute young girl with golden hair and sapphire blue eyesˇŞhis granddaughterˇŞcovering her mouth with her small hands, trying to stifle her laughter.

    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 glanced 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~."

    Glancing back, he witnessed Grace playfully pinching his granddaughter''s cheeks.

    The young girl seemed to enjoy the attention. She flashed 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 your company instead."

    If he wasn''t completely 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 themˇŞif the empire bothered to send someone in the first place.

    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 pretty lady," 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 her later," 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 exclaimed, "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 heˇŞ''

    ''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 similar to his father in that sense,'' added Grace.

    Currently, she had a communication 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 place 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 could come up with?'' Grace asked, her expression irritated.

    She hated doing public announcementsˇŞnot because she had stage fright; she had lived too long to be scared of large 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 elation 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 and come 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 the communication and putting away her talisman.

    Grace stared straight ahead for a long time after the connection was cut, a thoughtful expression clouding her features.

    A couple of hours later, 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 plan they had established with Alex before they parted ways.

    The plan 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 become 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 had come 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 heir competition was approaching. Since Grace couldn''t participate, she had to appoint someone else as the branch leader. Only a branch leader was eligible to become a baron.

    Most people would infer from the sudden announcement of an official statement by Grace, just over two months before the competition, 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 planned 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 plan 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 delay, she directed the horses toward the city.

    ***

    As Anna approached the city gate, Grace gracefully landed on a raised platform set up in the city center.

    When the thousands of people gathered around the platform saw her, they erupted into cheers.

    "You''re quite popular 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 glare and gritted her teeth. "I''ll find a way to get back at you."

    "Sure," Candace replied with a nonchalant smile. "I''ll be waiting."

    Seeing the relaxed smile on Candace''s face, Grace could only sigh. For some reason, she was certain that any plan she came up with to get back at Candace wouldn''t succeed 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 platform, her gait confident and devoid of any hesitation.

    Meanwhile, Candace discreetly slipped away from the platform, 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 flashed 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, successfully 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 plaza to ensure nothing happened to Grace during her speech. As a result, no one noticed Anna''s presence.

    Anna, who had already discussed the plan 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 minutes later, 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 plaza 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 voice laced 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 one last 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 to come.

    "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 flashing 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 anyoneˇŞunless Grace wanted her to.

    "..."

    "Why are you looking at me like?!" Grace asked, feeling increasingly uncomfortable 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. But come on, fantasizing about your grandson?" Candace teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

    "Hey! Don''t twist my words," Grace exclaimed 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 playful sarcasm.

    "...." Grace fell silent, unable to come 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 voice laced with mischief. "And from what I witnessed, he''s definitely going to pursue her. My grandson has become 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 relationship, 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 exclaimed 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 you later. 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 to comprehend 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, completely forgetting that it was originally her work, and Candace had only been helping her out.

 Chapter 258 : Enâ€™s proposal

    Chapter 258 : EnˇŻs 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, LadˇŞ" Anna began to greet Lilia, but stopped mid-sentence as the red-headed woman turned a sharp glare 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 carriage landing 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 the competition.

    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 was completely stolen the moment Anita descended from the carriage.

    Nox, En, and every other man in the vicinity froze the instant their eyes landed on Anita. She was, without a doubt, one of the most breathtakingly beautiful women they had ever seen.

    Seeing her chatting and laughing 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.

    Glancing 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, my lady, but I can confidently say that you have already conquered my heart. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" En proposed with the most sincere and devoted expression he could muster.

    "...."

    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 moment later 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 nothing compared 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 nothing compared 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. The last 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 fiance?e.

    ''Now that I think about it, perhaps I should leave the mansion before he comes 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, their laughter 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''t completely 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 Mayaâ€™s sleep (R-18)

    Chapter 259 : Alex and Amelia disturbing MayaˇŻs 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 relationship 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 relationship, 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 collapse the instant Alex and Amelia got freaky under the covers.

    Instead, Maya was now sleeping on a bed of plants made by Amelia. Objectively speaking, this bed was very comfortable, 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 relationship,'' Maya lamented as the sounds of flesh slapping against flesh, the moans and gasps of pleasure, were driving her mad. She tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position, but the sounds of the siblings'' passionate lovemaking made it impossible for her to relax.

    ****

    Inside the other carriage...

    "I''m about to...ahh...Uuunhg~" Amelia moaned in ecstasy as she felt her third orgasm coming.

    PAK! PAK! PAK! PAK!

    Amelia''s speed of movement increased as she bounced on her brother''s cock. Alex, meanwhile, lay flat on his back, muscles tensed, eyes locked on Amelia''s bouncing form. He placed 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~~"

    ***

    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 moans coming from the other side of the door.

    ''What a lascivious pair,'' Maya thought with flushed cheeks. Even though it wasn''t her first time hearing the two of them making love, it was still hella 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. Amelia lay 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 had completely 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 ejaculate, Alex''s grasp on Amelia tightened, and with one last 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 exclaimed, "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 already late 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 sleep last 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, and laid 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 these last few days, I wouldn''t be surprised if I''m already pregnant," Amelia said with a playful smirk.

    "I hope that''s the case," Alex replied, flashing 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 with laughter.

    "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 black 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.

    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 be compared to more common 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 become overly reliant on his system. It didn''t mean he wouldn''t use it to grow strongerˇŞthat would be foolish. However, he was determined not to become 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 become 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 become too strong for conventional training methods to be effective. Normally, if one wanted to increase stats like stamina, strength, and agility, regular 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 become 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 outcome of a fight.

    All of that to say, Alex might have become much stronger compared to a few days ago, but he still wasn''t at a level where he could afford to be complacent 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 : Mayaâ€™s potential

    Chapter 261 : MayaˇŻs potential

    Without looking at the oncoming 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 plant 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 on landing a punch on Alex''s face stemmed from a bet they had made. A few days ago, during a training session, Maya had managed to land 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 a complete novice not too long ago.

    Seeing Maya act smug, Alex proposed a challenge. If she could land another hit on him, he would grant her any wish. She could attack him however and whenever she wantedˇŞeven a surprise attack wasn''t off-limits.

    At first, Maya was elated, thinking she had found a loophole to get what she wanted. But her joy quickly faded as she realized her earlier success was pure luck.

    Since then, Maya had been trying relentlessly to land 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 planted a tender kiss on her cheek.

    "It''s too cold around here," Maya complained as she sat across from the siblings.

    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 similarity 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 become for her to adapt and learn even more.

    At some point, Alex speculated 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 regular 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 balanced 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 display his wife''s status. But what he saw shocked him to the point that his concentration faltered, and he nearly collapsed 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, translated 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 a lack of experience in comparing 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 glad 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.

    ***

    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 accept 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 their complaints as nothing more than the whining of spoiled children. He quite literally chased them out of his palace, commanding 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''s command, 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 isolation of Eidross. After all, a city couldn''t possibly thrive if all its access to food, goods, and trade were cut off.

    Unfortunately for those nobles who were particularly eager to see Eidross collapse, 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'' population, 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, a compromise 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 population and infrastructure within Eidross made many nobles realize something unsettling: they were widely despised by the common folk.

    The most arrogant nobles scoffed and ignored this revelation, 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, calculating 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 people coming 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 allˇŞ their skin tone subtly changed, becoming 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 after landing. Due to the upcoming Drazen family auction, which was set to take place beyond the massive mountain chains surrounding Eidross, a large 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 glance 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 disguisesˇŞat least his and Amelia''sˇŞwere 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 a large belly, muttered, squinting at the man before him.

    The latter 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 place 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 similar 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 glance, 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 place to rest. They could have opted for more luxurious accommodations, but Alex insisted that doing so would only draw unwanted attention. Initially, they agreed with his reasoningˇŞit was logical, after allˇŞbut 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 glanced 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.

    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, accepting the key from Alex before slipping into her room.

    Alex and Amelia shared a glance 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 had completely 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, exclaimed.

    "IˇŞI 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 maintain composure, 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 collapsed 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 glanced 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 planning 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 her completely 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 uncomfortably 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.

    Glancing 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.

    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, glazed 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.

    *Slap*Slap*Slap*Slap*

    The room was soon filled with the sound of their ragged breaths and the wet, rhythmic slap of their bodies meeting.

    Alex withdrew almost completely, 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 bodies coming together grew louder, the wet slap 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 breaths coming 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 breath coming 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 becoming 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 himself completely 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 : Thatâ€™s enough

    Chapter 265 : ThatˇŻs enough

    "What do you mean we can''t enter?!" a young man with dirty blond hair and a sharp jawline exclaimed, 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 relatively 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 place.

    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.

    Fortunately for them, they managed to repel this third wave as well, but this time they didn''t come 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 displaying 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 the latter 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 particularly twisted view of people. Everyone who wasn''t at least of Earl rank was considered good for nothing, and those even lower than thatˇŞmeaning ordinary peopleˇŞwere 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 underclass 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 escalate, 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 too late. 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 clash.

    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 inˇŞthat 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 presenceˇŞa 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 weaponsˇŞwell, 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 collapsed, 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 accepted the outcome, 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 up completely 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 speculation 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.

    Despite its ability to completely 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 relayed the events, though he had little choice in the matter.

    After the guard finished his explanation, 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 explained honestly. "You seem too suspicious, so we don''t want to take any risks."

    At this excuse, Alex''s anger flared, 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 his companions, 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 place, 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 place with other human inhabitants.

    "Very well, I will leave," Alex conceded.

    "I will go fetch my comrades."

    "That won''t be necessary," the captain said, "I will send someone to fetch them in your steˇŞ"

    "You seem to have misunderstood something," Alex interjected, his gaze flashing behind his mask. "I wasn''t asking for your permission."

    Before the captain could retort, Alex completely vanished from his position, stunning not just the captain but everyone present.

    Quickly overcoming his surprise, the captain deployed his senses to encompass a perimeter comparable 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 placed 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.

    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 glances, Alex tossed a coin to the bartender. "That''s for the broken door and the trouble that''s about to come 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 muscular 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 the latter 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 minutes later, 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 black heart and the fact that he always used it in barren lands and for short times. However, maintaining one''s senses deployed and covering a large swath of land 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 were coming, the instant the captain''s eyes landed on Alex''s figure, his anger flared up like a raging inferno.

 Chapter 268 : Fury

    Chapter 268 : Fury

    The instant the captain of the guards'' eyes landed on Alex''s figure cloaked in smoke, he lost the composure he had been maintaining all this time.

    He was a man whose orders were law 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 flared 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 collapsed to their knees, struggling even to breathe.

    Glancing 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 the last bit of sanity he had, Alex glanced 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, suddenly coming 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 his companions 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 glared 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 blades were sharp and menacing, with a black skull perched at the junction where the two blades met.

    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 glad to hearˇŞ"

    "But he will still pay for what he did," Alex cut in.

    Before anyone could react, Alex slashed his scythe through the air with a swift, decisive motion.

    A fine line of dark energy erupted from the blade, 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 two companions. "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 twiceˇŞfirst 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 thanâ€¦

    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 glance at the woman, Alex sized her up and down before inquiring in a flat 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 place."

    Alex remained silent for a moment before nodding, "I accept, 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 DrisiddˇŞfor 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 glancing 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 the last 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 your comrades 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 weˇŞ"

    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 but larger and more spacious, able to accommodate the entire group of nobles comfortably. 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.

    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 hour later, when they had sufficiently distanced themselves from Eidross, Alex brought the carriages to a complete 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 voice laced 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 glanced at the captain with a nonchalant 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 particularly adamant that no harm come 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 glanced 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 pale complexion 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-black 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 declared, 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 plant chamber and visibly relaxed. He had requested this chamber for the night, worried that he might not be able to maintain the structure of the smoke carriage from collapsing 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 black heart. This was the first time he had truly slept without worry, allowing his mind to experience a profound state of rest and clarity.

    Usually, at night, Alex was either occupied having sex with Amelia, training his smoke manipulation, or reading the numerous books Lilia had provided him. Since his mental enhancement, the only rest he had gotten besides last 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 the lake 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 after last night sleep, Alex realized that it wasn''t the case.

    "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 exclaimed as the heat slammed 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 becoming 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 blazing furnace.

    As Alex''s curiosity grew in response to the unfolding spectacle, he sensed something was amiss. A second later, 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 blast 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 blast, desperately searching for her brother.

    Fortunately, she found Alex unscathed just moments later, 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 uproarious laughter.

    Standing there butt naked, with laughter 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," Alex laughed so hard that tears began to form at the corners of his eyes. He was completely 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 still laced 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 uproarious laughter abruptly ceased, and his lips twitched, but it wasn''t for long as his previous smile reappeared a second later.

    "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''m laughing."

    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 manipulation seemed to have stalled, and it greatly worried him.

    He wasn''t sure if the problem was coming 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 apply common 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 elementˇŞlike being able to teleport in a smoky environment, the smoke cloaking, the ability to change the physical characteristics of smoke, and other featsˇŞcould 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 applying common sense to the smoke under his control was asinine. After all, from the moment he had become 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 to completely mask his presence in smoke so that even his level couldn''t be deducedˇŞnothing about those feats was something a normal smoke user could pull off; they were unique to him because he was a sovereign.

    In those last 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.

    "They''re under attack," Alex said calmly, his tone losing its playful 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 the commotionˇŞa large 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 new layer of smoke armor to encase his body and formed a smoke mask for Amelia to conceal her identity.

    "Let''s go," he commanded, and without further delay, 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 had completely 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 4 combatant before launching 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 glance at Amelia and muttered under his breath, "That''s why I hate hiring incompetents. Instead of protecting me, he was off wasting time with thatˇŞ"

    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 glared 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 balance 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 manipulated; otherwise, these families wouldn''t hesitate to try and take advantage of them.

    "Secondly, if you ever show any disrespect toward me or my companions, you are dead," Alex continued, his tone cold and unwavering, each word carrying the weight of his threat.

    He swept a glance 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 bladder, 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 collapsed 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 display 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 glance before adding, "just the two of you."

    Taking advantage of the moment, Amelia had subtly planted 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, replaced 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 slashed with all his might.

    SLICE! SLICE! SLICE!

    The bandit''s sword was like an extension of his will as it sliced apart all the branches coming for him, leaving only the sturdy trunk of the tree standing.

    Taking a breath, the bandit placed 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 play 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 collapsing. 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 explained. "It generally grows in the forests south of Imperion, where it''s not uncommon to find creatures that can uproot or slash 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 explanation, 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 collapsed on the ground seconds later.

    "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 glanced 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 particular, 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 plausible, Alex leaned more toward the second. Just like the previous captives of Night who had become 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 to complicate 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 glanced 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, so last 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 accepted it when Maya explained 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 it landed on a particular 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-hand combat. If you manage to win, you can go free."

    Both the woman and Maya blinked in confusion before the young heiress exclaimed indignantly, "What the hell?!"

    Despite noticing her nervousness, Alex didn''t comment 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 explained.

    "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 blaming 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 his command 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 but lacked 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. Moments later, 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 becoming 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.

    Glancing back, he saw that the bandit woman had collapsed 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 outcome 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 Maya lacked experience, her technique and adaptability allowed her to overcome 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 fight completely 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 gaze landed 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''t last long, and afterward, I won''t be able to do the same until I absorb more heat again," Daisy explained, 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 now larger 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 grow larger, he maintained its gaseous form despite the rising temperatures.

    Once the smoke ball grew to be as large 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 lowˇŞa classic symptom of early hypothermia.

    This sudden change quickly caught Alex''s attention. He allowed the smoke encasing his arm to retract and placed 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 farˇŞat least, none that he was aware of.

    A pang of guilt flashed through him, but it didn''t last long.

    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 insulated 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 become 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 smokeˇŞwell, at this point, it wouldn''t be right to call it shrinking; it had stopped shrinking long ago. Now what he was doing was compressing the heat energy further and further into the smoke, intensifying its density and energy to extreme levels.

    Moments later, 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 balance between different elements. For instance, the fire element pairs well with wind but clashes with water.

    At this point, the sharpest might wonder why speaking of a synergetic balance 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 classified 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 classified 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 manipulate the temperature of his smoke without external aid. There was no immediate necessity to spend soul pointsˇŞwhich he was currently trying to accumulateˇŞon 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 ever laid 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 plagued 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 me later, 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.

    "I guess you don''t value your balls," Alex sighed, feigning pity as he commanded 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 flashed 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 become 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, to comply, 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 his command.

    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 grade compared 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 journey lasted longer than expected, it was still enjoyable."

    "True," Alex nodded, a smirk playing 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 playful glance, "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.

    This last opponent had proven to be much more difficult than the other two, largely 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 accomplishment now. It wasn''t a meaningless fightˇŞshe 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 blatantly 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 and commanding. "Return to the back of the line and wait your turn like everyone else."

    Alex barely spared the guard a glance before leaning back into the carriage. "Hey, kiddo, that''s your cue," he said nonchalantly.

    Maya grumbled a little but quickly composed herself. Straightening her back and brushing down her clothes to appear like the neat and proper noblewoman she was, she retrieved her glasses from her space ring.

    "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 by law.

    "I''m sorry, Lady Maya," the old guard began cautiously, "but according to our sources, the heiress was kidnapped. The Letter of Nobility could have been taken forciblyˇŞ"

    "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, my lady. It''s just that we''ve been given strict orders. We can''t afford to make any mistakes," the old guard stammered, his composure crumbling. "If you could just summon someone who could testify that you are indeed...you, that would beˇŞ"

    "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 moment later 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 was commanding, 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 that commanded attention and respect without a word.

    The instant the guard recognized her, he dropped to his knees in reverence. "Welcome, my lady," 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, glaring 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 flashed Maya a strained smile.

    The woman, whose name Alex still didn''t know, glanced 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 success, 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.

    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 incommensurable 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 glanced at Alex curiously, a silent question flashing 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, plastering a cordial expression on her face. "Oh, Freya, what are you doing here? If memory serves me right, today you shouldˇŞ"

    "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 flash of displeasure, but she forced herself to stay composed, expertly masking her disdain for Freya. "Well, you don''t have to answer that," Frieda continued, her voice still laced 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 placed 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 are law. I have never needed, nor will I ever need, your permission. When I give a command, you execute it, plain and simple."

    The moment Freya spoke , every ounce of Frieda''s bravado evaporated in an instant, her confidence shattered like fragile glass.

    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 and ladies, 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 outcome.

    Once Frieda and the group of nobles had disappeared from view, both Maya and Freya spat in unison, "Flat-chested snake."

 Chapter 278 : Freya Drazen (2)

    Chapter 278 : Freya Drazen (2)

    "Flat-chested snake," both mother and daughter spat with cold sneers on their faces.

    They glanced at each other before bursting into laughter. 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 once commanding 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 and comforting 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 wereˇŞ"

    "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 welcoming gesture, said, "Mom, I''d like you to meet my new friends. They''re actually the ones who rescued me when I was abducted."

    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. Glaring 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 relaxed a moment after. "She is Frieda, my late father''s first wife."

    "Oh," Alex exclaimed 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 glance 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 places where the auction would take place, 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. Minutes later, 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 beautifully landscaped garden complete with a koi pond and stone lanterns. 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. "Welcome 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 income just for the chance to sit at the tables of those willing to buy a rank four potion."

    "That much?!" Alex, Amelia, and Maya exclaimed 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 explain 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 eyes completely. Unfortunately, none of them could." Freya sighed in disappointment.

    "Oh, I forgot about that," Maya exclaimed, removing her glasses 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 glanced around the room, her eyes sharp and focused. She pointed towards a small vase across the room and effortlessly described its intricate patternsˇŞthe delicate flowers, the fine cracks in the porcelain, and even the faint shimmer of dust on the surface. "See? Everything is so clear now!" she laughed, her joy unmistakable.

    "W-What? How is that possible?" Freya stammered, her usual composure 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 glasses anymore, and the result was shocking to her. In the end, she could only mutter, "How?"

    "That''s thanks to Ame- Amy here! She completely healed my eyes!" Maya exclaimed 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 for later.

    "What is it?"

    Freya sighed and explained, "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 meˇŞthose individuals are the elders."

    Alex nodded, not that surprised about this revelation. 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 explained. "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 clause 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 glanced 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 clause 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 was completely 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 restˇŞlove and trust. These emotions, unlike the others, didn''t conflict or hurt, but rather wrapped around her like a comforting 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 manipulate 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''t comprehend 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 explain 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 a complete 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 to comfort 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 placed 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 slowly come back to her usual self. Those feelings hadn''t completely disappeared, but at least, they now had no real hold on her to the point that she would suddenly begin to cry.

    "If the current Drazen family matriarch is no longer the matriarch and the successor she had designated isn''t the new leader of the Drazen family, this present contract is voided." This was what the clause said.

    Without needing to be said, the one Freya had designated as her successor was, of course, Maya, her daughter.

    "You are quite devious yourself," Alex laughed. "I doubt your family elders will be pleased with this clause."

    "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 accordance. This clause 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 collaboration between Arcane and the Drazen family grew to be a significant source of income for each of them to amass enormous amounts of money, Arcane might become 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 clause would become 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 clauses 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 slave. In this case, the slave owner had the full right to terminate the contract, and the slave couldn''t do anything to stop it, not like a slave would want to stop their master from giving them freedom back.

    In any case, there was still a flaw in Freya''s plan, and that flaw was none other than Alex.

    Since she couldn''t refuse her elders'' orders, if they managed to convince Alex to change or completely erase the first clause, 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 clause 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, perhapsˇŞone 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, perhapsˇŞone 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 wantedˇŞespecially while he was willing to pay her priceˇŞshouldn''t be an unreasonable ask. After all, he wasn''t asking for a favor but offering fair compensation.

    "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 clauses. It would damage our reputation and violate 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 negotiationsˇŞjust 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 she composed 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.

    "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 exclaimed. "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 moment later 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 so large 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 glanced around the room that was probably the bathroom. The bathroom was elegantly decorated, with intricate tile work and wooden accents 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 : Uncontrollable 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?" Alex complained indignantly.

    Amelia exploded in laughter, 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 they landed on Amelia''s soft, enormous, and bubbly ass cheeks. They squeezed gently once before their grip firmed up, taking a large portion of her flesh in his hands.

    "You have a great ass, sis~" Alex complimented as he continued his movements. Amelia''s butt was like dough in his hands as he played 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 explained.

    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 relaxing and her breath coming 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 contemplated 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. Occasionally, 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 breath coming 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 penetrated 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, "Relax, sis. I''ll make you feel good."

 Chapter 283 : Uncontrollable lust (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 283 : Uncontrollable lust (2) (R-18)

    Amelia tensed for a moment, but Alex leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Relax, sis. I''ll make you feel good."

    She took a deep breath and relaxed.

    Alex continued to apply a gentle pressure against her asshole until he felt her relax 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 accustomed 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 breath coming in ragged gasps as the overwhelming dual sensation of having Alex''s fingers stimulate 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 to completely 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...."

    Alex opened his eyes and had to take a moment to stare at the beautiful sight before him. His sister was laying on her stomach, her beautiful, sexy, and flawless body that could put some goddesses to shame glistened with a layer of sweat. Her long, raven-black 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 was completely 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 cock coming 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 slapping against skin resounded once again in the bedroom. Her hands gripped the bedsheets tighter as she accepted her brother''s strokes and gradually sank into a state of depravity and ecstasy.

    SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

    The sound of flesh slapping 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 accustomed, 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 placed 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 become 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 glanced 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 slapping of flesh against flesh, and the moans and grunts of their shared pleasure.

 Chapter 284 : Uncontrollable lust (3) (R-18)

    Chapter 284 : Uncontrollable lust (3) (R-18)

    Amelia glanced 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 violated 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 and completely destroy it took possession of him.

    The pink color of his eyes intensified, and he grabbed Amelia''s hourglass 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, penetrating her in one swift motion until his whole manhood had completely disappeared inside her.

    He reveled in the sensation of her inner muscles clamping down on his member for a moment before he pulled back and thrust himself forward once again with such force that his balls slapped against her dripping pussy.

    Slap!

    A loud and lewd sound of flesh slapping 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 to completely 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 slamming 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.

    Slap!

    At that moment, Alex heard someone sigh directly into his head. The following second, his vision darkened, and he collapsed 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 exclaimed 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 place.

    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 him completely.

    ''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 it comes. There were no special furnishings or features on it. There were two chairs placed around the round table. One of which he was currently sitting on, and the other that was placed right in front of him, but was unoccupied.

    This didn''t last, 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 : Revelations (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 blank. 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 become a dull slave," 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 her last 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 playful and teasing goddess speak in a formal and serious tone. It made Alex become 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 explained. "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 flashed in his mind.

    "If I hadn''t taken action, you would have probably done something you would regret later 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.

    "Yes," the goddess nodded. "Just like mana and other forms of energies, there is also lust energy. However, contrary to energies like mana that come from the world, lust energy is tied to beings. If there are no beings in a world, there can''t be lust energy," she explained.

    This news was quite a shock to Alex because he had never thought that energies such as lust existed. Just this revelation 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 thatˇŞ"

    "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 only comes from living beings, and you, like other species such as the succubus, can tap into this lust energy." the goddess explained. "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 explained.

    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 : Revelations (2)

    ''Lilia was right after all; my ability had indeed caused modifications to the lust artifact,'' Alex thought with a chuckle.

    He relaxed on his chair and placed 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 asked composedly.

    "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 become stronger faster than if you used lust points," the goddess of lust explained.

    "It wasn''t without consequences though," she continued a moment later. "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 explain to you how easily gaining the favor of women would have become 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 manipulation 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 exclamation 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 particular, "Others have good champions, meanwhile, my champion is just an ungrateful drama queen?"

    "Not now," the goddess said in a dismissive tone. "Maybe later you will know," she added a moment later.

    "Why are you trying toˇŞ"

    "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 pressure land on him. His danger sense blared at him, urging him to run away at his fastest, but he couldn''t. The danger seemed to come 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 pressure completely 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 to compose 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 playful.

    "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 a last question. What would it be?"

    Alex thought for a moment before he decided on his last 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 : Revelations (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 lust laughed, 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 becoming 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 to completely 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," she laughed even harder. "At that moment, I did absolutely nothing," she explained.

    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 one last 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 weeks later 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 in laughter as he heard the most what-the-fuck story he had ever heard in his two lives! It was so hilarious that he practically curled himself into a ball, tears streaming down his eyes as he laughed uncontrollably.

    A second later, the goddess also joined him, and the two of them laughed so hard that the echoes of their voices filled the darkness around them.

 Chapter 288 : Return

    Chapter 288 : Return

    Around a minute later, Alex and the goddess finally stopped laughing, 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 of laughter 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 revelation. "I would have loved to meet that guy," he said after a moment.

    "Unfortunately, the old hag killed him herself and claimed 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 syllable 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 group comprised 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 fiˇŞ" 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 glances, 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 minutes later, they stood before a heavy wooden door. Above it, a statue of the Goddess of Light gleamed, radiating a serene aura.

    Mina glanced 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.

    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 explain 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 exclaimed in shock.

    "Yes, it happened when we tried to rescue a village that had been attacked by them," Mina explained, 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 forˇŞhm?" he stopped mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing as he looked closely at Mina. After a long pause, he frowned and asked, "Where''s the necklace 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 necklace 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 necklace 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 maintain composure. "Do you at least know who you gave the necklace 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 the last words he managed to say before his legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed 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 necklace?"

    The bishop glared at her before letting out a weary sigh. "That ''necklace,'' 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 ''necklace'' 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 regular 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 to compose himself, then he dropped yet another bombshell, "He gifted it to you because you are supposed to become 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 blank, unable to comprehend the words she had just heard.

    She wasn''t the same in that state as Umra and Mara were also pretty shocked by this revelation, 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 particular necklace 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 explained.

    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 glance was the worried, sick expression on Amelia''s face.

    "Alex!" Amelia exclaimed 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 placed 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 a later 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."

    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 exclaimed. "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 clapped 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 glanced 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 glanced 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 in laziness.

    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 bathˇŞa 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 flashing a grin. "Still as handsome as ever," he smirked, admiring his sharp features. "Though I should probably cut this hair soonˇŞit''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 explained that he could accept her blessing whenever he wished. All it required was a simple command 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

    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 energyˇŞthe same overwhelming energy that engulfed him last night and made him lose consciousnessˇŞhad returned, this time in an even more intense state than before.

    This energy began to concentrate around his body, becoming 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 particular 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''t come 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 collapsing 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 black 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 succumb 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 succumb.

    After a while, after the pink energy had infiltrated every one of his cells, Alex''s body convulsed, and changes began to occur 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 oncoming 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 becoming 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 qualityˇŞethereal, almost as if he were no longer bound by the limits of mere mortal handsomeness.

    After these changes took place, 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 successfully finished]

 Chapter 291 : Changes

    Chapter 291 : Changes

    [Lust blessing process successfully 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 occurred.

    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 become. 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 exclaimed 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 they landed 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.

    "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 usual composure 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 and comparing the results with traditional healing potions," she explained.

    "Got it," Alex nodded, understanding the plan.

    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 glanced 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 sheepish laugh, trying to brush off the topic.

    Sensing that he wasn''t eager to elaborate, Freya decided to swiftly change the subject. "So, how long do you plan 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 welcome 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," he complimented 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 perfect combination," 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 accepted his assistance.

    At this point, the guards were openly exchanging baffled glances, unable to comprehend what was happening. It wasn''t like their usually composed 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 moments later, 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 playful 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 blame for that," she explained. "They judged that, given her abilities, she was more suited to be a scholar 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 blame the elders; at first glance, 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 become 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.

    Minutes later, they arrived at their destination and immediately got down to businessˇŞwell, 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, comparing 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 bottle later."

    "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."

    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 playing the landlady. 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 of late, she completely 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 relationship 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 glanced 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 uncomfortable.

    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 place, 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, completely 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 place, 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 earsˇŞa cracking noise, like glass shattering.

    Crack!

    The cracking noise sounded once again, and with the corner of his eyes, Alex glanced 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. Those nets of cracks converged, and a particularly 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 place. 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 slaughter.

    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 clans 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 get complicated.''

    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 slam 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 blade 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 playful 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, glancing 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 rewardedˇŞit''s the duty of common 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 wasˇŞthe same young man who had tried to order him around. Clearly, this youth arrogance was inherited.

    ''And what are these absurd accusations?'' Alex thought indignantly. ''I can understand them being upset about me threatening the brat, but accusing 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 place. 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 a commoner 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 clause 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 becoming 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 differentˇŞhe could feel it. His skin, organs, and even his bones had become noticeably tougher, more resistant. His very hair seemed more durable.

    His skin, in particular, felt as hard as stone, solid and unyielding. If someone tried to cut him, it would be like striking a boulder with a dull blade. His entire body had become 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 claim that he would come out completely 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.

    ''His weapon might be small, but his attacks are heavy,'' Alex analyzed as he slid along the ground.

    Before he could even come 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 sequenceˇŞone 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 abdomen last.

    ''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 arrowˇŞor 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 accelerated. 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 explains 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 oncoming 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 worseˇŞdied.

    ''Damn that old man,'' he thought angrily as he spat out a mouthful of blood. His smoke mask had completely disintegrated, forcing him to form a new one. ''If it weren''t for him, I could''ve blocked that blow.''

    Despite the pain, this last 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 muscular yet lean frame that exuded confidence and strength.

    What truly caught Alex''s attention, though, was the color of her flowing hairˇŞcyan.

    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 relative of hersˇŞmaybe 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 male companion 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 glanced at him, flashing 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, lady Althea, why are you defending this criminal?" the old man, Kradwell, inquired.******

    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 now completely 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 anythingˇŞno 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 second later 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 accuracy.

    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 arrow landed on his left shoulder!

 Chapter 296 : Battling a group of level 5 (3)

    Chapter 296 : Battling a group of level 5 (3)

    A light arrow landed 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 place, even within his smoke cloud, Alex began to run. He controlled the smoke under his boots, commanding 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 overcome.

    Unlike the dungeon boss, these high-level 5 individuals had intelligence and likely years of combat 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 glanced 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 slashing 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 outcome 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 balanced. Both combatants were giving it everything they had, their furious clashes 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 uproarious laugh, and in an instant, her skin began to change from pale white to a deep, fiery red.

    ''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 remained composed 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 become 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 attackˇŞand 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, a commanding voice boomed across the battlefield, its presence undeniable and powerful, cutting through the tension like a knife.

    "ENOUGH!"

    Stopping mid-swing, Alex glanced 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 blazed 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 blade, 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 place, 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 revelation.

    ''This complicates 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 weaponˇŞa 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 his comrades. "We''re leaving." He shot Alex a final, icy glare. "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 glare 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 accountable 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 simpleˇŞyou''ll pay based on how much value you place 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 voice composed, 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 playing on his lips.

    "Exactly!" she exclaimed, looking satisfied. "I''m much taller than that shrimp. By the way," she leaned closer to Alex and whispered conspiratorially, "how come 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 probably lazing 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 planning 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 glanced 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 plans, shall we find somewhere private to discuss this matter?"

    Freya glanced over at Alex for confirmation, and he gave a subtle nod. He didn''t have anything else planned 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 place, 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 accompanied 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 nonchalantly, 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 exclaimed, 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 moment later, 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 feel comfortable with the kind of glance Lady Freya is sending in my direction right now."

    Alex glanced over and saw Freya throwing cold, side-eyed glances 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?"

    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 accelerated, 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 becomes 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 according 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 outclassed 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 lengthsˇŞeven tearing each other apartˇŞto 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 exclaimed 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 occupation is to search for and excavate ancient ruins, dungeons, or places where treasures might be hidden. But these places 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 explained.

    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 sonˇŞthe heir of our familyˇŞwas 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 glanced 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 reclaim them, correct?"

    "That''s true, though you will have to pay a withdrawal fee," Freya explained, "it''s a compensation 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 can come 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, AltheaˇŞwho had been hovering behind AlexˇŞquickly 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 glance 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 smoke comes from a newly established organization called Arcane, and Sir Arcanor here is the leader of this organization," she revealed, casting a brief but meaningful glance at Alex.

    Alex cast a sidelong glance at Freya before nodding in agreement.

    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 futureˇŞnot 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 treasureˇŞand on top of that, he would get to choose its type and category! All for potions he could easily make from the comfort of his bed.

    In just a few minutes, Freya had become 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 glances 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 can completely rejuvenate you from fatigue?"

 Chapter 302 : Screwed up

    Chapter 302 : Screwed up

    ''Nothing interesting here,'' Alex sighed inwardly, moving past yet another platform 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 the largest 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 accompany 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 glances 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 marche? aux enche?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 old lady 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.

    The information on this sheet of paper didn''t go into all the clauses 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 clause imposed by Alex that stipulated that Freya couldn''t reveal certain information. For example, she couldn''t reveal to anyone besides her direct successor the identities of arcane members should she come 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 succeeded," 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 become 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 glanced 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 access 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 platform where an auction was about to take place.

    The item displayed 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 play the piano. Unfortunately, he never got that chance before his death.

    Since he awakened in this world, his mind was occupied by other things, and he never even thought of acquiring and learning how to play the piano. Even now, he doubted he could make time to learn an instrument.

    ''I will buy it anyway; I can make time later to learn how to play,'' he thought to himself.

    As much as the current Alex didn''t want to slack 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, ladies 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 player. Crafted by the legendary artisan Alaric 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 eyes landed 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 display of unmatched craftsmanship. "This here, ladies 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 empireˇŞno, 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 gaze landed on the auctioneer, whose forehead glistened with sweat.

    A few seconds later, the surrounding area had become crowded as people regrouped around the platform, 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 now commence," 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 priceˇŞmany in the audience shared his disbelief.

    For instance, a family of five people could comfortably 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 proclaimed, 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 glasses. If Alex had to guess, he would say that this man looked every bit like what he imagined a collector might look like.

    "Uh-huh, and look at this pair of-"

    "Pair of?" The woman glared at her husband.

    "Ah, haha, I forgot what I was about to say," the husband laughed nervously as he avoided his wife''s eyes.

    All around, situations similar to this one were happening with men sending leering glances at Talia while women glanced at her in envy.

    Meanwhile, the target of all those gazes was feeling particularly annoyed as she deduced why the auctioneer did what he did. Indeed, her thought was confirmed a moment later when the auctioneer spoke once again.

    "See ladies and gentlemen, even renowned pianist such as lady 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 with lady Talia''s 10000 gold coins offer."

    "10,000 gold coins once, 10,000 gold coinsˇŞ"

    "10,200!" someone shouted passionately.

    "10,250!"

    "10,300!"

    As the price of the piano kept increasing, Talia''s composed 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 thrˇŞ"

    "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 the last 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 a completely different expression.

    She could completely 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 hope lady 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 "lady Talia," with a tone that suggested he didn''t quite agree with her being called a lady.

    ''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 succeeded,'' Talia concluded as she glanced at the guards escorting Alex. ''It doesn''t explain why he is competing with me for the piano though; he doesn''t even play the instrument!''

    She glanced 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 place another offer?!" The auctioneer inquired as he cast a sneaky glance 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.

    The latter, however, wasn''t even concentrating anymore as he watched Talia''s departing figure. ''Hmm, I will have to give her a visit later,'' Alex decided.

    Minutes later, the transaction was done and the beautiful piano was now comfortably sitting in his space ring.

    "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 population 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 escalate, and some may seize the opportunity to settle old grudges. The empire''s internal climate will grow increasingly volatile. 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 particularly 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 perfectly complemented 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 one last 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 relationship 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."

    "I completely agree," Dir added. "I wouldn''t be surprised if she played a part in Maya''s kidnapping. Frieda is too volatile 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, becoming a viscous liquid. What was even more extraordinary was that Alex could control it as he wished just by channeling his mana insideˇŞit was as if his own mana had become 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 explained, 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 priceˇŞat 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, accompanied 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 been complete.

    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 flame. As their concentration increased, Alex''s hand became surrounded by a pinkish glowˇŞthough he was the only one able to see this light, as others had no particular affinity for lust energy.

    From what the goddess of lust had explained to him, only creatures naturally born with an affinity for lust energy, such as succubi, could feel and manipulate it.

    Another thing the goddess had also explained 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, accurate.

    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. Alas, she would remain blissfully unaware until much later.

    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 had come 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''t last, though, as he seemed to come 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 play 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," he laughed 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, magnetic tone. "My name is Arcanor. Pleased to meet you, Lady Frieda. I''ve heard...a few things about you from Lady Freya."

    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 to come along.

    After instructing the guards to stay behind, Frieda led the way into the auction house with Alex, and Freya accompanying 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 minutes later, the exchange was complete, and Alex now had the Tear of Knowledge in his possession. Frieda, claiming 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, the last 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 mindedˇŞhow 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 playful 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 clad 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 a large 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 hourglass 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 places, 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 the large 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 to come 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 ArianaˇŞthe 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 replaying 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."

    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 flashing 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 place, the reason she had been doing all of thisˇŞthe heart, the search, everythingˇŞwas 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 exclaimed, 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 become 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 the latter wasn''t listening. When Astarte''s breathing became heavy, her cheeks flushed red, and she started becoming 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 play about?" Alex asked, taking a sip from his glass 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 and comfort. The subtle golden glow from the lamps complemented the elegant de?cor, making it an ideal space for casual dining or intimate conversations.

    Despite its cozy charm, this room wasnˇŻt 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 relax before the main attraction.

    The reason the two of them had come here was to watch a play scheduled for today. From what Freya had explained to him, each year during the Drazen auction, a series of plays were performed nightly for an entire month. These plays were highly anticipated cultural events, often serving as preludes to the grandeur of the auction itself.

    As he had come to learn, Freya was someone who had a deep appreciation for theater plays. Unfortunately, her demanding work schedule didnˇŻt allow her the luxury of attending regularly. 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 play, 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 glass with a practiced elegance before taking a sip. "I donˇŻt know," she replied with a light shrug. "When I come to the theater, I never look into what the play is about beforehand. I prefer to figure it out as the story unfoldsˇŞit makes the experience more engaging."

    "Fair enough," Alex smiled. "Then weˇŻll just have to wait and see what this play 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 play. When the theater director learned that the matriarch of the Drazen family was in attendance, heˇŻd gone into a frenzy of excitement. Not wanting to risk offending her or her companion, he quickly arranged a private space for them to dine and refresh themselves, ensuring they would remain comfortable while they waited.

    "Umm..." Freya began hesitantly. She swirled her glass, watching the wine catch the light, before taking another sip and clamping 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 IˇŻve gathered, you already have a wifeˇŞher name is Lilia, correct?"

    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 glass 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. "My late 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 income 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 success further accelerated the division within the family, and the conflict between the two branches quickly escalated," Freya explained, 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 speculated, leaning forward slightly.

    "Exactly!" Freya chuckled lightly, swirling the wine in her glass. "To the surprise of those old fogies, though, this decision only exacerbated the conflict. Neither branch approved of the union. However, as you will come to understand if the cooperation between your organization and our family lasts, the word of the elders is absolute. Whether we were on board or against it, the wedding happened, and I became the patriarchˇŻs second wife."

    "Second wife? Who was his first wifeˇŞFrieda?" 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, couldnˇŻt conceive a child of her own. After our ˇ®husbandˇŻ died, I was determined to become the next matriarch, while she was ˇ®merelyˇŻ promoted to head of the first branch. Her resentment took a darker turn, and she began scheming to undermine me at every step."

    Freya glanced at Alex and offered a faint smile. "ThatˇŻs 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 play 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 play is all about?"

 Chapter 309 : The play (1)

    Chapter 309 : The play (1)

    "Well, should we go see what this play is about?" Freya said as she stood, taking along with her the glass 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 accompany 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 usual composed 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 occasion.

    ''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 respectˇŞor, 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."

    "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 play at Maya''s coming-of-age party last year. She was a very respectful and lovely woman," she added, offering a compliment.

    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 battleˇŞa 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 blade 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 manic laughter echoed, as several figures danced in a frenzy, hacking and slashing 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 muscular 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 splattering across the stageˇŞit 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 display 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 play 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 succeeded.'' He smirked. ''In any case, this play is turning out to be far more exciting than I expected.''

 Chapter 310 : The play (2)

    Chapter 310 : The play (2)

    ''It seems this play 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 play 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 movieˇŞit was something far more immersive and visceral, surpassing even the most advanced cinematic experiences he had ever known.

    What Alex had failed to account for was the one fundamental difference between Earth and Wadata: the existence of mana.

    While many aspects of life in this world bore similarities to Earth, mana made everything drastically different. It wasn''t just a subtle enhancementˇŞit was a transformative force.

    On Earth, actors relied solely on their skills, creativity, and the limited resources available for effects, such as lighting or props. In Wadata, however, performers could draw upon an entire arsenal of possibilities powered by mana.

    The scene playing 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 play began, was the use of manaˇŞmore 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 wasnˇŻt entirely certain, but he was confident that someone among those involved in the playˇŞeither a participant or an organizerˇŞhad 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 didnˇŻt detract from their impact in the slightest.

    Illusions generally had a significant weakness: once someone realized they were illusions, their effect faded. Yet this play defied that notion. Even with AlexˇŻs 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 play continued, the massacre inside the small village 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 carnageˇŞit 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 ˇ°cameraˇ± shifted. The perspective moved away from the villageˇŻs 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 soon come to an end.

    Minutes later, 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 blank. 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 into laughter. However, by the end of the fight, there were no laughing orcs, as they had all been killed in the most ruthless way possible. Their mutilated bodies, if they could still be called bodies, lay 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 black 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 planted 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 flyˇŞif such a creature could be found into this place that is. However, the silence was short-lived, as people quickly began to cheer and applaud.

    Above, in the box reserved for the matriarch of the Drazen family, Freya took a sip of her wine and glanced at Alex. "So, how did you find the first part?"

    "Interesting," Alex replied, "IˇŻll be honest, it was much better than I expected."

    "I''m glad you liked it," Freya said with a smile, nodding. "On another note, did you manage to guess what events this play 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 didnˇŻt 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."

 Chapter 311 : The play (3)

    Chapter 311 : The play (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 notoriously lazy, 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 fatherˇŞthe patriarch of the Eswald familyˇŞhad 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 village and family had been slaughtered by orcsˇŞFioreˇŞhad begun his bloody arc of vengeance. He made no distinction between the orcs who had attacked his village and others of their kind. Every orc he encountered was killed on sight.

    The more orcs he killed, the stronger he seemed to become, evolving into what the orcs had once been to the humans: a relentless hunter.

    He single-handedly obliterated entire villages 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 manipulate 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.

    Alas, that peace was denied them. It became common to witness horrors similar to what had happened in Fiore''s village 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 similar feelings toward other races, such as ogres, goblins, and even elves.

    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 glanced 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 playing 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 play.

    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 particular branch high above, where another man, seemingly in his forties, leaned nonchalantly against the tree trunk.

    The man had long, messy deep blue hair that cascaded over his shoulders, a slightly tanned complexion that hinted at a life spent in the wild, and a casual demeanor. His eyes remained shut, and a relaxed smile played on his lips, giving him an air of mystery.

    "Are you Osmond Eswald?" Fiore inquired, his voice calm and composed. 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 replied lazily, his tone as relaxed 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''mˇŞ"

    "Oh, you''re the human playing king outside these lands?" 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, glancing 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 existence laid 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 black 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 place where the human race can live without fearing death every single day."

    Fiore went into more detail, explaining their ideals and the kind of sanctuary they hoped to create for humans. Osmond listened intently until Fiore finished speaking.

    "The place 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 welcome to join you."

    "Everyone here refuses to leave without you," Fiore said, frowning slightly. "They''ve made it clearˇŞyou''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 againˇŞI''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 deathˇŞthat''s what keeps me here. The kind of life you''re dreaming ofˇŞpeaceful and orderlyˇŞwould 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. His lazy grin faded, replaced 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 explain 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, landing gracefully before Fiore. Without hesitation, he knelt down, placing 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 becoming my friend," Fiore replied warmly, extending his hand toward Osmond.

    "Yes!" Osmond exclaimed energetically, clasping Fiore''s hand in a firm shake.

    She looked at him and said, "Instead of watching a play 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 and comfortably 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 become 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 seconds later, 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 glanced back at the stage where the play 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 play was mostly accurate. 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 a large 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 play, 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 pointˇŞhonestly, 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 glanced over when they heard applause 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 play showed, Osmond and Fiore didn''t hit it off right from the start and Osmond definitely didn''t decide to become Fiore''s subordinate because Fiore promised him battles." Alex chuckled at the ridiculousness of that claim 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 relaxed 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 how come 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 glaring inconsistency even his father couldn''t explain.

    "Well, I don''t know about that. There are no recorded accounts of what happened or why we ended up as just a ducal family instead of the imperial one. But what I said previously was trueˇŞmy ancestor was indeed the first to establish a human settlement and effectively handed Fiore his ass," Alex declared with a righteous tone, though a hint of embarrassment lingered at the unexplainable 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 acceptance.

    "There''s one thing they got right in this play about my ancestor though," Alex suddenly said as he watched the actor playing 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 clarified.

    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 relatively 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 unawareˇŞwell, 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.

    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''t last 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 mindedˇŞif anything, it added an irresistible flavor 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 alarming 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 FreyaˇŞperhaps even more. The goddess had explained 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 played 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 balance, 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 uncomfortable for Freya. She shifted, adjusting herself until her entire body was resting fully on the couch, now completely 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 accommodate 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 flashed 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.

    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 were larger and plumper than any he had ever felt, making the sensation of playing with them all the more exhilarating. Each nipple was a generous, fleshy bud that stood proudly erect, begging for his attention. The sheer size of them added an extra layer 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 clapping 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 glass to see that the play had reached its conclusion. The actors were taking their final bows, met with enthusiastic applause 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 look composed, 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 her completely.

    "I-I...think we...should leave," Freya managed to say, her voice strained as she avoided Alex''s gaze. "The play...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 play 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 circulating 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 relationships, he had only met her the day before, and their relationship 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 moment later, he pulled away with a smile. "We can go now, but we''ll have to continue later 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. Minutes later, the two of them left the theater after Freya saluted and personally congratulated the director and manager, commending them on how captivating and well-executed the play was. She made a few polite remarks that left them visibly flattered 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 glance 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 uncontrollably. 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 similar to Maya when she was embarrassedˇŞone 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.

    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 finally composed 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 accessory, 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 su?r, je vais suivre vos consignes passe?es a? la lettre pour ame?liorer et comple?ter le texte sans alte?rer son essence. Voici une version ajuste?e selon vos attentes :

    ---

    As soon as they stepped out of the carriage, a soldier clad 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 as composed 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 nearby lanternsˇŞa space ring, Alex recognized.

    "Good," Freya said, her tone tinged with satisfaction as she accepted 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 replaced 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 the complete map of the whole city and the location where Lady Talia is staying," she explained, 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 playful 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 him completely 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 playful 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.

    Seconds later, 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 meˇŞI 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 tone laced with a teasing edge. "...Aren''t you going to invite me inside so we can continue what we started?"

    "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, glaring 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 headˇŞhis hand pressing just a little too firmly.

    "Ouch! You''re hurting me!" Maya exclaimed, stepping back and glaring at him. "And I''m not a kidˇŞI''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 one last 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 glanced 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 blankets, 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 placed 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 the last time, nothing happened.

 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 plausible that someone else might have a derivative power enabling similar 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 carriageˇŞ"

    "No need," Alex interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I also won''t need guards to accompany me. You can stay here and carry on with...whatever you were doing before I showed up."

    Alex''s gaze hardened as he studied the mansion from a distance. ''This is going to complicate 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 hour later, 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 second later, he froze in place.

    Without knowing it, Alex had teleported inside Talia''s room. However, it wasn''t the sudden realization that made him freeze in his place.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 display 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 flawlessly alluring.

    Wet, long, and beautiful blue hair with purple tips cascaded down Talia''s shoulders and supple back, clinging to her skin and accentuating 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 a landscape of temptation, with every curve and dip inviting exploration.

    HerHer breasts were so large 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 extra layer 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 flashed a vivid pink as an overwhelming desire to bend Talia over and take her right then and there consumed him.

 Chapter 318 : Visiting the girls (1)

    Chapter 318 : Visiting the girls (1)

    Alex''s silver eyes flashed 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 claiming Talia in the most primal and intense way possible.

    He completely 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 playful antagonism was momentarily eclipsed by the raw, primal lust that surged through his veins.

    FortunatelyˇŞor unfortunatelyˇŞit 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 rapidlyˇŞsurprise gave way to embarrassment, then indignation, and indignation quickly transformed into a fiery, unrestrained rage. Her eyes blazed with fury, and her breath came in short, angry gasps as she glared at Alex.

    Grabbing the side lamp 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 the lamp flew toward him. ''What damage does she expect to do with that?'' he wondered, amused.

    But his smirk quickly faded as the lamp 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 exclaimed 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 exclaimed 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 proper lady. 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 become even more handsome?!!'' Talia stuttered mentally, as if her own brain was struggling to process the sight before her.

    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?" Talia laughed 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 flashing 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 clash 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.

 Chapter 319 : Visiting the girls (2)

    Chapter 319 : Visiting the girls (2)

    The torrent of emotions swirling within her, combined with the surging waves of lust, overwhelmed Talia completely. Any semblance 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 explain. It felt as though nothing short of completely ravishing every inch of her body would satisfy the burning ache inside him.

    With her complete 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 finally landed 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 himˇŞit was far more generous and perfectly shaped than he had realized. Each cheek was so ample that even his large hand couldn''t fully encompass 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 becoming 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 occasional 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 her completely 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 had completely 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 contemplating shedding his clothes and taking her fully when...

    A faint creak from the door behind Talia broke the spell.

    "Yup, I know," Alex chuckled nonchalantly, 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 plans of rebellion.

    "Why do you look so nonchalant? 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 the last 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 become one of my future wives. You certainly have some compelling 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 become 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 had completely 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 and come here!" she ordered, glaring at her friends, her face now crimson with embarrassment.

    "Tsk, they spotted us because of you," Marina clicked her tongue, throwing an accusatory glare at Celine.

    "Yeah, sure, blame me," Celine shrugged nonchalantly, 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 playful but laced with annoyance.

    "Who? Us? Yes, you can sayˇŞ" 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 magnetism.

    ''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 magnetic quality to him, one that drew their gaze like moths to a flame 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 flames 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 fair complexion, adding a sharp intensity to her gaze, which was often accentuated 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-black hair that cascaded just past her shoulders. Her eyes, just as dark as her hair, gleamed with a playful 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 and composed voice, inclining his head slightly in a gentlemanly manner as he flashed 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," she complimented.

    ''Ah, that''s right. I''m still walking around with this hair color,'' Alex realized after her compliment. 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 triedˇŞunsuccessfullyˇŞto suppress.

    "So Tally was right. Boss is indeed the one under that frightening armor," Marina suddenly exclaimed.

    "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 playful. "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 declared.

    Alex glanced 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 branch competition."

    "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 Alaric Stonehand?! You don''t even play the instrument! Was that just to spite me?!"

    "It''s not like everything I do has to be about you, Talia dearˇŞ"

    "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 playful 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 exclaimed, 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 place," he said, shaking his head and casting Talia a pitying glance.

    "You! You! YOU!" Talia spluttered, her face turning an alarming shade of red as rage contorted her features.

    "Tsk, here they go again," Celine and Marina sighed in unison, rolling their eyes

    Glancing at Marina, Celine whispered skeptically, "Are you sure you saw those two kissing? It seems completely 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 slamming 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 usˇŞ"

    "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.

    "..... "

    ".... "

 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 play it? I genuinely wanted that piano."

    "Despite what you might think, I do like the piano and actually want to learn how to play one," Alex replied, a small smile appearing on his face.

    Talia raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by his answer, before suddenly bursting into laughter. "You, Alexandre Eswald, want to learn how to play the piano?" she exclaimed through her uncontrollable laughter.

    Alex''s lips twitched in irritation, but he didn''t interrupt her. Letting her laugh 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 classes related to noble etiquette," Talia said once her laughter subsided, her eyes still sparkling with amusement. "Among those classes was one specifically meant to teach us how to play 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 play, right?"

    "I want to learn on a quality instrument," Alex chuckled.

    The truth was that Alex had more money than he could bother to countˇŞthanks to NightˇŞand 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 goodˇŞmaybe even betterˇŞthan 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 particular 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 accept 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 playfully. "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.

    "Next time, bring Amy along!" Marina called out, waving a hand casually.

    "Sure," Alex replied with a nod.

    He turned to glance 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 slap. 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 herˇŞin 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 glances before bursting into laughter.

    "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."

 Chapter 322 : Anomaly

    Chapter 322 : Anomaly

    "What the...," Talia stammered, her voice laced 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 nonchalantly, 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 glance, 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 exclaimed.

    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.

    Alex took a few minutes to completely 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 glass containers from his space ring, placed 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 successfully made two hundred and fifty of each type of potion. He would have gladly made more potions, but he simply couldn''tˇŞnot right now, that is.

    Although there was nothing complicated 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 encapsulate the smoke within the glass 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, the competition 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 planned 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 booksˇŞthose 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 strength compared 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 in comparison to others.

    Around thirty minutes later, 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!

 Chapter 323 : Ranking

    Chapter 323 : Ranking

    Alex remained silent for a long while, unsure of how to feel. He was surprised, even shocked by what he saw. He knew that just because he had the Lust Artifact boosting his strength, it didn''t automatically make him a top-tier powerhouse, but still, he had been fairly confident in his own abilities... until this moment.

    While the insight he had gained from reading those books certainly confirmed that he was quite the powerful fellow, it also opened his eyes to how insignificant his strength was in the grand scheme of things.

    It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

    Unfortunately, even though he had gained valuable information, he was still disappointed by one fact: he had only been able to assess his strength in comparison to others and not his full physical capabilities. It seemed that humans could only gauge raw strength and, in rare cases, speed.

    Although he wasn''t completely sure, Alex suspected that the devices used by the authors of those books to test people''s strength were the same as the ones his daughter Scarlett had used to measure his own strength after he first used the artifact. It was a device that measured one''s strength and used SP (strength points) as its unit of measurement.

    In the last book Alex had read, a group of scientists had even gone as far as creating a detailed ranking of the strongest individuals across the ages and levels within the Fiore Empire. It was when he came across the rankings of those at level 4, just like him, that Alex realized he wasn''t the top dog he had believed himself to be. He only saw the strength of the person in tenth place, and it was enough to shake him to his coreˇŞbecause even that individual was stronger than him!

    10. Neil Virbo: 15,200 SP

    Fifteen thousand and two hundred SP, that was the strength of the tenth place!

    Considering the fact that the stats the system showed him reflected his real strength, the current 700 points the system interface displayed were actually equal to 7,000 SP. This meant that the tenth place on the ranking had more than double his strength. How could he not be shocked by that?

    It made Alex understand that he was far from being the powerhouse he wished to be, but instead of feeling gloomy about that, his gaze slowly began to glow with determination.

    ''Let''s see the rest of this ranking,'' he thought as he concentrated on his book once more.

    9. Reyzus Flint: 17,800 SP

    8. Barbara Wardell: 18,570 SP

    7. Misandria: 20,000 SP

    6. Caelan Draegor: 21,000 SP

    Despite the growing number of SP, Alex continued reading without batting an eyelid. The more he thought about it, the more he realized there was really no need to feel down. Sure, these people were stronger than him, but he had the help of the system, unlike them. With its aid, he could instantly become stronger, while it probably took them years to reach their current level of power.

    A difference of one or two hundred SP might seem significant to them, but with just twenty or forty soul points, he could permanently boost his strength by that much. Once he grasped this, his gaze became focused and calm, and he resumed examining the rest of the ranking.

    He knew for a fact that everyone on that list had spent several years building up their strength before finally allowing themselves to break through the barrier to level 5. They understood that the higher they climbed on the level scale, the harder it would become to amass more power.

    Fortunately for him, with the help of the system, he wouldn''t face the same issue as everyone else. Unless proven otherwise, he could enhance his physical strength with the same ease, no matter his level. In fact, right now, he was wondering how far he should push his physical might before advancing to level 5.

    However, there was a catch: Alex had no idea when to stop increasing his strength and level up. For all he knew, he could keep enhancing his power for decades!

    ''Nah, I don''t think so,'' he muttered, shaking his head. ''There has to be a limit to how strong one can grow without needing to level up,'' he reasoned. He just had to find his own limitsˇŞor at least become ridiculously strong before making the jump to level 5.

    ''As I said, one step at a time,'' Alex reminded himself as he finally glanced at the information of the first-ranked.

    1. Reimus: 100,000 SP

    "...."

    Alex was at a loss for words, unsure of what to think. Here he was, thinking that around thirty thousand SP marked the point where progression stalled, and yet, the first-ranked person had a strength of one hundred thousand!!

    How was that even possible?!

    The difference in strength between the first-ranked and everyone else was so vast that Alex couldn''t fathom how something like that was achievable.

    For all he knew, someone with that kind of strength could obliterate a mountain, no, at least an entire mountain range, with a single punch!

    Compared to him, Alex''s 7,000 SP seemed pitiful, and yet, even with that seemingly weak strength, the damage Alex could deal was far from insignificant. He could even hold his own against people at level 5 after all.

    That Reimus was simply a monster!

    He couldn''t help but wonder how many years it had taken that man to amass such power. No, scratch that. There was no way someone would naturally reach that kind of strength at level 4. This world was full of treasures, and perhaps Reimus had gotten his hands on something that boosted his strength to an unimaginable levelˇŞmuch like Alex had stumbled on the lust artefact.

    In any case, seeing the score of the first-ranked was yet another slap to Alex''s face. All his previous arrogance vanished in an instant, replaced by a cold but determined expression.

    ''Are we even sure that Reimus is human?'' he mused with a chuckle. But the next moment, he froze as a thought struck him.

    If a humanˇŞa race known for being weak in terms of physical mightˇŞcould achieve such strength at level 4, what about some of the other races outside of humanity, born with monstrous physical advantages?

 Chapter 324 : Lunar punch

    Chapter 324 : Lunar punch

    Alex sucked a cold breath in dread as realization dawned on him.

    Unlike most races, humans were inherently weak. If not for factors such as mana, abilities, bloodlines, or even the chance to level up, they would probably rank at the very bottom alongside other similarly feeble races.

    Thanks to mana, humans had the opportunity to elevate themselves to greater heights. However, they were far from being the only ones capable of harnessing mana.

    The ranking Alex was studying compared the strength of various individuals who had lived in the Fiore Empire throughout its history. These were individuals considered to embody the peak of human potentialˇŞat least within the borders of Fiore.

    But if one were to compare them to races born with a natural strength that far exceeded human limits, would they even stand a chance?

    Take ogres, for instance. These monstrous beings, once fully grown, stood at a towering five meters or more. They were a race born with an exceptional degree of physical power. Even the weakest among them, who had never leveled up, could easily crush a human at level 3ˇŞor perhaps even higher. Such monsters, at level 4 or beyond, would possess such immense strength that mere humans in this ranking couldn''t even fathom it.

    Likewise, many other races were born with natural physical advantages that far exceeded those of humans from the outset. As these races leveled up, that initial advantage only grew more pronounced, creating an even wider gap.

    Thankfully, there was a balance to everything in this world. While humans were physically weak, they also possessed advantages that set them apart from other races. Returning to the example of ogres, despite their overwhelming strength, they were generally dumb. This was why, despite their strength advantage, they were just mere monsters that could be hunted down even by humans, , who, though physically weaker, could use their wits and cunning to outmaneuver and hunt even the mightiest of ogres.

    Abilities further leveled the playing field, granting humans a chance to overcome their inherent physical disadvantages against other races.

    Alex forced himself to calm down, shutting the book he had been reading. He grabbed another book, then another, devouring each one in rapid succession. He read through most of the books without a change in his expression until he stumbled upon yet another book featuring a new ranking.

    This ranking wasn''t based on physical might or even mental capabilities for that matter. Instead, the people on this list were evaluated through one simple criterion: their ability to cause destruction.

    It was a ranking based entirely on destructiveness.

    ''How do they determine someone''s ability to cause destruction is higher than another?'' Alex wondered, frowning. ''There are far too many factors at play to make an accurate judgment.''

    Many had begged, offered fortunes, and even attempted to blackmail Theodore into accepting them as his disciples in hopes of learning his personal technique. Yet, in the end, he had chosen only one: AlexˇŻs cousin, Jonathan, to whom he entrusted his legacy.

    This very technique was the one Jonathan had used against Alex during their battle for the headship of the branch family.

    Although Jonathan was the only person currently capable of performing Lunar Punch, but there was another individual who understood every detail about the techniqueˇŞAlex himself.

    Lunar Punch was notoriously mana-intensive, making it impossible for anyone at levels 1 or 2 to master. This limitation was why Theodore had never been able to teach his prized move to Alex, who had been cursed with the inability to never break through to level 2.

    However, the fact that Alex couldnˇŻt practice Lunar Punch didnˇŻt mean he couldnˇŻt learn its intricacies.

    Theodore had spent years drilling the theoretical knowledge of the technique into his son, driven by the faint hope that Alex might one day shatter the barrier holding him back and soar to greater heights.

    Because of this, Alex knew as much about Lunar Punch as JonathanˇŞperhaps even more. Before his death, Theodore had been working tirelessly to refine his technique. He often told Alex that he was convinced Lunar Punch was merely the foundation, the first layer, of something far greater. As a result, Alex not only understood the mechanics of the original technique but was also well-versed in the theories his father had developed to refine and enhance it.

    ''I should probably try to master lunar punch,'' Alex mused to himself, ''it would be a waste to have learned all those theories and yet never test them out.''

    The list of things he had to do and accomplish seemed to be growing longer by the day, but Alex didn''t waver in the face of the challenge.

    One after another, he read through the books messily placed before him, absorbing their knowledge and making it his own. He didn''t encounter any more rankings after those last two, but those two were enough to fuel his drive to become stronger.

    Alex was reading through a book, his eyes darting across the pages with intense focus, flipping them with an uncanny speed, when suddenly two smooth, slender arms coiled around his neck from behind.

    The following moment, he felt two soft, pillowy protuberances press against his back in a warm embrace, followed by an alluring and sultry voice that made his heart skip a beat, "Good morning, my love~"

    The moment he heard that voice, all his previous determination and thoughts were forgotten. In fact, everything faded into the background as a beautiful, content smile parted his lips.

    "Good morning, wife."

 Chapter 325 : Catching up (R-18)

    Chapter 325 : Catching up (R-18)

    "Good morning, wife," Alex greeted warmly, a content smile gracing his lips. "How are you feeling today?"

    Amelia''s heart skipped a beat as the word "wife" left his mouth. It wasn''t the first time she''d heard it, but every single time, it sent a flutter of happiness coursing through her. She loved him so much!

    "Neglected," Amelia pouted adorably, her lips forming a perfect little curve of mock indignation. "My husband spent the whole day yesterday with another woman, completely forgetting about me!"

    Alex couldn''t help but chuckle at her dramatics, glancing back at her with amusement. "Weren''t you the one who disappeared to some unknown place before I even woke up?" he countered, raising an eyebrow playfully.

    "Still!" Amelia huffed, her cheeks puffing slightly in protest. Her pout, however, only added to her charm, making Alex''s smile widen. But just as quickly, her expression shifted, her eyes narrowing as she recalled something troublingand her expression darkened. "From what I gathered, you were attacked yesterday by Earl Drickon''s people?" she inquired in a serious and murderous tone.

    "You don''t have to worry your pretty little head about that," Alex replied, his smile turning dark and creepy for a moment. "I will handle them...personally."

    As the obedient and loving wife she was, she chose not to press further. Instead, her arms tightened slightly around his chest in an intimate embrace. She began to shift her body gently, her soft curves pressing against his back in deliberate movements, her heavy breasts brushing and teasing him with every motion.

    "It seems that someone is in a naughty mood," Alex said with a knowing smile, his voice a low rumble.

    "With you around me, I''m always in a naughty mood~" Amelia replied, her voice a sultry purr as she kissed the back of her husband''s neck, her lips lingering on his skin.

    Closing the book he had been reading, Alex tossed it aside, his full and undivided attention now on his wife. He could feel the warmth of her body quickly rising, her nipples hardening into stiff peaks that pressed insistently against his back.

    "I missed you so much," Amelia whispered, her hot breath colliding with the back of his neck, sending a shiver of anticipation down Alex''s spine. Her tongue darted out, slowly and sensually licking at his ear, her desire swiftly increasing with each ragged breath.

    "While I was shopping with Maya, you''ve been enjoying your time with Freya, huh?" she whispered, gently nibbling at his ear. "But I''m certain my husband is a fair man, so you wouldn''t mind spending some time with me, right?" she inquired, her skilled tongue tracing the contours of his ear before traveling down to sensually lick at his neck.

    This feeling only became magnified once Alex''s right hand, coated in lust energy, brushed against the lips of her pussy and the electric sensation sent jolts of pleasure coursing through her body.

    Annfff~

    A particularly lewd moan escaped Amelia''s mouth, and a torrent of lust overwhelmed her, making her body tremble with anticipation.

    ''She is so wet,'' Alex marveled as her love juices coated his fingers. He barely did anything, yet Amelia''s pussy was completely drenched, ready for him.

    Amelia moaned in Alex''s ear, her voice dripping with desire. "I can''t wait any longer....please, brother."

    Before Alex could react, Amelia''s small and delicate hand took control of his stiff and pulsing cock, lining it up just above her leaking pussy.

    "WaitˇŞ" Alex had been meaning to warn Amelia about the increased girth of his cock thanks to the lust blessing. But before he could, Amelia impaled herself on his dick.

    "Ahhhh!"

    A scream, a mix of pleasure and pain, resounded in the bedroom as Amelia felt her brother''s cock pierce through her, stretching her pussy lips to their absolute limits. The feeling of fullness she always felt as Alex entered her seemed to have greatly increased, even causing her some discomfort. But who was Amelia again? She was a woman who nearly came from having her husband take her virginity; this little pain would not deter her. If anything, it only made her want more.

    Wrapping her legs around his body, Amelia adjusted herself up before sinking down on the length of her husband''s dick, taking him deeper inside her.

    "Fuck...you are tight," Alex moaned as his dick was being squeezed by Amelia''s inner muscles, the sensation driving him wild.

    Grinning at the pleasure-filled expression on his face, Amelia licked her lips and whispered to Alex, "Prepare yourself, brother, because today...I will be the one fucking you~"

 Chapter 326 : Catching up (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 326 : Catching up (2) (R-18)

    "Prepare yourself, brother, because today...I will be the one fucking you~" Amelia whispered in Alex''s ear.

    She began to move her hips, grinding against Alex''s cock, taking him deeper with each downward thrust. Her breath hitched as she rode him, her body responding to every inch of his thick, hard length filling her.

    Alex''s hands gripped her ass cheeks tightly, his fingers digging into her supple flesh as he guided her movements, urging her to take him even deeper.

    Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

    The sound of Amelia''s thick ass slapping against his thighs filled the room, a lewd and rhythmic symphony accompanying their passionate fucking.

    "Annh...brother...," Amelia moaned, her voice a mix of pleasure and desperation. "You feel so good inside me~" she whispered in his ear.

    Alex growled in response, his hips bucking upward to meet her downward strokes. His left hand roamed her body, squeezing and kneading her breast, his thumb circling her hardened nipple. His right hand meanwhile held her ass firmly, his fingers teasing her asshole as he helped her ride his cock with increasing intensity.

    He leaned forward, taking her other nipple into his mouth, sucking and nibbling as he drew the sweet, warm milk from her breast.

    "Ahh...haaa...aauuhh..."

    The sensation of his mouth on her breast, drinking her milk, sent electric shocks of pleasure straight to Amelia''s core. She threw her head back, her long black hair cascading down her back as she bounced on his cock, her breasts jiggling with each movement. Her inner muscles clenched around him, squeezing his shaft as she rose up and down, her pace increasing with each thrust.

    "Brother...your cock...ahhh... is filling me up so gooooodddd~" Amelia gasped, her voice breathless as she rode him harder, her clit grinding against his pubic bone with each downward thrust.

    As if hearing the most galvanizing words of his life, Alex continued thrusting even harder. He switched his mouth to her other breast, his tongue swirling around her nipple before sucking it deeply into his mouth, drawing out more of her sweet milk. His left hand continued to play with her now-free breast, pinching and rolling her nipple between his fingers, sending jolts of pleasure coursing through her body.

    "Ahnhhhh~~~~"

    The multiple stimulations sent over the edge, her pussy clamping even harder on Alex''s cock. Amelia screamed, her body convulsing as her orgasm hit her, her inner muscles pulsing around his cock as she came hard, her release coating his length.

    Alex gripped her ass tighter, his finger in her asshole moving in sync with his cock thrusting into her pussy. He fucked her through her orgasm, his cock pounding into her with relentless force.

    Amelia''s body stilled for a moment, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Then she began to rode him back with renewed vigor. "Come in me, brother," she whispered, her voice hoarse from her screams of pleasure. "Fill me up. Impregnate me. I want to feel your hot cum in my womb. Please, my love, give me your baby!!"

    Alex groaned for the umpteenth time, his hips bucking upward as he fucked her with increasing force, his cock pounding into her with wild abandon.

    Amelia''s body tensed again, her inner muscles clamping down on his cock as she rode him with desperate need. "I''m coming again, brother!" she screamed, her body convulsing as another orgasm hit her, her release coating his length as she came hard, her body shaking with the force of her orgasm.

    Alex gripped her ass tighter, his finger in her asshole moving faster, his cock thrusting deeper into her pussy.

    Alex''s body tensed, his cock throbbing as he felt his orgasm hit him with full force. He groaned, his hips bucking upward as he came, his cock pulsing as he released his hot load deep inside her.

    He could feel his cum splashing against her womb, filling her with his seed as he continued to pound her with wild abandon, his body shaking with the force of his orgasm.

    Amelia screamed, her body convulsing as she felt his hot cum filling her womb, the sensation sending her into another intense orgasm. Her inner muscles pulsed around his cock, milking him for every last drop as she came hard.

    Alex groaned breathlessly, his cock pulsing as he released the last of his cum deep inside his sister. He looked up at her, his eyes filled with lust and love. "Fuck, sis, that was intense."

    Amelia grinned down at him, her breath sounding haggard while her body was still trembling with the aftershocks of her own orgasm. "Told you I would be the one fucking you today," she murmured, her voice laced with satisfaction.

    Alex chuckled, his cock still buried deep inside her. "And you did a fucking fantastic job, sis."

 Chapter 327 : Duel

    Chapter 327 : Duel

    "I wish we could stay like this forever," Amelia murmured in a wistful tone, her back resting against Alex''s chest as his arms encircled her tightly from behind.

    "Me too," Alex chuckled softly, "but sadly, that''s not how the world works."

    "I know," Amelia sighed, her tone tinged with reluctance. "So... what do we have planned for today?" she asked.

    "Well, for starters..." Alex reached into his space ring and retrieved a glowing spherical object along with a neatly written description, handing them both to Amelia. "...this is for you."

    Amelia''s eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the radiant sphere shining with a resplendent white light. For a brief moment, she was mesmerized by its brilliance before glancing down at the piece of paper. After taking a deep breath, she read aloud, "The Tear of Knowledge, huh?" She whistled in amazement. "This sounds fancy... and expensive."

    "It is," Alex replied with a grin. "Thanks to this, you''ll gain complete knowledge of medicine, which will greatly enhance your mastery over your Cell Master ability. And if you''re quick enough, you might even have time left to delve into other fields."

    "Mmm," Amelia hummed thoughtfully as she nodded. "But if I use it now, I''ll be isolated for three whole days, and I''ll miss the start of the annual auction," she added.

    "You can wait until after the auction ends to use it if you prefer," Alex suggested with a reassuring tone. "Oh, and by the way, Talia, Celine, and Marina are here as well."

    "Really?!" Amelia''s eyes lit up, and she turned around excitedly.

    "Mm," Alex confirmed with a nod. "I even visited them last night after returning with Freya."

    "Why didn''t you bring me along?" Amelia pouted.

    "You looked so peaceful while sleeping. I didn''t have the heart to wake you," Alex said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

    As if that kiss erased all her complaints, Amelia swiftly let go of the matter. After a brief silence, she grasped the Tear of Knowledge and declared, "I''ll use it today then."

    "Hm? Why so soon?"

    "That way, once I''m done, I''ll have the rest of the auction to enjoy with those three," she explained with a bright smile.

    "You do realize you can''t join them while still being a member of Arcane, right?"

    "That''s why I will join them as Amelia Eswald," Amelia replied with a confident smile. "I''m certain no one will make the connection."

    Alex paused, contemplating her words. He then nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, if they could find a way to sneak her out without drawing attention, she could reunite with her friends. It would require a bit of help from Freya, but it was certainly possible.

    "That sounds doable," Alex agreed after a moment, "but we should probably minimize our interactions as much as possible during that time. Otherwise, someone might make the connection between you and Arcane."

    "Yes!" Amelia exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.

    "I''m getting to that," Maya said, her tone slightly exasperated. "That fool has always challenged me to a spar. The stakes were that if he lost, he would have to do anything I wanted, but if I lost, I would have to renounce my rights as the heir of the family. I never accepted his challenge before because I knew it was just another scheme by the main branch to get rid of me as heir."

    Alex nodded approvingly. "That was a goodˇŞ"

    "...Until yesterday!" Maya added quickly. "I accepted his challenge, and it''s supposed to happen today. I want you to come as my master."

    "You did what?!" Both Alex and another voice that resounded behind Maya exclaimed in disbelief at the same time.

    When Maya heard the second voice, her body shivered, and her face turned deathly pale as if her soul had left her body.

    "M-Mother, i-it''s..." Maya stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

    Meanwhile, Freya, who had just appeared, walked toward her daughter with a stern, disapproving smile. "I hope my mind is playing tricks on me, and I didn''t just hear you say that you staked your heir position in a spar with someone."

    Maya remained silent, having nothing to retort.

    "Gods, Maya!" Freya exclaimed, her expression furious. "Why would you do something like that?!"

    Maya trembled slightly at her mother''s outburst. "I-it''s just t-that he always picked on me because I had no training, but I''m sure that now I can take him on," she said in a low voice.

    Hearing this, Freya''s expression softened momentarily before hardening again. "Filden is a high-level 1 while you are a low-level 1, Maya. While I want to believe you can win, I''m not sure you can defeat him."

    "I know I can!" Maya exclaimed, her voice firmer this time, determination flashing in her eyes.

    "Even then, I don''t think it''s a good idea to let you fight him, especially with you betting your heir position. I will call his father and have the spar canceled," Freya decided firmly.

    "Mom, no..." Maya began, but seeing the unyielding expression on Freya''s face, she swallowed her words, frustration clear in her downcast eyes.

    Seeing her defeated expression, Alex sighed inwardly. ''I guess that''s my cue.''

    "Wait, Lady Freya," Alex said, his mask parting slightly to reveal a glimpse of his face. "I believe that she might have a chance against her opponent," he added with a confident smile.

    Both Freya and Maya were momentarily dazed as they took in his exquisite features before collecting themselves. "Are you sure about what you''re saying, Sir Arcanor?" Freya asked hesitantly.

    "Certain," Alex nodded. "I know what she''s capable ofˇŞI trained her myself, after all. I''m confident she has a chance, though I''ll need to see her opponent first before making a final decision," he explained calmly, "I think  the bet about her position should be cancelled though."

    He wasn''t overly concerned about Maya losing to another level 1. After all, she had already managed to defeat a high-level 1 opponent he had made her face in the forest. However, he was aware that those bandits likely lacked proper martial arts training. Even so, he had taught Maya the very technique his wife, Lilia, had once shown himˇŞthe same technique she used to beat the crap out of the members of his branch while still at level 0!

    Despite his confidence in his disciple though, Alex couldn''t allow her to bet her heiress position. After all, she held far more value for his organization as the current heir and future matriarch of the Drazen family than as just the daughter of the current matriarch.

 Chapter 328 : A moment

    Chapter 328 : A moment

    "I will trust your judgment," Freya nodded before turning to Maya. "Regardless of whether you win or lose, young lady, prepare yourself to be punished for making such a reckless decision."

    Maya lowered her head in dejection and nodded. But moments later, her previous excitement returned as she beamed, "Come on, come on, we should leave now so we won''t be late!"

    "Sure, sure, we''re coming," Amelia said, smiling as she followed the energetic young heiress.

    Freya glanced at her daughter''s departing figure and rubbed her forehead. "I hope that wasn''t a mistake."

    "I''m certain things will turn out fine," he reassured Freya before adding with a slight smirk, "By the way, you look stunning today, Freya."

    He wasn''t just saying it for flattery. Freya truly appeared even more radiant than the day before. What captured Alex''s attention the most was her outfitˇŞa sleek black gown that clung to her figure like a second skin. The dress elegantly accentuated her hourglass curves, with a daring slit running up her thigh, revealing smooth skin as she walked. A plunging V-neckline framed her ample chest, offering a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage.

    Despite revealing part of her cleavage though, no ordinary man would dare ogle the matriarch...unless they harbored a death wish.

    Alex, however, was far from ordinary. His eyes were practically glued to the generous curves of the matriarch, burning with unrestrained desire as he licked his lips. ''I can''t believe I had both of these beauties in my grasp yesterday,'' he thought, savoring the memory.

    Freya blushed slightly, noticing his burning eyes, but she didn''t reprimand him for that. In fact, she relished his attentionˇŞafter all, she had chosen this dress precisely so he would stare at her. It pleased her to see that her efforts had achieved the desired effect, making her heart race slightly as his gaze lingered.

    "You two coming or what?" Maya''s impatient voice snapped them out of their little moment.

    "Ah, yes, we''re coming," Freya said quickly, recovering her composure before leaning closer to Alex and whispering with a radiant smile, "Thanks for the compliment."

    "You don''t have to thank me. I''m just stating the truth," he replied smoothly before adding with a mischievous grin, "It''s a shame we can''t steal a moment for ourselves right now."

    Freya''s blush deepened and she replied, her voice carrying a hint of shyness. "Well, if Maya''s duel goes well, we''ll head to the library so your sister can use the Tear of Knowledge. After that, it''ll just be the two of us."

    "I can''t wait for that moment," Alex said with a grin, offering his arm. "Let''s finish everything as quickly as possible so we can enjoy some uninterrupted time together."

    "Mmm," Freya hummed softly, linking her arm with his, a content smile playing on her lips as they followed after Maya.

    ***

    "The duel will take place here," Maya pointed toward a grand building in the distance, "this is the exclusive training center for all members of the Drazen family," she explained. "It''s actually only my second time visiting this place," she added, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

    He couldn''t help but think to himself that if this truly was the extent of Filden''s skill, there was a good chance he might lose even to Violette, his youngest daughter with LiliaˇŞassuming, of course, that Filden didn''t unleash his full power and treated the duel strictly as a competition of skill.

    Filden''s sparring partner, his father, suddenly stopped mid-fight and turned his gaze in a specific direction before lowering his head respectfully.

    "Matriarch," he said in a solemn tone.

    Following his gaze, the rest of the Drazen members noticed Freya standing at the edge of the platform, her cold gaze sweeping across them.

    One after another, they bowed their heads in unison, offering their respects to Freya. Well, all except one.

    Staring beyond the fighting platform, Alex saw the always-smiling face of Frieda, who was staring in their direction. She harbored no intention of bowing before Freya.

    Freya ignored her, focusing instead on Filden''s father. "It''s been a while, Forze."

    "Yes, Matriarch," Forze replied, raising his head. "Not that it concerns me, but may I ask why Lady Freya has graced this training center with her presence?" he inquired, maintaining a respectful yet curious tone.

    "It has come to my attention that your son challenged my daughter to a duel. That''s why I''m here. Why? Is my presence unwelcome?" Freya''s expression remained as cold and indifferent as ever.

    "Of course not, Matriarch. You are free to go wherever you wish in this city," Forze replied, his tone polite. "It''s just... I didn''t expect the Matriarch herself to personally come here for what is, at the end of the day, a mere duel between children."

    "That would usually be the case," Freya said icily. "However, I''ve been informed that a wager was placed on this duelˇŞone that might very well influence my successor''s position. So, forgive me if I don''t see this duel as something trivial."

    A bead of sweat rolled down Forze''s temple, and he let out a hollow laugh. "Of course, Matriarch. The bet was merely... a playful agreement between youngsters, nothing serious," he said, attempting to downplay the situation.

    "Wait, whaˇŞ" Filden began to protest, but a single sharp glance from his father silenced him instantly.

    "I see," Freya nodded. "In that case, there''s no need for this bet in the duel, correct?"

    "Naturally," Forze agreed quickly, before adding, "After all, it''s understandable that the young heiress Maya lacks proper martial prowess and would be reluctant to risk her position, given her... inherent weakness."

    ''Bastard!'' Maya thought, her fists clenched tightly.

    She wasn''t the only one feeling this way. Alex, standing nearby, felt his irritation spike as well.

    "A moment, please..."

 Chapter 329 : Come

    Chapter 329 : Come

    "A moment, please," Alex suddenly raised his hand, speaking up.

    All eyes turned in his direction, and the Drazens present finally seemed to notice him. Most looked at him with eyes filled with curiosity, wondering who he was to dare speak up while two individuals from the upper echelon of the family were talking.

    As they took in his appearance though, the majority recognized Alex as the man who had been attacked by Earl Drickon''s people. After all, almost the entire city was aware of what had transpired yesterday.

    Alex, however, didn''t seem to pay them any mind, his eyes locked on Froze. The latter was also glancing in his direction with a frown. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead of the scornful or dismissive tone Alex had expected, Froze spoke in a rather polite yet formal manner.

    "Is there something wrong, Sir Arcanor?" Froze inquired.

    Alex raised a brow in surprise. ''He knows who I am?''

    Recalling Frieda''s presence, he quickly deduced how Froze had learned about him. Freya had mentioned that Froze was one of the pillars of the principal branch, so it made sense that he would be privy to secret informations, including the alliance of his family with an enigmatic organization.

    Alex nodded at Froze''s inquiry. "As a matter of fact, yes, there is something wrong." He took a deliberate step forward and stood beside Maya. "You just said that Lady Maya here has no confidence in her martial prowess and was weak, but she is my disciple. Doesn''t that mean you''re implying that I, as her teacher, am weak or know nothing about teaching?" Alex asked, a smile forming beneath his smoke mask, though his voice was as cold as ice.****

    Froze''s eyes flickered with a peculiar light, while murmurs and whispers immediately broke out among the gathered Drazens.

    "I see," Froze said after a moment, slightly bowing his head toward Alex. "I apologize if what I said has offended you, Sir Arcanor."

    Froze sounded so polite, so sincere, so composed that one might have never guessed that right now, he was seething inside. He was brimming with so much suppressed rage and indignation that it threatened to burst forth at any moment.

    Him! Froze Drazen was forced to bow toward such a nobody for merely speaking his mind and telling the truth. After all, what was Maya if not a weak, pathetic, and sorry excuse of an heir to their great family?!

    If he hadn''t just received strict orders from Frieda moments ago not to offend Arcanor, he would have already taught this insolent ant that dared to speak to him as if they were equals a lesson. No, not even equals, as if he was superior to him!

    Despite Froze''s best efforts to mask his discontent, Alex could sense it clearly, and it only caused a disdainful grin to curl on his lips. "I guess I could let that one slide," he finally said, his tone laced with superiority and amusement.

    A deep, burning rage lit up in Froze''s eyes as Alex''s words registered.

    The way this Arcanor spoke, it felt as though he was a lord bestowing undeserved mercy upon a lowly commoner who had dared offend him. It made Froze, already brimming with anger, want to lash out. Yet, despite the storm within him, he maintained his composure, not a single trace of his emotions betraying him outwardly.

    "You have become strangely confident these days, you four-eyed weak little girl," Filden sneered, his lips curling into a mocking grin. "I guess it''s up to me to remind you of your place."

    Without waiting for a response, Filden lunged forward, his steps swift and calculated. His body blurred slightly from the sudden burst of speed, his fist already pulling back, aimed squarely at Maya''s midsection.

    He had also been told to end this duel decisively, and he intended to do so.

    Maya, however, stood her ground, her eyes narrowing as she quickly dropped into a defensive stance, her feet firmly planted.

    The moment his fist closed in, she sidestepped with fluid precision, allowing his punch to graze past her before countering with a sharp sweeping kick aimed at his exposed side.

    Reacting swiftly, Filden twisted his body mid-motion, using his momentum to avoid taking the full impact of the kick. Despite his evasion though, he felt the edge of her boot graze his ribs. He grimaced slightly but leaped back, creating a few meters of distance.

    Not giving him a moment to recover, Maya dashed forward, her fists striking out in rapid succession. Her punches were precise, each aimed at critical pointsˇŞhis chest, shoulders, and face. A flurry of kicks followed soon after, targeting his legs to disrupt his balance.

    Filden gritted his teeth, managing to block or dodge some of her attacks. Still, several blows slipped through his defenses, each landing with a dull thud that forced him to step back. He tried to counterattack, but Maya''s relentless assault left him no opening.

    A stunned silence hung over the onlookers, especially on Froze and Frieda. They had expected everything but that outcome!

    No one had imagined Maya could dominate the duel in such a fashion, least of all her opponent.

    Maya moved like a fish in water, with effortless grace and fluidity, avoiding Filden''s strikes by the slimmest of margins. Every attack he launched was either dodged or parried with precision. Some came dangerously close to hitting her, yet none ever managed to make contact. In stark contrast, her strikes bypassed his defenses as if they didn''t exist, landing cleanly and forcing him to stagger back repeatedly.

    Filden gritted his teeth, frustration boiling within him. He launched an especially fast and deadly strike aimed directly at Maya''s head, his eyes gleaming with barely concealed killing intent. Yet, Maya remained as calm and composed as before, her every movement calculated and deliberate.

    She sidestepped his strike with fluid ease and, before Filden could even register what had happened, slammed her elbow straight into his face with brutal force.

    A loud and sickening cracking sound echoed through the silent hall, followed by Filden''s pained cry as he dropped to his knees, clutching his broken nose. Blood dripped from between his fingers as his expression contorted in agony.

    "I thought you were supposed to remind me of my place?" Maya asked, her voice icy, her expression turning as cold as that of her mother. "Then what are you waiting for?"

    "Get up and come," she coldly ordered.

 Chapter 330 : First and last warning

    Chapter 330 : First and last warning

    "Gaah..." Filden gasped as he was once again thrown to the ground, his whole body covered in dark bruises and wracked with pain.

    "You give up now?" Maya asked coldly as she walked in the young man''s direction, her gait calm and steady. She had sustained a few wounds during the duel, but they were superficialˇŞnowhere near enough to faze her.

    Meanwhile, the members of the Drazen family gathered around the estrade stared at their heiress with incredulous gazes. When they had come to watch the duel between their young prodigy Filden and their heiress, none of them had expected to witness such a one-sided beatdown of Filden!

    There was no comparison between the two youngsters; Maya was leagues above Filden. With every exchange of blows, the gap between their skills became increasingly evident.

    A few meters from the stunned Drazen, Alex, Amelia, and Freya could be seen sitting on luxurious chairs, observing the duel. Amelia simply watched the ongoing battle with an expected, slightly bored expression, Alex, on the other hand, seemed almost on the verge of dozing off, his head drooping downward. In contrast, the matriarch of the Drazen family, Maya''s mother, wore the most shocked expression of everyone present.

    She knew her daughter better than anyone else, and that was precisely why she was so surprised. The Maya she knew had been shy, reserved, and, well, more than a little clumsy. Yet the Maya before her was cold, decisive, swift, and calculating as she delivered blow after blow to her opponent with precision and efficiency.

    What was most astounding of all was the fact that she wasnˇŻt just fighting a skilled opponentˇŞshe was holding her own against someone who was several tiers above her!

    Slowly, a small but perceptible smile of pride appeared on FreyaˇŻs usually stoic face.

    ''I have to thank Sir Alexandre and Lady Amelia. If she hadn''t met those two, perhaps she would still be the shy little girl I once knew,'' she thought, glancing at the seemingly dozing Alex and Amelia.

    Meanwhile, as he felt Maya approach, Filden cursed inwardly, spat out a drop of blood, and shakily stood to his feet.

    Witnessing the arrogant and condescending expression on the young heiress as she drew near, and feeling the searing pain coursing through his body, Filden finally snapped.

    Gritting his teeth, he activated his ability, and soon a brilliant, pure light engulfed the entire floor, momentarily blinding everyone present.

    Maya stiffened, instinctively shutting her eyes to shield them from the intense brightness.

    Taking advantage of her momentary vulnerability, Filden moved with lightning speed, appearing before her in an instant. His fist struck her abdomen a split second later, landing with a sickening force.

    Maya let out a pained cry as she was propelled backward, skidding several meters across the ground.

    Froze, watching the battle from below the estrade, felt his eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets as he saw his son using his ability in the middle of the duel. ''That fucking idiot!'' he cursed inwardly, his barely contained anger threatening to boil over.

    A final stomp followed shortly after, shaking the platform as she screamed, "For beingˇŞ"

    "ENOUGH!" FrozeˇŻs voice boomed across the room as he appeared beside the enraged heiress, his hand raised high, poised to strike. His expression was dark, veins bulging on his forehead.

    Maya froze in terror, her eyes shutting tight as she braced for the inevitable blow. But as seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity, no pain came. Slowly, she cracked her eyes open, only to see long strands of purple hair cascading down a broad, unmoving backˇŞAlex.

    "What were you about to do?" Alex inquired, his voice colder than ice. His hand gripped FrozeˇŻs arm with a crushing force, his fingers digging into flesh like iron claws, threatening to snap the man''s limb.

    Froze didnˇŻt answer. His face was drenched in sweat, his eyes wide with terror. If Alex had been in a lighter mood, he might have commented on how Froze now resembled a pig ready for slaughter.

    But it wasnˇŻt AlexˇŻs intervention alone that had paralyzed Froze. The very moment he had raised his hand toward Maya, an overwhelming and oppressive aura descended upon him, locking him in place. It was a power so immense, so suffocating, so overwhelming that it rendered him completely immobile.

    "Froze Drazen, head of the procurement department of the Drazen family," a deep, resonant voice suddenly echoed through the entire floor. Its tone was both commanding and otherworldly, each syllable reverberating like thunder in the silence. "This is your first and last warning."

    The voice vanished as abruptly as it had come, leaving behind an eerie stillness. The oppressive aura also dissipated seconds later.

    Froze stood frozen, his body trembling uncontrollably. Cold sweat dripped down his back as he fought to suppress the growing urge to shit himself. The voice hadnˇŻt specified what would happen if he crossed the line again, but the sheer weight of its presence was enough to terrify him beyond reason.

    As for the reason for the warning he just received, it couldn''t be more obvious: he had dared to raise his hand against Maya, on the verge of hitting the future Matriarch of the Drazen family and future Earl.

    It was one thing for the younger generation to clash and settle their grievances through combat. But for an adult to harm the young heiressˇŻs hair was unacceptable.

    Previously, such rules didnˇŻt exist. However, after her abduction orchestrated by none other than her uncle and probably some members of the first branch, the family elders had judged necessary that Maya must be accompanied at all times by bodyguards. These werenˇŻt ordinary guards though, but individuals wielding power beyond FrozeˇŻs wildest imagination.

    Froze had actually been briefed on this matter only a few hours ago by Frieda, but in the heat of the moment, he had foolishly forgotten, only to be reminded in the harshest way possible.

    Alex frowned as the voice that had just spoken seemed to dissolve into the air, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. He wasnˇŻt nai?veˇŞhe quickly pieced together that the speaker was likely a bodyguard tasked with ensuring MayaˇŻs safety. However, what puzzled him was the complete absence of any hint of this individualˇŻs location.

    The individual had to be nearby. How else could they react so quickly to stop Froze? Yet Alex couldnˇŻt sense their presence at all. If not for the warning and the aura, he would never have suspected that someone had been shadowing MayaˇŞand by extension, himˇŞthis entire time.

    ''I don''t like this at all.''

 Chapter 331 : Second duel

    chapter 331 : second duel

    ''i don''t like this,'' alex thought in displeasure. the idea that someone was trailing him didn''t sit well with him in the slightest, especially now that he was impersonating someone other than his true self and better not have his identity exposed.

    ''i will have to see with freya what can be done,'' he ultimately decided. the matriarch of the drazen family was surely aware of those guards and how long they had been following maya.

    as he had this thought, froze, still in alex''s grip, yanked his arm free with a sudden, forceful motion, leaving behind a red, angry mark on his skin where alex''s fingers had tightened. the bruising was already forming, and froze rubbed it absentmindedly as he glared.

    "don''t touch me!" he hissed coldly at alex. if he had been in a calmer state, froze might have kept his usual composed and courteous facade, but his anger and humiliation were too overwhelming for him to restrain himself now.

    without another word, froze hoisted the unconscious body of his son onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. the movement was neither gentle nor graceful, and filden''s limp form jostled awkwardly. froze, however, seemed entirely unbothered as he turned and began walking away, his steps heavy with frustration.

    ''i don''t like his attitude either,'' alex clicked his tongue, irritation flashing across his features. ''i should put him in his place while i''m still here.''

    although this thought lingered in his mind, alex''s attention quickly shifted to someone elseˇŞfrieda. despite everything that had transpired, the woman''s serene smile hadn''t faltered. her composure was impressive, though the occasional sharp glare she sent toward filden''s unconscious form betrayed her inner thoughts.

    "it seems arcane will continue doing business with whom we are currently doing it with," alex commented dryly.

    "unfortunately," frieda responded with a sad smile, casting a quick glance in freya''s direction.

    "it isn''t set in stone, though," alex suddenly interjected, his words catching both frieda and freya off guard. he allowed himself a small, mischievous smirk before continuing. "just like with the duel between maya and filden, how about we have another duel?"

    "what do you want in case of a win?" frieda asked swiftly, no hesitation in her tone.

    "in case i win, i will privately communicate with you what i want," alex declared. he let the statement hang for a moment before adding, "if you win, my previous offerˇŞsolely doing business with the first branchˇŞwill be yours to claim."

    this time, frieda didn''t respond immediately. her gaze narrowed as she carefully weighed the stakes, considering the implications of such a wager. after a moment of deliberation, she asked, "may i know between whom this duel will take place before i make my decision?"

    "of course," alex replied with a nod, his expression steady as he turned his head toward froze, who was still carrying his son''s unconscious body. "it will be a duel between myself and sir froze here."

    the words struck like a thunderclap. a deafening silence fell across the room, and even froze, who had been walking away, stopped dead in his tracks. he stiffened visibly, his shoulders rigid, as an incredulous expression spread across his face.

    "will the duel only be about martial prowess, like the previous one?" frieda finally asked, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife.

    after that initial exchange, the two fighters locked eyes, their postures shifting as they measured their adversaryˇŻs strength. the moment of stillness lasted only a heartbeat before both exploded forward, charging toward one another with a speed and force that caused the air to crackle with tension.

    boom!

    a fierce gust of wind swept across the stage, forcing onlookers too close to shield their faces. dust and debris whipped through the air, blinding them temporarily. when their vision cleared, they were met with the shocking sight of arcanor and froze locked in a brutal clash. fists collided with bone-jarring intensity, the sound of their strikes echoing like thunder.

    most shockingly of all, a small crater had formed where they clashed, despite both men clearly holding back their full strength. after all, had they unleashed their true power, the stageˇŞand likely the entire buildingˇŞwould have crumbled like a fragile house of cards.

    after a brief moment of separation, arcanor and froze surged toward each other once more. their fists moved even faster, each strike crackling with precision and ferocity. sparks seemed to fly with every exchange, their blows too rapid for most onlookers to follow.

    for several seconds, they traded a whirlwind of attacks, a blur of motion that made it impossible for the audience to determine a clear advantage. at first, the duel seemed evenly matched, neither side showing any signs of faltering.

    but as the fight progressed, froze began to gain the upper hand. his grounded and disciplined fighting style gave him an edge, allowing him to anchor himself and exploit alex''s lighter, more fluid movements. with each clash, he forced alex back.

    however, alex was far from overwhelmed. he evaded froze''s deadliest strikes with uncanny agility, his mantle of smoke flowing around him like a living entity. the smoke seemed to guide his movements, making him appear both elusive and untouchable as he parried, blocked, and dodged froze''s attacks.

    his movements were light, but sharp, wild, yet possessing a cunningness that could only come from years of experience battling in the harshest of environments.

    ˇ®i have to concede it to himˇŞi underestimated his fighting style,ˇŻ alex thought, his eyes narrowing as he ducked just in time to avoid a vicious kick that could have dislocated his jaw had it connected.

    though alex still believed frozeˇŻs fighting style was rigid, unlike his son, froze wielded that rigidity with remarkable efficiency. he exploited its limitations, turning what should have been a weakness into a weapon.

    with each exchange, alex seemed to be losing ground, but it was only for show. in reality, he didnˇŻt feel as threatened by froze''s attacks as others seemed to think. froze was definitely a very good fighter, perhaps even an excellent one. there was a good chance that his mastery over his fighting style might even be superior to alex''s mastery over his own style.

    it should be reminded that alex had been taught his current fighting style by none other than his first wife, lilia. and frankly, if it wasnˇŻt for the way his body seemed to adapt to his opponentˇŻs moves during a fight, it wouldnˇŻt be far-fetched to think he wouldnˇŻt have even reached such a high level of mastery over this style.

    however, even with frozeˇŻs mastery over his own fighting style seemingly surpassing alexˇŻs, there was little chance froze could truly hurt alex, if any at all. thatˇŻs because, while froze might have more mastery over his fighting style, alexˇŻs was simply on a whole new level in terms of quality and fluidity.

    and this didnˇŻt even address the elephant in the room: froze''s physical strength. he was fast, true, but compared to alex, he might as well have been moving in slow motion.

    in short, froze had no chance of winning this duelˇŞunless he did something radical. it seemed that froze had come to the same conclusion, as alex once again effortlessly dodged his attack.

    ''it canˇŻt go on like this!''

 Chapter 332 : Cheating

    chapter 332 : cheating

    ''it can''t continue like this!'' froze thought to himself in urgency. arcanor was proving far more formidable than he had expected, and the fact that his opponent always managed to counter his attacks was undeniable proof of that.

    froze was a man who had spent over three decades training and refining his skills in martial arts. he was a master of his craft, having faced countless battles throughout his life. some he had won gloriously, while others had ended in humiliating defeat. through these experiences, and especially through those crushing losses, he had developed a sort of sixth senseˇŞa gut feeling that warned him when he was on the verge of losing. at that very moment, this sense was screaming louder than ever, urging him to act before it was too late.

    ''if i don''t do something right now, i will lose,'' he concluded, his mind racing. he quickly sidestepped alex''s incoming elbow strike and retaliated with a swift, calculated counterattack, forcing his opponent back momentarily.

    froze''s problem was that he had no idea what to do to change the flow of the battle and crush his adversary...unless he cheated, that is.

    the instant that idea entered his mind, it refused to leave until froze resolved himself to cheat and activated his ability.

    at the same time, alex, who had been preparing to counter froze''s attack with a well-timed punch, experienced something he couldnˇŻt comprehend. as he moved to strike, his fist remained motionlessˇŞbut his leg jerked forward instead, completely breaking the flow of his attack.

    his eyes widened in shock, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. it was only a fleeting moment of confusion, but froze capitalized on it without hesitation. with a vicious roundhouse kick, he struck alex hard in the side, the impact resounding through the floor.

    alex''s body was hurled across the battlefield, his boots carving deep trenches into the stage as he skidded to a halt. the smoke surrounding his form flickered and partially lost its solid state, dispersing slightly from the point of impact.

    regaining his footing, he glanced down at the place where he had been struck, then at his arm, and frowned.

    the good news was that he had come out unscathed from froze''s attack; his defense stat was too high for him to feel more than a slight sting from such an assault. the bad news, though, was that he failed to understand how his leg had moved when he had clearly intended for his arm to act.

    unfortunately, froze wasn''t going to give him time to ponder this incongruity. he charged at alex, appearing before him in the blink of an eye, his fist bearing down on him like a hammer poised to crush its target.

    alex intended to step away from his opponent to avoid the incoming fist, but instead of his legs moving, his two arms shot up into the sky as though he were surrendering or praying, leaving his entire body exposed to froze''s attack.

    froze didn''t miss this opportunity. his fist collided brutally with alex''s solar plexus, forcing a gasp from him, before he followed up with a sharp roundhouse kick to his side.

    convinced of his inevitable triumph, froze focused entirely on offense, neglecting his own defenses. this overconfidence cost him dearly when alexˇŻs right fist slammed into his solar plexus with the force of a freight train at full speed, stealing the breath from his lungs.

    a deafening boom echoed across the arena as froze''s body was launched like a missile. he flew through the air at such an astonishing speed that most spectators struggled to follow his trajectory. thankfully for him, he managed to plant his feet firmly on the stageˇŻs edge, stopping himself just shy of the boundary.

    "ugh..." froze groaned, his body convulsing as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. sweat poured down his face in thick rivulets, soaking his clothes.

    ''what...what happened?'' he wondered to himself, his expression one of confusion. ''didnˇŻt my ability activate?'' he quickly discarded that thought. his ability had indeed activated. after all, when he used it, it worked on him as wellˇŞmeaning that every time one of alex''s limbs moved instead of another, frozeˇŻs body was similarly affected.

    the difference was that froze had spent decades mastering the intricacies of his ability. he had become so familiar with the process that he could predict in advance which body part would move instead of the other. this advantage allowed him to maintain control in the midst of chaos.

    all of that to say that froze was certain his ability had worked, and alex had been subjected to its effects. but then, how did alex manage to land a blow on him?

    if froze could see beneath alex''s flowing mantle of smoke, he would have understood what had happened.

    since his opponent had allowed himself the privilege of using his ability, alex reserved himself the same right. a few seconds earlier, while froze had been convinced victory was his, alex had activated his own ability. this was what allowed him to counterattack, even while under the influence of frozeˇŻs power.

    how did he manage? simple, really. by controlling the smoke that comprised his mantle, alex manipulated his own body like a puppet. he did this in the same way he controlled the smoke knight, using his power to direct every movement.

    he was unable to move his own body as he wished? no problem. his smoke element would take over, moving his limbs and body as if they were puppets on strings.

    ''it feels weird though, controlling my body as if i were a spawn,'' he thought, a slight discomfort tugging at him. still, the sensation of being both the puppet and the puppet master wasn''t entirely unpleasant. in fact, it granted him a level of control over his body that he had never experienced before.

    ''why had i never tried this?'' he wondered, slightly excited at the possibilities.

    ''i will have to properly thank him for his help in making me figure out this way of using my element,'' alex thought with a sadistic grin as he watched froze painfully rise to his feet.

 Chapter 333 : Breakthrough

    chapter 333 : breakthrough

    with a sadistic grin on his face, alex charged at his opponent, who had barely risen to his feet. the bastard hadn''t waited for alex to regain his composure when he was at a disadvantage, so why would alex pull his punches now that froze was disoriented?

    seeing alex rushing toward him, froze remained calm, his sharp gaze narrowing as he activated his ability once more while adopting a firm fighting stance.

    the instant alex crossed the perimeter of two meters from froze, he could feel himself falling under froze''s ability effects, but like in their previous exchange, this didn''t stop alex in the slightest.

    he sidestepped just in time to avoid froze''s fist, the air whistling past his ear, before sending his own punch straight at the drazen''s face.

    froze managed to block alex''s strike by crossing his arms in an x-shape in front of his chest. however, the sheer force behind alex''s punch sent him staggering backward, his boots skidding against the floor as he barely stopped himself from exiting the stage ring.

    ''i might''ve hit a bit harder than intended,'' alex chuckled to himself, his tone laced with amusement. while he had gained better control over his body''s movements, froze''s ability still interfered enough to prevent him from perfectly regulating his strength or speed. not wanting to risk a weak attack, alex had simply punched with all his might. considering the vast difference in their physical capabilities, each of alex''s punches landed on froze like a battering ram crashing through a castle gate.

    as alex pondered how to reduce the strength of his attacks to prolong the fight, giving himself more time to experiment with his newfound technique, froze finally came to a halt. lifting his head, he locked eyes with alex, and in that moment, an involuntary tremor of dread coursed through him.

    ''arcanor... that monster... he''s already adapted to my ability!''

    froze couldn''t begin to fathom how such a thing was possible. he knew that with enough time, one could grow accustomed to the effects of his powerˇŞafter all, he himself had learned to fight under its influenceˇŞbut that process had taken him decades of rigorous training. yet, arcanor had managed to adapt after only two exchanges. how could anyone achieve such an impossible feat?!

    taking a deep, steadying breath to calm his wildly beating heart, froze made a decisive choice. he deactivated his ability for good. since it no longer affected alex, there was no point in wasting mana on it.

    with his ability rendered ineffective and the damage from alex''s previous strikes taking its toll, froze knew the battle''s outcome looked grim. but he refused to despair. gritting his teeth, he poured the last reserves of his mana into his body, drastically enhancing his strength, speed, and resilience. this temporary augmentation would push his physical limits far beyond their natural capacity, but it came at a steep costˇŞonce his mana was completely depleted, his body would be left weaker than ever. still, froze didn''t hesitate even a second.

    as alex sensed the sharp spike in mana fluctuations radiating from froze, he instantly understood his intentions.

    ''well,'' alex thought, his lips curling into a smirk, ''so much for experimenting. guess i''ll just have to finish this the old-fashioned way.''

    if someone could have peered beneath alex''s skin at that moment, they would have been horrified by the sight of the smoke coiling around his inner muscles like living serpents, embedding themselves as though they were a natural part of his body.

    suddenly, alex felt his control over his body skyrocket to unprecedented levels, his movements becoming even more precise and efficient. but with this newfound power came an almost overwhelming wave of mental exhaustion.

    confused by the sudden strain, alex disengaged from froze for a brief moment to assess what was happening.

    it only took a split second for him to notice the coiling smoke around his inner muscles and for alex to understand why he was being drained mentally.

    although it didn''t ask for a strong mental effort on his part, the simple act of manipulating his body through the smoke around him was already a little taxing mentally for alex, and now that the smoke had also penetrated his skin and was wrapping directly around his muscles, it demanded a conscious effort on his part.

    manipulating his body externally and directly controlling his muscles via the smoke was too demanding. alex had great mental strength, mostly thanks to the black heart and the lust energy blessing, but it didn''t mean that he was great at multitasking.

    although draining in mental strength, the kind of control alex had at that moment was simply... exhilarating.

    more than that, he could feel itˇŞhis body was evolving with every passing second. it wasn''t just his control that had been boosted. his strength, speed, and precision were soaring by leaps and bounds, but so were his defenses. the smoke forming a layer beneath his skin acted almost like an internal armor, cushioning his body from external blows and reducing the strain caused by his enhanced movements. his resilience had increased to an entirely new level, making him feel almost invincible.

    from the very moment he had become a smoke sovereign, alex''s progression in manipulating his element was always fulgurant. the smoke element practically whispered in his ears, delivering all its secrets to him. everything always came naturally for him.

    however, for the past weeks, that ability of his sovereignty had been somewhat dormant. while it was true that alex had been focusing on mastering everything he already knew, his progress had been lackluster compared to the days he had obtained his ability. but right this very moment, that dormant ability had awakened once again, and under its effects, alex was making breakthrough after breakthrough.

    in that moment, he realized that his manner of using his element was, to put it simply, basic at best and rudimentary at worst. even though he had become the sovereign of the smoke element, alex had always considered it as an external force, separate from himself. but was that truly what it was?

    he was the sovereign of the smoke element. and how did he attain that sovereignty again? by linking his soul with the one of the smoke element spirit. and what was that spirit if not the personification of the smoke element itself? put like that, it became apparent how wrong it was for him to consider the smoke element as something external. his soul was linked to the very elementˇŞit was something as internal to him as his heart. hell, it was much more intimately tied to him than even his heart!

    as he came under those realizations, the breakthroughs simply continued to rain on him, his mastery over the smoke element reaching an entirely new level.

 Chapter 334 : Mental sanctum

    Chapter 334 : Mental sanctum

    Seeing that his opponent seemed lost in thought, his focus elsewhere, Froze grinned disdainfully.

    He would teach this arrogant man not to lose focus in the middle of a fight.

    With a roar that echoed through the entire building, he surged towards his opponent, a malevolent gleam in his eyes as he concentrated all his remaining mana into his fists. This attack would be his last and, consequently, his most powerful one. Every ounce of energy left in his body surged forward, reinforcing his muscles, sharpening his senses, and pushing his speed to its peak.

    However, Froze had barely covered half of the distance separating them when he heard something that shook him to his core.

    "I''m done playing with you, so be docile and quiet down, would you."

    Before his brain even had time to register what he had just heard, Froze''s eyesight became blurry before completely darkening a split second later.

    Boom!

    An explosion more powerful and impacting than all previous ones rang true as Froze''s body crashed against the ground, unconscious.

    Alex, who had just knocked his opponent out, spared him a glance for a split second before averting his eyes, his expression becoming lost again as he concentrated on the settling aftershocks of the breakthroughs he had just experienced.

    Meanwhile, as the dust of the last attack settled and the onlookers finally grasped what had happened, a stunned silence took over the floor. Dozens of eyes remained fixed on the unmoving Froze, lying at AlexˇŻs feet, while the latter stood motionless, seemingly indifferent to the chaos he had just ended.

    No one knew what to say or how to react. The tension in the air was suffocating, as if everyone feared that even the slightest sound might provoke something even worse. Several seconds passed in complete silence, only broken when Alex finally shifted, his focus returning. It was only then that the hushed whispers and nervous murmurs started spreading across the room.

    He walked up to the edge of the stage, where Frieda and FildenˇŞwho had apparently regained consciousness during their fightˇŞstared back at him with a mix of incredulity and horror.

    "It seems that I have won this second wager as well," Alex stated dispassionately.

    For once, the quick-witted Frieda didnˇŻt know how to respond, her usual amiable smile nowhere to be seen. It wasnˇŻt until she felt the weight of the surrounding gazes pressing on her that she finally snapped back to reality.

    "Regrettably, it would seem so," she finally admitted, a sad smile appearing on her beautiful face.

    At that moment, almost every man in the room felt an almost irresistible urge to step forward, to comfort her, to be the one to bring back her usual radiance. Yet, the one person she had focused onˇŞArcanorˇŞmerely stared at her for a brief moment. Somehow, the ever-shifting smoke making his mask seemed even more ominous than before.

    "Why would we go there?" the young heiress asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "Lady Amy here had receiving the Tear of Knowledge, and your private library is the best place for her to unlock its full potential," Freya explained.

    "Oh really?!" Maya''s eyes sparkled as she cast a glance at Amelia, who merely nodded. "That''s excellent. I''ll stay with you, then. It''s been a while since I last visited the library."

    At that moment, Alex considered bringing up the fact that Maya was being followed by invisible guards, but he decided against it for the time being.

    They exited the training center under the curious gazes of those on the lower floors and boarded their carriage. The journey was spent in casual conversation, the time passing quickly. After half an hour, the carriage came to a halt in front of a grand building.

    From what Freya had told them, Maya''s private library was located within the public library and could be accessed from the matriarch''s mansion through an underground tunnel that connected it to Freya''s estate. They had originally planned to use this route, but since they were already in the city, it made more sense to head directly to the library instead.

    The library in question was enormousˇŞperhaps even larger than the training center. Its towering walls radiated an aura of wisdom and age, exuding the solemn presence of an ancient archive. Despite its grandeur, there werenˇŻt many people around, making the sudden arrival of their carriage all the more noticeable. As soon as they stepped out, countless curious eyes turned in their direction.

    Ignoring the silent scrutiny, Alex and his group entered the library.

    The vast interior was divided into multiple floors, each lined with towering bookshelves filled with ancient tomes and scrolls. Following Freya and MayaˇŻs lead, Alex and Amelia ascended to the highest floor. There, to their surprise, Freya pressed her hand against a hidden panel on the wall. A moment later, one of the massive bookshelves silently slid aside, revealing a narrow, winding staircase leading downward.

    ''More staircases,'' Alex sighed internally. He was truly growing tired of them and seriously regretted that elevators didnˇŻt exist in this world.

    They descended for what felt like hundreds of meters before finally reaching the bottom. There, the walls were lined with torches that instantly flared to life the instant they appeared, illuminating the corridor with a brightness so vivid that one might have forgotten they were deep underground.

    "Follow me," Maya said excitedly, her steps brisk as she led them through a twisting maze of hallways and turns.

    ''Are we still under the library?'' Alex and Amelia both wondered with perplexed expressions as they followed after the mother and daughter.

    It wasnˇŻt until a good dozen minutes later that they finally arrived before a massive double door made of reinforced steel, engraved with intricate runes. The door was sealed shut, and stationed before it were several guards, each exuding at least the presence of a level 4.

    Upon receiving the matriarchˇŻs orders, the guards silently stepped aside and unsealed the door, allowing them entry.

    Maya and her mother stepped inside first, followed closely by Alex and Amelia. As soon as they were all inside, the heavy doors shut behind them with a deep, resonating thud.

    "Welcome to my personal libraryˇŞor as I like to call it, the Mental sanctum," Maya said, spreading her arms in a grand, welcoming gesture.

 Chapter 335 : The effects of the tear of knowledge

    Chapter 335 : The effects of the tear of knowledge

    "Welcome to my personal library, or as I like to call it, the Mental Sanctum," Maya declared, spreading her arms wide in a welcoming gesture.

    Barely after saying this, Maya tripped on a stray broomstick behind her and tumbled to the ground with all the grace of a sack of potatoes rolling down a staircase.

    Alex and Amelia chortled, ready to tease the young woman, but their words died in their throats as they finally took in their surroundings. Whatever joke they had prepared was instantly forgotten.

    Enormous.

    That was the only word Alex thought would fit the library in which he stood right now. He had expected a modest-sized room after hearing how the "books" in this library functioned, but never did he imagine it would be this vast. For comparison, the space they were in right now was even larger than the mansion where Alex and his family lived. Of course, that was excluding the underground levels of the mansion, but just the outer structure of that estate was large enough to house his entire branch of the family, along with the multitude of guards and servants who served them.

    A library of this magnitude was simply mind-numbing, especially considering it was built entirely underground rather than on the surface. The sheer scale of the excavation and architectural work required to create such a structure defied logic.

    Several towering pillars, each dozens of meters in height, supported the immense ceiling, ensuring the library remained structurally sound. Each of these pillars was so massive that even ten people standing hand in hand wouldnˇŻt be able to fully wrap around one. They were made from a completely white, smooth material that Alex had never seen beforeˇŞalmost resembling polished marble but with an eerie, glass-like translucence that shimmered under the flickering glow of the torches.

    Speaking of torches, there were so many that as soon as they stepped inside, the entire library was bathed in light.

    The library was structured into three distinct floors, and each of them, without exception, was filled with seemingly endless rows of towering bookshelves. The sheer number of them made it clear that this place held an unfathomable wealth of knowledge.

    On each of these shelves, a delicate metal plaque indicated the subjects contained within. The range of topics was staggering, covering broad fields such as mana theory, battle arts, historical accounts, and human anatomy, to more specialized subjects like beast taming, alchemical transmutation, and forgotten legends.

    Each aisle was so spacious that the very carriage they had used earlier could have easily rolled through without disturbing a single shelf. The floors were arranged with a meticulous design, and at the center of each level stood a massive wooden table, long enough to accommodate more than a dozen people at once.

    The "books" stored on these shelves were nothing like the conventional leather-bound tomes or parchment scrolls one might expect. Instead, each shelf held rows of small, round, and luminous globes that pulsed with an inner glow. Their radiance varied between deep purple and faint crimson, the swirling lights inside moving like liquid fire. At first glance, those globes almost resembled polished crystals, each one carrying a mysterious energy within. The way the light churned inside them was utterly mesmerizing, as if an entire galaxy had been trapped within their smooth surfaces.

    "Impressive, huh?" Maya beamed, brushing the dust off her clothes as she carefully stood up, a prideful grin stretching across her face.

    Both Alex and Amelia nodded absentmindedly, their eyes still roaming over the vast expanse of the underground library, trying to fully grasp the sheer magnitude of what they were seeing.

    Alex, Maya, and even Freya observed the entire process with curious yet expectant expressions. They all knew about the Tear of Knowledge and its effects, but none of them had ever witnessed someone actually using it, so, naturally, their curiosity was piqued.

    However, as the seconds ticked by after Amelia consumed the Tear of Knowledge, absolutely nothing happened. There was no visible reaction to indicate that the artifact had taken effect. But even if it had, how were they supposed to know? The Tear of Knowledge worked solely on the mind of the one who absorbed it. Unless Amelia herself confirmed that it had worked, they would remain in the dark.

    The trio waited patiently, but as more than five minutes passed without Amelia moving or saying anything, their patience began to thinˇŞespecially MayaˇŻs.

    "Uhh, did it work?" she finally blurted out after ten minutes, her voice tinged with impatience.

    "I''m not really sure," Amelia admitted with a slight shrug, her expression puzzled. "I donˇŻt feel anything out of the ordiˇŞ"

    Her words came to an abrupt halt. Her body stiffened, freezing in place. A second later, her pupils glowed, casting a brilliant white light upon her surroundings.

    At the same time, it was like a bomb had gone off right inside her mind, but it wasn''t the bad kind of explosion. Instead, it felt as if the fog clouding her mind had just disappearedˇŞbetter yet, it felt like she had been blind her whole life, only to regain her sight at that very moment.

    A euphoric sensation, unlike anything she had ever experienced, flooded her being, threatening to overwhelm her. But before that feeling could fully take hold, another transformation had already begun. All at once, her mind started to expandˇŞnot in strength, but in sheer capacity. It was becoming vast, boundless, stretching beyond its previous limits like a universe unfolding within her.

    All the knowledge she had ever acquiredˇŞwhether crucial insights about her abilities or trivial, forgotten detailsˇŞbegan to consolidate. Life choices, past decisions, fleeting thoughts, and even the most insignificant memories resurfaced, each one becoming sharper, more refined. But it wasnˇŻt just recollectionˇŞshe was seeing them in a completely new light, understanding them in ways she had never thought possible.

    In that instant, Amelia came to a realization. NoˇŞshe came to several. And among all those revelations, two stood out above the rest.

    The first was that Alex had been right all along. Her Cell Master ability was far more powerful than she had ever given it credit forˇŞmore broken, more limitless than she, her brother, or anyone had ever realized. She had been severely underutilizing what was, without a doubt, her greatest asset. If she truly wanted to have a chance to remain by her brotherˇŻs side despite his fulgurant progression, she needed to start using it to its full potential.

    The second realizationˇŞperhaps even more astounding than the firstˇŞwas that she didnˇŻt need to possess complete knowledge of human anatomy or medicine to unlock the true power of her ability. Of course, understanding those fields was essential, but even with her current level of knowledge, she could already achieve far more than she had ever imagined.

    A sudden thought crossed her mind, and without hesitation, Amelia raised her hand.

    Under the stunned gazes of Alex, Freya, and Maya, her open palm began to expand. In the blink of an eye, it stretched and grewˇŞelongating more than twenty inches before their very eyes!

 Chapter 336 : The effects of the tear of knowledge (2)

    Chapter 336 : The effects of the tear of knowledge (2)

    "What the..." Alex and Maya gasped in shock as they watched Amelia''s hand begin to expand.

    Freya, standing next to them, observed the same scene. Although she seemed surprised, she wasn''t as shocked as the other two. That was because she didn''t fully grasp what Amelia was truly capable of, unlike her daughter and Alex, who knew very well that Amelia had never been able to do such a thing before.

    She stared at her hand for a second and nodded to herself. The next instant, her hand returned to its initial size.

    ''The tear of knowledge is taking effect, alright,'' Alex mused to himself. What he couldn''t understand was the mechanism by which Amelia was able to increase and decrease the size of her hand. If she could do at will what she had just done a moment ago, thenˇŞAlex was certainˇŞjust this new ability alone was enough to say that the tear of knowledge hadn''t been wasted. After all, having the ability to increase and decrease one''s body size at will was an incredibly valuable skill.

    ''Wait, if she can enlarge any part of her body, then...'' A perverted grin spread across Alex''s face. ''...We''re going to have so much fun in the coming days,'' he thought, salaciously licking his lips.

    Sensing his gaze, Amelia tilted her head, stared back at him, and smiled. The instant he met her smile, Alex subconsciously shuddered.

    That... that creepy smile. He recognized itˇŞit was the same smile his daughter Scarlett wore whenever she found something that piqued her interest. And that smile always meant trouble.

    "Say, brother," Amelia began, her shining gray eyes gleaming as her smile widened slightly, "can I have a sample of your blood?"

    ''I knew it!'' Alex exclaimed in his head.@@@@

    A bead of sweat glided down his forehead as he nodded. "Yeah, no problem." He might have sounded relaxed, but inwardly, he could only hope that her demands would stop at just a blood sample.

    "Excellent." Amelia clapped her hands in satisfaction before turning around. "Please be quick about it," she added, waving back at him while walking toward the towering shelves.

    Alex stared at her swaying, curvaceous body for a moment before remembering that Freya and Maya were still around.

    Taking a step toward the matriarch, he whispered in a concerned tone, "Say, the tear of knowledge wouldn''t change its user''s personality, right?"

    "From my understanding, no," Freya whispered back, though she wasn''t sure why they were whispering in the first place. "However, it wouldn''t be far-fetched to expect someone who has consumed the tear of knowledge to act differently from their usual selves," she added.

    "Why is that?"

    A small smile graced Amelia''s divine features, and she nodded to herself before turning away from the shelf. Without paying any attention to the other books still lined up, she began walking through the library once more, as if searching for something specific.

    Before long, she found what she was looking for.

    "Human Anatomy"ˇŞthat was the name of the section where Amelia finally came to a halt. This shelf housed an extensive collection of books dedicated to the study of the human body. However, it wasn''t just limited to basic anatomy. There were also volumes covering related subjects that explored how an in-depth understanding of the human body could enhance various disciplines.

    For example, one book delved into the relationship between human anatomy and mana control, explaining how a deeper knowledge of one''s own body could improve the efficiency of mana circulation. There were also books discussing the medical applications of mana.

    This very shelf was where Amelia was originally supposed to start before moving on to other sections.

    She ran her fingers along the wooden shelf, her gaze sharp as she searched for something specific. The sheer number of books on the shelf was overwhelming, with dozens upon dozens of volumes detailing various aspects of human anatomy, magical physiology and many other topics. It took Amelia nearly a dozen minutes of meticulous scanning before she finally found the book she was looking for.

    Just like before, she placed the orb to her forehead and initiated the process of information transfer.

    Seconds later, the transfer was complete, and Amelia began processing the flood of knowledge. After her first experience, the process had become even more intuitive for her, allowing her to absorb and organize the information with greater efficiency. This time, it took her no more than half a minute.

    Nodding in satisfaction, she turned away from the shelf and made her way back to her companions. As she approached, she noticed their odd expressionsˇŞAlex, Maya, and Freya were all staring at her with a mix of confusion and disbelief, unable to comprehend her seemingly erratic decisions.

    "The sample," Amelia extended her hand to her brother as she stood before him.

    "Ah, yes," Alex muttered, snapping out of his daze as he handed her the vial filled with his crimson blood. "Would that be enough?"

    Amelia simply nodded, snatching the vial from his grasp with little ceremony.

    Without hesitation, she uncorked the vial and let a single drop of blood fall onto her palm. Holding her hand steady, she stared at the droplet with unwavering focus for more than a dozen minutes.

    Then, without warning, Amelia did something that left everyone utterly stunned.

    Lifting the vial to her lips, she tilted her head back and, in a single gulp, downed its entire contents!

 Chapter 337 : Shocking twist

    Chapter 337 : Shocking twist

    ''Did she really just drink my blood?'' Alex thought, completely baffled.

    Ever since the Tear of Knowledge took effect, Amelia had been acting strangely, but this? This was by far the weirdestˇŞmaybe even the creepiestˇŞthing she had done.

    Judging by their expressions, Maya and Freya seemed to agree.

    Amelia, however, didn''t seem to notice their reactions. And if she did, she hid it well. The moment she swallowed his blood, she sat down cross-legged and closed her eyes, as if everything was normal.

    ''Now she''s meditating...'' Alex sighed, feeling exhausted just from watching her.

    The original plan was simple: once the Tear of Knowledge started working, Amelia would first absorb all knowledge about the human body down to its smallest details to strengthen her Cell Master ability. Then, she would move on to medicineˇŞunderstanding diseases, treatments, and healing methods. Only after mastering those two subjects would she explore other fields.

    But the instant the Tear of Knowledge took effect, Amelia had thrown that carefully crafted plan out the window. She picked topics at random, ignoring any clear order. And now, to top it all off, she was meditatingˇŞsquandering the limited and invaluable time granted by the Tear of Knowledge. Every second she spent in meditation was a second wasted, time she would never get back once the effects of the treasure wore off.

    "Now what?" Maya asked. "Are we just going to wait for her to open her eyes and hope she explains why she''s acting so weird?"

    "Don''t know," Alex shrugged. "But judging by how tightly her brows are furrowed, it looks like sheˇŻll be at it for a while," he added, crossing his arms.

    "In that case, while we wait, why donˇŻt you go test how the ''books'' in this library work?" Freya suggested, glancing at Alex.

    He thought about it for a second before nodding. It was true that he was curious about what it felt like to have knowledge directly injected into his mind, so while he was were here, why not try.

    Giving his sister one last glance, he strode toward the shelves.

    ''Wait,'' Alex suddenly thought, stopping in his tracks. ''Maybe I can find the books Lilia handed me. If theyˇŻre here, I wonˇŻt have to waste my time reading them the conventional way,'' he mused with a small smirk.

    What he failed to realize, however, was that with how quickly he normally finished a book, this method might not actually save him any time.

    After a few minutes of searching, he finally settled on a book. Without hesitation, he pressed the glowing orb to his forehead. Instantly, a flood of foreign knowledge surged into his mind. Like Amelia, his first instinct was to resist, to push back against the influx of information. But remembering Maya''s words, he forced himself to relax, letting the knowledge seep in naturally.

    Seconds later, the transfer was complete.

    ''That feels... weird,'' Alex thought, rubbing his temple. He could tell that he had absorbed new knowledge, but it felt tangled and scattered in his mind, like a vast puzzle waiting to be pieced together. He could recall the information, but it wasnˇŻt fully his yetˇŞit needed to be processed.@@@@

    Now, he was completely baffled. Something strange was definitely happening.

    For a brief moment, he considered waking her up.

    But after some thought, he shook his head and straightened.

    ''She probably knows what she is doing. If I interfere now, I might just make things worse,'' he reasoned, suppressing the urge to act.

    "What is going on with her? Will she be alright?" Maya inquired, her expression slightly tense. Her senses might not be as sharp as Alex''s, but even she could feel that something was off.

    "I don''t know, but let''s have faith that she knows what she is doing," he answered, though his eyes never left Amelia.

    He may have said that, but at that moment, all his focus was locked onto his sister. He was ready to react the instant anything went wrong. Yet, even with all his vigilance, even he couldn''t predict what happened next.

    Before anyone could process the situation, the mana around Amelia surged once more, its intensity reaching an entirely new level. The sheer concentration distorted the air, and faint traces of gray flickered within the swirling energy.

    But what truly shocked Alex, Maya, and Freya wasnˇŻt just the manaˇŻs densityˇŞit was what happened to Amelia herself.

    Even the powerful guards in Freya''s and Maya''s shadows seemed shaken as they witnessed something utterly insane, something that had never been heard of, not just in Fiore or even in Imperion, but throughout all of Wadata.

    Amelia, who just a second ago stood at middle-level 4, suddenly... dropped to low-level 4!

    A stunned silence fell over the group.

    Then, without warningˇŞ

    The mana exploded.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    Jagged fissures tore through the ground beneath Amelia, spreading like a vast spiderweb as the sheer density of the mana crushed everything beneath her. The earth itself trembled under the overwhelming force, as if struggling to withstand the pressure. But before anyone could even process the destruction, another shift occurredˇŞone so drastic it made their pupils shrink to pinholes and their hearts hammer violently against their ribs.

    BOOM!

    Amelia... fell from level 4 to level 3!

 Chapter 338 : Shocking stats

    Chapter 338 : Shocking stats

    ''I can''t believe it...she regressed in level,'' Alex thought, dumbstruck.

    Peak level 3, this was Amelia''s current level. Alex couldn''t even begin to wonder how something like that was possible. This was something unheard of and, quite frankly, something that shouldn''t be possible.

    The others watching Amelia beside him all wore similarly incredulous expressions, but what no one noticed was the brightness with which Freya''s eyes gleamed as she watched Amelia right now.

    A few moments ago, she had been about to order her guards to intervene and save Amelia if she was in danger, but she stopped dead in her tracks when the incredulous sight before her unfolded.

    ''Perhaps, perhaps with her help, I can hopefully be free of this curse,'' she thought in a mix of desperation and hope, gripping her hands tightly as she stared at Amelia.

    A person who had never begun to walk the path of ascension would never understand it, but those who had could only gape in silent awe at the significance of what Amelia had accomplished.

    At some point in one''s life, increasing one''s strength would only become increasingly difficult. There were usually two causes for that. The first one was the most straightforwardˇŞtalent. Some people simply didn''t have the necessary potential to keep growing stronger. The other cause was the lack of solid foundations for their strength. Without a stable base, further progress became fragile and ultimately led to stagnation.

    There were hardly any high-level individuals who didnˇŻt regret not having built truly solid foundations. Unfortunately, that was no longer an optionˇŞthey couldnˇŻt wind time back nor return to the start of their journey to ascension. However, right now, that was exactly what Amelia was doing.

    The mana density around her increased once again, and Amelia''s own mana level dropped.

    From peak level 3, she fell to high level 3 and then mid level 3.

    As the mana concentration continued to grow stronger, taking on a vivid gray hue, the surroundings around Amelia became even more devastated. New cracks formed with each passing second, lengthening the already dense spiderweb of destruction that spread through the area.

    ''How come the fact that she is losing her level is causing so much destruction?'' Alex suddenly wondered.

    It was a well-known fact that the higher one''s level, the more destruction was caused when leveling upˇŞespecially if one had a destructive ability and happened to lose control during the breakthrough. But there was no mention of destruction occurring due to level regression.@@@@

    ''On another hand, it''s not like there are records of people regressing back to previous levels,'' Alex reasoned.

    Anyway, Amelia''s level only kept on decreasing as time went on, and very soon, a small yet violent explosion rocked the inside of the library as she stepped down to peak level 2.

    ''How far does she intend to regress?'' Alex thought, a hint of worry creeping into his mind as he watched the seemingly endless decline of her power.

    Going down in terms of level to consolidate one''s foundations was a good thingˇŞan excellent one, evenˇŞbut it wasnˇŻt without its drawbacks.

    Amelia wasn''t like him who could absorb monster cores to level up without worrying about exploding in the process. She had spent a little more than three dozen years constantly training and absorbing mana through monster cores to reach level 4. Now that she was losing all her levels, it would take a similar amount of time to recover, or even more, if she truly intended to create formidable foundations for herself. To return to her previous level, it might even take her more years than before.

    This was the reason why, even though most higher-level individuals regretted not having spent more time consolidating their level, very few would actually agree to return to a lower levelˇŞeven if given the chance. Some had spent hundreds of years to achieve the strength they had today and simply couldnˇŻt bring themselves to begin that long and arduous journey again.

    Besides, there were other factors to consider. After living so long, they were bound to have accumulated enemies. Those enemies wouldnˇŻt hesitate for a second to deal with them once word spread that they had lost their strength. Moreover, they could lose the respect of others and, in some cases, even their nobility if they had earned it through strength rather than inheritance.

    All of that was to say that while having the chance to regress and build-up solid foundations was an invaluable opportunity, it was also a double-edged sword that could very well lead to oneˇŻs downfall. Amelia knew this, and yet, she still decided to proceed without a hint of hesitation. This was a testament to her unyielding determination to become stronger.

    As this thought entered his mind, Alex felt his manhood stiffen. He had never more wanted to impregnate Amelia than right now. Surely the children such a woman would bear him would all be incredible.

    A swift pink glow flashed in his irises and Alex instantly felt himself becoming subjected to his lustful desires, his body heating up while his member hardened even further.

    Mana Points: 70

    Abilities: Plant manipulation; Cell master; Residual Blast]

    One''s strength, agility, stamina, and defense weren''t necessarily tied down to one''s level. There were people with incredible physical stats, one of them was Alex''s first wife, Lilia, who, despite being mundane, had stats that were higher than even a level 4 Amelia. Well, Lilia isn''t really the best example to take, considering the fact that she use a very different energy than mana, notably Zid.

    Alex knew his sister though. It''s true that she had been trained by their mother for several years, but Amelia wasn''t someone like Lilia, who spent her time in a gym, training physically. She was more someone who dedicated herself to training and mastering her abilities. Thus, much of her current physical stats came from being level 4. This was why it didn''t make sense for Alex that she had only lost a fifth of her strength while she was now two levels below level 4.

    Something distracted Alex from his thoughts, and when he focused on Amelia again, he noticed that the mana concentration around her had increased severalfold. Not just that, it seemed the whole process was finally coming to an end.

    Amelia was now at the very bottom, a mere low-level 1.

    Yet, when she opened her eyes, a blinding white light erupted, filling the whole library and forcing everyone to close their eyes in instinctive reflex.

    When they reopened them, they were surprised to find that peace had returned. Even the mini mana storm around Amelia had abruptly disappeared, leaving only the remnants of destruction as proof something had happened.

    Amelia, on the other hand, sat there in front of them with a deathly pale face, disheveled hair, and a tired expression that was worsened by the dark bags under her eyes. Even her cheeks lacked their usual rosiness, appearing slightly sunken. She looked utterly exhausted, but the shine in her gray eyes had not diminished in the slightest.

    Before anyone could question her about what the hell had just happened, she slowly touched her space ring and took out several items, her movements sharp despite her exhaustion.

    Alex''s eyes narrowed in realization seeing what she brought out.

    Monster coresˇŞlevel 1 monster cores and around two hundred of them.

    Amelia took a deep breath, and in the next instant, under another round of incredulous gazes, all the mana inside the monster cores was swiftly siphoned into her body. The small shining cores crumbled like broken glass, their previous luster gone. Amelia, on the other hand, began to regain some color. At the same time, the aura she emitted grew several times heavier, more oppressive than it had ever been.

    Confusion still clear in his eyes, Alex hastily ordered the system to show him Amelia''s status again and when the translucent blue screen appeared before him, the words he had been about to utter caught in his throat.

    [Name: Amelia Eswald

    Age: 55

    Level: 2 (ˇř)

    Strength: 140 (ˇř)

    Agility: 160 (ˇř)

    Stamina: 160 (ˇř)

    Defense: 130 (ˇř)

    Mana Points: 140 (ˇř)

    Abilities: Plant manipulation; Cell master; Residual Blast]

 Chapter 339 : Finally alone

    Chapter 339 : Finally alone

    Alex was stumped.

    ''Just what the hell is going on here?'' he muttered under his breath, his mind struggling to process the absurdity of the situation.

    He had believed himself to be shocked before, but nothing compared to the sheer absurdity of the situation unfolding before his eyes.

    He simply couldn''t understand how Amelia, who had been at level 4 not long ago, now had twice her previous stats while only being level 2!

    It simply shouldn''t be possible!

    More than that, what was going on with her mana points? The system showed that she had 170 mana points, which, in reality, translated to 1700. That amount of mana was something only level 5 individuals should have!

    To ascend from level 4 to level 5, one needed exactly 1001 mana points. And yet, Amelia, despite sitting at an overwhelming 1700, was still level 2?!

    Something was very wrong here.

    It was as this thought crossed his mind that Alex suddenly recalled two crucial things.

    The first was the price the system had required from him to copy Amelia''s Cell Master ability.@@@@

    [Points needed to copy: 1,000,000,000 soul points]

    The second thing was something that lunatic from NightˇŞthe one Amelia and Anna had confrontedˇŞhad uttered when he witnessed Amelia use her Cell Master ability to kill one of her opponents during their infiltration of the Night base.

    Those were his exact words at that time:

    "You have a formidable power, the most potent of them all, so why, why, why, WHY ARE YOU SO WEAK?"

    He, along with Amelia and Anna, hadn''t given much thought to those words, taking them as the ramblings of a fool. But now that he thought about it, Rangyl had called her ability the Golden Ability and had even become enraged when he saw that she was too "weak."

    So, maybe that was it.

    Maybe Amelia had finally found a way to make the most out of her power, and thanks to that, her strength was blossoming, soaring up and far beyond.

    [Hoh, that child managed to fool her integration factor] the voice of the goddess of lust suddenly resounded in Alex''s head. [Quite impressive.]

    ''Integration factor? What is that?'' Alex inquired with a solemn expression.

    However, he waited and waited some more, but even after a few minutes, there was no answer, making him understand that the goddess of lust wasn''t going to respond.

    ''Why mention this integration factor if you didn''t intend to explain what it is?!!'' he thought to himself, his expression darkening in annoyance.

    Suppressing her growing unease, she forced herself to smile and nodded at them. "It''s settled then. See you guys later."

    "Don''t forget that the auction starts soon, so you''d better head home before it gets too late. You''ll need plenty of rest for tomorrow," Freya warned.

    "Yeah, yeah, I know, Mom," Maya sighed.

    "Well, in that case, enjoy yourself, sweetie," Freya said with a wave. She cast a discreet glance at Amelia before turning away, gently pulling Alex along with her.

    "See you later, kiddo," Alex teased, flashing Maya a playful smirk.

    However, Maya''s unease only intensified. ''Mother wouldn''t actually do anything with that perverted old man... right?'' she thought to herself.

    After a moment, she shook her head, trying to dispel the ridiculous notion. ''There''s no way anything could happen between them. Mother is too serious about her work to let any man into her life, much less himˇŞeven if he might be the most handsome man I''ve ever seen...'' Her thoughts trailed off as a furious blush crept into her cheeks.

    Alas, if only she knew that, at that moment, it was already too late. Freya had already succumbed to Alex''s charms.

    ***

    "So, where to?" Alex asked as they made their way back to the surface.

    He had waited for a while, but the two of them were finally alone, and he intended to make the most of the time they were going to spend together.

    "Your choice," Freya replied with a thoughtful expression. "We could explore the city, visit the auction market if you''re interested in acquiring more treasuresˇŞthough that seems unlikely that you will find anything interesting today since our own auction starts tomorrow. There are plenty of ways to pass the time. There''s even an amusement park that operates at night if that interests you."

    "An amusement park? Gods, no," Alex scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Thanks to my daughters, I''ve lost some of the fondness I held for that kind of place. Besides, Arcanor can''t just be seen hanging around an amusement parkˇŞI have a reputation as a terrifying man to uphold!"

    "Thank the gods you''re not interested," Freya replied, sighing in relief. "I also have a reputation as a strict and cold matriarch to maintain!"

    The two exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.

    "I didn''t know the ''cold and strict'' Matriarch Freya could joke around," Alex said, his gaze locking onto her mesmerizing orange eyes. "I wonder what else I might discover about you."

    A smile bloomed on Freya''s lips, and she replied in a voice as sultry as silk, "Stick with me, and you might just find out."

    If Maya had been there, merely hearing those words from her mother would have been enough to make her faint. And if she had actually heard the sheer seductiveness in her tone, there was no telling what might have happened.

    "You don''t have to worry," Alex murmured, stepping a little closer. "I had no intention of leaving your side, even if you had asked me to."

    "Good," Freya said softly, her smile so radiant that it chased away the darkness that surrounded them.

    ''So beautiful.''

 Chapter 340 : All yours

    Chapter 340 : All yours

    Alex had been looking forward to spending time with Freya since the very moment they parted ways yesterday. There was simply something about her that attracted him endlessly, and he more than liked the woman and her personality. And the cherry on top, she was drop-dead gorgeous.

    Ever since he had tasted her lips and managed to fool around with her yesterday, he had been prayingˇŞwell, not really praying, since he hated the godsˇŞbut hoping with all his being that they would get the chance to relive yesterdayˇŻs events. That was why he had been in a good mood the moment they left the underground library, just the two of them.

    Unfortunately, the moment they stepped outside, they found a group of knights waiting for Freya.

    Spotting them, one of the knights scurried to Freya and bowed. He seemed to want to speak, but upon noticing Alex, he hesitated, unsure if he should say anything in front of him. However, a single word from Freya was enough to make the man as talkative as a parrot.

    From what the knight explained, there seemed to be an issue with the last batch of nobles who had arrived in Drisidd in the past few hours.

    From what Alex gathered, more nobles were attending this yearˇŻs auction than ever before, and unfortunately, the noble district no longer had any mansions available to accommodate the newcomers.

    Baron Drisidd and even Frieda had gone to meet the nobles and proposed a temporary solution: until new accommodations could be arranged, the nobles who already had their own mansions would have to share them with the newcomers.

    Some of the nobles, particularly those who had allies or friends among the first or second groups, accepted right away. However, the majority deemed it beneath them to share their mansions with anyone, even when their vast residences were barely occupied.

    There was some kind of stalemate as the nobles refused the solution proposed to them, but soon enough, the situation evolved once more when some nobles who had no accommodationˇŞand who held higher ranks than their peers who already had mansionsˇŞbegan arguing. In some cases, they even went as far as to threaten the latter, demanding that they take their belongings and vacate their residences.

    Suffice to say, the moment things escalated to that point, the entire noble district descended into mayhem.

    Alex didn''t particularly care if a group of stuck-up, arrogant bastards decided to make fools of themselves, but his expression darkened when the knights began compiling a list of the nobles who had been threatened. He was slightly worried that his three cousins, Talia, Celine, and Marina, might have been among them.@@@@

    Those three were nobles and members of the esteemed Eswald familyˇŞa ducal family, true, but in hindsight, they were merely part of it. They werenˇŻt direct descendants and held no close ties to the current patriarch. They belonged to one of the side branches, and even the head of that branch was only a baronˇŞa baron who wasnˇŻt even present.

    Many of the nobles, along with Frieda and Baron Drisidd, were visibly taken aback when she presented the second option with a straight face, showing no room for negotiation.

    What none of them realized was that Freya was thoroughly annoyed. She had been forced to cut her time with Alex short just to deal with their entitled complaints, and that alone tremendously soured her mood.

    That didnˇŻt mean she had acted impulsively, though. Freya had already anticipated that every noble present would ultimately accept her terms, and she was proven right a moment later.

    Despite the commotion they had caused, all of the nobles gathered here were, at best, barons. While they had come for the auction, their true goal was to get closer to the Drazen family, an Earl-level household with significant influence. The boldest among them had even brought marriage proposals for Maya, the heiress, while a few particularly audacious ones had arrived with proposals for the matriarch herself!

    The fastest way to completely ruin those ambitions was to offend Freya Drazen. So even if some of them were deeply dissatisfied with the choices presented, they concealed it behind polite, insincere smiles, as if her proposal had been the most reasonable and generous solution they could have hoped for.

    And just like that, a situation that could have dragged on for hours, filled with endless bickering and negotiation, was resolved by Freya in less than thirty minutes.

    Both Alex and Freya thought that, finally, they would have some time to themselves. However, fate seemed to have other plans. Before they even managed to leave the noble district, more urgent and pressing matters found their way to FreyaˇŻs doorstep, demanding her attention.

    In the end, Freya spent the entire afternoon handling the affairs of the family, never once finding a free moment to spend with Alex.

    Not that he complained. Of course, he was disappointed that they hadnˇŻt been able to do anything meaningful together, but just following her around and watching her work gave him a better understanding of who she truly was.

    First of all, as he had already noticed since the day before yesterday, Freya was someone who remained distant and cold toward those who werenˇŻt close to her. It wasnˇŻt that she was cruel or heartlessˇŞshe simply treated everyone with the same detached efficiency, showing neither favoritism nor unnecessary warmth.

    Despite this, he could hardly find anyone who disliked her, aside from Frieda and a few members of the main branch. She might be cold to everyone, but she was also fairˇŞshe made no distinction between people, regardless of their background or power, which was why the common citizens actually loved her.

    As the sun finally dipped behind the towering peaks surrounding Drisidd, Freya was at last finished with all of her obligations. Now, she sat in her office within the city, lounging on a luxurious couch while Alex took a seat across from her.

    "Finally, IˇŻve dealt with everything," Freya sighed. She stretched slightly before leaning back into the cushions, a small, teasing smirk tugging at her lips. "Now, IˇŻm all yours Sir Alexandre. What do you want us to do?"

 Chapter 341 : Godsâ€™ Marks (1)

    Chapter 341 : GodsˇŻ Marks (1)

    "Hoh, such bold words," Alex replied, his trademark teasing smile sticking to his lips. "Aren''t you worried that I might misinterpret what you said?"

    "Why would youˇŞOh." Freya''s eyes suddenly widened in realization. "I didn''t mean it like that!"

    Alex burst into laughter. "I know, I know, just joking," he said between chuckles.

    "I didn''t mean it like that, but..." Freya paused, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "I''m not necessarily against it."

    Now it was Alex''s turn to be caught off guard, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. He hadn''t expected that kind of reply. A moment later, though, he let out a hearty chuckle. "You know, you''re very different in public compared to when weˇŻre alone. It''s kinda cute."

    "Well, youˇŻre different from others," Freya replied, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.

    "How so?"

    "Well, I like you," she said matter-of-factly, not an ounce of hesitation in her voice.@@@@

    For the second time in just a few seconds, Alex found himself momentarily stunned.

    He already knew it, of courseˇŞFreya was always straightforward. But still, hearing her say it so casually, without the slightest hint of embarrassment, caught him off guard. Then again, he should have expected it. She was the type to speak her mind, no matter what, even if it meant confessing her feelings outright.

    For a split second, he felt something close to embarrassment creep up on him. Only for a split second, though.

    Quite frankly, he liked FreyaˇŻs character. ''I''m sure she would get along just fine with Lilia,'' he mused. Externally, though, he shifted from his seat, moving to sit just a few inches from the matriarch. "Good thing I like you as well then," he said, closing the gap between them even further.

    "Is that so?"

    "Of course." Alex nodded, leaning in until he was close enough to feel her warm breath against his skinˇŞand for her to feel his.

    The final gap between them vanished. He was mere inches from tasting her lips once more when he suddenly felt her delicate hand press against his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

    Before he even had time to wonder about the braceletˇŻs significance, a series of transformations unfolded before his eyes, each one more startling than the last.

    The first and most immediate change was to the aura surrounding Freya. Up until this moment, Alex had assumed she was a normal human. She had shown no signs of possessing any sort of power. There had been no fluctuations in mana around her, no subtle hints that she was anything other than what she appeared to be.

    But now? That assumption was being shattered.

    The air around her grew heavy, charged with an unseen force. Her aura surged and condensed, rapidly stabilizing at peak Level 1. While this wasnˇŻt an overwhelmingly high level, the sheer density of her energy was astonishing. It wasnˇŻt just her power increasing thoughˇŞit felt as if her very presence had become something else entirely.

    Yet, despite the immense shift in her aura, it wasnˇŻt what held AlexˇŻs attention the most.

    It was her face.

    The moment she removed the golden bracelet, something changedˇŞnot drastically, not in a way that altered her features, but something new appeared.

    A tattoo.

    Black as ink, it formed a pattern of burning flames across her left cheek, standing in stark contrast to her fair skin.

    It was mesmerizing.

    If anything, Alex thought, it enhanced her already striking beauty. The fiery design made her look like one of EarthˇŻs mythical Nordic warriorsˇŞfierce, untamed, and hot as hell.

    But the longer he stared at the tattoo, the more an unsettling feeling crept up his spine.

    At that moment, a memory surfaced in AlexˇŻs mind. He had seen this tattoo before. No, not this exact one, but something eerily similarˇŞone that had evoked the same unsettling feeling creeping up his spine now.

    Alex''s eyes suddenly narrowed, his pupils constricted into pinholes as he recognized that tattoo and what it meant for Freya that have such a tattoo.

    "A God''s mark..." Alex muttered, his voice low and his gaze dark.

    Freya let out a quiet sigh before nodding. "Yes," she admitted, her tone carrying both resignation and defiance. "I have been marked by a god."

 Chapter 342 : Godsâ€™ Marks (2)

    Chapter 342 : GodsˇŻ Marks (2)

    Alex finally realized why Freya had said with quite some conviction that what she needed to tell him may very well push him away from her. Well, even now he was adamant about having her, but he at least understood that there was a good chance that if it was someone else, they might want to stay away.

    Being marked by a god could only mean one of two things: either you have been blessed by a god, or you have been cursed by that god.

    If it was the former, then everything was alrightˇŞmore than alright even. Those who had been blessed by the gods often led good lives, they were people extremely lucky in general, and depending on the god that had blessed you, you would probably gain other advantages.@@@@

    If you were of the latter category, though, then you would probably live a miserable life. Those who have been cursed by a god almost every time, at some point in their lives, attempt suicide. One might think that it is sad that those people would wish to kill themselves to escape from their supplices, but actually, those who managed to kill themselves are the luckiest of them all. Whether you have been blessed or cursed, you would probably live for a long time, and while if you were blessed that would be good, if you were cursed, then you would only spend your time suffering, and even your death would probably be something insanely gruesome.

    There was a problem, thoughˇŞan issue that made people avoid those that bore the mark of a god as if they were plagues. That problem was that there was no way to differentiate someone who had been blessed or cursed through their mark. Be it a blessing or a curse, every mark, whatever its design, evoked the same unsettling feeling if you stared at it too intently.

    Of course, as they go along in their lives, most mark bearers would come to understand whether they had been blessed or cursed and the name of the god that had marked them. This was a process that might take time, though, which was why until it was determined which category you belonged to, people would probably ostracize you the second it was revealed that you had been marked.

    There were even some people who were paranoid enough to chase down those who had been marked. These people usually had one excuse, and that was "for the greater good." For them, if you had been cursed, then it was better to get rid of you before your curse brought misfortune to others. And what if the person they were trying to kill was blessed instead of cursed? Well, those lunatics had even thought of that, and their conclusion was that if you were blessed, you needn''t worry about themˇŞ the god that had blessed you would probably protect you against them.

    Unfortunately, though, even those who had been blessed usually faced an unwelcomed consequence. And that... was that in most cases, those people would remain single for the remainder of their lives.

    It wasn''t a consequence of their blessing, but rather a consequence of people''s beliefs. For the common folk, if you had been marked by a god or goddess and that mark signified a blessing, then it probably meant that this god or goddess was in love with you. And who in their right mind would dare to become the rival of a god?!!!

    For that reason, even if it was determined that you were blessed, people would still be cautious around you.

    Alex personally thought all of that was utter crap. He was still determined to have Freya, and whether she had been blessed or cursed by a god, he couldn''t care less. He neither had faith in nor respected the gods to begin with, so why would he abandon a woman he genuinely liked just because some god had decided to mark her?

    [Careful with what you think or say, little lover. Some gods are quite petty, you know,] the goddess of lust said, her voice echoing directly in his head.

    The kiss wasn''t the sweetest nor the most passionate one they had shared, but in a sense, it felt like the most meaningful one.

    Seconds later, they pulled away from each other, their foreheads pressing together as they stared deep into each other''s eyes, their breaths mingling in the intimate space between them.

    Alex grinned. "See? There was nothing to worry about."

    "Yes, you are right," Freya replied, her voice filled with relief and happiness, before she passionately pressed her lips against Alex''s once more.

    While kissing her back, Alex wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pulled her closer, pressing her body flush against his. The heat between them intensified as the kiss deepened, their lips molding perfectly together, and their breaths became ragged.

    Their hands roamed across each other''s bodies, exploring, feeling, memorizing every curve and contour. Their lips moved in a feverish rhythm, tongues intertwining in a heated dance, as if waging a battle neither wanted to win.

    Seconds... or perhaps an eternity later, they finally pulled away, their breathing heavy, a thin trail of saliva still connecting their parted lips.

    Beads of sweat rolled down Freya''s flushed face, her pupils slightly dilated, and an almost palpable mix of love and lust shone in her eyes, making her look even more breathtaking than ever.

    "Who would have thought the gorgeous but cold Matriarch Freya could have such an expression? I''m surprised," Alex teased, lowering his head and placing a lingering kiss on her neck.

    "And who would have thought the frightening Arcanor would be such a charmer and a joker?" she replied with a soft chuckle, a smile plastered on her face. She reached down, her fingers gently caressing Alex''s sharp jawline, her eyes burning with desire.

    Freya''s fingers then tightened slightly around Alex''s collar and she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, "Stay with me, Alex... just like this." Her gaze remained locked onto his mesmerizing silver eyes, filled with a longing that words alone couldn''t express.

    "Oh, I won''t let you go tonight," he murmured, his eyes glowing with a faint pink light as he placed another lingering kiss on her slender neck, simultaneously twisting his waist and gently laying Freya down beneath him. "And I''ll make sure you don''t forget it."

 Chapter 343 : Ignited Desires (1) (R-18)

    Chapter 343 : Ignited Desires (1) (R-18)

    "Oh, I won''t leave you," Alex said, a slight pink hue appearing in his usually clear silver eyes. His voice was a low, guttural growl that sent a shiver of anticipation racing down Freya''s spine. "And I''ll make sure you don''t forget anything."

    Alex reached down and tore Freya''s dress apart with a single, decisive motion. The fabric gave way easily, fluttering to the floor like a discarded veil.

    Freya gasped, a startled yelp escaping her lips as she was suddenly exposed to the cool airˇŞand to Alex''s hungry gaze.

    She instinctively moved her hands, trying to cover her most intimate parts, but Alex stopped her, firmly grabbing her wrists.

    Instinctively, her hands flew to cover herself, but Alex caught her wrists in a firm grip, pinning them gently but decisively above her head. "Don''t," he commanded, his voice dripping with authority.

    A shiver ran down Freya''s spine. No one had ever spoken to her with such authority. Even her family elders usually spoke to her with respect, and if it had been anyone else, she would have probably been annoyed or even mad. But with Alex, she could only nod her head in obedience. She didn''t even want to defy his order and was instead feeling a strange sense of happiness, a thrill of excitement even.@@@@

    Alex''s eyes darkened with satisfaction as he released her wrists, his gaze traveling down her body with deliberate slowness. What he saw completely stole his breath away.

    Magnificent, just magnificentˇŞthat was the only thing he could think. Freya was a vision of perfection, her body sculpted like a goddess''s. She wasn''t even completely naked; her bra and panties were still in the way. But even then, the sight before him was something he would never forget in his life.

    Freya''s body was one of the most attractive and erotic bodies that Alex had ever had the pleasure of admiring. From top to bottom, there wasn''t anything that wasn''t perfect. It was to the point that he found himself frozen for a moment.

    Her breasts, full and firm, strained against the confines of her black lace bra, the fabric doing little to conceal the hardened peaks of her nipples. Alex''s mouth watered at the sight, his fingers itching to touch, to taste. Travelling down with his eyes, Alex was left with the pleasant surprise of witnessing how toned Freya''s body was. Her waist was narrow, her stomach taut with subtle muscle under her fair white skin. She looked like a warrior, a very hot Valkyrie brought to life, and yet there was a softness to her that made her all the more irresistible.

    By the fourth and fifth lick, Freya''s body shook uncontrollably, her back violently arched, her legs bent, and her hips pressed firmly against Alex''s head. Her toes curled, and then it was as if something exploded inside of herˇŞa feeling so intense, so overwhelming, that it threatened to tear her apart. Waves of pleasure crashed through her, each one more powerful than the last, leaving her gasping and trembling in his grasp.

    A loud, unrestrained moan filled the room as Freya''s orgasm ripped through her, leaving her writhing on the couch of her work office. Her love juices flowed freely from her cunt, drenching Alex''s mouth and chin as he greedily drank her in, savoring every drop of her essence. His tongue continued to lap at her, prolonging her pleasure until she was a quivering mess beneath him.

    Freya, on the other hand, nearly lost consciousness as her orgasm tore through her with unrelenting force. Her vision blurred, her breath came in ragged gasps, and her body convulsed with the intensity of the sensation. It was as if every nerve in her body had been set ablaze, leaving her utterly spent yet craving more.

    Slowly, the overwhelming high began to subside, and Freya slumped back onto the couch, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath. Her eyes were droopy, half-lidded and glazed over, staring blankly at the ceiling of her office as a stray thought drifted through her mind: ''I had missed so much in life.'' The realization hit her like a thunderbolt, cutting through the haze of pleasure and leaving her momentarily stunned.

    Since the instant she became the matriarchˇŞno, even before she had taken on the role as head of the second branchˇŞFreya had been what could only be called a workaholic. Her life had revolved around duty, responsibility, and the relentless pursuit of success. She focused so much on her role as matriarch, that she had never allowed herself to truly live. It was only after her daughter, Maya, was born that she seemed to care about something other than her work. With Maya by her side, she had never felt like she was missing anything in life.

    But now, in this moment, lying there with her body still tingling from the aftershocks of her orgasm, she realized how wrong she had been. There were other joys, other pleasures to be experienced, and Alex had just given her a taste of one. She couldn''t help but hope that he would show her moreˇŞmuch more.

    *****

    Here''s my Patreon page link for those interested in supporting the author :

    /RAASD0

    As of now, there isnˇŻt much to gain from subscribing to any tiers, but in the coming days, advanced chapters will be available there. Thanks for your support! I hope you''re enjoying the novel!

 Chapter 344 : Ignited Desires (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 344 : Ignited Desires (2) (R-18)

    Freya breathed out, her chest rising and falling in uneven rhythms, her beautiful orange hair disheveled and sticking to her damp skin. Compared to her usual composed and regal self, she looked frankly like a messˇŞher cheeks flushed, her lips slightly swollen, and her clothes nowhere to be seen. Despite her appearance though, there was a very noticeable smile playing on her lips, soft and content, as if she had just discovered something extraordinary.

    "Seems like you enjoyed it, huh?" Alex''s voice suddenly rang out, snapping the matriarch out of her reverie.

    Her orange eyes met his silver ones for the briefest of instants before Freya quickly averted her gaze. Blood rushed to her head, and her face turned a bright red, the heat spreading down her neck and across her chest.

    Seeing the embarrassed expression on Freya''s face, Alex couldn''t help but chuckle. He found it amusingˇŞno, endearingˇŞthat Freya could admit having feelings for him with a straight face, but after just one intimate moment, she couldn''t bring herself to look him in the eyes.

    If he had known Freya for a longer time, though, he would have understood why she was acting this way. She was a straightforward person, unafraid to speak her mind and take charge in any situation. But when it came to intimacy, she was completely out of her depth. Her knowledge of such matters was close to none, and before this evening, she wouldn''t have even imagined that what Alex had done to her was something people actually did!

    Alex glanced around the office for a moment before he asked, "Is there a bed somewhere around here?"

    Still avoiding eye contact, Freya pointed to one of the doors in the office.

    "Good," Alex nodded, and the next thing Freya knew, he was on his feet, pulling her along, his strong and steady arms effortlessly lifting her as if she weighed nothing.

    A squeal of surprise escaped Freya''s lips as she was swept off her feet. Her hands instinctively gripped his shoulders for support and she stared at Alex with wide eyes, momentarily forgetting about her embarrassment.

    Staring at him as he carried her in a princess carry through the office, Freya subtly smiled. The following second, though, she noticed something that made her frown. "Why is it that I am the only one naked here?" she inquired, staring intently at Alex.

    "Oh, that can easily be solved," Alex chuckled as he snapped his fingers. The next instant, his smoke mantle dissolved, revealing his chiseled body. His broad shoulders, defined chest, and toned abs were now fully exposed, and Freya couldn''t help but admire the sight.

    From where she was in his embrace, Freya couldn''t make out the entirety of his body, but judging by how firm and muscular his chest was, she could imagine what the rest of his body looked like. The thought only fueled her desire for him, her earlier embarrassment replaced by a growing hunger.

    Alex pushed open the door of the room Freya had shown him and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

    "Hm? This room isn''t that much furnished," he commented as he took in his surroundings.

    He dipped his head lower, capturing one of her hardened nipples in his mouth, sucking and nibbling on the sensitive bud.

    Freya cried out, her body convulsing with pleasure as he lavished her breast with attention. He swirled his tongue around her nipple, his teeth grazing the delicate flesh as he sucked and teased her.

    After a while, Alex lifted his mouth from Freya''s breasts, leaving her nipples glistening and hard from his attention. He trailed kisses upward, his lips brushing against her collarbone, her neck, and finally her jawline before capturing her lips in a deep and passionate kiss.

    Their breaths mingled, growing more ragged and desperate as their passion intensified. Freya''s fingers tangled in Alex''s hair, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss even further. She felt his hardness pressing against her thigh, and the thought of it filling her sent a wave of heat straight to her core, making her more wet than she already was.

    Ahh~

    Usually, Alex would have taken his time to better savor his first time with Freya, drawing out every moment of pleasure. But right now, he couldn''t wait any longer.

    He needed to have her right here and right now!

    Alex''s hands gripped her hips tightly, his fingers digging into her soft flesh as he positioned himself at her entrance. He could feel the wetness between her legs, a mix of her love juice and his saliva, and it drove him wild with lust.

    Before going forward though, he took a pause and looked towards Freya, staring deep within her mesmerizing orange eyes. "I''m going to make you mine tonight," he said, his voice sounding more like an order than a request, filled with a raw, primal hunger.

    Looking back at him with the same hunger and lust in her eyes, Freya slowly nodded her head in acceptance. In that moment, the proud and cold matriarch Freya was nowhere to be seen. There was only Freya the woman, who at this moment burned with an unsettling and intoxicating desire to have the man she likedˇŞno, the man she lovedˇŞinside of her, becoming one with him. There was no hesitation in her gaze, no fear, nothing of the sort. There was only a mix of love and lust swirling in her eyes as she opened her hips even wider for Alex, letting him claim her completely.

    There was nothing more to be said.

    With a primal growl, Alex pushed his hips forward, his eyes closing for an instant as he felt the head of his dick part the folds of Freya''s dripping pussy, slowly but surely sinking inside her most intimate place. The sensation of her tight, wet heat enveloping him was almost too much to bear, and he reveled in the feeling of her body yielding to his.

    However, at that moment, his eyes snapped wide open, a shocked expression finding its way onto his face as he felt something obstructing the forward motion of his dick. He had expected to slide in easily, but instead, he met resistance.

    "What theˇŞhow is that possible?!" he exclaimed in disbelief, his voice filled with confusion and surprise.

    A mix of a moan and a chuckle escaped Freya''s lips, and she nudged him closer, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "Let''s say it''s one of the advantages of the God''s mark I bear."

 Chapter 345 : Ignited Desires (3) (R-18)

    Chapter 345 : Ignited Desires (3) (R-18)

    ''An advantage of her mark?'' Alex raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. He was so intrigued by what Freya had said that for a moment, he stopped thrusting inside her.

    However, he knew that right now was probably the worst time possible for him to ask questions, so he forcefully suppressed his curiosity and focused back on Freya. He still wondered how Freya could be a virgin when she very clearly had a grown daughter, but for the moment, he thought it was better to focus on not hurting her instead.

    "You don''t have to worry about me and can carry on," Freya suddenly said, as if reading his mind. "I''m no stranger to pain, you know," she added the following instant.

    Alex closely watched her and, seeing that she was serious, he nodded in understanding. Still, he didn''t want to hurt her, so he decided to distract her attention elsewhere.

    He lowered his head and took one of her plump breasts in his mouth, his tongue flicking and teasing her sensitive nipple. Meanwhile, his other hand was equally teasing her other nipple, causing Freya to let out a moan. Her already moist pussy released even more love juice, allowing Alex''s dick to sink even further inside her.

    Taking this opportunity, Alex pushed his hips forward, burying his dick further inside Freya''s pussy and tearing through her hymen in one fell swoop. A grunt of pain escaped Freya''s lips at that moment, causing Alex to pause, half of his cock buried inside her.

    He waited for a slight moment, allowing her to adjust to the sensation before he slowly pulled back. He then drove his hot member right back inside Freya''s wet cunt, making sure not to hurt her. He moved with deliberate care, his hips rolling in a gentle rhythm as he filled her.

    Freya''s breath hitched, her body tensing slightly as she felt him move inside her. But the initial pain began to fade, replaced by a growing pleasure that spread through her body.

    Alex looked up at her. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, his voice laced with tenderness.

    Freya nodded, her breath coming in short gasps. "Yes. Please, don''t stop," she whispered, her voice filled with need.

    Encouraged by her words, Alex began to move with more confidence, his thrusts becoming deeper and more rhythmic. He could feel her inner muscles clenching around his cock, her body responding to his every movement with eager enthusiasm.

    ''Damn, it sure is more pleasurable than usual,'' Alex thought to himself, his body trembling with the intensity of the sensations coursing through him. From the very beginning up to now, Alex had constantly been using the lust energyˇŞwhether when kissing Freya, eating her out, or right now, as he was fucking her. He had already noticed that one of the lust energy''s attributes was that it enhanced the pleasure one experienced, and currently, Alex could clearly feel that enhancement.

    Every touch, every kiss, every thrust was magnified, sending waves of ecstasy through his body. The feeling of Freya''s tight pussy clenching around his cock, her scent filling his nostrils, the taste of her skin on his lipsˇŞall of it was heightened to an almost unbearable level. He felt like he might cum even if he didn''t move, just from the sheer intensity of being inside her.

    Freya, on the other hand, was equally overwhelmed. ''Ah, it happened,'' she thought to herself, half-stunned. Never could she have imagined three days ago that she would actually be making love with someone she barely met two days ago. She looked down at Alex, his mouth latched onto her breast, sucking and nibbling with a fervor that sent shivers down her spine. He looked almost cute, his eyes closed in concentration as he lavished her with attention. But that amusement quickly vanished as he thrust deeper inside her, filling her completely.

    "Good, very good," Alex smiled, his voice laced with satisfaction. At that moment, both his and Freya''s eyes glowed pink for the briefest moment, a visible manifestation of their shared lust and connection.

    Alex straightened up until he was on his knees, his hand firmly gripping Freya''s waist, his fingers digging into her soft flesh to hold her securely in place. He glanced down at the place where their bodies were joined, his cock still buried deep inside her, and grinned with a mix of pride and desire.

    Without warning, he pulled back and then drove himself inside her with more force than ever before. His cock was like a piston, drilling into her pussy with relentless precision, parting her inner muscles and sinking deep into her hot, wet depths. The sensation was overwhelming, and Freya''s mouth opened in a silent cry of pleasure, her fingers clutching the drapes on the bed, pulling on them tightly.

    In that moment, she could feel it allˇŞthe hot, throbbing member drilling inside her body, its force, and every vein and ridge of his cock as it slid in and out of her. All of those feelings were intoxicating and exhilarating, sending waves of ecstasy coursing through her. Freya''s eyes flashed pink once again, and she released a moan that was anything but dignified, a raw and primal sound that echoed her complete surrender to the pleasure Alex was giving her.

    Alex repeated his actions, his cock pulling back and then thrusting deep inside Freya with powerful, rhythmic strokes.

    He grunted in pleasure, his fingers digging even deeper into Freya''s soft, pale skin, leaving faint red marks. She simply felt incredible, he thought to himself at that moment. He didn''t know if it was because of the lust energy influence or his own feelings, but he currently felt a sadistic sort of pleasure hearing Freya moan so lewdly, writhing on the bed beneath him. He reveled in the image of Freya, the noble matriarch so revered by others, moaning and submitting to him as he savagely fucked her like she was a slut, his own personal slut.

    Alex''s pupils changed color, becoming a vivid pink, and a wicked grin formed on his lips. He thrust into Freya with renewed vigor, his cock disappearing completely into her dripping cunt with each powerful stroke.

    Freya''s body shook with each powerful thrust, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she met his movements with her own. Her hips bucked against his, their bodies moving in perfect harmony.

    Clap

    The sound of flesh slapping against flesh resounded in the room, soon followed by the wet, squelching noises of their joined bodies. The symphony of their passion filled the air, a raw and primal melody that echoed their shared desire.

    Without even needing to look down, Alex could feel how much love juice Freya was leaking. Her insides felt like a warm, velvety haven, welcoming him deeper with each thrust. Each time he drove into her, her love juices coated the length of his cock, lubricating it and making the penetration even smoother. Her arousal was so intense that her love juices were practically gushing from her pussy, and with each powerful thrust, some of it splattered against him.

    Looking at the slutty expression on Freya''s face, Alex licked his lips and whispered in a sultry tone, "I hope you''re prepared to receive the pounding of your life, Lady Freya."

    Without waiting for an answer, Alex began doing exactly what he had promised. He gripped her hips tightly, his fingers digging into her soft flesh as he started fucking her with a relentless, almost punishing rhythm.

    Tonight, he would fuck Freya to oblivion and back.

 Chapter 346 : Ignited Desires (4) (R-18)

    Chapter 346 : Ignited Desires (4) (R-18)

    Dead in the night, in the forest below the peak of the mountain where Drisidd was situated, a meeting was taking place.

    "Is everything ready?" A man whose entire body was concealed beneath a thick coat questioned in a deep voice.

    Around him, two other figures, each equally shrouded in heavy garments, stood in silence.

    "Yes, we can proceed with the plan," one of them replied.

    The first man turned to the third figure, who had yet to utter a word. "Something''s troubling you. You don''t seem focused. Need I remind you how crucial it is that everything goes according to plan? If there''s something on your mind, speak now."

    The third figure remained silent for a moment before exhaling and eventually saying, "The Drazen have gained a new ally just yesterday. From what I gathered, it''s an organization I''ve never heard of before."

    The first man nodded. "And you think this new ally will pose a problem during the operation?"

    "I''m not sure," the third one admitted, shaking his head. "But I have a bad feeling about this organization''s leader. That man is...dangerous."

    The second man suddenly chuckled. "You sound like you''re speaking from experience. Did something happen?"

    "Nothing that concerns you," the third one snapped. "I''m just warning you about him."

    "It just seems odd that you, of all people, wouldˇŞ"

    "Calm down, both of you," the first one interjected before tensions could escalate. He turned back to the third figure and nodded. "We''ll keep an eye on him. You did as instructed and smuggled the artifact into the auction''s treasure list, correct?"

    "Yes," the third one confirmed with a nod.

    "Then there''s nothing to worry about. Once the treasure is activated, fewˇŞif anyˇŞwill be able to resist its effects. And even if someone does, we''ll be there to deal with them," he said in a dark tone, an ominous grin spreading across his lips.

    A chill crawled up the spines of the other two as they heard his words, an unsettling aura settling over the group. For a moment, the forest itself seemed to hold its breath.

    "Now that everything is in place," the first man continued, "let''s move forward with the plan." He turned to the second figure and smirked. "I trust you know what to do."

    For a brief instant, their eyes met, and as if instinctually, they both lunged at each other. Freya''s arms went up and wrapped around Alex''s neck with such fervor that one might have thought she was trying to strangle him. She pulled him to her and sealed his lips with a kiss filled with such passion and need that it seemed her life depended on it.

    Alex matched Freya''s passion, his lips moving urgently against hers, his tongue battling with hers for supremacy. Their saliva mingled, creating one sloppy, desperate kiss that spoke volumes of their shared desire.

    PA!

    All the while, Alex never stopped the movement of his hips. In fact, he stroked inside Freya''s exquisite pussy with even more fervor as he felt himself getting closer to his climax with each second.

    "Mmmm..." Freya moaned into Alex''s mouth, her own climax drawing near.

    Alex could feel it, and it only caused him to pick up his speed. The sound of his hips colliding against her thick thighs as he entered her warm, wet pussy filled the room. The slapping of flesh against flesh, combined with the squelching sounds of their joined bodies, only enhanced both Alex and Freya''s arousal as the couple inched closer to their orgasms.

    PA! PA! PA!

    As Alex drilled into her, each of his strokes was so deep that the head of his cock kissed the entrance to her womb, threatening to burst through and sending electric shocks through her body each time.

    Freya felt that she couldn''t hold it back anymore. Her toes curled, and her legs wrapped around Alex''s hips, pushing him, urging him to go faster and faster.

    "AHHGGG~"

    Freya let out one last moan as she was brought to orgasm. An electric shock stronger than any other traveled through her body, and the matriarch''s love juice spilled from her pussy as if a floodgate had opened, soaking the bed beneath them with her release.

    Alex continued to fuck Freya through her orgasm, reveling in the contractions of her inner muscles as she came. Feeling his own orgasm build up, he thrust one time, then a second time, grunting in pleasure as he lodged his dick deep inside Freya''s cumming cunt and ejaculated everything he had directly into her womb.

    "Annhh~" Freya moaned in ecstasy, feeling the seed of the man she loved seeping inside her womb. The sensation was so overwhelming, so intense, that soon she orgasmed again. Her pussy walls contracted around Alex''s cock, milking him dry of every last drop inside his balls.

    After what felt like an eternity, having emptied all the contents of his balls inside Freya, Alex pulled back. His dick slipped out of Freya''s freshly fucked pussy, completely coated in her love juice.

    A shocking amount of a mix of sperm and love juice trailed out of Freya, running along her thighs and onto the bed, creating a messy, erotic sight.

    Glancing down at Freya, who had her eyes almost closed as the sensation of orgasm still hadn''t left her, Alex chuckled to himself. "I guess I''ve upheld my promise," he murmured, a satisfied grin playing on his lips.

 Chapter 347 : Blessed or cursed? (1)

    Chapter 347 : Blessed or cursed? (1)

    "I guess I''ve upheld my promise," he murmured, a satisfied grin playing on his lips.

    Glancing down, he noticed FreyaˇŻs eyes gently closed, her breathing slow and steady, a serene expression gracing her face.

    ''Looks like she fell asleep right away,'' Alex mused, watching her motionless form. It wasnˇŻt that surprisingˇŞshe had spent the entire day working and moving from one place to another across the city. After the intense and successive orgasms she had just endured, there was no way she could stay awake any longer.

    ''Even asleep, she looks dazzling,'' Alex thought with a smile as he carefully adjusted Freya into a more comfortable position on the bed before pulling the sheets over her.

    He stood there for a moment, a sense of pride and satisfaction washing over him after having completely claimed her. Then, with a small smile, he sat down beside her, his gaze softening as he reached out and placed his hand gently on her head, patting her.

    Alex repeated the action several times, savoring the quietness. The only sounds in the room were the soft rustling of the sheets and the faint rhythm of FreyaˇŻs steady breathing.

    After a while, Freya''s eyes fluttered open, but she just lay there, saying nothing and enjoying the feeling of his hand gliding gently through her hair. It was such a simple gesture, yet one she had never experienced before. Her parents weren''t really the warmest parents one could have growing up. They were people who only knew how to work, and their only goal was to elevate the second branch to equal standing with the principal branch.

    Freya seriously suspected that the very act of giving birth to her was one of their tactics to achieve their goal, a calculated move rather than an act of love. And seeing how she had indeed elevated the second branch to even surpass the principal one, they had more than succeeded.

    Freya didn''t hate them for that, though; it was just that she would have liked to feel their warmth growing up. It was precisely for that reason that she never missed a moment to be with her daughter as she grew up, ensuring Maya never experienced the same loneliness she had endured.

    "YouˇŻre finally awake, I see," Alex said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

    Freya gave a small nod, her voice still thick with drowsiness as she let out a soft "Mmm..."

    Alex chuckled, his silver eyes gleaming with amusement. "I thought you''d be out for much longer, considering the state you were in after what we did," he teased, his tone playful.

    Suddenly, images of what they did and how much she liked it, going as far as moaning like a slut, surged through Freya''s mind, turning her head into a bright crimson. The memory of how she had completely surrendered herself to him left her burning with embarrassment.

    If before she hadn''t turned to glance at Alex because she enjoyed the way he patted her, now she absolutely couldn''t bring herself to look at him because she felt too damn embarrassed!

    Alex couldn''t stop himself from bursting into laughter as he saw Freya''s reaction. "Why are you even getting embarrassed? Weren''t you bold when you confessed liking me?" he asked through his laughter.

    "No, that wouldn''t be fair of me after you accepted me despite my mark," Freya replied, glancing at him with resolve in her eyes.

    "I''m all ears then," Alex said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

    Freya nodded and began to speak, her expression turning pensive as she did. "Everything started around the time when I was nearing my eighteenth birthday. My talent had just been tested, and it was revealed that I had enough potential to at least advance to level 6. With enough luck and opportunities, I could even step into level 7. Back then, there werenˇŻt as many level 6s in the Drazen family as there are now, so having someone with the potential to reach level 7 caused a big commotion. I was already hailed as a genius in economics at the time, so after my combat potential was revealed, I kind of became a superstar in the family," Freya explained, letting out a chuckle tinged with nostalgia.

    "My parents'' position and status instantly rose within the family, and the elders began preparing all the resources I would need to progress swiftly," Freya continued before her expression darkened. "All of that came crashing down the very instant I turned eighteen, though, because it was on that day that this mark appeared on my face."

    Her expression hardened as she continued, "I can still remember the look on everyoneˇŻs faces at that moment. They all suddenly stared at me with a mix of disbelief and horror in their eyesˇŞeven my parents," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

    Glancing down, Freya saw Alex squeezing her hand as a sign of support. She smiled faintly before continuing, "In an instant, my world turned upside down. From the girl everyone wanted to be close to, I became the one everyone avoided like the plague. FortunatelyˇŞor unfortunately, I donˇŻt knowˇŞthe elders were adamant about not throwing me away and still believed I had some use. The fact that my mother was one of them probably helped."

    "At that moment, I still held onto some hope that things would eventually turn for the better, but oh boy, how wrong I was," Freya chuckled to herself, though there was no humor in her voice. "The month after my mark appeared, I awakened my ability. The best way to describe this ability is that it was as crippling as it was beneficial."

    Hearing her words, Alex grew curious about her ability and asked for more information. "What kind of ability was that?"

    "It was an ability I had never heard of before," Freya explained. "It allowed me to increase my physical capabilities whenever I was in contact with mana. The richer in mana my environment was, the stronger I would become. And since we are constantly surrounded by mana, I would passively get stronger even if I did absolutely nothing."

    "That''s a pretty good ability," Alex whistled in amazement. He had never heard of such an abilityˇŞor even one remotely similarˇŞbut just from Freya''s explanation, he could tell it was extremely overpowered. If someone had that ability, even if they did nothing but exist, they would eventually become a monster of strength.

    "I also thought this ability was good at that time," Freya said, but her tone suddenly shifted, her expression turning somber. "That was until I learned about its drawback."

    "And what was its drawback?"

    "Remember how I said it was as crippling as it was beneficial?"

    Alex nodded.

    "Well, as it turns out, since I grow stronger physically by absorbing mana, I can''t absorb that same mana to progress my level. Which meant that from the moment I awakened my ability, I became crippledˇŞno longer having the opportunity to raise my level ever again."

 Chapter 348 : Blessed or cursed (2)

    Chapter 348 : Blessed or cursed (2)

    From the moment I awakened my ability, I became crippledˇŞno longer having the opportunity to raise my level ever again," Freya explained.

    Hearing her explanation, Alex was shell-shocked. Sure, the ability she described was an overpowered one, but now knowing its drawback, he was wondering if it was worth it.

    Freya''s ability was one that could make someone stronger passively even without doing anything, but he seriously doubted that the advantages it provided were worth sacrificing the potential to level up. After all, there was one major factor to keep in mindˇŞaging.

    The lifespan of Wadata inhabitants, regardless of whether they could use mana or not, was generally higher than on Earth, spanning over a hundred years. And the stronger one was, the longer their lifespan became. This meant that with Freya''s ability, one could live a long life, and the longer one lived, the stronger they would get. But there was a limit to how much one could slow aging without leveling up. Eventually, a time would come when physical strength alone wouldn''t be enough to sustain life. From this perspective, Freya''s ability wasn''t just cripplingˇŞit was somewhat of a death sentence in the long run.

    Besides this thought, Alex doubted that even if the Drazen elders poured everything they had into providing Freya with an environment rich in mana or giving her an endless supply of beast cores, she would ever become as strong as a level 7.

    It had to be remembered that each time one leveled up, there was a substantial boost to their strength, speed, stamina, mana controlˇŞeverything that defined power in general. And the higher one climbed, the more overwhelming this boost became. For this very reason, Alex was certain that even with her ability, if Freya never leveled up even once, she would never reach the strength of a level 7. Those who attained that level were simply on another plane of existence.

    Grace''s situation was proof of that. She had annoyed, and still continue to annoy the imperial family of Fiore to no end, yet they hadn''t attempted to deal with her. Of course, part of it was because she hadn''t pushed them beyond their patience, but her sheer strength was also a major reason why they didn''t dare make a move against her.

    "When I learned that I couldn''t level up, I was devastated at first. But as time passed, I realized there was nothing I could do and just assumed it was one of the consequences of my mark. After accepting this fact, I started seriously investing in my ability, notably by trying to acquire information about particular environments with strong mana concentrations or by purchasing beast cores. Surprisingly, the elders actually helped me in my endeavor, so everything went smoothly," Freya explained.

    Freya took a pause, gathering her thoughts before she continued, "Everything returned to normal after a while, at least as normal as it can be after it was known that you were marked by a god. The elders did everything in their power to contain the matter and not let it spread outside the family. That''s actually why not many people know about my mark," she explained, placing a hand over the tattoo on her cheek. "The elders also requested the witch to make me a bracelet that would cast an illusion on me and make the mark disappear. They didn''t want anyone outside the family to discover it, fearing that the information might attract the wrong kind of attention."

    "Oh, so that''s the witch that made the bracelet," Alex raised an eyebrow.

    "Oh, I haven''t fully uncovered that one. All I know is that it had something to do with plants," Freya explained. "You see, it''s kind of difficult to understandˇŞdon''t even mention masteringˇŞan ability when you only get one month."

    "That means that your ability continued to change?" Alex realized.

    "Even to this day, my ability changes on the first of each month," Freya sighed in defeat. "At this point, I don''t even remember how many abilities I''ve had or how many types of abilities I''ve gone through. There isn''t a pattern for the changes. I can wake up one day having an ability that makes me breathe fire, the next month I would get one that makes my body transparent, another month it would be an ability that makes me strong or weak depending on my feelings, and many, many others."

    "The majority of these abilities only had a temporary effect on me, and when I obtained another ability the following month, those effects wore off. But that''s not always the case. There were some abilities whose effects or consequences remain even now. For example, even though I lost the ability that made me stronger by absorbing the ambient mana, the strength I gained at that time still remainsˇŞsame for my mental strength."

    Freya turned to glance at Alex and smiled. "One time, I woke up younger than I should have been. Not just that, but my ability at that time had actually kind of reset my body to its ''prime.'' That''s why I actually look younger than I should despite my low levelˇŞand also why I ''regained'' my virginity."

    Alex remained silent for a moment, trying to assimilate all the crazy things Freya had just explained. If what she was telling him was trueˇŞand he had no reason to believe she would lie to himˇŞthen this was huge. Very, very huge.

    "And what ability do you currently have?" Alex asked after a while.

    "I don''t actually have a perfect grasp of my new ability because I only awakened it the day before yesterday, but from what I know, it allows me to split my mind into different parts, allowing me to do or think about several things at the same time," Freya answered.

    As he heard Freya''s explanation, Alex''s eyes were practically shining.

    This was it, he had just acquired a golden goose!!!!

 Chapter 349 : Shocking amount

    Chapter 349 : Shocking amount

    ''This is fantastic!'' Alex thought, his eyes shining like two lanterns.

    Freya''s situation was certainly one of a kind, but it was also something Alex could take advantage of. His system allowed him to copy the abilities of his harem members, but up until now, the only one whose ability he had been able to copy was Lilia. She was the one who had, by far, the largest number of abilities. Even now, Alex hadn''t taken the time to observe every ability she possessed. The best thing about Lilia''s abilities, though, was the sheer varietyˇŞshe had so many that they ranged across several different levels, whether low-ranked or high-ranked abilities.

    Both Anna and Amelia have quite high-ranked abilities that he currently copy.

    However, from what he had observed the first time he glanced at the list of abilities Lilia possessedˇŞor once possessed before they were sealedˇŞthe majority of them were elementary abilities. From what Freya had explained, though, there seemed to be no pattern regarding the abilities she awakened every month, and the first three abilities she had gained were proof of that.

    Sure, for Freya, having her ability reset every month was actually kind of a curse. After all, in just a month, it would be hard to even understand what ability you had awakened, let alone learn how to use it. This was certainly a daunting task, to say the least. There was also the fact that awakening every month with a new ability was stressful, especially when that ability had weird effects or directly impacted her everyday life.

    To Freya, it must have been a constant nightmare, but to Alex, it was a nightmare he was willing to transform into an opportunity. Just imagining all the interesting abilities he could gain thanks to her situation was exhilarating.

    An example of one such interesting ability was her current one. Alex couldn''t think of a single person in this world who wouldn''t feel envious upon knowing that someone had the ability to split their mind.

    With such an ability, he could do several things at the same time. If he had this ability, Alex was certain that his strength would soar tremendously. For example, even right this instant, he hadn''t had the time to settle down and think about the breakthrough he had made regarding his smoke element mastery due to his packed schedule. If he could gain an ability that allowed him to split his mind, he could focus a part of his mind on improving or creating new smoke techniques while he did something else at the same time.

    "Wait, I just thought about something," Alex suddenly said as he came to a realization. "If the limitations of your first and second abilities aren''t in place anymore, how come you are still at level 1 then?"

    "Ah, that... It''s because of the elders," Freya began, her voice carrying a hint of bitterness. "After one particular incident, they deemed it safer for me and everyone else if I never leveled up beyond level 1. In fact, I was completely forbidden from training until either my mark disappearedˇŞwhich has never happenedˇŞor I stopped awakening new abilities each month."

    Alex raised a brow, intrigued. "What incident happened?" He couldn''t stop himself from asking.

    Freya''s expression darkened for a brief instant before returning to normal. "To tell you the truth, I don''t particularly remember what happened back then. It was the start of a new month, and as always, I was both excited and anxious about what my new ability would be. But nothing happened the entire day. I could feel that my previous ability had disappeared, yet I had no clue what the new one might be. However, at the time, I didn''t worryˇŞafter all, it wasn''t the first time it had taken me a while to uncover my ability. I went to sleep as usual, but when I woke up..." Freya''s gaze darkened again. "I was being restrained by half a dozen level 5s, and all around me, there was nothing but destruction."

    She remained silent for a moment, letting the weight of her last statement sink in before continuing. "I later learned that, late at night, a massive explosion had ravaged my home. When the guards arrived, the only person they found standing amidst the wreckage was me. Thankfully, at that time, I didn''t have Maya yet, nor was I high in the family hierarchy, so no one else had been living with me. Based on what I found out later, it wasnˇŻt just one explosionˇŞthere had been several, and the guards were certain: the one responsible for them was me."

    "So you awakened some kind of explosive ability?" Alex wondered.

    "You could call it that. But instead of using some kind of energy or external force..." Freya paused before giving a wry smile. "My body was the explosive in question."

    "Wait, what?"

    "Apparently, each time an explosion occurred, it started with my body detonating before spreading outward," she explained.

    "How are you still alive then?"

    "Well, the energy released during the explosion, along with my mana, would automatically reconstruct my body to its original state after each detonationˇŞat least, that was the explanation given by those who witnessed it," Freya said, placing her head against Alex''s chest. "According to them, they had no choice but to wait until my mana ran out and the explosions stopped before they could immobilize me. From their perspective, had I been at a higher levelˇŞsay, level 5ˇŞthe explosions I could have caused might have leveled the entire city, killing everyone in it. They estimated that only someone at level 6 or higher would have had a chance of surviving such an event."

    Alex felt a shiver run down his spine as he heard this.

    "I still don''t remember what happened, but the elders decided they couldnˇŻt take such risks anymore. Since then, at the start of every month, I am isolated in an underground shelter until they determine whether my new ability is dangerous or not," she revealed without a hint of hesitation. "The elders'' reasoning is simple: if my ability isnˇŻt harmful, then everything is fine. But since there is always a chance that I might awaken a dangerous one, itˇŻs better to keep me at a low level. That way, even if I were to lose control, they could deal with me easily."

    What Freya didnˇŻt tell him, however, was that the guards assigned to her were not just there for surveillance. They had another task and that was to restrain her in case of another incident. And if, by some unfortunate twist of fate, her new ability proved too dangerous to control, they had been given permission to eliminate her. Of course, such an outcome would only be considered in extreme circumstances, but the reality remainedˇŞif they deemed her too much of a threat, they could kill her without hesitation.

    Hearing Freya''s explanation, Alex felt like he understood the elders of her family. Of course, if he had known about the guards who had permission to eliminate her if she became a threat, he would have been furious. But that was precisely because Freya felt that his reaction would be one of anger that she deliberately chose not to tell him. She didnˇŻt want him to get angry over something she had already come to accept.

    Although Alex understood the elders'' reasoning though, he couldnˇŻt help but think it was a massive waste to deny someone as talented as Freya the opportunity to level up. If she were to step beyond level 6, the entire dynamic of her family would shiftˇŞnot just among the noble families, but even in relation to the imperial family. With someone of her caliber in their ranks, their influence would drastically increase.

    There was also another reason why he wanted Freya to grow stronger. The stronger she became, the more Lust Points he would gain from making love to her, which in turn would allow him to grow stronger himself.

    However, even if she didnˇŻt grow stronger, having her in his harem was still an incredible advantage. She was essentially what could be called an ability bank...well, a mystery box would be more fitting in her case.

    Anyway, since Alex had now satisfied his urgent curiosity about matters regarding Freya, he decided to check his status. It had been a while since he last kept track of his Lust Points, and he was genuinely curious to see how much he had earned over the past two days.

    However, even he was shocked by the amount displayed before him.

    ''Status''

    [Name: Alexandre Eswald

    Age: 60

    Level: 4

    Strength: 700

    Agility: 700

    Stamina: 700

    Defense: 700

    Mana Points: 90

    Harem: Lilia Eswald, Annaline Maxwell, Amelia Eswald;

    Abilities: Soul Linkage, Smoke sovereign;

    Soul Points: 3750]

 Chapter 350 : Freyaâ€™s status

    Chapter 350 : FreyaˇŻs status

    Seeing the amount of Soul Points he currently possessed, Alex rubbed his eyes and blinked several times, but even then, the number didn''t change.

    ''3750...'' He repeated the number in his head, still unable to believe his eyes. ''When did I gain so much?!''

    He started to think back to what lustful acts he had done during the previous two days to see if that would explain the shocking amount of soul points he now had. After a few seconds, he thought he understood why he had so much, well, partly.

    Firstly, there were the moments he had spent with Amelia. During the last two days, he had made love to her several times, and during one of their last encounters, he had even fucked her in the ass. He remembered that the system had once explained that the more depraved the sexual act he indulged in, the more points he would obtain. And as far as depraved acts went, fucking your sister in the ass was surely one of the most extreme.

    Then there was Freya. Since yesterday, they had been all over each other, and just minutes ago, he had finally claimed her. The fact that at that moment she was a virgin, her social status, and her potential strength could have all played a favor in him obtaining more points than usual. Well, he didn''t yet know how powerful Freya was, so he couldn''t say with certainty that her strength played a huge role in him obtaining this many soul points.

    Finally, he didn''t know if this counted, but yesterday he had spent a good amount of time making out and groping his cousin Talia. Maybe that also granted him some Soul Points.

    Despite being curious about how he had acquired all these Soul Points, Alex was far more interested in how to spend them.

    ''There are two ways to spend my Soul Points: either by using them to enhance my stats or by acquiring another ability,'' Alex reasoned.

    Considering that each Soul Point granted him an enhancement of five in any of his physical stats, if he invested all the Soul Points he currently possessed into them, he would become a true monster!

    However, there was a problem.

    Initially, Alex had been accumulating his Soul Points so he could obtain another abilityˇŞseveral, even. Having astronomical physical might was good, great even, but it could only take him so far. What good is physical strength if you''re buried underwater or burned to a crisp?

    Alex wanted a new ability, and he wanted it soon. But when he thought about how strong he would become if he invested all his points into his stats, he hesitated.

    ''No, I shouldn''t think like that,'' he told himself. ''I should be more concerned with which of the two is more urgent.''

    After a few minutes, he came to a decision: he would save his points to acquire another ability. Based on his experience so far, gaining an ability was far harder than merely boosting his body. He could grow stronger naturally through training, but no amount of training would grant him a new ability.

    ''There''s also the fact that Freya''s current ability will disappear after a month, so if I want to copy it, I must do so within that month,'' Alex mused.

    After a moment, he thought of a question he needed answered before proceeding with his decision.

    ''Hey system, the stronger the woman I bed is, the more points will I obtain, right?''

    [That''s exact]

    ''Then what metric is used to determine whether my women are strong or weak? Is it based on the world''s standards... or on my own strength?''

    [The strength of the host''s women is determined relative to the host''s own strength. If they are stronger than you, you will gain more points by bedding them than if they are weaker, regardless of how powerful they may seem to an external observer.]

    Alex sighed. That was exactly what he had feared.

    If he correctly understood what the system had just said, then right nowˇŞwhile he wasn''t yet overwhelmingly stronger than his wivesˇŞwas the perfect moment to "farm" points as efficiently as possible.

    ''That also means I need to find a way to increase my wives'' strength as I continue to grow stronger,'' he mused.

    The problem was, he had no idea how to make that happen. He had already asked the system if he could use his Soul Points to enhance his wives, but the answer had been a solid no.

    ''Lilia and Amelia are fine for now, but the one I really need to find a way to strengthen quickly is Anna,'' Alex thought.

    Truth be told, Anna wasn''t lacking in talent, nor was she weak for her level. The issue was her rate of progress. She simply wasn''t growing at the same pace as him. This was a problem for all of his wives, but in her case, it was even more pronounced.

    Thanks to Zid, Lilia was now growing stronger day by day, her rate of improvement almost matching Alex''s own. And after what he had witnessed Amelia accomplish just a few hours ago, he was certain that her own growth rate would soon pick up as well.

    ''Maybe helping Anna awakenˇŞor rather, fully discoverˇŞher darkness ability and bloodline could be the key to making her stronger,'' Alex wondered.

    ''There is also Freya now,'' Alex thought, glancing down at the gorgeous woman who had her head resting on his shoulder, her eyes closed and a smile on her face.

    ''Hey system, show me Freya''s status,'' he called out mentally.

    Soon, the translucent screen displaying his own status shifted, and information about Freya began to appear.

    [ Name : Freya Drazen

    Age : 44

    Level : 1

    Strenght : 1000

    Agility: 1000

    Stamina : 1000

    Defense : 1000

    Mana points : 9

    Ability: Multiminds

    Nickname : Ice beauty, Matriarch Drazen, cold calculator, harshest negotiator, marked, the cursed one]

    ''Ahh, I now understand where most of the Lust Points come from,'' Alex thought as he analyzed Freya''s stats.

    After learning about her first ability and the fact that some of the abilities she had awakened over the years had permanent effects, he had obviously prepared himself to see shocking statsˇŞbut not this shocking!

    ''She is stronger than me,'' Alex sighed.

    What he failed to realize, however, was that despite Freya''s overwhelming stats, her lack of training made her an easy opponent for him. Since she had been forbidden from training or leveling up, she had almost no actual combat experience. No matter how impressive her stats were, power without practice was meaningless.

    ''And what''s with her stats being so balanced?'' Alex thought in amazement.

    Despite her high stat points, Freya had all of her attributes at identical levels. This was incredibly rare, as most people naturally excelled in one area while being weaker in others. Maintaining such an equilibrium was practically impossible unless achieved through external means.

    ''I wonder if this is the doing of her first ability or if she gained another ability that helped her maintain this balance,'' Alex mused, rubbing his chin.

    What he was certain about, however, was that right now, Freya was exactly what he neededˇŞnot just to farm Soul Points, but also to acquire new abilities.

    ''Show me the description of her ability,'' Alex commanded mentally.

    The translucent screen shifted once more, revealing another panel filled with detailed information about her ability.

    [Ability: Multiminds

    Grade: High

    Description: A powerful mental ability that allows its user to split their consciousness into multiple independent thought processes. The number of splits is limited only by the user''s mental strength and cognitive capacity. Each split mind can function autonomously, processing different tasks simultaneously without interfering with one another. However, the user can also choose to synchronize and combine the efforts of these distinct minds.

    Points needed to copy: 30,000 Soul Points]

    ''Damn, I don''t even know if this ability is cheap or expensive,'' Alex thought, feeling a little frustrated.

    The cost in Soul Points was undeniably highˇŞfar beyond what he currently had. However, after reading the description, he couldn''t outright call it expensive either.

    When Freya had first mentioned her ability, he had assumed she could only divide her mind in two. But this description clearly stated there was no upper limitˇŞshe could split her consciousness as many times as she could handle, limited only by her mental strength. That kind of potential was staggering.

    ''Hey system, if I were to acquire Freya''s ability, how many times would I be able to split my mind?'' he asked, his curiosity piqued.

    He wasn''t really expecting a response. As far as he was concerned, the system wasn''t particularly suited for answering theoretical questions like this. Yet, surprisingly, after a few seconds, it replied.

    [Based on your current mental strength and the adaptation period required to develop additional split minds, if you were to acquire this ability immediately, you would be able to divide your consciousness a minimum of four times and, at best, up to eight times.]

    ''That just makes this ability even more tempting,'' Alex thought after hearing the system''s response. ''Alright, I''ve decided. I''ll keep accumulating Soul Points until I can afford this ability.''

    Of course, saying it was one thingˇŞactually doing it was another. He barely had three thousand Soul Points right now, and he needed thirty thousand. It wouldn''t be easy in the slightest.

    ''Looks like you''re going to be working overtime this month,'' Alex mused, chuckling to himself as he glanced down at his cock.

    He might not have the points needed to copy Freya''s ability yet, but he definitely knew how to earn them.

    He glanced down at Freya''s naked body and immediately his cock stirred at the sight of her full hips, narrow waist, and large, inviting breasts that seemed almost too perfect to be real. Without hesitation, his hands moved toward them, his fingers sinking into their plush softness as he began fondling them.

 Chapter 351 : Under attack (R-18)

    Chapter 351 : Under attack (R-18)

    Alex''s hands moved with purpose as he gently cupped Freya''s large, soft breast, his fingers sinking into the supple flesh. The warmth of her skin, the way her curves fit perfectly into his graspˇŞit was intoxicating. He couldn''t help but knead the tender but firm mound, savoring the way it molded beneath his touch.

    "Ah!" A startled gasp escaped from Freya''s lips as she instinctively pushed Alex''s hand away. But the moment she realized whose hand she had just slapped, a look of surprise flickered across her face. "S-Sorry... I didn''t mean to move your hand away... I-It was just that I was..." She trailed off, as if embarrassed by her own reaction.

    Looking at her apologetic expression, Alex felt his heart melt. There was something incredibly endearing about seeing the usually composed and confident Freya flustered like this. Before he even realized it, the words slipped from his mouth. "Too cute."

    "Huh?" Freya blinked, caught off guard by what Alex had just mumbled.

    "You are very cute right this instant," Alex repeated with a soft smile.

    A sudden heat rushed to FreyaˇŻs face, and soon, her normally pale cheeks were flushed a deep crimson. She had been called many things beforeˇŞexceptional beauty, goddess-like, breathtakingˇŞbut no one had ever called her cute. It was such a simple word, yet it sent a strange flutter through her chest, leaving her feeling flustered.

    Seeing Freya blushing so intensely, Alex found her even more adorable. He moved closer, raising his hand to her face, his fingers grazing her cheek before gently trailing up to her chin. With a soft touch, he tilted her head upward, making her meet his gaze.

    "You truly are one of a kind," Alex murmured, his deep eyes locking onto hers as his thumb brushed against her parted lips. His gaze trailed down, admiring the slight pout of her mouth and he added "You know, when I look at you, I always feel compelled to taste these... tempting lips of yours."

    "Then what are you waiting for?" Freya whispered, her orange eyes mirroring his desire as she held his gaze with the same intensity. "I thought you said I was yours."

    "That''s true," Alex murmured. He leaned in, their breaths mingling, his lips hovering just above hers. "You are mine. And only mine."

    As those final words left his lips, Alex closed the distance, pressing his mouth against hers in a searing kiss. The moment their lips met, Freya''s arms shot up and wrapped around his neck, pulling him even closer, her body molding against his.

    Their lips moved in a slow, sensual rhythm at first, savoring each other, tasting, exploring. But soon, the kiss grew more fervent, more demanding. Their tongues met in a heated dance, tangling and teasing, their breaths growing heavier with each passing second.

    Alex leaned back against the headboard of the bed, his arms wrapping around FreyaˇŻs waist as he effortlessly pulled her onto his lap. Her soft, full breasts pressed against his chest, her hardened peaks rubbing against his skin through the slight friction between them. Meanwhile, her round, perfectly shaped ass jiggled enticingly as it settled directly atop his pulsing cock.

    The sheets draped loosely around FreyaˇŻs body, partially obscuring the intoxicating sight before him. Yet, even without a clear view, AlexˇŻs imagination ran wild. He could picture it vividlyˇŞFreya mounted atop him, her supple curves moving with each breath, her flushed skin glistening with desire. The mere thought sent a pulse of heat straight to his cock, making it throb.

    Freya''s pussy and asshole pressed directly against his stiff member, her warmth enveloping him even through the slight barrier of friction between them. Each subtle movement sent shivers of pleasure through them both, his thick length rubbing against her folds, parting her outer labia with every slide.

    The swollen head of his cock brushed against her sensitive clit, causing Freya to moan into his mouth, her body instinctively arching closer. Her ample breasts flattened against his chest, her hardened nipples teasing his skin with every movement.

    Alex slid his hands down her back, the rustling of sheets filling the air as he navigated his way to his true targetˇŞFreya''s luscious, perfectly shaped ass.

    Until now, he hadn''t had the chance to properly appreciate the sight and feel of her mouthwatering, tantalizing butt, but there was no way he would let this moment slip past him.

    With deliberate movement, he spread his large hands wide before pressing them firmly into the plush flesh of her ass.

    A deep, guttural and satisfied groan rumbled from Alex''s throat as his fingers sank into the soft, yielding mounds. At that moment, he couldn''t help himself but think that they were absolute perfectionˇŞthick, round, and incredibly bouncy, fitting snugly into his grasp as if they had been made just for his hands.

    Just from a single touch, Alex felt his cock twitch violently. His grip tightened as he kneaded her ass, reveling in the way it molded under his touch, how it jiggled ever so slightly with each squeeze.

    ''What a heavenly thing,'' Alex thought as he groped and fondled her without restraint, indulging in the pleasure of her perfectly sculpted curves.

    Breaking the kiss, Alex took a whiff of Freya''s intoxicating scent and felt himself growing harder, if that was even possible seeing how stiff his dick was right now.

    He pulled back slightly, his gaze locking onto FreyaˇŻs flushed, panting face. By now, her lips were swollen from their passionate exchange and her eyes hazy with desire.

    What a perfect woman, Alex thought as he broke the kiss with Freya and gazed at her panting face. The more time he spent with her, the more he desired her, and by the same token, the more he fell in love with her.

    Likewise, the more time Freya spent with Alex, the more she felt like she couldn''t live without him. It was like he was the last piece of the puzzle her life had been missing, the final touch that made her truly whole. He was her happiness, her solace, her everything. And most of all, he was the man she had chosen and loved with all her heart. That was why she hadn''t hesitated even for a second to give herself to him, to let him claim her in the most intimate, primal way possible and let him plant his seed deep inside herˇŞseeds that would eventually sprout, taking root within her and making her carry his child.

    She was only a Level 1, while he was a Level 4. With such a vast difference between them, the risk of pregnancy increased with each time they came together. Of course she had her ways to prevent such an outcome though.

    But she knew that Alex was aware of the risks too. He was fully aware of what it meant to release inside her, yet he still did it. And if that was the case, then Freya decided to completely surrender to him. She would give herself to him, body and soul. If she ended up carrying his child, she wouldnˇŻt mind it in the slightestˇŞno, she would welcome it.

    She didn''t care about the consequences of such actions. The only thing she wanted was to please her man, to make him happy, to be the woman he desired and cherished above all others.

    Alex placed his hand on Freya''s waist and guided her until his cock was directly at the entrance of Freya''s dripping cunt.

    Slowly, Alex lowered FreyaˇŻs body onto him, his thick, throbbing cock parting her soaked folds as he pushed inside her, inch by inch.

    "Mmm~" Freya gasped, a shiver of pleasure running down her spine as she felt him stretching her once more. Her body instinctively arched, inviting him deeper, her inner walls tightening around his thick shaft as if trying to resist him. But Alex didnˇŻt stopˇŞhis cock pushed through her gripping heat, sinking deeper into her welcoming depths until his tip grazed her womb, sending a shockwave of pleasure through her trembling body.

    A low, guttural groan escaped AlexˇŻs lips, his body tensing as her molten heat enveloped him completely, clenching and pulsing around him like a silken vice.

    His fingers dug into the soft flesh of her waist, leaving faint red imprints as he held her firmly against him. His lips found the curve of her neck, his hot breath fanning against her skin before he kissed, licked, and sucked at her delicate flesh, leaving love marks in his wake.

    Freya shuddered, her fingers tangling in his hair as she surrendered to his touch. Every inch of her felt alive, every nerve ending aflame with pleasure.

    The two shifted as Alex pulled back before driving himself back into Freya, his dick gliding effortlessly after being completely coated with her love juice.

    He let out a moan, the sensation of Freya''s hot and tight pussy muscles rubbing against the length of his dick, driving him wild with desire.

    Their lips met in a fierce and passionate kiss, tongues battling for dominance as their bodies moved in sync.

    Meanwhile, Alex''s hands roamed over Freya''s curves, gripping and squeezing her flesh with a hunger that matched the intensity of their kiss, causing Freya''s moans to grow louder and more desperate. Her body writhed against his as she met his every thrust with her own eager movements.

    As their passion intensified and only seemed to grow wilder, Alex''s hands found their way to Freya''s ass, gripping her generous, round cheeks firmly. Even now, he couldn''t help but marvel at the feel of her plump flesh and the way it bounced with each thrust of his cock inside her, producing lewd sounds of flesh slapping against flesh that only excited Alex even more and made him want to squeeze and knead her two asscheeks.

    Pa! Pa! Pa!

    Feeling his strong grip on her ass, Freya braced herself against his shoulders, her fingers digging into his muscles as she instinctively began moving on her own. Lifting her hips, she rode him with a fervor that matched his own, her heavy breasts bouncing with every motion.

    The room was soon filled with the sounds of their heated lovemakingˇŞthe wet, rhythmic slaps of their bodies colliding, the ragged moans and gasps of ecstasy escaping their lips.

    AlexˇŻs grip tightened, his fingers sinking deeper into her supple flesh as he guided her movements, urging her to take him even deeper.

    FreyaˇŻs breath came in erratic pants, her body trembling with the overwhelming intensity of their passion. She could feel every inch of his thick, pulsing cock stretching her, filling her completely, pushing her closer to the precipice of pleasure. Her inner walls clenched around him in response, her body helplessly surrendering to the pleasure he gave her.

    Every touch, every kiss, every thrust sent them spiraling closer to the edge, their bodies locked in a feverish dance of passion.

    At that precise moment, a loud banging erupted from the adjacent room where FreyaˇŻs office was located, followed by a voice calling out in urgencyˇŞ

    "MATRIARCH, THE CITY IS UNDER ATTACK!"

 Chapter 352 : Beast tide

    Chapter 352 : Beast tide

    Outside Freya''s office, standing in front of the door, a guard clad in fully plated armor banged furiously against the heavy wood, his gauntleted fists striking with urgency.

    He had been calling for the Matriarch for what felt like hours, yet there was no response. No sound from within. No indication that she had even heard him.

    The guards outside clearly told me she was here, he thought, his expression tightening as he pounded the door again, raising his voice. ''M-Maybe... did something happen to the Matriarch?''

    Freya was someone who could wake at the slightest disturbanceˇŞhe knew this well, as it wasnˇŻt the first time he had come to alert her of urgent matters. Normally, she would open the door almost instantly after he knocked once and announced himself. But now, there was nothing. Silence.

    It might have been far-fetched to assume the worst, especially considering the elite guards Freya had at her disposal. Yet, with the city under attack, the unsettling quiet gnawed at his nerves. His gut told him something was wrong.

    ''Perhaps I should just enter and make sure sheˇŻs safe,'' he thought, his hand hesitating before he clenched his fist in determination.

    He waited a second longer, then knocked once more, this time shouting at the top of his lungs. When no response came, his resolve solidified. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself to force the door open.

    But just as his hand reached for the handle, the door swung open abruptly.

    "Ah, Matriarch, I was aboutˇŞ" His words died in his throat, his eyes widening in sheer horror as he took in the sight before him.

    In front of him stood a Freya sporting an expression like that of a predator disturbed mid-feast, her piercing gaze locking onto him with a fury that sent a chill down his spine. Her breath was slightly uneven, her skin glistening faintly with sweat.

    ''W-Why is she looking at me like that?'' he wondered, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. His throat suddenly felt dry, and for some reason, an instinctive fear rooted him to the spot.

    "What is the situation?" Freya inquired in quite a pissed tone.

    The guard gulped before blurting out in a quick, urgent tone, "The city is under attack from a beast tide!"

    Hearing those words, FreyaˇŻs expression shifted for the first time, a deep frown forming on her face. A beast tide was a serious matterˇŞsomething that could escalate into a full-scale disaster if not handled properly. However, this wasnˇŻt normally a situation that required her direct involvement. The familyˇŻs guards, soldiers and knights were strong enough to handle a beast tide unless it was an exceptionally dangerous one. There was no need to bother her!

    Freya was thinking along those lines because she and Alex had been interrupted right in the middle of their intimate moment. But after a second, she let out a sigh, pushing the frustration aside. She had no one to blame but herself, after all, she was the one who insisted on knowing everything that was going on something moment it happened.

    She was about to say something when Alex appeared by the door, standing right behind her.

    ˇ®What is he doing here this late at night?ˇŻ the guard wondered as he spotted Arcanor standing behind the Matriarch.

    Before he could dwell on the thought, FreyaˇŻs voice rang out, cutting through his confusion. "Lead the way."

    It took the guard a second to register her words before he quickly nodded and turned on his heels.

    Alex and Freya exchanged a brief glance before following behind him. Since the city was under attack, there was no time for personal discussions. Whatever they needed to say to each other would have to wait until they had dealt with the situation at hand.

    That didnˇŻt mean Alex wasnˇŻt pissedˇŞfar from it. If anything, his frustration had only grown, and the glare he directed at the guard beneath the visor of his smoke mask was proof of that.

    If looks alone could kill, the poor man would have dropped dead on the spot.

    ˇ®What is this pressure IˇŻm feeling?ˇŻ the guard thought as he led them outside, his legs trembling slightly as fear crept into his heart.

    It didnˇŻt take long before Alex and Freya arrived at their destinationˇŞthe cityˇŻs main entrance. As Alex had learned moments ago, Drisidd had three entrances in total, but the one they now stood before was the principal gate, while the other two served as minor entry points.

    All around the entrance, there was a cacophony of voices and frantic movement as the guards ushered people into the city without stopping to check their identities or backgrounds.

    Seeing this, suspicion flickered in AlexˇŻs mind, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

    They climbed onto the tall walls of the city, where they spotted several familiar figuresˇŞFrieda and Baron Drisidd among themˇŞall standing with somber expressions as they gazed down at the scene below.

    Following their line of sight, both Alex and Freya froze in shock at what they saw.

    ˇ®How is this possible?ˇŻ Alex thought, astonished as he took in the monstrous sight before him.

    He knew what a beast tide was and had expected to see a large number of creatures, but nothing had prepared him for this.

    Not only were there thousands of beasts charging toward them, but they were coming from all sides. The city was completely surrounded. And the most worrying part? The average level of these monsters was level 3!

    However, despite this, no monster had stepped within a fifty-meter radius of the city, thanks to the soldiers fighting desperately below. It wasnˇŻt just Baron DrisiddˇŻs men and city guardsˇŞsoldiers from the Drazen family had also joined the battle, reinforcing the defenses. Thanks to their combined efforts, the beast tideˇŻs advance had been haltedˇŞfor now. However, it was only temporary. Eventually, some of the creatures would inevitably slip through the gaps in their defenses. That was why the guards at the city gates had no choice but to allow the long procession of chariots to enter without the usual security checks.

    ˇ®I canˇŻt help but think that this is all happening a little too conveniently,ˇŻ Alex thought as he glanced down at the never-ending line of chariots rolling into the city.

    The Drazen familyˇŻs annual auction was set to begin in a couple of hours, and nowˇŞright before one of the most important events of the yearˇŞa beast tide had suddenly appeared? The timing was far too suspicious to ignore.

    If Alex had noticed it, then it was certain that Freya, Baron Drisidd, and the other high-ranking figures here had as well. That was exactly why their expressions were so grim.

    The moment Alex and Freya stepped onto the walls, all eyes turned in their direction. A second later, everyone present bowed to FreyaˇŞeveryone except Frieda, that is.

    Freya barely spared her a glance before shifting her attention to Baron Drisidd. "How long can they hold the line?" she asked, her gaze sweeping over the chaotic battlefield below.

    "Although we deployed them in a rush, the soldiers weˇŻve sent out are all highly skilled," Drisidd responded. "I have no doubt they can hold their ground until the beast tide is fully dealt with. The issue is that we simply donˇŻt have enough of them to cover the entire city. The monsters have completely surrounded us."

    Freya nodded. "The auction starts in a couple of hours, and by now, all the nobles present have likely heard about the situation. We need to eliminate these monsters as quickly as possibleˇŞnot just to reassure the nobles, but to show the entire city that they are safe under our protection. Send out our most powerful knights and instruct them to handle this swiftly. They have one hour."

    Baron Drisidd nodded and was about to relay the MatriarchˇŻs orders when Alex suddenly spoke up.

    "If you want to end this beast tide quickly, I might be able to help," he said confidently.

    Freya turned her gaze toward him before shaking her head. "You are our guest, Sir Arcanor. There is no need for you to trouble yourself. We can handle this on our own," she replied in her usual cold and composed tone.

    "Oh, itˇŻs no trouble at all. Besides, IˇŻm not just a guestˇŞIˇŻm an ally of the Drazen family. Please, allow me to assist," Alex insisted.

    Freya remained silent for a moment, considering his words, before finally giving a small nod. "Then we will have to trouble you." She paused, then added, "Would you need anything in particular?"

    "As a matter of fact, yes," Alex replied. "At my signal, I want you to order all your men to disengage and fall back from the monsters."

 Chapter 353 : Green smoke

    Chapter 353 : Green smoke

    "At my signal, I want you to order all your men to push the tide away from the city before disengaging and falling back from the monsters," Alex said, looking at both Freya and Drisidd.

    "You want us to tell our soldiers to fall back?" Drisidd repeated, a dumbfounded look on his face.

    Since the moment Lady Freya had introduced this Arcanor guy to him, Drisidd had done his best to show the man the utmost respect. But after hearing what he had just said, he couldn''t help but wonder if this man was actually insane. The soldiers below were risking their lives to hold back the beast tide, ensuring it didnˇŻt overrun the city. Ordering them to fall back was akin to opening the gates to destruction. Was that what he wanted?

    Freya had also initially been surprised by AlexˇŻs demand, but contrary to Drisidd, she had absolute faith in the fact that if Alex suggested such a thing, he had a solid reason. So without hesitation, she nodded. "How far should they push back the beast tide before retreating?" she inquired.

    "As far as they can," Alex replied, settling into a meditative position at the edge of the tall wall.

    "You heard what Sir Arcanor said, right?" Freya asked, glancing at Drisidd. "Relay the order to the soldiers."

    Drisidd froze for a moment, unable to believe what he had just heard. He couldn''t comprehend how the Matriarch could accept such a reckless demand. ''How much does she trust this man?'' he wondered, stealing a discreet glance at Alex.

    Regardless of his personal thoughts though, an order was an order. He had no choice but to comply. So, despite his doubts, he quickly sent some of his men to relay the MatriarchˇŻs command to the soldiers fighting below.

    As all of this unfolded, Frieda observed the situation carefully. Under normal circumstances, she would have been the first to oppose FreyaˇŻs decision to order a retreat. However, she was intrigued by what Arcanor was planning. He had piqued her interest, and since she wanted to bring him over to her side, she refrained from interfering.

    The worst thing that could happen is him failing whatever he''s trying to do and the monsters actually causing significant damage to the family, Frieda thought, a smirk forming on her lips. That wouldnˇŻt be such a bad outcome for me. The elders would likely hold Freya accountable for the disaster.

    Meanwhile, Alex was focused entirely on his smoke element. A green, sinister-looking smoke cloud escaped his smoke mantle, slowly expanding as it spread outward.

    "Is there a fire ability user here?" Alex asked out loud.

    "Yes," someone responded, raising his hand.

    Turning toward the voice, Alex saw that it was none other than the guard who had interrupted him and Freya earlier and had escorted them here.

    "At my signal, prepare to use your ability," Alex ordered.

    The guard glanced at Freya for confirmation, and she gave a nod.

    ''Alright, let''s do this,'' Alex thought, a dark grin forming beneath the visor of his smoke mask.

    This was the first time he was expanding his smoke to cover such a vast area and he was curious to see how well he would handle it. Likewise, he was also feeling a thrill of excitement.

    "Tell them to begin pushing the beasts back," Alex commanded.

    At the same time, the cloud of smoke around him expanded exponentially. Within moments, a massive, ominous wall of green smoke formed in front of them, obscuring their view completely.

    The smoke shifted and then surged outward, but instead of thinning as it spread, it only grew denser, darker, and even more menacing.

    Shouts and cries of alarm erupted from the people standing near the city''s entrance. One moment, they could see the clear sky above them; the next, an immense, roiling wall of smoke loomed before them like a ravenous beast, ready to swallow everythingˇŞthem and the city itself.

    Panic set in as many assumed that the smoke was the work of one or several beasts within the tide. The creatures in the horde reacted as well, pulling and pushing against each other, each desperate to escape the ominous fog descending upon them.

    In a way, this also helped easing the workload of the soldiers repelling the tide.

    As those in the city and it''s direct surrounding watched with wide eyes, the smoke didnˇŻt advance toward them but instead stretched outward, consuming the battlefield beyond the walls.

    ''What is this?'' Among the crowd attempting to enter the city, a man watched the unfolding scene with narrowed eyes. Unlike the others, his reaction was not one of fearˇŞbut of anger. ''Who is controlling that smoke?''

    This man was none other than the mastermind behind the beast tide, the one orchestrating the attack on the city. His gaze swept upward, searching for the source of the strange power. Then, his eyes locked onto a lone figure sitting at the edge of the city wall.

    ''IsnˇŻt that the guy the other idiot warned us about?'' His expression darkened. Is he trying to get in my way?''

    Just as that thought crossed his mind, the man on the wall suddenly turned his head directly toward him.

    ''Did he notice me?'' The mastermind stiffened, sweat forming on his brow as he instinctively averted his gaze.

    Thankfully, after a few seconds, the man looked away and cast his eyes upward.

    ''I must have imagined it,'' Alex thought, refocusing on his wall of smoke. A few moments ago, he had felt an ominous presence watching him, but when he had looked in that direction, he had seen nothing. Dismissing the thought, he concentrated on his task.

    Even as the Smoke Sovereign, maintaining such an immense concentration of smoke took everything he had. More than half of his mana reserves were already depleted, and with each passing second, he could feel his energy dwindling. He couldnˇŻt afford to waste time on distractions.

    Fortunately, his efforts had paid off. By now, his smoke had completely surrounded the entire city of Drisidd.

    "Tell them to fall back!" Alex shouted, and at the same time, his smoke surged outward at an astonishing speed, engulfing both the beast tide and the soldiers fighting against it.

    Moments later, those same soldiers emerged from the thick green fog, sprinting toward the city as if their very lives depended on it. They had no idea what this strange smoke was or who had cast it, but an instinctive fear clawed at their minds, screaming at them to run.

    And they were right to do so.

    With the soldiers no longer obstructing their path, the monsters were free to give chase. But before they could advance, enormous smoke arms materialized from within the dense cloud, coiling around the beasts like living restraints.

    All across the battlefield, stretching for kilometers, the same thing happened. Gigantic smoke arms erupted from the swirling mist, wrapping around the monsters and halting them in their tracks.

    Shit, it''s consuming too much mana, Alex thought, gritting his teeth.

    He was only restraining the beasts at the very front of the tide, yet even that was draining his reserves at a terrifying rate.

    It made senseˇŞafter all, just the first row of monsters easily numbered over four hundred. If anything, Alex was performing an incredible feat by keeping them restrained.

    But he knew he couldnˇŻt keep this up for long. The moment he was certain that the retreating soldiers were out of harmˇŻs wayˇŞat least, hopefullyˇŞhe turned to the soldier beside him and gave the order they had previously discussed.

    "NOW!"

    "Aye, aye!" the soldier responded without hesitation. In the next instant, he loosed an immense fire arrow straight into the smoke cloud. Yet, despite its size, when compared to the vast, swirling mass of green smoke, the flaming projectile seemed almost insignificant.

    Everyone on the wall watched, their eyes filled with curiosity as the "small" fire arrow disappeared into the dense fog.

    Truth be told, most of themˇŞeven the soldier who had launched the attackˇŞdoubted that anything significant would happen. Still, an unshakable anticipation gripped them, and barely a split second after the arrow vanished into the smoke, their doubts were shattered.

    In fact, what happened next left them speechless.

    A moment ago, it had been night. The next instant, it was as if the sun had risen.

    A blinding light consumed their vision, forcing them to shield their eyes. And then, in the wake of the searing brilliance, the world around them transformed into a nightmare.

    The entire mountain on which the city stood trembled violently.

 Chapter 354 : Kizzarae

    Chapter 354 : Kizzarae

    ''Ah, I might have gone too overboard,'' Alex thought as he observed the blinding light of the explosion he had caused. His eyes narrowed instinctively to shield them from the intense glare, though even through slitted eyelids, the brilliance was almost unbearable. The very air around him seemed to tremble under the sheer magnitude of destruction he had unleashed.

    A millisecond after he had that thought, an explosion unlike anything anyone present had ever witnessed erupted. The entire mountain on which the city stood trembled violently as shockwaves rippled outward, shaking the ground with a force that seemed capable of toppling even the most solid structures. The sound of the detonation rolled like thunder, deafening and unrelenting.

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    A series of explosions followed, each one more devastating than the last.

    The thick green smoke Alex had conjured had fully engulfed the perimeter around the city, and as the chain reaction of detonations tore through it, a massive ring of fire, light, and ash illuminated the battlefield. The concussive force was so immense that even those stationed atop the city walls could feel the scorching heat pressing against their skin, the wind of the blast nearly knocking some off balance.

    The snow that had blanketed the landscape instantly melted before vaporizing into the air. Soft specks of snowfall, which had been drifting gently from the sky moments ago, were now mixing with the rising ash, creating a surreal, almost apocalyptic scene where blackened flakes descended upon the battlefield like a funeral shroud.

    The very air itself was heavy with the scent of charred earth and burning flesh.

    Fortunately, the soldiers had managed to push the tide of beasts far enough from the city. Though its inhabitants could feel the reverberations of the explosion, the blast had been too distant to cause any direct damage to the walls or structures.

    The same couldn''t be said about the beast tide, though.

    As the cloud of dust generated by the detonation of the green smoke somewhat settled, the onlookers were greeted with a chilling sight. Well, the sight in itself wasn''t exceptionalˇŞit was the implications it led to that made those present feel a chill run down their spine.

    ''Yeah, I really went overboard,'' Alex chuckled to himself.

    Down below, a few hundred meters away from the city, the beast tide was no more. It was as if it had never existed in the first place. All there was to see was the deep crater in the ground that formed a ring with the city in the middle.

    Alex himself had expected some of the monsters in the tide to, if not survive the explosion, then at least remain whole, but there was nothingˇŞnot even a limb remainingˇŞand this was what made the sight even more chilling. There were level 3 monsters and beasts in that tide, with some of them having incredibly tough exteriors, yet even they had been pulverized.

    ''I never thought about it, but maybe I should look more into the substance that creates this green smoke,'' Alex thought to himself.

    Just a few seconds before the fire arrow plunged inside the thick smoke, Alex had enhanced its explosive characteristics to the highest degree he could, so the resulting explosion would deal maximum damage to the tide. But even he had underestimated how devastating this smoke was.

    ''This is giving me new ideas,'' Alex muttered as he observed the dust slowly settle, ignoring the frightened gazes everyone was sending his way.

    ''If your goal was to scare people, then you certainly have achieved it,'' Freya thought as she glanced down at Alex next to her.

    After a moment, she cast her gaze on the deep crater in the ground all around the city and shook her head. "I appreciate your help, Sir Arcanor, I really do. You have more than helped us, truly. However, I suggest that you let us deal with this sort of thing in the future."

    As she said those words, all the members of the Drazen family, even Frieda nodded their head, a somewhat...expression on their faces.***comple?te avec un mot qu''on peut avoir en voyant par exemple de l''argent filer entre les doigts.****

    The reason why they all had this expression was because of the money they had lost now that the entire beast tide had disappeared. A beast tide was a true calamity in the...of the words, but it was also an opportunity to make money. If one manage to deal with the tide, either by killing all the monsters of making them run away, then the kind of money one could make was simply unbelievable.****comple?te****

    Meat, beasts hides to make clothes of armor, monsters cores and many more could be harvested from the dead creatures and though it was an appalling sight when they discovered the tide coming towards the city, many here also saw this as an opportunity.*****

    Those with such thought were only the members of the Drazen family though. All others such as baron Drisidd were just glad that the tide had been stopped without causing too many damages or taking the lives of his soldiers.****

    As she said those words, all the members of the Drazen family, even Frieda, nodded their heads, a somewhat regretful expression on their faces.

    The reason why they all had this expression was because of the money they had lost now that the entire beast tide had disappeared. A beast tide was a true calamity in the worst sense of the word, but it was also an opportunity to make money. If one managed to deal with the tide, either by killing all the monsters or making them run away, then the kind of money one could make was simply unbelievable.

    Meat, beast hides to make clothes or armor, monster cores, and many more valuable materials could be harvested from the dead creatures. Though it was an appalling sight when they discovered the tide coming toward the city, many here also saw it as an opportunity.

    Those with such thoughts were only the members of the Drazen family, though. All others, such as Baron Drisidd, were just glad that the tide had been stopped without causing too much damage or taking the lives of his soldiers.

    "If you wish," Alex shrugged his shoulders to Freya''s request. He had satiated his curiosity about how destructive his green smoke was, and quite frankly, this intervention of his had caused him to lose too much mana. He wouldn''t be attempting something like that again anytime soonˇŞperhaps not ever.

    He wasn''t done with everything he had to do, though. After the dust had completely cleared, a yellow and soft smoke left his mantle and slowly made its way toward the recovering soldiers who had started walking back to the city.

    Seeing the yellow smoke come toward them, the soldiers tensed up and were ready to bolt away when they heard someone shouting at them.

    "Don''t move," Freya shouted at the soldiers.

    Seeing who had spoken, the soldiers complied, though there were worried expressions on some of their faces. But as the yellow smoke made contact with them, their expressions turned to disbelief as they could feel the wounds on their bodies closing at such an astonishing speed that they could see the flesh knitting itself back together before their very eyes.

    A couple of minutes later, the yellow smoke vanished, leaving the soldiers in disbelief as to what had happened.****

    A couple of minutes later, the yellow smoke vanished, leaving the soldiers in disbelief as to what had happened.

    ''Now all is done,'' Alex smiled to himself, seeing the soldiers return to the city with exhausted faces but carrying no wounds on them.

    Alex didn''t need to heal those soldiers; in fact, he didn''t even care about them. The reason he had decided to heal them was to advertise his healing smoke before the Drazen family auction began, increasing its perceived value.

    Freya didn''t know if this was the reason he healed those soldiers, but the moment she saw them approaching, she had the idea to ask Alex to do it. If it were up to her, she would have even asked him to use his other smoke to alleviate their fatigue.

    However, Alex was currently low on mana. If he used his smoke ability once again, he wouldn''t be able to maintain his smoke mantle and mask, which would dissolve and reveal his identity.

    Turning to Drisidd, Freya said, "I don''t know if it was Sir Arcanor''s goal, but we can take advantage of the deep grooves caused by the explosions," she paused before continuing, "send workers all over the ring created by the explosion and instruct them to use these trenches to create a first line of defense. Have them reinforce the edges with wooden stakes, sharpened logs, and barriersˇŞanything that could slow down or impale monsters if another tide comes. It may not stop them completely, but it will thin their numbers before they reach the city."

    ''Very clever of her to use the trenches in the ground to reinforce the city''s defense instead of just closing them. That way, it will be easier to deal with the monsters if another beast tide or even an army attempts to invade the city,'' Alex thought, nodding in approval.

    "Hey, were you the one that caused this explosion?!"

    Hearing a voice next to him, Alex turned his head to the side but was surprised when he saw the one speaking to him. That was because the person who had spoken to him was floating in the air. No, they weren''t exactly floatingˇŞbelow them, a broom was levitating, carrying them effortlessly.

    ''A witch,'' Alex realized instantly.

    "Hey, answer me, was it you?" the witch asked once more.

    Before replying, Alex took a moment to observe what the person in front of him looked like.

    The witch before him wore a long, pointy hat, and beneath it, her long, wavy purple hair cascaded down her back, its deep shade leaning more toward black than violet. A black leather eyepatch covered her left eye, adding a sense of mystery to her already striking appearance, while her right eye, as dark as the abyss, gleamed with mischief.

    She had a slender yet toned figure, her brown skin smooth and glowing under the moonlight. A broad, playful smile stretched across her lips, revealing a row of perfect white teeth, giving her an air of carefree confidence.

    She could undoubtedly be called a beauty, and even Alex, who had seen his fair share of stunning women, couldn''t deny it. Yet, his attention wasn''t drawn to her face but rather to her chest.

    ''Are her breasts as big as Talia''s?'' Alex mused as he watched the witch''s impressively large bosom bounce with every breath she took, the movement almost hypnotic in its own right.

    "Hey, my eyes are up here!" the witch suddenly exclaimed, crossing her arms under her chest in mock indignationˇŞthough this only made them jiggle even more.

    Alex briefly considered whether he should respond or ignore her before simply giving a slight nod of acknowledgment.

    "That was awesome!" the witch cheered, throwing her arms into the air. "Say, say, can you make another explosion like the previous one, but bigger this time? Can you? Can you?" Her excitement was almost childlike, though there was a dangerous glint in her single visible eye.

    ''Is something wrong with this woman, or are all witches like this?'' Alex wondered.

    Before he could reply, Freya intervened.

    "I would rather not have to deal with the aftermath of another explosion, especially not one created just to satisfy your destructive urges, Lady Kizzarae," Freya said, her voice firm.

    The witch, Kizzarae, glanced at Freya and snorted. "I see that you''re still as boring as ever, Freya. That''s why I prefer little MayaˇŞshe''s way more fun than you."

    Freya''s lips twitched in irritation, but she forced herself to maintain her composure. "Am I boring because I want to preserve the land around the city and not leave it looking like a battlefield?"

    "Exactly!" Kizzarae declared, throwing up her hands. "You don''t know how to live! Life isn''t just about making money, you know."

    "It''s not about mindlessly destroying things either," Freya replied, a hint of exasperation creeping into her voice.

    "And how would you know that, foolish girl? Have you ever actually destroyed something just to see how it feels?" Kizzarae challenged, raising an eyebrow.

    "Not interested," Freya said with a shake of her head. "I don''t intend to turn into a grumpy old woman who can''t live with anyone because she wrecks everything around her."

    Kizzarae chuckled darkly. "Like you''re any better than me. Besides Maya, there''s no one living with you. And let''s be honest, the only reason that poor girl hasn''t run away yet is because you''re her mother. Otherwise, I bet she''d have bolted ages ago."

    Freya smirked. "At least I can be sure she wouldn''t stab me in the back before running away. Can you say the same?"

    "Oh, you did NOT just say that!" Kizzarae''s playful demeanor vanished in an instant, her face twisting into a furious expression.

    "I sure did," Freya replied, her smirk turning downright vindictive.

    "I''ll wipe that smug look off your face, you brat!" Kizzarae shouted before quite literally pouncing on Freya.

    ''What the hell is going on here?'' Alex thought, stunned to witness Freya actually bickeringˇŞand now physically clashingˇŞwith someone.

 Chapter 355 : I can do the same!

    Chapter 355 : I can do the same!

    ''What the hell is going on?'' Alex thought, his expression a mix of disbelief and confusion as he witnessed something he never imagined he''d see today.

    He hadn''t known Freya for long, but he was confident that he had a solid grasp of her character. That was why he found it utterly shocking to see her not only bickering but now outright engaged in a fight with someone. Well, "fight" might have been an exaggerationˇŞFreya wasn''t retaliating. Instead, she was effortlessly dodging the attacks thrown at her by Kizzarae, making it look more like a game of cat and mouse than an actual brawl.

    "Stay in place, you brat!" Kizzarae shouted, lunging at Freya once more. Yet, with ease, Freya sidestepped again, letting Kizzarae''s attack sail through empty air.

    It was almost comicalˇŞdespite constantly calling Freya a "brat," Kizzarae herself was a full head shorter. Between the two of them, she was the one who looked more like the brat throwing a tantrum.

    "Let''s end this here," Freya said, catching Kizzarae by the wrists and holding her firmly in place. "I don''t fancy making a spectacle of myself."

    As soon as those words left her lips, those gathered around themˇŞincluding Baron DrisiddˇŞimmediately looked away, feigning disinterest as if they hadn''t been watching with rapt attention just moments ago. However, the same stunned expression Alex wore was mirrored on all their faces.

    "Hmph, fine!" Kizzarae huffed, then turned back to Alex, her previous mischievous grin returning in full force. She stepped toward him with a teasing gleam in her eye. "Now, back to you," she purred, tilting her head. "Where were we again before a certain rude someone interrupted us?"

    "Sorry, but... who are you?" Alex blurted out, unable to suppress his curiosity any longer.

    For some reason, Kizzarae looked utterly delighted that he had asked. With an exaggerated flourish, she hopped onto her floating broom, spreading her arms wide in an overly dramatic pose.

    "Behold!" she announced, her voice ringing with theatrical flair. "You stand before the magnificent, the unparalleled, the one and only Kizzarae RizeˇŞa Grade Four Witch!" She let the words hang in the air for effect, before sneaking a glance at Freya, her grin widening. "Oh, and did I forget to mention? I''m also this brat''s mother."

    ''What?!'' Alex''s mind screeched to a halt. ''Freya''s mother?!''

    At first, the revelation seemed almost reasonableˇŞit would explain their familiarity and why Freya was acting so uncharacteristically. But then, his logical side kicked in.

    ''Wait... no. That doesn''t make sense. Freya literally told me earlier that she wasn''t close to her parents.''

    Then another thought struck him.

    ''Besides, if Freya''s mother is a witch... then that means Freya should be one too. And I highly doubt that''s the case. Plus, weren''t the Drazen supposed to only have orange hair?''

    A moment later, he was proven correct as Freya snapped at Kizzarae, "How many times do I have to tell you to not say that, especially not in public?" She sighed and turned to Alex. "Don''t think about what she said. She is not my mother, not my biological mother at least."

    "Whatever, I have been more of a mother to you than she will ever be," Kizzarae snorted. This time, Freya remained silent, not having anything to retort back as Kizzarae was right.

    "Now stop being a killjoy and let the grown-ups speak," Kizzarae said, waving her hand dismissively before turning her attention fully to Alex.

    Freya''s lips twitched, but she remained silent nonetheless. It could be said that the only person who could speak to her this way and come out unscathed was Kizzarae.

    "Now onto you," Kizzarae said as she focused on Alex, ready to say something, but then her sole visible eye narrowed. "Who are you? Or rather, what are you?"

    "Huh?" Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. He expected to hear her ask him to create yet another explosion like the previous one, which was why her actual question caught him off guard. "What do you mean, what am I?" Alex questioned in a deep tone.

    "I can''t feel any presence coming from you," Kizzarae mentioned as her floating broom circled around Alex. "It''s as if there was no one underneath this smoke mantle. The only thing I can sense is the smoke element. By any chance, could you be the spirit of the smoke element?" she asked as her broom stopped right in front of Alex''s face.

    "You know about the spirits?" Alex couldn''t help himself from asking, as this was the first time he had come across someone who knew about them.

    "Of course I know about spirits. All the witches know about them," Kizzarae rolled her eye. "So does that mean you are the smoke spirit?" she inquired once again, her eye shining in expectation.

    "Sorry to disappoint you, but no, I''m not the smoke element," Alex shook his head.

    "Ah, I see," Kizzarae mumbled, a little disappointed. That disappointment didn''t last long, though. "If you are not the smoke spirit, then what are you?"

    Alex was about to reply when a voice came from the side, interrupting them.

    "How are you doing, Lady Kizzarae?"

    When they focused in the direction the voice was coming from, they saw Frieda bowing in their direction.

    "Oh, it''s you," Kizzarae said, not an ounce of warmth in her tone. "Hello, Frieda. I hope you have been doing well all this time," she replied, though her tone greatly contrasted with her words.

    With her amiable smile still placated on her face, Frieda nodded her head. "I have been doing well. I hope that''s also your case."

    "Mmh," Kizzarae murmured before losing interest and turning her attention back to Freya, her expression growing serious for the first time since she appeared. "I have some news for you."

    Freya''s own expression grew serious once she heard this. Kizzarae was someone who was rarely serious, so once she saw her expression, Freya knew that whatever she wanted to say to her, it couldn''t have been good news.

    "Come with me, we will talk about it in a more secluded place," Freya said to Kizzarae. "Sorry to leave you here, Sir Arcanor, but it seems that serious matters have come up. I will instruct some soldiers to escort you wherever you want until the beginning of the auction."

    Alex waved his hand. "I think I will just stay here to recuperate the mana I used up."

    Freya nodded, hesitated for a moment before she said, "If you need anything from meˇŞ"

    "You don''t have to worry about me. I will be fine," Alex said.

    Freya nodded and turned to leave with Kizzarae.

    "Catch up with you later! I have a few questions for you!" Kizzarae shouted at Alex.

    As they passed by her, both Freya and Kizzarae didn''t notice Frieda''s perplexed expression as she observed the markings on Freya''s neckˇŞmarkings that had been left by Alex.

    ''What are these?'' she wondered. However, Frieda quickly lost interest in Freya as something far more pressing occupied her mind. ''Now that this bitch isn''t with him, this is the perfect moment to convince him to come to my side!''

    Unfortunately for Frieda, by the time she focused back on Alex, he was already meditating, and she didn''t want to disturb him. So, in the end, she waited for him to finish.

    As she waited, her attention was caught by a nearby conversation. At first, it seemed like idle chatter, but a few words stood out, making her sharpen her focus.

    "Really?" One of the guards whispered to another. "He was in her office that late?"

    "I swear, she even looked pissed when she finally opened the door. I tell you, man, something is going on. I can feel it," the second guard replied.

    The one who had just spoken was none other than the man who had interrupted Freya and Alex, and it seemed that he hadn''t waited long before spilling the beans and sharing what happened to his buddies.

    "You two, shut the hell up," a third guard said, walking over. "I don''t think what you''re thinking happened in that room actually happened. Remember, they were in the matriarch''s office? They could have very well been discussing business. And even if it''s not the case, it doesn''t concern us. You want to keep your life, you better not share any of this with anyone else. I already regret hearing what you just said. Who knows what might happen to me now?" he warned as he walked away.

    Hearing this, the other two guards gulped in dread and immediately decided to keep their mouths shut.

    Fortunately, no one had heard themˇŞthat''s what they thought, at least. But unbeknownst to them, Frieda had overheard everything. Thinking back to the marks she had seen on Freya, she started to piece things together.

    ''That slut!'' Frieda spat under her breath. ''I always knew she wasn''t playing fair.''

    After a while, she calmed herself and carefully reconsidered everything she had heard. As she did, an idea began to form in her mind.

    ''If she convinced him by spreading her legs, then I can certainly do the same to snatch him away from her,'' she thought, a determined expression settling on her face.

 Chapter 356 : Alone with Frieda

    Chapter 356 : Alone with Frieda

    "So, what did you want to talk about that was so urgent?" Alex inquired as he sat comfortably, placing one of his legs above the other.

    On the couch across from his, though slightly angled in a different direction, sat Frieda, her usual gentle demeanor and soft smile gracefully resting on her face.

    They were currently inside Frieda''s mansion, which was just as largeˇŞif not largerˇŞthan Freya''s. Aside from its size, however, everything about it seemed like a deliberate replica of Freya''s home. When Alex stepped inside, he couldn''t help but wonder whether it had always been designed this way or if Frieda had intentionally modeled it after Freya''s, only bigger. Either way, that wasn''t the reason he was here, and he couldn''t care less about the resemblance between the two estates.

    Frieda had approached him the instant he finished his meditation to recover his mana, claiming she wanted to speak with him about a serious matter that couldn''t wait.

    Obviously, he had accepted to follow herˇŞnot because he believed the matter was truly serious, but rather because he currently had nothing else to do. Freya was in a meeting with Kizzarae, and both Amelia and Maya were in the library.

    That wasn''t the only reason, though. He had also been meaning to meet alone with Frieda again ever since the last time they had greeted each other. The truth was that he wanted to use her as a guinea pig to see if what the goddess of lust had said about the lust energy was indeed accurate.

    Of course, by now, he was pretty certain it was trueˇŞafter all, he had been using it frequently during his intimate moments with either Amelia or Freya. So, there wasn''t really a pressing need to further test its effects on Frieda... but he still wanted to. If not for curiosity, then simply to make her comply with his desires.

    Frieda''s smile widened slightly, enhancing all her charm and mature beauty. "There are two reasons why I wanted to meet you, Sir Arcanor," Frieda began, her tone both formal and alluring. "The first is that I wanted to convince you to work with the first branch of our family. And the second... was to give you the reward of our little bet regarding your duel with Froze."

    "Is that so?" Alex said, a smirk appearing on his face. "Well, concerning your first point, let me make something clearˇŞI''m working with the Drazen family as a whole, not with any of its branches. As for your second point... I''ll admit, I''m curious. What kind of reward do you intend to offer me?"

    Frieda''s expression sunk a little when Alex said he wasn''t working with any specific Drazen family branch, but only for a moment. She wasn''t stupidˇŞwhat Alex claimed might have held true if Freya hadn''t been the former head of the second branch. Even now that she was the matriarch, any deal or achievement under her name would still be seen as an extension of the second branch''s influence.

    ''One step at a time,'' Frieda reminded herself, her gentle smile quickly returning to her face.

    "I don''t really have a clue what Sir Arcanor might like," she said with a soft tone, "so I thought it might be better to let you choose the reward you want from me, and I''ll do my best to fulfill it. You can ask for anything you desire." She placed deliberate emphasis on the word "anything" as she shifted her posture, elegantly crossing one leg over the other and through the high slit on the side of her dress, Alex was offered an unobstructed view of her long, smooth leg, the fabric parting just enough to reveal her thigh.

    ''So she wants to play it that way?'' Alex mused, the corner of his lips tugging into a knowing smile. ''That''ll only make things easier for me.''

    "I can ask for anything, huh?" he asked, seeking confirmation, though he already knew her answer.

    "Yes, anything," Frieda replied, leaning slightly forward to offer him a glimpse of her cleavage.

    "Then strip for me," Alex said bluntly.

    Frieda froze, surprised by what she had just heard. She had invited him with the hope of making him succumb to her charm, so in a way, she had achieved her goal. But she never expected Arcanor to be so direct. Although seducing him had been her intention, something in the way he spoke rubbed her the wrong way. It felt like an orderˇŞsomething she deeply dislikedˇŞbut that wasn''t what truly upset her. It was more about the tone and the words themselves; they made her feel like a cheap whore, and that didn''t sit well with her.

    It could be said that Frieda was in quite the delicate position right now. She had Arcanor exactly where she wanted him, yet she couldn''t shake the feeling that if she gave him what he wanted, she would be betraying herself. She was, by no means, a whore. In fact, the only man who had ever laid hands on her was her late husband.

    ''Have I really fallen this low?'' she asked herself in disbelief.

    In the past few years, her mind had been consumed by one goal: to defeat Freya and force her to step down from her position as Matriarch. Without even realizing it, Frieda had gradually changed, losing sight of the person she once wasˇŞso much so that she now found herself attempting to seduce a man and lure him into her bed.

    "Relax, Lady Frieda," Alex chuckled, noticing the growing look of disgust on her face. "I was just messing with you. You don''t have to do anything like that."

    Hearing this, Frieda let out a quiet sigh of relief. Her charming smile quickly returned, though she couldn''t help but feel a surge of irritation. If she could, she would have slapped Arcanor for his tasteless joke.

    "I''m glad to hear that," she said, regaining her composure, "but that still leaves us at an impasse. I don''t know what you want as your reward, and I haven''t convinced you to work with the first branch yet." She paused, then her eyes lit up with an idea. "Tell you whatˇŞhow about we build a foundation of trust between us first?"

    Alex raised a brow. "And how do you intend to do that?"

    The moment the words left his mouth, as if she''d been waiting for the opportunity, Frieda immediately pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to him.

    "It seems you''ve given this some thought," Alex remarked, skimming through the soul contract Frieda had handed him.

    The soul contract didn''t contain many clauses to begin withˇŞin fact, there were only two. As Alex read through them, he quickly understood they were merely meant to make him trust Frieda. One clause simply stated that, upon mutual agreement, the present contract could be modified. There wasn''t really a need to include such a clause since all soul contracts worked that way by default, yet Frieda had gone out of her way to emphasize it.

    The second clause, however, stipulated that should Frieda ever come to learn any type of information about Arcane or its leader Arcanor, she was strictly forbidden from sharing it with anyone. In fact, she wasn''t even allowed to reveal that she possessed such knowledge. Violation of this clause would result in death.

    ''This clause is actually quite severe,'' Alex thought to himself as he went over the contract. ''Still, there are ways to circumvent even such a strict clause.''

    There was a reason most people simply silenced those who knew too much instead of resorting to soul contracts. First, soul contracts were extremely rare and, by extension, extremely expensiveˇŞfar too valuable to use just to ensure someone kept their mouth shut.

    Second, even if someone did sign a soul contract, if that person was truly determined to circumvent it, they could find ways to do so. Soul contracts were restrictive, yes, but they were far from infallible. Nothing really wasˇŞexcept maybe the gods.

    In the end, though, Alex accepted and signed the contract, deciding he would deal with whatever problems it might bring himˇŞif any arose at all.

    The moment he signed it and placed a drop of his blood on the paper, a dazzling smile bloomed across Frieda''s face. She felt like she was finally making progress in bringing Alex over to her side.

    Another reason for her sweet smile was that she now had a real chance to uncover who the mysterious Arcanor truly was. The idea that Freya might know his identity while she didn''t had been gnawing at her since yesterday. And beyond that, there were very few in Drisidd who weren''t at least a little curious about the man behind the mask.

    "Let me guess, you want to know my real identity," Alex said with a chuckle.

    "I won''t deny I''m curious. But even though you signed the contract with me, the choice is still yours, sir Arcanor. You''re under no obligation to reveal yourself, and I would understand if you chose not to," Frieda replied.

    ''Then why are you looking at me with such expectation,'' Alex chuckled inwardly.

    Rather than wasting more time, he manipulated his smoke mantle and mask, dissolving both into a cloud of smoke.

    Simultaneously, Alex summoned the lust energy and coated his entire face with it.

    After using the lust energy so many times, he was finally getting the hang of controlling it. He didn''t really know what to expect from covering his face with lust energy, but he did it anyway.

    However, as the smoke condensed into a sphere and his features were gradually revealed to Frieda, Alex realized that the effect was far greater than he had anticipated.

 Chapter 357 : Alone with Frieda (2) (R-18)

    Chapter 357 : Alone with Frieda (2) (R-18)

    "A-A-An angel," Frieda breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper as her entire being froze, eyes locked on the man standing just a few steps away.

    The first thing she noticed when his identity was revealed was that she didn''t recognize himˇŞand the second was just how impossibly handsome he was. With a single glance, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was the most breathtaking man she had ever laid eyes on.

    As she stared into his eyes, she felt herself slipping, like falling into a trance. There was something about him that was more than just charmˇŞsomething magnetic, almost supernatural, that seemed to pull at the very core of her being. No... not almost. There was quite literally a force surrounding him, one that captivated her, ensnared her, and made the idea of looking away feel almost painful.

    The more she stared at Alex, the harder it became to think. Her thoughts blurred, her logic melted away under the sheer weight of his presence. Her heart raced, her breathing turned shallow, and a heated sensation coiled in her chest and belly. Her cheeks flushed with a fierce blush that spread across her flawless features. Her lips parted slightly, trembling, as if to speakˇŞbut no words came. Only one thought echoed again and again in her mind, loud and clear despite the haze: I want him.

    Unbeknownst to her, FriedaˇŻs hand reached forward, instinctively trying to brush his face. But she shouldnˇŻt have been able toˇŞnot from where she was seated. Or so she thought.

    Her fingers grazed the warmth of his cheek, and in that instant, her eyes widened in realization. Without even noticing it, she had moved from her own seat to AlexˇŻs couch. The space that once separated them had vanished; their bodies were nearly touching.

    ˇ°S-Sorry,ˇ± she gasped, jolting backward instinctively. Despite her embarrassment, she didnˇŻt return to her seat though. She remained beside him, still within reach.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry about it,ˇ± Alex said with a soft, reassuring smile, his voice warm, calm, almost inviting.

    In that moment, whatever shame or hesitation sheˇŻd felt evaporated. Drawn once more by the invisible pull that bound her to him, Frieda leaned in, her heart pounding in her chest as she sealed her lips with his in a passionate, almost hungry kiss.

    She kissed him with all the heat of a woman who had been starving for years.

    ˇ®Oh?ˇŻ Alex raised a curious eyebrow, momentarily stunned.

    When he had coated his face with a layer of lust energy, he had anticipated some kind of reaction from FriedaˇŞa glance, a blush, maybe some teasing flirtation. But this? This was far beyond what he expected. Just before the kiss, he had noticed the dazed look in her eyes, the slackening of her breath. It was like she had fallen under a charm spell. ''Maybe I underestimated how potent this energy really is... or maybe the issue is Frieda herself.''

    What Alex didnˇŻt know, however, was that it was a combination of both. Lust energy wasnˇŻt designed to override someone''s free willˇŞit couldnˇŻt control thoughts or actions directly. But it exuded an alluring presence, a seductive pull that drew others in, especially those already teetering on the edge. Beside that, there was also the fact that FriedaˇŻs mental fortitude wasnˇŻt particularly strong to begin with. In addition, just minutes ago, she had genuinely considered offering herself to Alex. And most importantly, it had been yearsˇŞlong, aching yearsˇŞsince she had last felt this kind of desire for a man.

    All those factors collided in the heat of the moment... and she gave in, swept away the instant she laid eyes on him.

    Alex didnˇŻt waste a single second pondering her reasons though. In truth, he didnˇŻt really care. Not now. Not when she was moaning softly into his mouth, her tongue dancing with his and her hands clutching his shirt with need.

    There was no way heˇŻd let such an opportunity slip by.

    Recalling the words of the goddess, who had once explained that women pleasured through lust energy often sought more of itˇŞmore of himˇŞAlex moved deliberately.

    His strong arm wrapped around FriedaˇŻs waist, pulling her in until her full breasts pressed firmly against his chest. Then, focusing his energy, he coated his other hand in the shimmering aura of lust and slid it slowly down, resting it atop her exposed thigh.

    In that moment, he couldn''t be any happier that Frieda seemed to like wearing very revealing clothes, as his hand now had a direct path to her cunt thanks to the slit in her dress.

    Alex didnˇŻt go straight for her most intimate part, though. He wanted to excite her even more, which was why he began kissing Frieda back, matching her intensity as he himself grew more aroused by everything happening.

    His hand, placed on her waist, coiled upward and tightly squeezed as it came in contact with the soft, full curve of FriedaˇŻs breast, eliciting a muffled moan from her through their heated kiss.

    Meanwhile, his other hand began rubbing the smooth, supple flesh of her thick thigh, each stroke moving higher until his fingers had completely disappeared beneath the fabric of her dress.

    Frieda, who had been kissing and moaning all along, shuddered as she felt AlexˇŻs fingers grazing against the swollen outer lips of her pussy, her breath hitching in response.

    ''Oh, sheˇŻs already this wet,'' Alex thought, amazed. ''And no panties, I see.'' A mental grin spread through him. ''This will only make things easier.''

    Usually, with his wives or women he cared for, he took his time, savoring every second of their encounter. But things were different with Frieda. Firstly, he didnˇŻt really have any feelings for her, and secondly, as time passed, he could feel his control over the lust energy fading.

    It was as if he was on a timer, so Alex didnˇŻt want to waste a single moment. The instant his fingers brushed against the slick entrance of FriedaˇŻs cunt, he didnˇŻt hesitateˇŞhe pushed his middle finger deep into her dripping heat, relishing the way her walls clenched around him.

    ˇ°MmmmˇŞˇ± Frieda moaned, her body jerking as she instinctively tried to pull away from the sudden intrusion. But Alex held her firmly, refusing to let her retreat even an inch. She had been the one to jump him first, and he wasnˇŻt about to let her escape so easily.

    Her struggles soon melted away, however, as waves of pleasure coursed through her bodyˇŞevery nerve alight with sensation, her skin burning with need, her core pulsing around his invading finger.

    ''She is surprisingly tight,'' Alex thought as he had trouble pushing his finger inside Frieda''s burning and slippery cunt.

    He had assumed that a woman like her, who resorted to seducing a man just to secure a business deal, would be accustomed to sleeping around. However, it seemed he had been wrong about her, at least in that regard.

    Alex continued fingering Frieda, his finger sucked back inside her each time it slipped out, and soon, feeling she was ready for more, he added another finger inside her.

    Frieda broke the kiss with Alex, and an almighty moan escaped her lips as she experienced pleasure unlike anything she had ever felt, even with her late husband.

    "You are quite the pervert, lady Frieda," Alex said with a smirk, marveling at how wet she was down there. "To think you would just jump me out of nowhere, a complete stranger."

    He thrust his fingers deeper, pushing them even further inside her tight cunt, reveling in the sensation of her walls attempting to resist his forward motion.

    "Mmmhh~"

    A low and guttural moan, filled with all the pleasure Frieda was experiencing, escaped her mouth. Her head tilted back, exposing her clear and vulnerable neck to Alex''s view as she felt herself approaching her orgasm.

    Alex could feel that Frieda was nearing her limit and would come any moment now.

    Her whole body began to shake as the waves of her impending release could be felt.

    However, right at the moment she felt she was just about to experience the biggest orgasm of her life, she felt Alex''s fingers slip out of her pussy all at once.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, lady Frieda, you can''t expect to have your release all alone now, can you?" Alex said, his tone teasing. "If you want me to make you feel good, then it''s only fair that you make me feel good too, right?"

    As the haze clouding her eyes slowly disappeared and she took in the sight of Alex staring down at her with a grin, Frieda understood.

    ''T-That man, he is no angel, he is the devil himself!''

 Chapter 358 : Give and take

    Chapter 358 : Give and take

    ''This man... he''s no angelˇŞhe''s the devil!'' Frieda thought, her face twisted in frustration, her body still trembling from the sudden withdrawal that had left her on the brink of release.

    "Don''t look at me like that," Alex chuckled, catching her glare with a teasing smile. "All you have to do is pleasure me like I''ve been pleasuring you. Simple enough, right?" he asked, his tone soft yet commanding.

    Frieda hesitated, her breath shallow. Her body was still ablaze, aching to feel that overwhelming pleasure again. She knew what he wantedˇŞwhat he was not so subtly asking of her. Part of her screamed to resist, to hold on to her pride, but the other part pulsed with raw desire. Should she give in, she wondered.

    But Alex had no intention of letting her dwell on it.

    No sooner had he finished speaking than the clothes he wore dissolved into smoke, vanishing just like his mantle had earlier. Now fully exposed before her, he sat with ease beneath her, her hands resting against the warmth of his bare chest.

    Frieda froze for a moment, stunned by the sudden reveal. But as her eyes slowly took in the sight before her, the magnetic pull she felt earlier returned, stronger and more consuming than ever.

    ''H-He''s perfect,'' she thought, almost breathless, her mind spiraling out of control.

    Not only was he devilishly handsome, but he also had a body that looked as if it had been directly sculpted by the gods themselves. How was that fair? And most of all, how was she meant to resist such a sight?

    Slowly, her gaze traveled from his face downward as she admired his body ˇŞ from his toned and broad chest, to his defined abs and sculpted muscles that looked as though they had been carved from marble ˇŞ soft to the eye, yet radiating a strength as solid as steel.

    As her gaze continued downward, her eyes eventually landed between his legs ˇŞ and what she saw made her freeze on the spot.

    ''W-Wait... when he said I had to pleasure him, he didn''t mean I''d have to deal with that thing, right?'' she thought, her pupils trembling in disbelief as she stared at Alex''s half-erect cock. ''It''s almost as big as my arm... and it''s not even fully hard yet!''

    In that moment, genuine hesitation welled up inside her. The sheer size alone was enough to intimidate her. But before she could gather her thoughts or voice any kind of protest, she felt something press against her thigh and before long, one of Alex''s fingers had found its way back inside her, slipping in slowly ˇŞ and just like that, her mind went blank, overwhelmed once more by the wave of ecstasy crashing through her.

    "Mmm~"

    Frieda tried to stifle her moan by biting down on her lower lip, but it was useless as a cry of desire clawed its way out of her throat.

    Alex grinned at the sight of her squirming, and without warning, slipped a second finger inside her soaked and welcoming pussy, fingering her with the same deliberate rhythm and maddening precision as before.

    It didn''t take long for Frieda to feel herself on the brink once again, her body tensing, her breath catching as she approached what promised to be one of the most explosive orgasms of her life. But just like the first time ˇŞ right at the exact moment of climax ˇŞ Alex withdrew his fingers, leaving her trembling and completely denied of release.

    "No, no, no, why?!" Frieda cried out, her voice shaking as she gasped, "Why would you stop?!" Tears welled in her eyes.

    ''Heh, she looks kinda cute like that,'' Alex mused, watching her with amusement before calmly replying, "Didn''t I tell you before?" He said, his tone even. "If you want me to pleasure you, then you''ll have to do the same for me."

    Frieda glared at him for a brief moment, her cheeks flushed, before nodding reluctantly ˇŞ looking more like a sad puppy than the fierce woman she had been minutes ago.

    "Don''t look so sad. I''m sure you''re going to enjoy it," Alex said as he gently lifted Frieda off his lap.

    "Now kneel and suck it," Alex commanded, pointing at his still half-erect dick.

    Seeing that she didn''t move or say anything after a couple of minutes, he nodded and stood up. "Very well, I will take my leave then."

    The swirling smoke around him coalesced as his mantle of smoke reformed around his shoulders. Without looking back, he began walking toward the door.

    "Wait!" Frieda cried out upon seeing him about to leave. "I will do it!"

    However, despite her sudden change of heart, Arcanor continued walking until he stopped right before the door, one hand already on the handle. "Too bad. You weren''t fast enough. Next time maybe."

    With that, he turned the handle and walked out of the office, leaving behind a crestfallen Frieda.

    ***

    ''Now what to do?'' Alex pondered as he made his way toward the exit of the mansion.

    What had happened with Frieda didn''t bother him much. She had refused to comply with his command, so he decided to teach her a lesson by walking away. What he wanted her to understand was that when he told her to pleasure him, it wasn''t a demand or a pleaˇŞit was part of a mutual arrangement. Their relationship was based on give and take. If she couldn''t bring herself to pleasure him after he did the same for her, then there was no reason for them to continue.

    Anyway, if what the goddess had said was true, then Frieda would come looking for him in the days to come. And even if she didn''tˇŞwho cared? He still had his wives, and all of them were great beauties and are far more devoted to him than she was.

    All of that, however, remained in the back of his mind. What he was really thinking about was what to do next, now that his main source of entertainment had been abruptly cut off.

    ''Perhaps I should visit Talia and the girls?'' he mused as he stepped out of Frieda''s mansion.

    The moment he did, he found himself face-to-face with a young guard whose face he remembered quite clearly.

    Feeling the cold gaze of Arcanor on him again, the guard bowed respectfully.

    Alex didn''t return the gesture and simply walked past him. He knew it was petty, and the guard wasn''t truly at fault, but he still didn''t like him. This young man was none other than the one that had interrupted him and Freya a few hours ago during their intimate moments, and just being near him made Alex feel like slapping him. So, he chose to ignore him entirely.

    "Wait, sir!" the guard suddenly called out, prompting Alex to halt and glance back over his shoulder.

    The guard shivered under his gaze but mustered the courage to speak. "The Matriarch ordered me to inform you that the auction will begin shortly, and that she wishes to meet you at the auction house."

    "Very well. Lead me to her then," he immediately replied, resuming his stride.

    ''Looks like I won''t have to look for a distraction after all,'' he thought.

    ---

    At the same time, as the guard led Alex to the Drazen family auction house, in that very place, within another one of her offices, Freya sat across from Kizzarae.

    "So, what''s this serious matter you wanted to discuss?" Freya asked, taking a graceful sip of her tea, her expression calm but attentive.

    Kizzarae was tempted to tease her about the way she spoke so formally, but in the end, she forced herself to remain focused.

    "I won''t beat around the bush," Kizzarae said firmly. "There''s a chance the Queen may decide to sever the contract between the witches and the Drazen family in the coming weeks due to the looming war between the Fiore Empire and Gast kingdom."

 Chapter 359 : Itâ€™s time

    Chapter 359 : ItˇŻs time

    "What did you just say?" Freya asked, stunned by Kizzarae''s revelation.

    It was a rare sight to see her display such an expression, but even Kizzarae couldn''t bring herself to joke about it. What she had just revealed warranted that reactionˇŞand perhaps even more.

    "Umm, well, I might have phrased it wrong," Kizzarae said, scratching her head. "It''s not that the deal between the witches and your family will be void. It''s just that the Queen has ordered the delivery of potions to be suspended. It''s not a targeted measure against your family eitherˇŞsupplies to all non-witches are being cut off."

    Freya wanted to argue that the Queen of Witches couldn''t just arbitrarily nullify that part of the contract, but as she reflected on it, she recalled that the Queen actually could. That clause had been added by the Queen herself, and at the time of signing, Freya hadn''t paid it much mind. Besides, it had been either accepting the clause or losing the deal entirely.

    Only a handful of powers across Imperion could boast of having such a contract with the witches, and the Drazen family was one of them. However, the only reason they had secured such a deal in the first place was because of Kizzarae or more accurately, it was because of the fondness she had for Freya.

    As she thought more about what Kizzarae had just said, Freya quickly grasped the true motive behind the Queen''s decision. "By any chance, does the Queen intend to use the war to sell the potions at a higher price?"

    "Nailed it," Kizzarae replied with a slight smirk. "But that''s not the only reason." She shook her head. "Apparently, it''s becoming harder to acquire the ressources needed to concoct the potions. So even if the Queen hadn''t made this decision, the number of quality potions on the market would''ve dropped anyway."

    A few seconds passed in silence before Kizzarae spoke again. "It doesn''t look like this news troubles you," she said, eyeing Freya''s laid-back demeanor with mild curiosity.

    "Why would it?" Freya replied, taking another sip of her tea. The only reason she had reacted so strongly earlier was because Kizzarae had made it sound like the Queen intended to void their entire contract. But if it was just the clause about potion supplies, then there was little to worry about. In fact, chances were that soon enough, they wouldnˇŻt even need the witchesˇŻ potions anymore.

    "How come you''re so laid back despite the news I just delivered?" Kizzarae raised an eyebrow.

    Freya placed her cup of tea back on the table and smiled. "I shouldn''t be saying this to youˇŞnot so soon, at leastˇŞbut we have something that might serve as a replacement for your healing potions."

    Kizzarae straightened up, her curiosity now fully piqued.

    Not one to waste time, Freya took out the yellow smoke potion and set it on the table. She then began explaining everythingˇŞfrom the mysterious organization behind the healing smoke to the deal the Drazen family had struck with Arcane. She omitted a few sensitive details but kept the core of the story intact.

    By the time she was done, a deep frown had formed on Kizzarae''s face.

    "Let me tell you this right now," Kizzarae said, her voice unusually serious, "the Queen won''t like thisˇŞnot one bit." She leaned forward, locking eyes with Freya. "You know how we witches feel about money, right? Well, for that same reason, we don''t take kindly to competition. She might not go after you or your family directlyˇŞyou''re just intermediaries, after allˇŞbut she will see Arcane as a threat."

    Hearing this, Freya''s expression darkened. She hadn''t known Alex for long, but her feelings for him ran deep. He was one of the rare few who accepted her without judgment, and she had no intention of letting any harm come to him. Besides, if anything happened to ArcaneˇŞor to Alex, specificallyˇŞthe financial loss her family would suffer was beyond calculation.

    On the other hand, it was common knowledge in Imperion that there were some races to never cross. And the witches were high on that list.

    "Is there really nothing that can be done to prevent anything from happening to Arcanor?" Freya asked.

    Kizzarae was momentarily surprised that Freya mentioned Arcanor specifically and not Arcane, but upon reflection, it made sense. ''If he''s the only one capable of making these potions, protecting him is the same as protecting the entire organization.''

    Kizzarae leaned back into the couch and let out a sigh, shrugging casually. "I have no idea."

    "Kizz, please..."

    "Tsk, I can''t stand you looking at me like that," Kizzarae grumbled, shifting in her seat. "Fine. I''ll see what I can do. No promises, though. The Queen''s been in a dark mood lately." She crossed her arms. "So don''t get your hopes too high."

    "Than-"

    Before Freya could reply, the door to her office swung open and a huffing Maya barged in.

    The instant her eyes landed on Kizzarae, her whole face lit up. "Grandma Kizz!" Maya shouted, literally throwing herself at the witch.

    Kizzarae caught her mid-air with practiced ease, a warm smile spreading across her face. "I missed you, sweetie. How have you been? I hope your mother treated you well while I was gone."

    "Of course! Mother always takes good care of me!" Maya replied proudly, then her eyes sparkled as she quickly changed the subject. "So... what did you bring me this time?"

    The words had barely left Maya''s mouth when a sleek pair of glasses appeared in Kizzarae''s hand with a small puff of smoke. "See these, sweetie? They''re way better than the last pair I gave you! Once you put them on, they''ll literally bind themselves gently to your eyesˇŞno more slipping off or losing them like before. To activate the function, all you need to do isˇŞ" Kizzarae paused, her explanation faltering as she noticed the strange look Maya was giving her.

    "Grandma Kizz... I no longer need to wear glasses," Maya said with an amused chuckle.

    "Huh? What do you mean...? WaitˇŞwhere are the glasses I made for you?" Kizzarae asked, only now noticing Maya''s bare face.

    "They''re here," Maya said, pulling out her old glasses from her space ring. "But I don''t need them anymoreˇŞI can see perfectly without them now!" she said, practically beaming with excitement.

    "Seriously?" Kizzarae blinked, visibly stunned.

    Finding it hard to believe, she immediately made Maya go through a series of ocular tests. But even after Maya had passed each one with ease, Kizzarae still looked unconvinced.

    "Maya, stare into my eye for a second," Kizzarae said at last, pulling the eyepatch from her left eye and placing it over her right one, revealing an eye that looked nearly identical to her uncovered one.

    Maya simply shrugged and did as she was toldˇŞit wasn''t the first time Kizzarae had made her do this, after all.

    As she gazed into Kizzarae''s left eye, something that always fascinated her began to happen.

    Under her very eyes, Kizzarae''s left eye began to shift in color, transitioning slowly from deep black to a glowing crimson red, almost like molten lava pooling into place. As Maya stared into it, she felt an overwhelming urge to keep watching, as if the eye itself was pulling her in, compelling her to dive deeper into its depths.

    However, just as Maya was getting lost in it, Kizzarae abruptly closed her eye and slid the patch back over it, now covering her left eye and revealing her right once more.

    "Who did this to you?" Kizzarae asked, her voice lower than usual, trying to compose herself. But the tremble in her tone betrayed how shaken she truly was.

    Maya opened her mouth to answer, but stopped herself just in time. Her gaze turned instinctively to her mother, silently asking for permission.

    Freya slightly nodded, giving her approval.

    "I was healed by Amy," Maya finally said, her voice calm but firm.

    "Amy?" Kizzarae repeated with a raised brow. The name rang no bell. For someone capable of reversing a condition even she had been unable to fully cure, the fact that she didnˇŻt know of her was even more shocking.

    "She''s a member of Arcane," Freya added, her tone measured.

    Kizzarae seemed once again stunned to hear this bit of information, ''this Arcane organization seems to be more mysterious and resourceful than I thought.''

    "Is this Amy that healed you around? I would want to meet her if it''s possible," Kizzarae said.

    "I''m sure if I ask her she would accept to meet you, but you would have to wait as she isn''t available right now," Maya replied, as she knew that right now, Amelia was busy.

    Thinking back to what she had seen Amelia perform during the last few hours she was with her in the library, Maya started to sweat and a slight shiver ran down her spine.

    "I don''t want to disturb your reunion, but you will have to catch up later," Freya said, standing up from her position, "it''s time for the auction to start."

 Chapter 360 : Crush

    Chapter 360 : Crush

    "It''s time," Freya said, standing up. "The auction will begin soon, so we need to get ready," she added, glancing at Maya.

    "Yeah, yeah," Maya sighed as she stood up as well.

    "Given everything you told me earlier, I assume you didn''t come with the agreed-upon set of potions this year?" Freya asked, turning to Kizzarae.

    "You don''t have to worry," Kizzarae replied, a grin spreading across her face. "The Queen doesn''t like going back on her word, so I brought the full batch of potions as agreed. And... I even brought a little surprise from Her Majesty."

    ****

    ''This place is really crowded compared to yesterday,'' Alex thought as he glanced through the window of his carriage.

    It was only now that he was realizing just how big of a deal the yearly auction of the Drazen family truly was.

    All around the auction house, carriages and people could be seen preparing to enter. The most astonishing part, however, was the fact that despite the large number of people waiting, none of them were nobodies ˇŞ their refined postures, noble airs, and luxurious attires made that perfectly clear.

    As he observed the surroundings of the auction house, Alex soon spotted someone he recognized ˇŞ Maya.

    However, the young heiress didn''t look at all like how she usually appeared when she spent time with him or his sister. She was dressed in a formal and elegant dress, her hair carefully combed and cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her usual curious and relaxed expression was gone, replaced by a composed look and a courteous smile as she greeted arriving guests and invited them inside.

    ''So she can look like the heiress she is, huh?'' Alex chuckled, already imagining how he would tease her about it later.

    But since his carriage didn''t seem to be stopping, Alex quickly realized he wasn''t meant to descend here.

    ''He said Freya was waiting for me, right? So I guess she''s somewhere else,'' he reasoned, not too worried.

    He was soon proven right.

    Through the other side of his carriage window, he could now see a second entrance to the auction house, just as lively and guarded, though visibly more exclusive. A similar crowd had gathered there ˇŞ yet the one welcoming the guests this time was none other than Freya herself.

    ''If she''s the one greeting them, then these guests aren''t your average people''s Alex thought, focusing more intently on the crowd.

    That''s when he noticed it.

    ''These people... they are nobles,'' he concluded.

    As he observed the guests lining up at the private entrance, Alex recognized several familiar faces.

    The first ones he spotted were his three cousins ˇŞ Talia, Celine, and Marinna ˇŞ who were drawing quite a bit of attention as a group of well-dressed suitors surrounded them, clearly attempting to win their favor.

    Alex let his gaze linger on them for a few seconds, but seeing that none of them looked uncomfortable or annoyed by the attention, he simply looked away.

    Next, he noticed Althea Wardell and Vesper AldrionˇŞthe two people who had helped him during the battle against Earl Drickon''s men. Vesper, in particular, was the one from whom he had obtained the Tear of Knowledge.

    Standing beside these two were Daisy and a young boy who looked like a miniature version of VesperˇŞmost likely his son.

    Both this young man and Daisy were among the group of young nobles Alex and Amelia had escorted to Drisidd.

    As he glanced further around, Alex recognized even more of the youths he had brought along. Now, however, they were nearly unrecognizable ˇŞ their clothes were noble-quality and elegant, and their hair was styled with care. They looked nothing like the ragged, desperate figures they had rescued days before.

    ''Good for them,'' Alex thought, ''though their families will still have to pay me what they owe if they want them to keep living like this.''

    Initially, he had intended to pressure those families into paying him in the days immediately after arriving. But since his plans had changed and he wasn''t leaving the city as soon as expected, he had decided to give them a little more time ˇŞ a little being the key word. They would still have to pay in the end as he wasn''t about to make concessions on that point.

    As he scanned the crowd once more, his eyes eventually fell on Freya''s tall and graceful figure in the distance. The instant he laid eyes on her, he felt his heart melt a little.

    That warmth vanished instantly when he saw who she was speaking to.

    Even from a distance, Alex could feel his blood boiling.

    He had never seen this man before, but he didn''t need to. The five individuals standing protectively around him were more than enough to confirm his identity as they were the same people who had ambushed him in the city. Each of them exuded the power of a level 5, and Alex remembered their faces perfectly.

    ''Which means that man must be the Earl,'' Alex thought, his gaze sharpening into something cold and dangerous.

    But after a few seconds, he forced himself to calm down. ''Everything in due time,'' he reminded himself.

    Moments later, his carriage came to a smooth stop.

    Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Alex stood up and stepped outside.

    Weirdly enough, the moment he appeared, all the eyes turned in his direction as if sensing his arrival.

    ''Why is everyone staring at me?'' Alex wondered, confused by the sudden attention.

    Just as he was about to take his first step forward, a voice rang out loud and clear, echoing across the area for all to hear.

    "Speak of the devil," the voice said, "I was just speaking with Earl Freya here about you."

    Alex didn''t even need to think to recognize the voice. As he turned his head toward the entrance of the auction house, his gaze locked onto Earl Drickon, who was standing there with a smug expression plastered across his face.

    "I was explaining to Earl Freya how unwise it was to associate a prestigious family like the Drazens with the likes of you," Earl Drickon continued. "Sooner rather than later, I''m certain their noble image will be dragged through the mud by barbarians like youˇŞuncultured thugs who think nothing of assaulting an Earl''s men in broad daylight."

    As those venomous words left the Earl''s mouth, a suffocating silence descended on the area. The tension in the air became so thick it felt like the very atmosphere was holding its breath.

    All eyes immediately turned toward Arcanor, curious about his reaction.

    By now, everyone present had heard the rumors about how he had held his ground against five level 5 warriors, and how just hours ago, he had singlehandedly annihilated the beast tide that had threatened the city.

    Many in the crowd were already discreetly backing away, mentally preparing to flee in case he lost his temper and retaliated as none of them wanted to be caught in the brewing storm.

    ''Should I step in?'' Freya wondered, her eyes darting between Alex and Drickon. The look she gave the Earl, however, was filled with icy contempt. She didn''t appreciate his wordsˇŞnot even a little.

    Just as the tension was reaching its peak, it shattered like glass under pressure as a light chuckle echoed through the air.

    "I didn''t know you were a funny guy, Earl Drickon," Alex said, laughter still dancing in his voice.

    "And what exactly do you find so amusing in what I said?" the Earl asked, his sneer twisting with disdain.

    "Oh, it''s not about what you said," Alex replied with a relaxed chuckle.

    "Then what is it?" the Earl pressed, impatience bleeding into his voice.

    Alex''s laughter faded, and for a moment, silence returnedˇŞheavy and expectant. Then, he spoke again, voice calm but razor-sharp.

    "I just find it amusing that someone like you dares to speak so confidently..." Before anyone could react, Alex vanished from his spot and reappeared inches from Earl Drickon, his presence overwhelming. "...to someone who could crush you the very moment he decides to."

    "I find it amusing that you can speak so highly..." Before anyone could react, Alex vanished from where he stood, reappearing in an instant right in front of Earl Drickon, towering over him "...to someone who could quite literally crush you the moment he wants to."

 Chapter 361 : An advice

    Chapter 361 : An advice

    "I find it amusing that you can speak so highly to someone who could quite literally crush you the moment he wants to," Alex said as he appeared right in front of the Earl, his body towering over the latter.

    However, he had barely finished speaking when he found himself surrounded from all sides, blades pressing against his neck. One figure even appeared before him, blocking his path to the Earl and pointing a dagger at his throat. If he moved his head even slightly, the blades poised around him would slice through his smoke mantle and into his flesh.

    Seeing the appearance of his guards, the frightened expression on the Earl''s faceˇŞcaused by Alex''s sudden appearanceˇŞvanished, replaced by an arrogant sneer.

    "What did you say again? That you could crush me?! Hah!" the Earl laughed.

    "You''d be dead before you could even lay a finger on me!"

    The Earl erupted into laughter, and many among the onlookers actually nodded in agreement, sharing his confidence.

    In the minds of those present, a level 5 was a literal walking disaster. While rumors had spread that Arcanor had once held his ground against five level 5s, those same rumors also claimed that, in the end, he had been saved by Althea and another unknown figure. As such, it was clear to them that he would have eventually lost had the fight continued.***le nom du gars la?***

    On the other hand, most of the crowdˇŞif not allˇŞhad never seen an ability that allowed someone to move through space as Alex did, so they simply assumed that he was just so fast their eyes couldn''t keep up with him. The Earl also shared that same misconception, believing that Alex was merely swift.

    However, not everyone thought along those lines. Ironically, the only ones who knewˇŞwithout a shred of doubtˇŞthat he was literally teleporting were the five guards currently protecting the Earl.

    Just a couple of days ago, they had Arcanor in a similar position, and yet he had escaped their encirclement. Who was to say he couldn''t do it again? This was why they didn''t lower their guard for even a second.

    Unfortunately for them, it didn''t matter whether they were prepared or not.

    The Earl''s booming laughter came to a screeching halt as Alex disappeared once more. His head whipped left and right, trying to pinpoint his locationˇŞuntil he felt a strong grip on his shoulder.

    "Just an advice," Arcanor''s deep voice resounded behind the Earl, "you shouldn''t count too much on borrowed powers."

    Earl Drickon almost felt his legs give out as a cold chill ran down his spine, like icy fingers crawling along his back. A primal instinct screamed danger, and for a brief second, he forgot how to breathe.

    Pushing through the fear that seized him, the Earl spun aroundˇŞbut saw no one. He turned again, only to notice that Arcanor had returned to his original position near his carriage, as if he had never moved.

    "I hope you will consider my advice next time before making an ''unwise'' statement," Arcanor said, his deep tone once again sending a shiver down the Earl''s spine.

    A few seconds passed in tense silence before the Earl''s breaking voice resounded, "YouˇŞyou..., you just attempted a murder on an Earl of the Fiore Empire!" Earl Drickon shouted, his anger fueled more by humiliation than conviction.

    Before the words could even settle in the minds of those around, Freya stepped up.

    "Let''s not exaggerate, Earl Drickon," Freya said, stepping slightly forward. "Sir Arcanor barely touched you. As he demonstrated, he could have harmed you but chose not to. Accusing him of attempted murder is an overstatement."

    The Earl glared sharply at Freya for a moment before his expression relaxed.

    "You are right, Lady Freya. I might have... exaggerated."

    With that, he shot one last glare at Alex before storming into the auction house, his guards closely following behind him.

    Once they got farther from the entrance, Earl Drickon spoke again, his tone colder than before. "I''ve changed my mind. Don''t kill himˇŞI want you to bring him to me alive."

    "It will be done as you wish," the guards replied.

    "Don''t think you are out of the woods yet," the Earl added, glancing behind him. "You all just stood there doing nothing while this bastard attacked me. For that, you will all be punished."

    The guards just nodded, and nothing further was said as a steward appeared and guided them to their private viewing box.

    Outside the auction house.

    After the altercation between Arcanor and Earl Drickon, Freya resumed inviting the rest of the guests inside, while Arcanor simply stood next to her, almost like a silent bodyguard.

    As each of the young nobles they had escorted to Drisidd passed by, they greeted Arcanor with warm smiles, thanked him sincerely, and assured him that his payment would be delivered without delayˇŞsomething to which Alex simply responded with a silent nod.

    Before long, the crowd at the entrance thinned, leaving only a few people lingering.

    "Ladies," Freya greeted as Talia, Celine, and Marinna approached. "It''s been a couple of years since we last saw each other, Lady Talia. I hope you''re doing well," she said with a genuine smile.

    "As well as one can be," Talia replied, returning the smile. "Honestly, I''m surprised you even remember me, Lady Freya. We barely interacted last time."

    "Of course I remember you. Your performance at Maya''s birthday was unforgettable," Freya replied warmly.

    "Thank you for your kind words," Talia answered before sneaking a glance at Alex. ''Am I imagining it, or is this bastard leering at me?'' she wondered, narrowing her eyes slightly.

    After a moment, she shook her head. ''It''s probably just in my mind.''

    Unbeknownst to Talia, Alex was really staring at herˇŞmore precisely, at her chest. ''Hmm... yeah, hers are definitely bigger than... what was that witch''s name again? AhˇŞKizzarae!'' he mused.

    While Alex silently debated who had the more impressive bust between Talia and Kizzarae, Freya continued greeting the remaining guests until only she and Alex remained.

    Sighing lightly, she turned to him and smiled. "You didn''t have to wait for me. Thanks for doing that, though."

    "Anytime," he replied, offering his arm. "Shall we go?"

    Freya''s smile widened as she slipped her arm through his. "Let''s go. The auction will be starting soon."

    Moments later, the two of them were comfortably seated on a large, luxurious sofa, Freya''s head resting on Alex''s shoulder, their fingers intertwined in a quiet display of closeness.

    The room they were in resembled the private box they had used to watch the theatre two nights prior. It was soundproof and fitted with one-way glass, allowing them to see and hear everything happening in the main auction hall, while remaining completely hidden and unheard by those outside.

    Apparently, every noble Freya had greeted earlier had been assigned a similar private room to ensure discretion and comfort during the event.

    "It''s a little late to say this," Freya began, her tone cautious, "but maybe you shouldn''t have antagonized Earl Drickon as much as you did. We may share the same title, so he can''t act against you here in Drisidd, but outside this city, things are different. He''s not just an EarlˇŞhe''s an influential one. He could... no, he will most certainly come after you."

    "I''ll be waiting for him then," Alex replied with a casual shrug, entirely unconcerned.

    He looked down at Freya and smiled. "Forget about him. You''re absolutely breathtaking in that dress."

    "Thank you," Freya answered softly, a gentle blush coloring her cheeks as her eyes sparkled with delight.

    Their eyes met and held for just a heartbeatˇŞbut in that fleeting moment, everything else faded. The rest of the world faded away as their feelings for each other pulled them closer.

    They leaned in, lips only inches apart, on the verge of kissingˇŞwhen the lights in the auction room suddenly dimmed.

    "Thank you all for attending the Drazen family''s annual auction," a clear and confident voice echoed through the room. "Without further delay, we shall begin."

    As the stage lights focused on the speaker, Alex realized it was none other than Frieda.

 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 the lake, 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 relaxation. 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 relaxation 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 black 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 black 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, replaced 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''t complicated, 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 significantly larger than the other, and if Alex had to guess whose soul this larger 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 a lazy ass, he still possessed a soul-based ability which granted him a far sturdier and more powerful soul compared 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 playfulness. While Jack could crack a few jokes if he was in the right mood, he was ultimately not someone who was very cheerfulˇŞand how could he be when he spent his days fighting someone else''s war and burying fallen comrades? 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 lived completely 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 the lake, naked.

    Taking in her nakedness, Alex couldn''t help but have his breath taken away.

    Amelia''s raven black hair cascaded down her back in waves, drawing attention to her flawless, blemish-free skin. Her large breasts stood proudly, unencumbered by any clothing, and her thick, shapely thighs accentuated her voluptuous figure. Her curves were pronounced and alluring, making her a sight to behold.

    Just a glance 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 flame.

    He didn''t particularly 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 relationship. 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 the lake.

    A moment later, Alex reached the edge of the lake, 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 plant 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 the lake''s water combined 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.

    "Your complexions have returned, I''m glad," 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 occasional 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 access 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 finally coming 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, "come 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, penetrated her dripping cunt.

    Annh~

    ****

    Here''s the Discord link for those interested or wanting to ask me something about the novel:

    /invite/F52tHyFf

 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 revelation.

    ''This complicates 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 weaponˇŞa 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 his comrades. "We''re leaving." He shot Alex a final, icy glare. "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 glare 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 accountable 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 simpleˇŞyou''ll pay based on how much value you place 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 simpleˇŞyou''ll pay based on how much value you place 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 voice composed, 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 playing 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 blame 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 accordingly, and the outcome 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 welcome," 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 glanced 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 related, though?"

    Alex eyed her cyan hair and replied, "Let''s just say you two share a resemblance."

    "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 similarities, but in the end, he decided to play along. "You''re right; you''re definitely taller than her."

    "Exactly!" she exclaimed, looking satisfied. "I''m much taller than that shrimp. By the way," she leaned closer to Alex and whispered conspiratorially, "how come 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 probably lazing 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 planning 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 flaw 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 flashed 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 explained. "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 regular 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 similar 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 strength lay in her flawless 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 black 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 glad 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 place, he opened the carriage door and stepped outside.

    The moment he set foot on the ground, he was hit by a barrage of loud soundsˇŞshouts, 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 clamor now seemed almost overwhelming after the quiet ride.

    When Alex''s eyes adjusted to his surroundings, he was taken aback by the sight of a large 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 available space.

    All around him, several raised platforms had been erected. From atop these platforms, auctioneers bellowed and shouted, their voices rising above the din as they beckoned potential buyers. Each platform featured different items up for auction, and the atmosphere was filled with anticipation and excitement as bidders competed 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 marketplace.

    "Yes," Alex replied absentmindedly as he extended a hand to help Freya down from the carriage, his gaze still surveying the crowd.

    "This place is known as the Auction Market," Freya explained, gesturing toward the sprawling scene before them.

    "I thought the Drazen family auction was supposed to take place 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 accept the very best. Most of those who come 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 display 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 people come here not for the actual Drazen family auction but for this auction market."

    "I understand," Alex nodded as he glanced at a couple of raised platforms where auctioneers were presenting various items.

    "I may have said that we only accept 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 flames. 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 moments later, she and the soldiers stopped a few feet away from Alex and Freya.

    "You''re late, Freya," Frieda remarked coolly. "The elders have been waiting for you for quite some time."

    Freya barely acknowledged the comment 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 glanced briefly at Frieda before turning back to Alex with a smile. "I won''t be long."

 Chapter 361: Give and take

    Chapter 361: Give and take

    What had happened with Frieda didn''t bother him much. She had refused to comply with his command, so he decided to teach her a lesson by walking away. What he wanted her to understand was that when he told her to pleasure him, it wasn''t a demand or a plea-it was part of a mutual arrangement. Their relationship was based on give and take. If she couldn''t bring herself to pleasure him after he did the same for her, then there was no reason for them to continue.

    "Now kneel and suck it," Alex commanded, pointing at his still half-erect dick.

    "I won''t beat around the bush," Kizzarae said firmly. "There''s a chance the Queen may decide to sever the contract between the witches and the Drazen family in the coming weeks due to the looming war between the Fiore Empire and Gast kingdom."

    Not only was he devilishly handsome, but he also had a body that looked as if it had been directly sculpted by the gods themselves. How was that fair? And most of all, how was she meant to resist such a sight?

    "Mmm-"

    "Very well. Lead me to her then," he immediately replied, resuming his stride.

    All of that, however, remained in the back of his mind. What he was really thinking about was what to do next, now that his main source of entertainment had been abruptly cut off.

    Seeing that she didn''t move or say anything after a couple of minutes, he nodded and stood up. "Very well, I will take my leave then!"

    Alex didn''t return the gesture and simply walked past him. He knew it was petty, and the guard wasn''t truly at fault, but he still didn''t like him. This young man was none other than the one that had interrupted him and Freya a few hours ago during their intimate moments, and just being near him made Alex feel like slapping him. So, he chose to ignore him entirely.

    However, despite her sudden change of heart, Arcanor continued walking until he stopped right before the door, one hand already on the handle. "Too bad. You weren''t fast enough. Next time maybe."

    The moment he did, he found himself face-to-face with a young guard whose face he remembered quite clearly.

    The swirling smoke around him coalesced as his mantle of smoke reformed around his shoulders. Without looking back, he began walking toward the door.

    Frieda froze for a moment, stunned by the sudden reveal. But as her eyes slowly took in the sight before her, the magnetic pull she felt earlier returned, stronger and more consuming than ever.

    It didn''t take long for Frieda to feel herself on the brink once again, her body tensing, her breath catching as she approached what promised to be one of the most explosive orgasms of her life. But just like the first time - right at the exact moment of climax - Alex withdrew his fingers, leaving her trembling and completely denied of release.

    "Wait!" Frieda cried out upon seeing him about to leave. "I will do it!"

    ***

    At the same time, as the guard led Alex to the Drazen family auction house, in that very place, within another one of her offices, Freya sat across from Kizzarae.

    Anyway, if what the goddess had said was true, then Frieda would come looking for him in the days to come. And even if she didn''t-who cared? He still had his wives, and all of them were great beauties and are far more devoted to him than she was.

    As her gaze continued downward, her eyes eventually landed between his legs ˇŞ and what she saw made her freeze on the spot.

    But Alex had no intention of letting her dwell on it.

    ''Perhaps I should visit Talia and the girls?" he mused as he stepped out of Frieda''s mansion.

    "So, what''s this serious matter you wanted to discuss?" Freya asked, taking a graceful sip of her tea, her expression calm but attentive.

    ''H-He''s perfect, she thought, almost breathless, her mind spiraling out of control.

    The guard shivered under his gaze but mustered the courage to speak. "The Matriarch ordered me to inform you that the auction will begin shortly, and that she wishes to meet you at the auction house."

    No sooner had he finished speaking than the clothes he wore dissolved into smoke, vanishing just like his mantle had earlier. Now fully exposed before her, he sat with ease beneath her, her hands resting against the warmth of his bare chest.

    ''This man... he''s no angel-he''s the devil!'' Frieda thought, her face twisted in frustration, her body still trembling from the sudden withdrawal that had left her on the brink of release.

    Frieda hesitated, her breath shallow. Her body was still ablaze, aching to feel that overwhelming pleasure again. She knew what he wanted-what he was not so subtly asking of her. Part of her screamed to resist, to hold on to her pride, but the other part pulsed with raw desire. Should she give in, she wondered.

    Frieda tried to stifle her moan by biting down on her lower lip, but it was useless as a cry of desire clawed its way out of her throat.

    Alex grinned at the sight of her squirming, and without warning, slipped a second finger inside her soaked and welcoming pussy, fingering her with the same deliberate rhythm and maddening precision as before.

    ''W-Wait... when he said I had to pleasure him, he didn''t mean I''d have to deal with that thing, right?'' she thought, her pupils trembling in disbelief as she stared at Alex''s half-erect cock. ''It''s almost as big as my arm... and it''s not even fully hard yet!''

    Kizzarae was tempted to tease her about the way she spoke so formally, but in the end, she forced herself to remain focused.

    "Don''t look at me like that," Alex chuckled, catching her glare with a teasing smile. "All you have to do is pleasure me like I''ve been pleasuring you. Simple enough, right?" he asked, his tone soft yet commanding.

    "Wait, sir!" the guard suddenly called out, prompting Alex to halt and glance back over his shoulder.

    In that moment, genuine hesitation welled up inside her. The sheer size alone was enough to intimidate her. But before she could gather her thoughts or voice any kind of protest, she felt something press against her thigh and before long, one of Alex''s fingers had found its way back inside her, slipping in slowly - and just like that, her mind went blank, overwhelmed once more by the wave of ecstasy crashing through her.

    Frieda glared at him for a brief moment, her cheeks flushed, before nodding reluctantly-looking more like a sad puppy than the fierce woman she had been minutes ago.

    ''Now what to do?'' Alex pondered as he made his way toward the exit of the mansion.

    "Don''t look so sad. I''m sure you''re going to enjoy it," Alex said as he gently lifted Frieda off his lap.

    "No, no, no, why?!" Frieda cried out, her voice shaking as she gasped, "Why would you stop?!" Tears welled in her eyes.

    Slowly, her gaze traveled from his face downward as she admired his body - from his toned and broad chest, to his defined abs and sculpted muscles that looked as though they had been carved from marble - soft to the eye, yet radiating a strength as solid as steel.

    Feeling the cold gaze of Arcanor on him again, the guard bowed respectfully.

    With that, he turned the handle and walked out of the office, leaving behind a crestfallen Frieda.

    ''Heh, she looks kinda cute like that, Alex mused, watching her with amusement before calmly replying, "Didn''t I tell you before?" He said, his tone even. "If you want me to pleasure you, then you''ll have to do the same for me."

    ''Looks like I won''t have to look for a distraction after all,'' he thought.

 Chapter 362: Its time

    ?Chapter 362: It''s time

    "Is this Amy that healed you around? I would want to meet her if it''s possible," Kizzarae said.

    The words had barely left Maya''s mouth when a sleek pair of glasses appeared in Kizzarae''s hand with a small puff of smoke. "See these, sweetie? They''re way better than the last pair I gave you! Once you put them on, they''ll literally bind themselves gently to your eyes-no more slipping off or losing them like before. To activate the function, all you need to do is-" Kizzarae paused, her explanation faltering as she noticed the strange look Maya was giving her.

    "She''s a member of Arcane," Freya added, her tone measured.

    A few seconds passed in silence before Kizzarae spoke again. "It doesn''t look like this news troubles you," she said, eyeing Freya''s laid-back demeanor with mild curiosity.

    "Tsk, I can''t stand you looking at me like that," Kizzarae grumbled, shifting in her seat. "Fine. I''ll see what I can do. No promises, though. The Queen''s been in a dark mood lately." She crossed her arms. "So don''t get your hopes too high."

    Before Freya could reply, the door to her office swung open and a huffing Maya barged in.

    "I''m sure if I ask her she would accept to meet you, but you would have to wait as she isn''t available right now," Maya replied, as she knew that right now, Amelia was busy.

    "Than-"

    Finding it hard to believe, she immediately made Maya go through a series of ocular tests. But even after Maya had passed each one with ease, Kizzarae still looked unconvinced.

    Thinking back to what she had seen Amelia perform during the last few hours she was with her in the library, Maya started to sweat and a slight shiver ran down her spine.

    "Huh? What do you mean..? Wait-where are the glasses I made for you?" Kizzarae asked, only now noticing Maya''s bare face.

    "Seriously?" Kizzarae blinked, visibly stunned.

    Freya placed her cup of tea back on the table and smiled. "I shouldn''t be saying this to you-not so soon, at least-but we have something that might serve as a replacement for your healing potions."

    Freya slightly nodded, giving her approval.

    "Who did this to you?" Kizzarae asked, her voice lower than usual, trying to compose herself. But the tremble in her tone betrayed how shaken she truly was.

    "Let me tell you this right now," Kizzarae said, her voice unusually serious, "the Queen won''t like this- not one bit." She leaned forward, locking eyes with Freya. "You know how we witches feel about money, right? Well, for that same reason, we don''t take kindly to competition. She might not go after you or your family directly-you''re just intermediaries, after all-but she will see Arcane as a threat."

    "Nailed it," Kizzarae replied with a slight smirk. "But that''s not the only reason." She shook her head. "Apparently, it''s becoming harder to acquire the ressources needed to concoct the potions. So even if the Queen hadn''t made this decision, the number of quality potions on the market would''ve dropped anyway."

    "What did you just say?" Freya asked, stunned by Kizzarae''s revelation.

    "Is there really nothing that can be done to prevent anything from happening to Arcanor?" Freya asked.

    Maya simply shrugged and did as she was told-it wasn''t the first time Kizzarae had made her do this, after all.

    "I don''t want to disturb your reunion, but you will have to catch up later," Freya said, standing up from her position, "it''s time for the auction to start."

    As she thought more about what Kizzarae had just said, Freya quickly grasped the true motive behind the any harm come to him. Besides, if anything happened to Arcane-or to Alex, specifically-the financial loss her family would suffer was beyond calculation.

    "Maya, stare into my eye for a second," Kizzarae said at last, pulling the eyepatch from her left eye and placing it over her right one, revealing an eye that looked nearly identical to her uncovered one.

    Maya opened her mouth to answer, but stopped herself just in time. Her gaze turned instinctively to her mother, silently asking for permission.

    "Umm, well, I might have phrased it wrong," Kizzarae said, scratching her head. "It''s not that the deal between the witches and your family will be void. It''s just that the Queen has ordered the delivery of potions to be suspended. It''s not a targeted measure against your family either-supplies to all non- witches are being cut off."

    Freya wanted to argue that the Queen of Witches couldn''t just arbitrarily nullify that part of the contract, but as she reflected on it, she recalled that the Queen actually could. That clause had been added by the Queen herself, and at the time of signing, Freya hadn''t paid it much mind. Besides, it had been either accepting the clause or losing the deal entirely.

    By the time she was done, a deep frown had formed on Kizzarae''s face.

    It was a rare sight to see her display such an expression, but even Kizzarae couldn''t bring herself to joke about it. What she had just revealed warranted that reaction-and perhaps even more.

 Chapter 363: Crush

    ?Chapter 363: Crush

    However, the young heiress didn''t look at all like how she usually appeared when she spent time with him or his sister. She was dressed in a formal and elegant dress, her hair carefully combed and cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her usual curious and relaxed expression was gone, replaced by a composed look and a courteous smile as she greeted arriving guests and invited them inside.

    As he glanced further around, Alex recognized even more of the youths he had brought along. Now, however, they were nearly unrecognizable - their clothes were noble-quality and elegant, and their hair was styled with care. They looked nothing like the ragged, desperate figures they had rescued days before.

    Moments later, his carriage came to a smooth stop.

    "Given everything you told me earlier, I assume you didn''t come with the agreed-upon set of potions this year?" Freya asked, turning to Kizzarae.

    ''Good for them,'' Alex thought, ''though their families will still have to pay me what they owe if they want them to keep living like this!

    Standing beside these two were Daisy and a young boy who looked like a miniature version of Vesper- most likely his son.

    "These people... they are nobles,'' he concluded.

    Through the other side of his carriage window, he could now see a second entrance to the auction house, just as lively and guarded, though visibly more exclusive. A similar crowd had gathered there - yet the one welcoming the guests this time was none other than Freya herself.

    "And what exactly do you find so amusing in what I said?" the Earl asked, his sneer twisting with disdain. All eyes immediately turned toward Arcanor, curious about his reaction.

    As he scanned the crowd once more, his eyes eventually fell on Freya''s tall and graceful figure in the distance. The instant he laid eyes on her, he felt his heart melt a little.

    Alex''s laughter faded, and for a moment, silence returned-heavy and expectant. Then, he spoke again, voice calm but razor-sharp.

    "Then what is it?" the Earl pressed, impatience bleeding into his voice.

    It was only now that he was realizing just how big of a deal the yearly auction of the Drazen family truly

    was.

    Just as he was about to take his first step forward, a voice rang out loud and clear, echoing across the area for all to hear.

    But after a few seconds, he forced himself o calm down. ''Everything in due time,'' he reminded himself. ''Why is everyone staring at me?" Alex wondered, confused by the sudden attention.

    Just as the tension was reaching its peak, it shattered like glass under pressure as a light chuckle echoed through the air.

    Weirdly enough, the moment he appeared, all the eyes turned in his direction as if sensing his arrival. Alex didn''t even need to think to recognize the voice. As he turned his head toward the entrance of the auction house, his gaze locked onto Earl Drickon, who was standing there with a smug expression plastered across his face.

    "I was explaining to Earl Freya how unwise it was to associate a prestigious family like the Drazens with the likes of you," Earl Drickon continued. "Sooner rather than later, I''m certain their noble image will be dragged through the mud by barbarians like you-uncultured thugs who think nothing of assaulting an Earl''s men in broad daylight."

    "You don''t have to worry," Kizzarae replied, a grin spreading across her face. "The Queen doesn''t like going back on her word, so I brought the full batch of potions as agreed. And... I even brought a little surprise from Her Majesty."

    As he observed the guests lining up at the private entrance, Alex recognized several familiar faces. "It''s time," Freya said, standing up. "The auction will begin soon, so we need to get ready," she added, glancing at Maya.

    ''He said Freya was waiting for me, right? So I guess she''s somewhere else, he reasoned, not too worried. As he observed the surroundings of the auction house, Alex soon spotted someone he recognized ˇŞ Maya.

    He had never seen this man before, but he didn''t need to. The five individuals standing protectively around him were more than enough to confirm his identity as they were the same people who had ambushed him in the city. Each of them exuded the power of a level 5, and Alex remembered their faces perfectly.

    "Oh, it''s not about what you said," Alex replied with a relaxed chuckle.

    "I didn''t know you were a funny guy, Earl Drickon," Alex said, laughter still dancing in his voice.

    Even from a distance, Alex could feel his blood boiling.

    "Speak of the devil," the voice said, "I was just speaking with Earl Freya here about you."

    As those venomous words left the Earl''s mouth, a suffocating silence descended on the area. The tension in the air became so thick it felt like the very atmosphere was holding its breath.

    The first ones he spotted were his three cousins - Talia, Celine, and Marinna - who were drawing quite a bit of attention as a group of well-dressed suitors surrounded them, clearly attempting to win their

    favor.

    ****

    ''This place is really crowded compared to yesterday, Alex thought as he glanced through the window of his carriage.

    Initially, he had intended to pressure those families into paying him in the days immediately after arriving. But since his plans had changed and he wasn''t leaving the city soon as expected, he had decided to give them a little more time - a little being the key word. They would still have to pay in the end as he wasn''t about to make concessions on that point.

    That''s when he noticed it.

    ''So she can look like the heiress she is, huh?'' Alex chuckled, already imagining how he would tease her about it later.

    Many in the crowd were already discreetly backing away, mentally preparing to flee in case he lost his temper and retaliated as none of them wanted to be caught in the brewing storm.

    "Yeah, yeah," Maya sighed as she stood up as well.

    But since his carriage didn''t seem to be stopping, Alex quickly realized he wasn''t meant to descend here.

    He was soon proven right.

    ''If she''s the one greeting them, then these guests aren''t your average people''s Alex thought, focusing more intently on the crowd.

    "I find it amusing that you can speak so highly..." Before anyone could react, Alex vanished from where he stood, reappearing in an instant right in front of Earl Drickon, towering over him "...to someone who could quite literally crush you the moment he wants to."

    ''Which means that man must be the Earl,'' Alex thought, his gaze sharpening into something cold and dangerous.

    Both this young man and Daisy were among the group of young nobles Alex and Amelia had escorted to

    Drisidd.

    By now, everyone present had heard the rumors about how he had held his ground against five level 5 warriors, and how just hours ago, he had singlehandedly annihilated the beast tide that had threatened

    the city.

    All around the auction house, carriages and people could be seen preparing to enter. The most astonishing part, however, was the fact that despite the large number of people waiting, none of them were nobodies - their refined postures, noble airs, and luxurious attires made that perfectly clear. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Alex stood up and stepped outside. ''Should I step in?'' Freya wondered, her eyes darting between Alex and Drickon. The look she gave the Earl, however, was filled with icy contempt. She didn''t appreciate his words-not even a little.

    Next, he noticed Althea Wardell and Vesper Aldrion-the two people who had helped him during the battle against Earl Drickon''s men. Vesper, in particular, was the one from whom he had obtained the Tear

    of Knowledge.

    Alex let his gaze linger on them for a few seconds, but seeing that none of them looked uncomfortable or annoyed by the attention, he simply looked away.

    That warmth vanished instantly when he saw who she was speaking to.

 Chapter 364: An advice

    Chapter 364 - An advice

    "I find it amusing that you can speak so highly to someone who could quite literally crush you the moment he wants to," Alex said as he appeared right in front of the Earl, his body towering over the latter.

    However, he had barely finished speaking when he found himself surrounded from all sides, blades pressing against his neck. One figure even appeared before him, blocking his path to the Earl and pointing a dagger at his throat. If he moved his head even slightly, the blades poised around him would slice through his smoke mantle and into his flesh.

    Seeing the appearance of his guards, the frightened expression on the Earl''s faceˇŞcaused by Alex''s sudden appearanceˇŞvanished, replaced by an arrogant sneer.

    "What did you say again? That you could crush me?! Hah!" the Earl laughed.

    "You''d be dead before you could even lay a finger on me!"

    The Earl erupted into laughter, and many among the onlookers actually nodded in agreement, sharing his confidence.

    In the minds of those present, a level 5 was a literal walking disaster. While rumors had spread that Arcanor had once held his ground against five level 5s, those same rumors also claimed that, in the end, he had been saved by Althea and baron Vesper. As such, it was clear to them that he would have eventually lost had the fight continued.

    On the other hand, most of the crowdˇŞif not allˇŞhad never seen an ability that allowed someone to move through space as Alex did, so they simply assumed that he was just so fast their eyes couldn''t keep up with him. The Earl also shared that same misconception, believing that Alex was merely swift.

    However, not everyone thought along those lines. Ironically, the only ones who knewˇŞwithout a shred of doubtˇŞthat he was literally teleporting were the five guards currently protecting the Earl.

    Just a couple of days ago, they had Arcanor in a similar position, and yet he had escaped their encirclement. Who was to say he couldn''t do it again? This was why they didn''t lower their guard for even a second.

    Unfortunately for them, it didn''t matter whether they were prepared or not.

    The Earl''s booming laughter came to a screeching halt as Alex disappeared once more. His head whipped left and right, trying to pinpoint his locationˇŞuntil he felt a strong grip on his shoulder.

    "Just an advice," Arcanor''s deep voice resounded behind the Earl, "you shouldn''t count too much on borrowed powers."

    Earl Drickon almost felt his legs give out as a cold chill ran down his spine, like icy fingers crawling along his back. A primal instinct screamed danger, and for a brief second, he forgot how to breathe.

    Pushing through the fear that seized him, the Earl spun aroundˇŞbut saw no one. He turned again, only to notice that Arcanor had returned to his original position near his carriage, as if he had never moved.

    "I hope you will consider my advice next time before making an ''unwise'' statement," Arcanor said, his deep tone once again sending a shiver down the Earl''s spine.

    A few seconds passed in tense silence before the Earl''s breaking voice resounded, "YouˇŞyou..., you just attempted a murder on an Earl of the Fiore Empire!" Earl Drickon shouted, his anger fueled more by humiliation than conviction.

    Before the words could even settle in the minds of those around, Freya stepped up.

    "Let''s not exaggerate, Earl Drickon," Freya said, stepping slightly forward. "Sir Arcanor barely touched you. As he demonstrated, he could have harmed you but chose not to. Accusing him of attempted murder is an overstatement."

    The Earl glared sharply at Freya for a moment before his expression relaxed.

    "You are right, Lady Freya. I might have... exaggerated."

    With that, he shot one last glare at Alex before storming into the auction house, his guards closely following behind him.

    Once they got farther from the entrance, Earl Drickon spoke again, his tone colder than before. "I''ve changed my mind. Don''t kill himˇŞI want you to bring him to me alive."

    "It will be done as you wish," the guards replied.

    "Don''t think you are out of the woods yet," the Earl added, glancing behind him. "You all just stood there doing nothing while this bastard attacked me. For that, you will all be punished."

    The guards just nodded, and nothing further was said as a steward appeared and guided them to their private viewing box.

    Outside the auction house.

    After the altercation between Arcanor and Earl Drickon, Freya resumed inviting the rest of the guests inside, while Arcanor simply stood next to her, almost like a silent bodyguard.

    As each of the young nobles they had escorted to Drisidd passed by, they greeted Arcanor with warm smiles, thanked him sincerely, and assured him that his payment would be delivered without delayˇŞsomething to which Alex simply responded with a silent nod.

    Before long, the crowd at the entrance thinned, leaving only a few people lingering.

    "Ladies," Freya greeted as Talia, Celine, and Marinna approached. "It''s been a couple of years since we last saw each other, Lady Talia. I hope you''re doing well," she said with a genuine smile.

    "As well as one can be," Talia replied, returning the smile. "Honestly, I''m surprised you even remember me, Lady Freya. We barely interacted last time."

    "Of course I remember you. Your performance at Maya''s birthday was unforgettable," Freya replied warmly.

    "Thank you for your kind words," Talia answered before sneaking a glance at Alex. ''Am I imagining it, or is this bastard leering at me?'' she wondered, narrowing her eyes slightly.

    After a moment, she shook her head. ''It''s probably just in my mind.''

    Unbeknownst to Talia, Alex was really staring at herˇŞmore precisely, at her chest. ''Hmm... yeah, hers are definitely bigger than... what was that witch''s name again? AhˇŞKizzarae!'' he mused.

    While Alex silently debated who had the more impressive bust between Talia and Kizzarae, Freya continued greeting the remaining guests until only she and Alex remained.

    Sighing lightly, she turned to him and smiled. "You didn''t have to wait for me. Thanks for doing that, though."

    "Anytime," he replied, offering his arm. "Shall we go?"

    Freya''s smile widened as she slipped her arm through his. "Let''s go. The auction will be starting soon."

    Moments later, the two of them were comfortably seated on a large, luxurious sofa, Freya''s head resting on Alex''s shoulder, their fingers intertwined in a quiet display of closeness.

    The room they were in resembled the private box they had used to watch the theatre two nights prior. It was soundproof and fitted with one-way glass, allowing them to see and hear everything happening in the main auction hall, while remaining completely hidden and unheard by those outside.

    Apparently, every noble Freya had greeted earlier had been assigned a similar private room to ensure discretion and comfort during the event.

    "It''s a little late to say this," Freya began, her tone cautious, "but maybe you shouldn''t have antagonized Earl Drickon as much as you did. We may share the same title, so he can''t act against you here in Drisidd, but outside this city, things are different. He''s not just an EarlˇŞhe''s an influential one. He could... no, he will most certainly come after you."

    "I''ll be waiting for him then," Alex replied with a casual shrug, entirely unconcerned.

    He looked down at Freya and smiled. "Forget about him. You''re absolutely breathtaking in that dress."

    "Thank you," Freya answered softly, a gentle blush coloring her cheeks as her eyes sparkled with delight.

    Their eyes met and held for just a heartbeatˇŞbut in that fleeting moment, everything else faded. The rest of the world faded away as their feelings for each other pulled them closer.

    They leaned in, lips only inches apart, on the verge of kissingˇŞwhen the lights in the auction room suddenly dimmed.

    "Thank you all for attending the Drazen family''s annual auction," a clear and confident voice echoed through the room. "Without further delay, we shall begin."

    As the stage lights focused on the speaker, Alex realized it was none other than Frieda.

 Chapter 365: An incredible treasure

    Chapter 365 - An incredible treasure

    "Without further delay, let the auction begin," Frieda declared, her voice carrying an energetic undertone that sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd, drawing applause and cheers from those present.

    Frieda waited a moment, allowing the room to calm down before continuing, "Since some of you have never attended one of our Drazen family auctions, I will explain the rules and how this event will unfold."

    She paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. Seeing that she had everyone''s attention, she gave a small nod and continued, "As I''m sure everyone present is aware, the auction will not conclude today. Instead, it will span exactly ten days, ten days during which we will present to you the finest items, rarest artifacts, and most precious treasures you have ever witnessed. Each day, the auction will begin at sunrise and end at sunset."

    At that point, Freya interjected, clarifying something for Alex, "Actually, the auction doesn''t end that early."

    "Yeah?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

    Freya nodded. "For the common guests, the auction ends at sunset. However, each night after the sun has set, a private auction is held exclusively for our most prestigious guests. I don''t need to spell it out, but the items auctioned at night are far more valuable than those presented during the day. That said, only one treasure is auctioned each night. Over the years, those in the know have started referring to these treasures as the ''stars'' of our yearly auction."

    "And what about my potions? Will they be auctioned at night or during the day?" Alex asked, curious.

    "Of course, your smoke potions are considered one of our star treasures this year," Freya answered with a smile.

    Down below, Frieda was still explaining the rules of the auction to the guests.

    "If a treasure catches your interest and you wish to place a bid, simply raise your hand," she said, before glancing up at the private boxes overlooking the main hall. "For those of you seated above, there are speakers installed inside each of your boxes. By activating them, your voice will be transmitted directly outside your box, allowing you to place bids without leaving your seat."

    Looking around the box, Alex soon spotted the speaker Frieda had mentioned, placed on a stool not far from the sofa where he and Freya were sitting.

    "Now that all of this is out of the way, the auction can officially begin," Frieda announced with an elegant smile, beckoning one of the stewards on stage to approach.

    The steward walked to the center of the stage, pushing a small rolling cart on which the first item to be auctioned was carefully placed under a velvet cloth.

    "Some of you who have already attended our family''s previous auctions are already familiar with this tradition," Frieda said, her voice gaining momentum. "So my words are directed to those of you who are not yet in the know," she continued, her eyes gleaming. "The item that opens our yearly auction is always an extraordinary treasure among extraordinary treasures ˇŞ a unique masterpiece, a marvel coveted by all, a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, so coveted, so rare, that the mere rumor of its existence ignites flames of desire across the empire!"

    A ripple of anticipation spread through the crowd. Even the noble guests in the private boxes leaned forward, their eyes shining with expectation.

    Frieda''s voice rose with a contagious fervor and as she spoke, her energy seemed to ignite the entire hall.

    "But this year..." Frieda paused, a mischievous smile curving her lips, letting silence sharpen the hunger in the room.

    "...this year, dear guests, the treasure we are about to reveal transcends even the heights of past treasures we have unveiled in previous years, the one you are about to witness stands on a tier of its own ˇŞ unmatched in craftsmanship, history, and sheer value!"

    With a dramatic flourish, Frieda reached out and grabbed the piece of velvet covering the item. With a swift pull, she revealed the treasure hidden beneath.

    All the lights in the auction house immediately converged on the cart as the cloth was whisked away, creating a dazzling spectacle that left the audience holding their breath.

    That was when they saw it.

    A longsword ˇŞ not just any sword, but a blade of exquisite beauty, its craftsmanship so refined it seemed almost otherworldly. The metal shimmered with a faint inner light, and intricate runes danced along the length of the blade, as if breathing with a life of their own.

    Under the lights flashing onto it, the sword glowed with a dark blue so deep it bordered on black, radiating an aura so chilling that simply gazing at it sent a shiver down one''s spine, as though the blade exhaled the cold breath of death itself.

    The handle of the longsword was wrapped in dark leather, reinforced with fine silver threading that spiraled elegantly along its grip, offering both beauty and function. The blade itself stretched to an impressive one and a half meters in length, its proportions perfect, its craftsmanship almost unnatural.

    What truly captured the attention of every onlooker, however, was the edge of the blade ˇŞ honed so sharply that it seemed it could slice through the very air. Those who stared at it for too long swore they could feel the bite of its edge against their skin, a phantom sensation of being cut without even being touched.

    "A magnificent sword, right?" Frieda said warmly, a few of the lights shifting to illuminate her figure while most remained on the blade. "I am no swordswoman and have never held a weapon in my life, but the first time my eyes landed on this masterpiece, it was as if it called out to me, whispering in my mind, begging to be wielded. I wanted nothing more than to grasp it and swing it with all my strength." She chuckled softly, and when she saw the nodding heads and captivated expressions of the crowd, her smile widened with satisfaction.

    "Let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen," Frieda continued, her voice gaining energy, "this sword isn''t just a feast for the eyes ˇŞ it is every bit as deadly as it is beautiful!"

    She let the words hang dramatically before adding, "Due to confidentiality agreements, the identities of both the forger and the seller will remain secret. However, what I can reveal to you is this ˇŞ there is nowhere, I repeat nowhere in all of Imperion where you could hope to purchase a weapon like this. For this sword... was forged using the very essence of a level 7 monster!" Frieda practically shouted, her voice thundering across the hall.

    As the echoes of her proclamation faded, a heavy, almost tangible silence enveloped the auction house. No one moved, no one breathed; they were too stunned.

    ''Forged with the essence of a level 7 monster...'' Alex repeated inwardly, uncertain whether to believe it or not.

    Logically, there was no reason for Frieda or the Drazen family to lie about something of such importance ˇŞ doing so would destroy their reputation beyond repair. And yet... it was still difficult to accept.

    ''To create a weapon infused with the essence of a level 7 monster,'' Alex thought grimly, ''one would need to use a level 7 monster''s core...''

    Finding a level 7 monster was already akin to finding a single grain of sand in a desert. Defeating one was an even greater challenge ˇŞ those creatures were not only monstrously strong, but also as intelligent as an average human if not more intelligent.

    And that wasn''t even addressing the true absurdity of the situation.

    ''Who in their right mind would forge a weapon from a level 7 core... only to sell it at an auction?!'' Alex and nearly everyone present thought simultaneously, their minds reeling from the revelation.

    It didn''t make sense for someone to sell such a masterpiece. Something like that needed to be kept at all costs and passed down as a family heirloom ˇŞ and even then, it wasn''t suitable to be the heirloom of just any family, but only of one with an extremely high standing and power.

    "I can tell that many among you don''t believe that this sword was really forged with the essence of a level 7 monster," Frieda said, her voice carrying a faint note of amusement. "The reason for that is simple ˇŞ the aura emitted by this sword is currently being contained by the glass encasing it."

    It wasn''t until she mentioned it that many finally noticed the thin, almost invisible glass container surrounding the sword.

    "This container was specifically crafted to prevent the sword''s aura from leaking out and has been enchanted thanks to our family''s ties with the witches," Frieda explained.

    There was little reason to mention their connection to the witches, but Frieda did so anyway, if only to boast about her family''s prestigious relations.

    "Now," Frieda said, her tone turning more serious, "I will be opening the container so that you may witness the truth of my words with your own eyes. I must warn you, however ˇŞ this can be dangerous, so be prepared."

    With that warning, Frieda slowly unlocked and lifted the lid of the glass case.

    The instant she did, an overwhelming and suffocating pressure crashed down onto everyone present like an invisible wave.

    There was no distinction between the strong and the weak ˇŞ nobles, mercenaries, common citizens, etc.. ˇŞ all felt as if a giant hand was squeezing their lungs, preventing them from breathing properly as raw, wild mana flooded the room, pouring from the sword in an unstoppable tide.

    Before their very eyes, the leaking mana began to twist and solidify into a visible form ˇŞ a towering, spectral image of a monstrous dire wolf, its fur a deep, eerie shade of blue, materializing above the stage. Its eyes, glowing like dying embers, swept over the crowd with a feral, almost sentient intelligence, causing many to flinch and instinctively lower their gazes in fear.

    The wolf stared at them in silence for a moment, exuding a primal, almost tangible killing intent, and then, without warning, lifted its massive head and let out a chilling, blood-curdling howl.

    The heaviness in the room immediately multiplied severalfold. If before it had been difficult to breathe, now many in the crowd began to convulse, their bodies trembling uncontrollably as they struggled not to collapse under the crushing pressure.

    Fortunately, just as several people seemed about to faint, Frieda swiftly slammed the glass lid shut again.

    The moment she did, the oppressive atmosphere vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving the room eerily silent save for the ragged, desperate gasps of those trying to recover.

    "Oops, I should have closed the container sooner," Frieda said, wiping away the sweat on her forehead. "Unfortunately, even with several protections layered over me, it''s quite difficult to withstand the pressure this sword emits. It''s just too overbearing."

    She glanced around the room and smiled mischievously. "Now, I think you''re all more inclined to believe my words, aren''t you?"

    At that, everyone nodded without hesitation. There was no room for doubt ˇŞ only a weapon of an absurdly high level could exert such a terrifying pressure merely by existing in the same room.

    As everyone was still trying to collect themselves and process the sheer gravity of what they had just witnessed, high above in one of the private boxes, Alex could be seen leaning forward, his gaze locked onto the longsword with an intensity that left no room for misinterpretation. His eyes were shining, not with admiration or awe like the others, but with raw, burning greed.

    "That sword... I want it."

 Chapter 366: An auction for the sword

    Chapter 366 - An auction for the sword

    "I want that sword," Alex mumbled to himself, his eyes blazing with greed.

    He wasn''t a swordsman and only knew the bare minimum to defend himself with a blade, but even so, his intuition screamed at himˇŞhe had to get that sword.

    After all, weapons and other treasures forged from the essence of monsters ranked level 6 or higher were known to inherit some of the monster''s attributes or powers. And Alex didn''t need to be a sword expert to activate and make use of those abilities.

    "I can see that many among you are eager to acquire this exquisite masterpiece, and it would be a sin to prolong this any further," Frieda said with a smile, gesturing toward the sword. "The auction for this magnificent and deadly weapon will now begin! The starting bid is three million gold coins!"

    ''Damn, that''s insanely expensive!'' Alex exclaimed in his mind, shocked by the absurd opening bid.

    He wasn''t alone in his reaction. Many attendees wore stunned expressions, and a few even looked outright disheartened. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that nearly everyone present dreamed of owning that sword. Yet, the starting price alone exceeded the entire budget some of them had brought for the auction. A wave of silent despair swept through part of the crowd, as several realized they might not be able to purchase anything this year.

    Still, while some sat in disappointment, others remained completely unfazed.

    "Six million gold coins," someone bid calmly.

    ''A noble,'' Alex guessed, noting that the voice came through one of the enchanted speakers connected to a private box.

    "Ten million," another voice echoed, raising the stakes without hesitation.

    "Twelve million!" shouted someone from the main floor.

    "Fifteen million," another voice added a moment later.

    The price continued to climb relentlessly, the tension rising with every bid. Each new offer was high enough to make several people in the room dizzy with disbelief. No one could predict where this would end, but one thing was clear: at this point, only those in the private boxes were still in the race.

    ''How much should I bid?'' Alex wondered as he observed the ongoing auction.

    The current price of the sword was indeed absurdly high, but he wasn''t worried. After all, with all the money he had stolen from the Night base, the fortune he currently possessed was more than enough to cover that amount.

    "Forty million!" The voice that had first begun the bidding rang out once more, firm and unwavering.

    As the words echoed through the auction house, a strange silence fell over the room.

    Just moments earlier, the bidding had hovered around twenty million gold coinsˇŞand now, out of nowhere, the price had just doubled!

    Twenty million gold coins was already a colossal sum. With that kind of money, a small town could be sustained for several years. But forty million? That could easily fund a baronial city for an entire year!

    It wasn''t that the sword wasn''t worth that muchˇŞit surely was, probably even moreˇŞbut still, who in their right mind could afford to spend that kind of money on just one sword?!

    Before people''s hearts could even settle from the shock, another voice cut through the silence.

    "Fifty million," Alex announced calmly through his speaker.

    "Fifty-five million," the other bidder immediately countered.

    "Sixty million."

    "Seventy million!"

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    As the bidding war between Alex and the other person raged on, everyone else just sat there, stunned expressions plastered across their faces. At that point, the two of them were clearly the only ones willingˇŞor even ableˇŞto pay such a ridiculous sum for the sword. The rest could only listen in silence, eyes shifting between the private boxes, curious and slightly awed, wondering which of the two would end up winning the treasured weapon.

    Frieda, on the other hand, was beaming from ear to ear, barely able to contain her joy as the price kept climbing to ever more astonishing heights. This was already beyond anything she had expected, and watching two wealthy tycoons throw fortunes at each other for a single item brought her immense satisfactionˇŞboth as a host and a member of the family behind the auction.

    "Eight-five million!" Alex shouted, irritation seeping into his voice. Just give it up already, you stubborn idiot! he thought, gritting his teeth.

    A few seconds of tense silence passed. Alex began to think the other bidder had finally given up, when the voice returnedˇŞcalm, composed.

    "Ninety million gold coins," the person declared. But unlike the previous bids, this time they didn''t stop there. "Earl Drickon speaking. I don''t know who I am bidding against, but I sincerely hope you''ll allow this humble Earl the honor of acquiring such a fine treasure. I''ve waited quite some time to come across a weapon of this caliber, and I would be most grateful if you were to graciously withdraw and let it fall into my hands."

    After Earl Drickon''s words echoed through the auction house, the silence returned. Many believed the other bidder had taken the hint and stepped down, but then...

    "Ninety-five million gold coins."

    "...."

    "...."

    "...."

    A strange silence settled inside the auction house after Alex''s reply. Those present couldn''t help but feel as if he was an idiot for outbidding the Earl.

    Earl Drickon might have been polite and all, but those who understood politics even a little knew that he was using his position as Earl as a kind of power play to force the other party to drop outˇŞotherwise, there was no reason for him to announce his name or title. He clearly wanted that sword and wasn''t above resorting to such tactics to get his way.

    The message of the Earl was clear: I have power. I have status. Back off, or face the consequences.

    Unfortunately for him, Alex didn''t give a damn about his title or positionˇŞand he made it clear the very next instant.

    "Arcanor speaking," he said, his deep and cold voice resounding through the auction hall. "I''m truly sorry, Sir Drickon, but this sword also means far too much for me to drop out of this auction."

    "So it''s this scoundrel who''s going against me once again!" the Earl said, his fingers digging into the plush armrest of the couch.

    "Fine, you can have it," the Earl said through his speaker.

    A few seconds passed after the Earl''s statement, and as it became clear he truly meant what he saidˇŞand with no one else willing to outbid that priceˇŞAlex was officially declared the winner of the auction and the new owner of the sword.

    "Later, someone will come to your box to guide you to the transaction room," Frieda explained. "There, you''ll be able to complete the payment and receive your item."

    "Now, onto the next item," Frieda added in a bright and cheerful tone, motioning for another butler pushing a velvet-covered wheelcart to approach the center of the stage.

    Inside Earl Drickon''s box...

    "Kradwell, after you capture him, I want you to bring me that sword," the Earl said, his expression twisting into a grin. "He can dream if he thinks I''ll let him humiliate me and walk away with my sword under my very eyes." His grin stretched wider, turning malevolent. "At the end of the day, it''s better this way. I''ll obtain the sword without spending a single coin on it."

    Kradwell, the old guard of the Earl, bowed respectfully. "It will be done as you wish, Lord Drickon."

    Inwardly though, Kradwell was troubled by the Earl''s decision.

    ''He was already hard to deal with before, even with the five of us. Now that he has that sword... it''s uncertain whether we''ll be able to bring him back to the Earl,'' he thought grimly. I''ll need to make some preparations before we act.''

    Whether they would succeed in capturing Alex or not... that would be decided in the days to come.

 Chapter 367: Wives (1)

    Chapter 367 - Wives (1)

    ''He went and did it again,'' Freya thought, feeling a touch of frustration.

    When the Earl revealed his identity during the auction, she had been just about to instruct Alex not to provoke him further. That didn''t mean she wanted him to give up on the sword, but rather to continue bidding discreetly, without exposing who he was.

    No matter how much power or prestige the Earl held, it couldn''t compare to Freya''s influence here in Drisidd. She could have easily kept Alex''s identity hidden, and the Earl would never have known who he had been competing against. But that possibility was gone now thoughˇŞthanks to Alex revealing himself anyway.

    Letting out another sigh, Freya shook her head. ''He only ever does what he wants,'' she thought, slowly coming to grips with Alex''s nature. ''Still... that stubbornness of his does make him a little more endearing,'' she added, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

    She turned toward Alex, her expression softening. "Congratulations on acquiring the treasure you wanted," she said brightly.

    Watching her radiant smile as she spoke, Alex couldn''t resist the urge that bubbled up inside him.

    He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close until their bodies were flush against each other. Then, leaning in, he captured her lips in a deep, possessive kiss. As their mouths met, his free hand slid down without hesitation, cupping her ass boldly, kneading and molding it to his liking, as if claiming every inch of her.

    Caught off guard at first, Freya soon melted into his embrace as she kissed him back, their tongues dancing together in a feverish rhythm, each tasting the other with growing intensity. Her hands clutched at his shoulders while a soft moan escaped her lips, betraying how much she was enjoying the moment despite the suddenness of it.

    After a moment, they slowly pulled apart, breathless, though Alex''s hand remained firmly on Freya''s bum, his fingers kneading the soft, pliant flesh with deliberate attention.

    "What was that for?" Freya asked after regaining some of her composure.

    "Well, considering how difficult it was to get that sword, I figured the least way to celebrate my win was with a kiss. Don''t you think that was fair?" he replied with a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.****

    "No, you''re right," Freya admitted with a smile of her own, a faint but noticeable blush blooming across her cheeks. "In fact... I''d say you deserve even more," she added, her breath quickening as the atmosphere between them grew thicker.

    "Is that so?" Alex''s smile widened into a pleased grin.

    Freya nodded slowly, her gaze locked onto his. "Of course. And I will... congratulate you properly later," she whispered.

    Hearing this, Alex leaned in again, ready to capture her irresistible lips once more, but she pressed a hand gently against his chest, stopping him just before they touched.

    "I said I will congratulate you," Freya said, "but not right now. For the moment, we should stay focused on the auction. That''s the reason we''re here, remember?"

    Alex let out a small grumble but ultimately gave a reluctant nod. After all, judging by the first item alone, he couldn''t help but wonder what other treasures might await them.

    Unfortunately, the rest of the items later auctioned didn''t quite match the grandeur of the sword. That was to be expected, of courseˇŞFrieda had already explained that the first item was always something truly special. Still, Alex hadn''t anticipated just how wide the gap in quality would be.

    That said, it wasn''t like the other treasures lacked value.

    Even if none held the same allure as the sword he''d won, AlexˇŞand everyone else present, for that matterˇŞhad to admit that the rest of the items being auctioned were truly top-tier artifacts. They were exceedingly rare, the kind of treasures one couldn''t simply stumble upon in the markets or even find through high-end merchants. The auction house had clearly gathered items of immense worth, even if the initial excitement was hard to replicate.

    Alex had even ended up purchasing two additional treasures.

    The first was a map leading to a high-grade dungeon, while the second was a footwork technique.

    There were a few other items that caught his eye, but none were things he desperately needed. Rather than spend more just for the sake of collecting, he chose to save his funds for the true stars of the auctionˇŞthose exceptional treasures Frieda had hinted at earlier.

    "It seems that you no longer wish to participate in the auction," Freya noted after a while, noticing that Alex was now lazily observing the proceedings.

    "I think I''ll be keeping my money for these star treasures of yours," Alex replied.

    "In that case, we can talk now, right?" Freya inquired.

    "Of course, you don''t even need to ask," Alex answered with a smile, turning his full attention to her.

    "The thing is, I''ve been a little curious about you and your family," she said.

    "What do you want to know?"

    "Well, for starters, I was wondering how many wives you actually have," Freya said, her tone calm. "From what I found during my investigation, it seems like you only had one. But last time we spoke, you mentioned having several."

    "So you investigated me?" Alex asked, still wearing the same smile.

    "Ah," Freya blushed a little in embarrassment, "I''m sorry if this offended yoˇŞ"

    "Don''t worry, I''m not mad," Alex chuckled. "If anything, I find that wise on your part. That means you''re not someone who''s easily led on by her feelings."

    Alex''s expression turned a little more serious as he continued, "About your earlier questionˇŞyes, I do have several wives. Three, to be precise."

    There was actually a fourth oneˇŞIris, the "wife" of his former friend Felix, with whom he had four daughters. But he avoided bringing her up, at least not until he had managed to get them out of where they were.

    Hearing his answer, Freya gave a small nod, encouraging him to continue.

    "If you''ve truly done some digging on me, then you probably know my first wife is Lilia, and that we have four daughters together," Alex said calmly.

    ''So he does consider the first three as his own daughters,'' Freya thought in amazement.

    When she had looked into who Alexandre Eswald really was, she had, of course, come across the name of his wife, Lilia. She had also learned that Lilia already had three daughters before being with himˇŞdaughters that Alex had adopted. Still, hearing him refer to them as his daughters surprised her.

    ''It''s a good thing, I guess,'' she thought to herself. After all, she too had a daughter from a previous marriage.

    Without Alex even realizing it, Freya''s respect for him had just risen severalfold.

    "Lilia is a very smart and strong woman. She''s actually the one who takes care of everything related to our home and household," Alex said, a hint of warmth in his voice as he thought of her. "She''s also very kind... though she can be a little harsh at times, so I''d advise you not to cross her," he added with a chuckle.

    Freya nodded, silently taking mental note of Lilia''s character through Alex''s words.

    "My second wife''s name is Annaline," Alex continued. "She may come across as cold and indifferent at times, but she''s actually very gentle... and also very obedient," he said, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Oh, and she''s also my assistant, by the way," he added casually.

    ''Annaline, huh?'' Freya thought, committing both the name and the brief description to memory. It was the first time she had ever heard of this woman.

    "As for my third wife..." Alex hesitated for a moment. His third wife was none other than AmeliaˇŞhis little sister. He wasn''t entirely sure how Freya would react upon hearing that. In the end, he decided it was better to speak now rather than let the matter come up later in a less controlled setting. "You''ve already met her. Her name is Amelia."

    Freya, who had been nodding along thoughtfully, suddenly paused. "So that''s why you asked for the two of you to be placed in the same room," she said, a flicker of realization crossing her features.

    Alex raised an eyebrow at her comment. "Wait. You said you did some digging on me, right? Then surely you know what our relationship is beyond just being partners?"

    "You mean the fact that she''s your sister?" Freya replied in an unexpectedly calm tone.

    "Yes," Alex confirmed, watching her reaction closely. "And yet... you don''t seem outragedˇŞor even surprisedˇŞabout the fact that I''m in a relationship with my own sister?"

    Freya lifted her hand and raised a single finger. "First of all, I already had my suspicions. The way she looks at youˇŞlet''s just say it''s not how someone normally looks at their brother."

    She raised a second finger and went on, "Secondly, we might be from different branches, but at the end of the day, my late husband and I were from the same bloodline. We were technically distant cousins, if I may say so. So I''d have no right, and it would be more than a little hypocritical of me, to judge you for being romantically involved with someone from your own family."

 Chapter 368: Wives (2)

    Chapter 368 - Wives (2)

    "I understand," someone said, their voice calm, carrying a soothing tone. "Of course you can do soˇŞyou didn''t even need to ask for my permission."

    The one who had just spoken was a breathtaking woman with stunning red hair, tied into a high ponytail that cascaded like liquid fire down her back.

    She sat cross-legged on a luxurious-looking couch, her posture composed and meditative. As she finished speaking, her eyes slowly opened, revealing a pair of mesmerizing blood-red irises.

    The aura that emanated from her at that moment was so intense and otherworldly that her interlocutor blinked several times in confusion.

    ''It feels like she''s right here in front of me... and yet, as if she''s not entirely present either,'' the interlocutor thought, her mind reeling. ''It''s such a strange feeling.''

    Still in her meditative position, Lilia stretched her arms lazily before fixing her gaze on the one in front of her.

    "I''ve already told you, Anita," she said with a small, teasing smile curling her lips, "you''re free to do whatever you want here. There''s no need to ask me for permissionˇŞespecially for something like this." Her smile widened, almost playfully. "After all, you are my husband''s fiance?e."

    Anita''s cheeks flushed crimson, and her pale blue eyes began to glow softly. "I-I''m sorry," she stammered.

    "For what?" Lilia asked, tilting her head slightly in confusion.

    "For... for..." Anita''s words faltered, and she closed her mouth, too embarrassed to continue. ''What the hell is wrong with me?'' she wondered, irritated by her own reaction.

    She was usually outspoken and unafraid to speak her mind, but ever since she had entered the Eswald household, something had changed. NoˇŞeverything had changed the moment she first met Alex, when he and his wives had come to rescue her. Since then, she had found herself becoming strangely shy, a transformation that still left her father speechless to this day.

    Thankfully, she remained her confident self around others, but whenever she was faced with one of Alex''s wives, something in her wavered. She often felt like a homewreckerˇŞan intruder. She had expected coldness or indifference the moment Alex wasn''t around. Yet ironically, the warmth and kindness his wives continued to show her only made things more difficult. In a way, their acceptance felt... overwhelmingˇŞand harder to respond to than rejection.

    As she was thinking this, a knock resounded at the door, and as Lilia gave them permission to enter, the person on the other end immediately pushed the door open.

    A woman with nut-coloured hair and hazelnut eyes then stepped inside the room, her footsteps practised and precise, making no sound whatsoever.

    The one who had just entered was none other than Anna, but unlike before, she wasn''t wearing her maid outfit. Instead, she was dressed in a tight-fitted training suit that clung to her figure and accentuated her curves while not vulgar or indecent.

    She approached Lilia and offered a respectful bow in greeting.

    Seeing this, Lilia let out an exaggerated sigh. "You two are really stubborn, you know that?" she said, casting a glance toward the two women before fixing her gaze on Anna. "How many times do I have to tell you not to bow to me anymore? You''re Alex''s wife, just like I am. What do you think people will say if they see you treating me like I''m above you?"

    "I apologize, but Lady Lilia, you can''t expect me to treat you as if we were equals. That would beˇŞ" Anna began, but Lilia raised a hand, cutting her off.

    "Lilia. Just Lilia," she snapped, barely restraining herself from cursing.

    She took a deep breath and shook her head. ''Ah, I miss him,'' she thought, exhaling slowly. ''If he were here, the atmosphere wouldn''t be so heavy all the time,'' she mused, her heart briefly drifting toward thoughts of Alex.

    She didn''t quite understand why, but lately, nearly everyone around her seemed too stiff, too cautiousˇŞexcept for her daughters. Everyone else acted like they were walking on eggshells around her.

    What Lilia didn''t realize was that the cause of this tension was the wild, oppressive aura that now clung to her like a second skin. Ever since awakening Zid, she had been training to control the chaotic energy coursing through her. And although she had made progress, she still hadn''t mastered it. Whenever she was in a bad mood, some of that power leaked out, suffocating those nearby. People had started avoiding her, and when they couldn''t, they did everything possible not to upset herˇŞmaking them seem overly serious in her presence.

    "Is there a reason you''re here?" Lilia asked after a moment, turning back to Anna.

    "Yes," Anna replied evenly. "The group of future soldiers you''re scheduled to train has just arrived."

    "Finally," Lilia said, rising to her feet. She never would have thought the day would come when she''d be genuinely excited to teach a group of strangers, but her progress in Zid had recently hit a wall. The frustration of stagnation had begun to wear on her, and any distraction was more than welcome.

    "Where are they right now?" Lilia asked as she stretched.

    "I gathered them in the training room," Anna answered.

    "Good," Lilia nodded. "Let''s go see what we''re dealing with." She turned to Anita and inquired, "Are you coming with us?"

    "N-No thanks," Anita replied, lowering her gaze slightly. "I have things to do."

    "Well, suit yourself," Lilia shrugged. "If the boys are bothering you again, you know where to find us," she added.

    "I doubt anyone will be bothering her again after finding out who she''s engaged to," Anna commented, her indifferent expression twisting into a smirk, her eyes gleaming with pride.

    "That''s true, I guess," Lilia nodded with a smirk of her own.

    Minutes later, Lilia and Anna could be seen inside the underground training room of the Eswald mansion, standing across from a group of about ten people.

    These individuals were the future members of Alex''s army, and Lilia had been designated to train them accordingly. Well, she was to train the entire army, but to begin with, she wanted to shape an elite force made up of the most promising recruits ˇŞ the ten standing before her now.

    "Among the hundreds of people we are willing to train and turn into soldiers, you ten were identified as the strongest, fastest, and generally most talented. That''s why your training will be handled separately ˇŞ it wouldn''t be effective to train you the same way as the weaker ones," Lilia said, her gaze locked on the ten men and women in front of her.

    The ten selected recruits didn''t respond. They simply stared at Lilia. She could feel their condescending gazes ˇŞ mostly from the men ˇŞ as they sized her up, scanning her from head to toe, clearly doubting she was the one meant to train them.

    Lilia didn''t take offense, though. She was confident that soon enough, they''d regret underestimating her.

    "However, I wasn''t the one who conducted your evaluations, so I have no idea how strong or skilled you actually are," she continued, as if unaware of their judgmental stares. "That''s why I''ll be testing you myself."

    A bulky man raised his hand, and without waiting for her permission, he spoke. "How are you going to test us?" he asked.

    "How else? By fighting each of you, of course," Lilia replied. "But since I''ll mainly be teaching you hand-to-hand combat, those of you who''ve already awakened your abilities are forbidden from using them."

    "Wouldn''t even consider it against a mundane woman," the man said with a laugh. "The fight''s already unfair as it is. No need for powers."

    Some of them ˇŞ once again, mostly the men ˇŞ snickered at his remark, exchanging amused glances.

    "Excuse me," another man spoke up, raising his hand. "What do we get if we manage to beat you?"

    Though he was more polite than the first, the fact that he even asked such a question showed he too underestimated Lilia.

    "That won''t happen," Lilia said calmly. "But if by some miracle one of you manages to defeat me, I''ll grant you whatever you wish for."

    "I already know what I''ll be asking," the beefy man said, eyeing Lilia with a lecherous grin.

    Anna, who had remained silent until now, looked ready to speak up, but Lilia raised her hand to stop her.

    "Good, it''s decided then," Lilia said. "Who''s going first?"

    "Of course that''s going to be me," the muscular man said as he stepped forward.

    "Dream on, big guy," the second man interjected. "Like hell we''re letting you go first. What if you mess her up so bad she can''t fight the rest of us? We want a shot at those wishes too!"

    Soon, the rest began to argue over who would go first, while Lilia and Anna stood there, quietly watching the scene unfold.

    "These guys...they really don''t take me seriously, huh?" Lilia chuckled.

 Chapter 369: Wives (3)

    Chapter 369 - Wives (3)

    "These guys... they really don''t take me seriously, huh?" Lilia chuckled, glancing at Anna.

    "Not in the slightest," Anna replied, her expression somber. "If you allow me, I''ll teach them a lesson they won''t forget."

    "Leave them alone, they''ll soon learn from their mistakes," Lilia said, a smile forming on her lips. "What I''m more interested in is why this young woman isn''t joining the others in their little argument."

    The woman she was referring to was a young woman with long hair and amber eyes, standing silently in a corner, not mingling with the others or even speaking with them.

    "Perhaps she''s just shy," Anna said thoughtfully. "If I remember correctly, unlike the others, this one used to live in the slums before being kidnapped by Night. Maybe she suffered some trauma back there."

    "Mmm," Lilia nodded, still observing the girl with a curious glint in her eyes.

    Eventually, the others settled their argument, and to Lilia''s surprise, the one chosen to go first was none other than the beefy guy.

    ''Why waste time arguing if you were going to pick him anyway?'' Lilia and Anna thought in mild irritation.

    Grinning, the muscular man stepped forward. "Looks like I''m up first. Don''t worry, sweetheart, I''ll make sure to leave you in one piece so the others can still have their fun."

    "That''s kind of you, I guess," Lilia replied with a slight smile, taking a single step forward. "Let''s begin, then."

    The moment she said those words, all warmth vanished from her face. Her expression turned cold and serious, impossible to read.

    Seeing her expression shift so drastically, the man instinctively felt a chill run down his spine. For the first time, uncertainty crept into his heart. He hesitatedˇŞbut it was already too late. The fight had begun.

    A few minutes later...

    "Arg..."

    Painful groans echoed through the training room as the beefy man who had gone up against Lilia lay sprawled on the ground, clutching various parts of his body while blood trickled from the corner of his lips.

    The scene was particularly gruesome. Everyone watchingˇŞexcept AnnaˇŞstood frozen, faces pale as if their souls had left their bodies.

    And who could blame them? They had just witnessed a one-sided massacre. The man hadn''t stood a chance. He had been beaten black and blue without even landing a single blow.

    Now, he was crawling at Lilia''s feet, grunting and groaning in agony.

    "You are weak," Lilia finally said after a long silence. "And to think you all argued because you believed he was the strongest among you." Her eyes, still icy cold, swept over the remaining nine recruits.

    "I''ve been tasked with training you by my husband, and I intend to do exactly as he asked. I will turn you into deadly weapons, the kind that can crush an armyˇŞbut only if you follow my rules."

    She paused, letting her words sink in, then continued, her tone sharper than ever: "Rule number one: when I speak, you don''t move, you don''t talk, you don''t even breathe loudly. If you break this rule, I will punish youˇŞand trust me, you won''t like it."

    "Rule number two: my orders are absolute. No exceptions. No excuses."

    "If you can follow these two simple rules, we''ll get along just fine. If not..." She didn''t need to finish. The broken man at her feet said enough.

    "Now that this is out of the way," Lilia said, still cold and composed, "next in line, step forward."

    ***

    As Lilia was busy "training" her soldiers, Anita could be seen walking out of the mansion and distancing herself from the mansion, going toward the forest that encircled the plain where the mansion stood.

    As she got a bit farther from the mansion, she glanced at the space ring Lilia had gifted her and with an intention on her part, a book appeared in her hand.

    The book in question was a brilliant blue that made it seem almost magical. Unfortunately, due to the faded marks and worn edges, it could be said to have lost most of its mystical charm. The leather was cracked in several places, and the corners were bent and frayed, giving it the look of an old, well-used heirloom.

    Despite what it might seem, Anita wasn''t going so far just to read a book. Well, technically she was doing so, but the reason why she was going so far from the mansion wasn''t just to read the book.

    This book in question was a gift and a heritage from her late mother. Unfortunately, due to the fact that seeing the book always reminded her of her beloved mother too much that it hurt, Anita never brought herself to open it and see what was inside.

    However, after what happened to her with her being abducted and nearly losing her life, she decided to finally open it. Thankfully her father had managed to save the book even when their house had been burned down by the members of Night.

    Not wanting to miss on what her mother had wanted to tell her if she passed away without opening the book, she finally brought herself to open it after she settled in the Eswald''s mansion, and it was after she read through the first few pages of the book that she realized how much of a fool she had been to not have opened it earlier.

    If she had, nothing that happened to her or her father would have occurred, and that was for the very reason that the book her mother left her was filled with knowledge on how to become stronger. Not just that, but through its pages, she learnt how to cultivate her abilityˇŞyes, cultivate, not awaken.

    As she came to understand, the Virax were different from other races; they had a much closer relation to mana than even the elves. But it didn''t only have advantages. Since they were so attuned to mana, ironically, something that every other race obtained upon reaching adulthood had become harder for them to gain. They had to go through a winding and difficult process to cultivate their abilities, and some members of their race actually never managed to awaken theirs at all.

    Inside the book her mother left her, the latter explained the steps she had to take to cultivate her ability and the methods to better use her closeness with mana.

    She had been warned by her, though, to never let this book or its contents fall into hands she didn''t have absolute trust toward. That was why she decided to train in a desolate and uninhabited placeˇŞand why she was in the forest right now.

    As Anita walked through the forest, heading toward its center, there was a sudden spike in the surrounding temperature.

    "Why is it so hot here?" she wondered, but still, she continued on until she noticed something glowing behind two trees in front of her.

    ''What the hell?'' Anita thought in shock as she discovered the source of the heat.

    Before her, seated in a meditative position, she could discern the outline of a woman with dark skin and black hair styled in dreadlocks. In a five-meter radius around this woman, everything had been melted. A pool of lava bubbled quietly beneath her, as if the ground itself had been liquefied by her presence.

    ''Wh-Who is this?'' Anita wondered, quickly putting away her book.

    "Who are you?" Anita heard someone ask from behind herˇŞand before she knew it, the woman in front of her had vanished.

    Slowly turning around, Anita came face to face with the very same woman she had just been observing, the latter''s golden eyes staring down at her, drilling holes into her.

    "I saw you coming from the mansion, but I''ve never seen you there, soˇŞwho are you?" the woman inquired.

    "She saw me from that far?" Anita thought, shocked. Still, she forced herself to reply, "I work at the mansion. I''m a cook there."

    Instead of relaxing at her answer, the woman''s brows furrowed in suspicion. "Lilia would never allow a mere cook to wander so far from the mansion without being under surveillance."

    "Sh-She''s the one that gave me permission, I swear!" Anita said, waving her hands nervously, her eyes glowing with a pale blue light.

    Suddenly, the woman''s eyes widened as she saw the glow coming from Anita''s eyes. "You''re a Virax, aren''t you?" she stated more than asked, her voice tinged with realization.

    The woman stepped back slightly from Anita, a cautious glint in her golden eyes. "I wonder how come a Virax is working as a mere cook for us. Who are you really?"

    "So you''re an inhabitant of the mansion?" Anita asked, her tension easing now that she realized the strange woman might not be an enemy.

    "You could say that," the woman nodded. "You can call me Eleanor. And you still haven''t answered my question."

    "Oh, well, I''m not just a cook. I''m also the fiance?e of the manor''s master," Anita replied, her cheeks turning slightly red.

    Contrary to the surprised reaction Anita expected, Eleanor''s expression twisted into one of exasperation. "So you''re saying you''re Alex''s fiance?e?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "Yes," Anita nodded.

    Eleanor stared at her for a moment before letting out a long sigh. ''I see he''s fallen back into his old habit of collecting women,'' she thought with annoyance. ''I''ll have to speak to him about that.''

    What Eleanor didn''t know, however, was that she herself was soon going to join the list of women Alex had conquered.

 Chapter 370: The night auction

    Chapter 370 - The night auction

    "Dear ladies and gentlemen, on that note, today''s auction comes to an end," Frieda declared as the final item of the day was sold. "For those of you who successfully acquired one of today''s treasures, you may proceed to the transaction area to finalize your payment and retrieve your items. I hope you enjoyed your time with me, and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow for the continuation of our auctions."

    "I hope to see you all tomorrow. In the meantime, I encourage you to explore our city and take full advantage of everything it has to offer. I assure you, you won''t be disappointed," she added with a soft and innocent smile.

    As Frieda finished her final words, the audience responded with applause and cheers. Moments later, guests began to exit the auction grounds, their conversations overlapping with excited chatter and echoing footsteps. Many of them were still caught up in discussions about the day''s highlights, already eager for what tomorrow''s auction would bring.

    Watching the crowd slowly filter out of the auction area, Frieda couldn''t help but smile to herself. Her day had started in the most frustrating way imaginable, but seeing how well the first day of the auction had gone completely turned her mood around.

    "Now all that''s left is for that girl to screw up her presentation tonight, and this day would be absolutely perfect," she thought as she turned and walked off.

    Meanwhile, in one of the private booths above...

    "So, what now?" Alex asked, glancing down at Freya, who was comfortably nestled against his chest. "When does the more private part of the auction begin?"

    "It won''t be long," Freya replied. "We can wait hereˇŞor leave for a bit if you prefer."

    "It''s fine. We should stay, especially if it''s going to start soon," Alex said, then glanced at her. "In the meantime... what''s the story with that witch, Kizzarae? Are you two related?"

    The truth was, the two of them hadn''t been paying that much attention to the public auction. Instead, they had been talking for quite a while now. Just before Frieda had announced the end of the auction, Alex had finished telling Freya about his other wives and a bit about their personalities. He didn''t go into too much detailˇŞjust enough to give her an idea of who they were. If Freya wanted to know more, she''d have to ask them directly.

    Now that he had shared something personal, he felt it was only fair to ask in return and what intrigued him most was Freya''s connection with the witch he had met earlier.

    "You remember when she said she was my mother?" Freya asked.

    Alex nodded.

    "Well... in a way, she is," Freya admitted. "Not biologically, but in spirit and presence, as she had said herself, she''s done more for me than my real mother ever did."

    "We met not long after my mark appeared. She had come to our family''s estate looking for something, I don''t even remember what exactly," Freya continued. "But I still remember her reaction when she realized I was marked. She didn''t panic or recoil like the others. She was curious. Protective, even. She ended up staying for months, telling me stories and recounting her travels all across Imperion."

    "Even after she left, she would occasionally come back to visit me," Freya said, smiling at the memory. "One time, when she returned and found out I''d been married off to the patriarch of the family, she was so furious that she stormed into the council of elders and gave them the scolding of a lifetime. It was actually kind of hilariousˇŞnone of them dared to interrupt her. Considering she''s the one who secured our family''s contract with the witches in the first place, so they had no choice but to sit there for hours and listen to her rant about how useless and selfish they were."

    Alex also chuckled, picturing a bunch of old men and women being forced to sit in silence while someone who looked younger than them lectured them like misbehaving children. "She sounds like a kind person," he commented.

    Freya smiled. "She is... just don''t say that to her face. She''s already narcissistic enough as it is," she added before bursting into laughter.

    Alex smiled as he watched her laugh. He had never seen her laugh so freely before, and it warmed his heart to see her enjoying herself this much. ''And damn, she''s beautiful when she laughs,'' he thought, leaning slightly toward her with the intent of capturing her lipsˇŞonly to be interrupted by a knock at the booth''s door.

    "Are you expecting someone?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "No," Freya replied with a frown, "no one knows I''m here, so if anyone came, it''s probably for you."

    "I don''t remember inviting anyone," he said, puzzled.

    "Then it must be one of the auction house servants," Freya guessed.

    Putting on his mask, Alex walked over to open the door. Just as Freya had said, standing outside was a man dressed in a formal butler uniform, pushing a cart loaded with several covered dishes.

    As it turned out, the butler had been sent to deliver a meal for him while he waited for the night auction to start. Alex welcomed itˇŞhe hadn''t eaten anything all day, and after expending nearly all of his mana during the beast tide, he had been feeling the growing pangs of hunger for hours.

    There was one slight issue, however. It was clear the food had been prepared with only Arcanor in mind, and no one had accounted for Freya''s presence in his booth. Still, it wasn''t a real problem. They sat down together and shared what was there, talking casually as they ate, exchanging stories from their pasts and anecdotes about the many strange and colorful experiences they''d had in their lives.

    About an hour after the main auction had ended, the lights in the room dimmed and slowly began to shift, converging toward the stage belowˇŞsignaling the start of the much-anticipated night auction.

    Even if Freya hadn''t warned him earlier, Alex would''ve immediately realized just how much more exclusive the night auction was. Looking down into the hall, he noticed that not a single person was seated in the general area anymore. The only attendees left were those occupying the private viewing boothsˇŞan intentional choice, as Freya had explained to him earlier.

    The night auction was meant for a selected few, far away from the public eye.

    As the lights focused on a figure standing on the stage, Alex''s eyes widened in surprise when he recognized who it was.

    "Maya?" he exclaimed, clearly not expecting to see the young heiress appear in such a position.

    "The elders wanted to start initiating her into the family business and help her build a reputation for herself," Freya explained with a small shrug. "So, they decided she would be the host of tonight''s auction."

    "Are you sure that''s a good idea?" Alex raised a skeptical brow. "That girl is a walking disasterˇŞI wouldn''t be surprised if she tripped on her own dress and destroyed the treasure she''s supposed to present," he chuckled.

    "Hey, that''s my daughter you''re talking about," Freya said, playfully nudging him. "I''m sure she''ll do just fine. And seriously, how come you trust her to win a fight, but doubt she can handle hosting an auction?"

    "Well, in a fight she''s strangely agileˇŞdoesn''t stumble, doesn''t fall, somehow pulls off moves that shouldn''t even work," Alex scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "But yeah, you''re right. I''m sure she''ll be fine... hopefully."

    Down on the stage, Maya glanced upward toward the viewing booths with a composed smile. There was not a hint of nervousness or hesitation on her stunning face. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," she said, bowing slightly in greeting. "I''m sure it''s already been explained to all of you, but allow me to go over it once more."

    "Our Drazen family''s yearly auction is a ten-day event during which we present to our esteemed guests the finest treasures found throughout ImperionˇŞand occasionally, even from beyond its borders. However, what most people don''t know is that our auctions aren''t limited to the day. Every night, we host a second, more exclusive event. The treasures presented during these night auctions are far rarer, far more valuable than those displayed during the day. We''re talking about items on the same level as the sword we auctioned this morningˇŞif not more extraordinary. These are the true stars of our event, and only guests of your caliber are even permitted to compete for them!"

    Her voice echoed clearly throughout the entire room, reaching every corner without the aid of a microphone.

    "Damn, I take it backˇŞshe''s actually good at this," Alex said, clearly impressed, his eyes still fixed on the stage. "Knowing her, I was sure she''d start stuttering or lose her place halfway through. But she''s handling it like a pro."

    "Like I said she would," Freya replied, a proud smile curling on her lips. "Not seeing the people she''s talking to probably helps too."

    Maya took a breath, letting the brief silence settle before she spoke again. "Each night, for the next ten nights, a single treasure will be presented and auctioned. Only one per nightˇŞeach one unique, rare, and worthy of legends. And tonight''s treasure... is this."

    She extended her hand with elegant authority, gesturing for a servant pushing a velvet-draped cart to step forward. As he came to a halt before her, Maya turned gracefully toward the cart. In one smooth, practiced motion, she grasped the corner of the cloth and pulled it away with a flourish, revealing the treasure underneath for all to see.

    "Gods... these are beautiful," Alex whispered, almost to himself, his eyes gleaming with wonder.

 Chapter 371: Daggers

    Chapter 371 - Daggers

    "Gods... these are beautiful," Alex murmured absentmindedly, his gaze fixed on the treasure Maya had just unveiled.

    Contrary to what Maya had implied earlier, the treasure wasn''t a single item. Instead, it was a pair of intricately crafted daggers that instantly captivated the attention of everyone in the room.

    The two daggers were perfectly identical. Each had a pitch-black handle adorned with subtle runic engravings that shimmered faintly under the auction lights. The blades themselves were double-curvedˇŞfirst near the base and once more near the tipˇŞgiving them a serpentine elegance.Their surface gleamed with a dark, menacing purple hue.

    What made them even more unique was the fact that they were bound togetherˇŞlinked by a thin, black chain that connected the pommels. It was clear these weapons had been designed to be wielded in tandem.

    "Beautiful..." Maya commented, her own eyes shining with awe. For a moment, she completely forgot that she was supposed to auction the daggers and simply stared at them in silence. Realizing her slip, she quickly coughed in embarrassment and added, "Sorry for the distraction... it''s just thatˇŞI''m sure you''ll all agree with meˇŞthey are absolutely stunning."

    She couldn''t see it, but her words resonated across the auction grounds. In the privacy of their booths, several guests nodded silently in agreement.

    "These daggers are a set, meaning that to fully benefit from their capabilities, they need to be used together, which is why they''re being sold as one item rather than separately," Maya began, her voice steady once more. "Unlike the weapon we auctioned this morning, which was crafted using the core of a monster, these daggers are not man-made. They are an artifact discovered in the depths of a high-grade dungeon. And together, they possess the power of a grade seven combat artifact!" she announced.

    Although she couldn''t see their reactions, Maya was certain that the revelation had stunned the crowd. A grade seven combat artifact was no ordinary findˇŞits power rivaled that of a weapon forged using the core of a level seven monster.

    In terms of raw capability, this placed the daggers among the most coveted treasures one could hope to find.

    Combat artifacts and weapons forged from monster essence are fundamentally different in nature, yet they can be equally powerful depending on their origin and structure.

    First, it''s important to clarify that unlike conventional weaponsˇŞwhich are crafted by humans or other intelligent racesˇŞartifacts are not made. At least, there is no known evidence that artifacts are created by people. To this day, every artifact discovered has come from within dungeons, and their creators remain a complete mystery. What is known, however, is that artifacts operate on their own power scale, graded according to the quality of the mana crystals used in their composition.

    As a reminder, mana crystals are condensed, crystallized forms of ambient mana. They appear naturally in environments saturated with mana, and their quality depends on both the purity of that mana and the length of time over which it has accumulated. Much like beast cores, mana crystals can be used to increase one''s mana pool and accelerate their growth. But unlike beast cores, their application goes far beyond mere consumption for strength.

    A mana crystalˇŞregardless of its gradeˇŞis immensely valuable and notoriously difficult to obtain on the open market. Furthermore, since their absorption isn''t restricted by level compatibility the way beast cores are, they are in high demand among the wealthy and influential.

    Anyway, to summarize, the fact that the daggers Maya was auctioning were a grade seven artifact, that meant that at the very least, mana crystals of grade seven were used and probably even higher than that, and while they don''t have the same lethality as a weapon created using the essence of a level 7 beast core, the fact that they are made of several mana crystals is a huge boon in and of itself, as it meant that the artifact had a much larger mana reserve than a level 7 weapon with a beast essenceˇŞand this reserve could be used to empower the artifact or its skills... if it had any skill, that is.

    For the matter, weapons created with the essence of a monster sometimes also possess a skill of their own. The difference between the skill of an artifact and one coming from the essence of a beast was that the skills of artifacts were broader. These skills could be anything from making an artifact heavier, lighter, making it shine, making it sharper, etc...

    Meanwhile, the skill coming from a weapon forged of the essence of a beast or monster always is one skill the beast or monster in question possessed when it was alive, and often these skills had something beastial about them.

    "I am certain that all of you honorable guests are aware of the importance, rarity, and have a rough idea of the capabilities of such an artifact, so I won''t waste time on these and will continue with the rest of the description of this... masterpiece," Maya declared with a composed smile, her voice rising with barely contained enthusiasm as she gestured once again to the daggers gleaming under the spotlight.

    ''So it does indeed have skills if there is a rest to speak about,'' Alex thought, feeling a little excited.

    "For reasons of confidentiality, I can''t share the details of the skills this artifact possesses, but what I can tell you is that this artifact has two skills," Maya shared. "Not only that, but this artifact possesses something that makes it far more valuable than just having two skills or being a grade seven artifactˇŞand that is the fact that this artifact allows one to have control over the darkness element!" she exclaimed, nearly shouting the last part out.

    "The darkness element is one of the rarest abilities ever known to humanityˇŞeven rarer than the light elementˇŞand just by holding this artifact, you can gain the power to wield this mysterious element!" Maya announced, her voice echoing through the auction hall, captivating everyone''s attention.

    What Maya wasn''t telling themˇŞby advice of Frieda and the eldersˇŞwas that it wasn''t just anybody who could gain the power to wield the darkness element just by holding the daggers. It was only if you had a decent affinity with the element that you could control it, and even then, the amount of control you would have over it was abyssal compared to someone who naturally wielded it.

    Even if she had mentioned it though, that wouldn''t have changed the amount of excitement those present were feeling right now.

    "The darkness element...," Earl Drickon murmured with an almost possessed intensity, "I have to get this artifact no matter the price!!"

    The Earl wasn''t the only one having this exact same thought, though. In another booth not far from his, Alex could be seen staring at the two daggers on display with the same obsessed expressionˇŞexcept his gaze seemed even more consumed by desire, than that of the Earl himself.

    Beside his greed, there was another reason for Alex wanting to get his hands on this artifact no matter the cost, and that reason was:

    [Abilities: Phantom Veil; Darkness ]

    One of his wives, Anna, had the darkness element as her second ability, but she herself was unaware of this fact.

    He didn''t know how it was possible, but before Alex mentioned it, she didn''t even have a clue that she possessed an ability that allowed her to control the darkness element.

    Something like this was practically unheard of, as the use of one''s ability is supposed to be instinctive. It made no sense that she was completely oblivious to the existence of another power slumbering within her ˇŞ especially one as rare and significant as the darkness element. Because of this, Alex had been searching for a way to help her recover the memory or instinct necessary to awaken and control this ability. If successful, it would significantly bolster her strength moving forward.

    Now, hearing that the artifact before him had the power to grant control over the darkness ability, his interest in the daggers had surged. He felt a strong urge to acquire themˇŞif not for himself, then at least for the chance they might help his wife recall how to wield her forgotten power.

    ''Besides, she fights using daggers, so these are perfect for her,'' Alex thought with a smile. ''I''m sure she''s going to love them.''

    "Now that I went through a brief summary of the artifact''s capabilities," Maya said, letting her voice echo with confidence and poise, "it''s time to begin the auction for this extraordinary item!"

 Chapter 372: Worth

    Chapter 372 - Worth

    "It''s time to begin the auction for the artifact," she declared, "the starting bid for this artifact is set at fifty million golˇŞ"

    Before Maya even had time to finish her sentence, a voice rang out from the auction hall.

    "One hundred million!"

    "...."

    "......"

    "..."

    A sudden, almost surreal silence fell over the hall, even Maya was momentarily stunned by the bold overbid.

    However, she quickly composed herself and raised her voice with renewed energy. "A bid at one hundred million gold coins for this... artifact. Is there anyone willing to offer more?" she asked, her tone brimming with excitement.

    "This must be the Earl," Alex muttered inside his booth, his expression serious. It made senseˇŞit could hardly be anyone else. He was the only one with that kind of money... aside from Alex himself, of course.

    But Alex was wrong.

    In another private booth, a man sat alone behind the one-way glass, his face obscured by a hood, eyes locked onto the twin daggers, gleaming with interest.

    "Why did you bid? We would have secured it eventually," said another hooded figure standing behind him.

    "True," the bidder replied with a shrug, "but I''ve always wondered what it feels like to throw money out the window. Besides, getting this artifact now might prove useful for the coming battleˇŞand we''ll recover the funds either way. To me, that''s a win-win situation. Frankly, we should have done the same for the sword this morning."

    He had barely finished speaking when another voice echoed through the auction hall.

    "One hundred twenty million!"

    This time, it was indeed the Earl who had decided to enter the fray.

    Almost immediately afterward, another voice cut in:

    "One hundred fifty million!"

    Now it was clear to everyone presentˇŞthree determined bidders were going head-to-head for the artifact.

    ''Don''t bid again, damn it!'' Alex thought in panic, beads of sweat forming on his brow after placing his latest offer.

    He knew he had to get his hands on this treasure no matter the cost, yet part of him hesitated. Spending such a colossal amount on a single item when he could use that money for so many other things made his heart clench.

    Unfortunately for him, his competitors clearly didn''t share the same financial restraint.

    "One hundred seventy million!"

    "Two hundred million!"

    "Bastards," Alex muttered under his breath, clenching his fists in frustration.

    "Two hundred fifty million!" he nearly shouted into the microphone, unable to hold back anymore.

    A heavy silence fell across the auction hall as the crowd waited with bated breath. It seemed that this time, the competition had finally quieted.

    But just when everyone thought it was over...

    "Two hundred seventy million!"

    "Three hundred million!" Alex fired back instantly, not even giving himself time to second-guess the decision.

    The hall fell silent again. Seconds ticked by, but no new bids came. Finally, Maya stepped forward with practiced grace, her voice calm yet filled with anticipation.

    "Three hundred million gold coins for this one-of-a-kind artifact... going once," she said, sweeping her gaze over the private booths. "Three hundred million, going twice..."

    She gave a final pause, but no one else spoke up.

    "Sold! Three hundred million gold coins!" she announced with a dazzling smile. "The new owner may now proceed to the transaction room to complete the purchase and claim their artifact."

    She gave a respectful nod to the audience and continued, her tone polished and warm.

    "With that, tonight''s auction comes to a close. We thank you all for your participation and hope to see you again tomorrow evening, where yet another star treasure will take the stage. Until then, I wish you all a pleasant and restful night."

    As the curtains closed around her, shielding her from the view of the audience, Maya let out a deep sigh of relief. She turned her gaze toward the pair of daggers beside her and muttered under her breath, "I wonder who the lunatic is that threw that much money at these."

    It wasn''t that she thought the daggers weren''t valuableˇŞthey were certainly worthy of this priceˇŞbut three hundred million? That was an absurd amount for a single item.

    "Well, I suppose I shouldn''t complain," she added, her expression lighting up as the thought crossed her mind. "That means my share of the transaction is going to be even bigger than expected."

    ***

    Inside one of the private booths...

    "I thought you said you wanted those daggers sooner rather than later?" the hooded man standing over the couch asked, arms crossed as he looked at his companion.

    "Sure, but not for that kind of price," the seated man replied, breaking into hearty laughter. "Let him enjoy his little victoryˇŞfor now. We''ll just take it from him later."

    ''Stingy bastard,'' the other man thought with a scoff, though he let the subject drop. As far as he was concerned, his companion was right. Sooner or later, the daggers would end up in their hands anyway.

    ***

    "Sir?" Kradwell asked hesitantly, breaking the long silence that had fallen over the Earl after he''d lost yet another bid.

    "It''s him," Earl Drickon muttered darkly under his breath. "I know it''s that bastard."

    Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he finally turned to face the old man with a cold, measured gaze. "I want those daggers. And the sword. You get them from him. Do I make myself clear?"

    "Right now?" Kradwell asked, uncertain. This was the first time he''d seen the Earl so openly shaken, and he wasn''t sure what the man might be planning.

    "No, not now," Drickon said as he rose from his seat. "There are too many witnesses here. But send a few men to tail him discreetly. I want to know what he plans to do with those treasures."

    "Understood," Kradwell replied with a bow.

    As they left the booth together, a new thought crossed Drickon''s mind, one that brought a smirk to his lips.

    ''Now that I think about it, it''s actually better that it was him. I''ll just take it back laterˇŞwithout paying a single coin.''

    ***

    "Congratulations," Freya said with a beaming smile. For her, this situation was a win-win. Her man had gotten the artifact he wanted, and her family had made a ton of money. So, she was in an excellent mood right now.

    The same couldn''t be said for Alex, who had just spent three hundred million gold coins in a single transaction.

    ''Never did I think that I would one day spend that much money on a single item,'' he thought with a complicated mix of awe and resignation on his face, ''I should definitely keep this from Candace... she might faint if she hears about this one.''

    Candace was the one who handled all the finances ˇŞ and more than that ˇŞ for their barony, and Alex had no doubt she would absolutely lose it if she found out how much he had just spent.

    ''Fortunately, the money didn''t really come from my own pockets,'' he thought, trying to lift his spirits.

    Technically, the money belonged to him now, but in truth, it had all come from Night''s treasury. Every valuable he currently owned had been looted from there.

    ''Those bastards were really rich beyond reason,'' Alex mused as he recalled that the amount he had spent was nothing compared to the rest of his spoils. It made sense though ˇŞ before he had stored everything in spatial rings, there had been literal mountains of gold piled up in Night''s main base.

    "Thanks," Alex smiled at Freya, his smile quickly turning into a grin. "Let''s go retrieve these treasures. I''m very impatient to have them in front of me."

    Freya nodded with a smile of her own and led the way. Before long, they entered the transaction room where everything would be finalized.

    Upon entering, Alex immediately noticed the presence of four people, three of whom he recognized instantly.

    The first two were Maya and Frieda. It didn''t strike him as odd to see them here ˇŞ Maya was the heiress of the family, and Frieda was the head of the main branch. Besides, they had both played active roles in conducting the different auctions.

    The third person was none other than Froze ˇŞ the very man Alex had fought and defeated just the day before.

    As Alex and Freya stepped into the room and Froze''s eyes landed on Alex. He froze in place. A chill ran down his spine as fear crept up into his chest. But that fear was quickly burned away by indignation, which morphed into a simmering rage. Despite the fire raging within him though, Froze didn''t speak a word ˇŞ he just stood there, unmoving, staring daggers at Alex.

    "M-Master?" Maya stammered, clearly surprised. "What are you doing here? Did you... purchase something?"

    "Of course I did," Alex snorted. "Why else would I be here?"

    He then turned his gaze toward Frieda. "So?"

    Feeling the weight of his gaze, Frieda''s cheeks flushed red with embarrassment for the briefest second before she coughed and gestured toward the fourth person in the room.

    The man stepped forward, pushing a wheeled cart on which all four of the items Alex had purchased were carefully displayed.

    ''Wait... wait... wait... was he the one who bought the daggers?!'' Maya thought, absolutely shell-shocked.

    Looking at the treasures, Alex paused for a moment, briefly wondering how Frieda knew he was the one who had purchased them. But it didn''t take him long to realize how silly that thought was. If the auction house went to the trouble of creating private booths for anonymous bidding, of course they would also have ways to track who bought what.

    "You can inspect them to verify their authenticity," Frieda said in a somewhat subdued tone.

    Alex glanced at her and chuckled. "With the deal we have going on between our group and your family, I''m sure it''s in your best interest not to try and deceive me. So I''ll believe they''re authentic," he said matter-of-factly. "Besides, how could I ever doubt my allies, right?"

    Frieda simply nodded, and the transaction was completed without further incident.

    Alex, along with Freya and Maya, made their way back to the matriarch''s mansion. Once there, Alex quickly parted ways with the mother and daughter and headed straight to his bedroom, where he made sure to close the door securely to avoid being disturbed.

    Not wasting a second, Alex pulled out each of the items he had bought, one by one.

    "Now," he said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "let''s see what you''re all truly worth."

 Chapter 373: Problem

    Chapter 373 - Problem

    Without hesitation, the very first item Alex walked up to was the sword made with the essence of a level seven monster.

    Out of all the treasures he bought, this one fascinated him the mostˇŞafter all, it wasn''t every day that one got to see something of this calibre.

    However, this weapon was the one he needed to be the most careful with.

    As was shown during the auction for this sword, the instant he opened the glass container it was sealed in, the aura of the blade would leak outward, releasing an overwhelming mana that formed into the image of the beast it had been forged from.

    Even inside his private booth, Alex had felt the danger emanating from the sword. Now that it was within his personal space, he had no idea what kind of reaction it might trigger.

    He was determined to observe it more closely, however, and nothing could stop him.

    Without an ounce of fear, he opened the lid of the glass containerˇŞand the very instant he did, he almost regretted it.

    The moment the enchantment cast upon the glass container stopped restraining it, an overwhelmingly bestial and suffocating mana spread outward, saturating the room in a single instant with sheer, raw bloodlust and a pressure so dense it made the air feel like molten lead pressing down on his chest.

    Before he knew it, Alex was on his knees, his breathing laboured as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. ''Calm down, it''s not real,'' he kept telling himself. However, it was difficult to believe those words when the mana slowly coalesced into a giant... wolf that towered above him, its glowing eyes brimming with hunger and primal malice as it looked down upon him like a predator watching its prey.

    ''Damn,'' Alex cursed mentally, a chill running down his spine. ''This thing is terrifying. More than that, it''s extremely powerfulˇŞto the point that even after its death, it still carries that overbearing aura. Who could have killed such a thing?''

    Strangely, it was as he had this thought that something seemed to snap inside of him. The very idea that someoneˇŞpossibly many people out thereˇŞcould crush this beast, while he was here kneeling before a simple echo, a mere shadow of its former self... it didn''t sit well with Alex. Not even a bit.

    Gritting his teeth, he slowly picked himself up from the ground and stared back at the beast with unwavering defiance.

    It seemed that the wolf didn''t like the look in his eyes, because the very next second, it struck down at him with blinding speed.

    Alex flinched, not expecting to be attacked this way, but he quickly overcame his surprise and raised his hands in front of him to protect himself. Yet, a moment later, he felt nothingˇŞas the massive paw of the spectral wolf passed cleanly through his body.

    He realized then that the wolf''s attack had never been physical. It wasn''t made of matter, after all. But that didn''t mean its attacks were meaningless or harmless.

    The wolf''s blow might have done nothing to his body, but that was because his body had never been the target. What it aimed for insteadˇŞwas his will.

    As the paw passed through him, Alex collapsed on the ground once again, a wave of despair crashing over him. He felt, in that moment, that this was his rightful placeˇŞon his knees, broken. He should have never stood up to the great wolf. He was nothing but an insignificant man. How could someone like him hope to defeat such a foe?

    The very second he had this thought, it vanishedˇŞand in its place, a burning, unfathomably deep anger surged from the depths of Alex''s soul. Shame twisted in his gut for ever entertaining such weakness, but as he recognized the source of the irrational fear he had felt, that fear was consumed and replaced by something else entirely.

    Rage.

    He stood up once again against the wolf, but this time, he wasn''t just trying to resist its presenceˇŞhe wanted to erase it. This thing that had made him feel such shameful, disgusting emotions had no right to exist before him.

    "You won''t beat me in a battle of will, you damned thing," Alex growled, his every word strained as he forced each one through the storm of rage that threatened to consume him. "Just accept your death and disappear."

    The wolf growled in response before striking once again.

    Its paw passed through Alex''s body, but unlike the last time, he didn''t fall to his knees. In fact, he didn''t even budge from where he stood.

    It wasn''t that the wolf''s attack hadn''t worked on himˇŞit had. But the irrational fear that tried to take root again was burned to ash by the smoldering fury raging through his soul.

    "Didn''t you hear me?!" Alex shouted, his silver eyes lighting up with a mesmerizing flash.

    In that slight moment, nothing about himˇŞhis voice, his expression, his presenceˇŞresembled the man he was moments ago.

    The wolf whimpered and scrambled backward before vanishing completely, returning into the longsword in a flicker of ethereal mist.

    Even after it had disappeared, Alex kept staring at the spot where it had stood just moments earlier. Then, suddenly, he stumbled forward and collapsed, unconscious.

    ***

    A few minutes after he fainted, Alex woke up, a stinging headache bombarding him.

    "Damnit, why does my head hurt so much?" he wondered as he sat up, holding his forehead and gritting his teeth in discomfort.

    Fortunately, after a few seconds, it began to subside, and he was finally able to focus on something else.

    Looking around, his gaze soon landed on the still-open lid of the glass container. But now, there was no wolfˇŞno overwhelming presence.

    "What happened in there?" he murmured as he stood to his feet.

    Of course, he remembered everything that had happened. It was just thatˇŞeven though he knew what took placeˇŞit still felt... strange. During those moments, it was as if he was both present and absent at the same time. This was definitely one of the most bizarre sensations he had ever experienced in his lifeˇŞboth lives.

    "Forget that, I have something more pressing to do," he said as his eyes landed on the longsword.

    Now that it wasn''t trying to intimidate him or anything of the sort, he could finally evaluate the true worth of the weapon.

    Taking hold of the handle, he lifted the blade, the polished surface reflecting the silver gleam of his eye. "It fits nicely in my hands and feels comfortable," he mumbled with an appreciative smile.

    All these thoughts vanished the very next instant as he felt a sudden spike of power coursing through his body. It was as if just by holding the sword, he had become stronger.

    And it wasn''t just a feeling...

    [Strength: 700 (750)

    Agility: 700 (800)]

    As he pulled up his status, he realized that both his strength and agility had surgedˇŞsimply from holding the longsword.

    "It''s amazing!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement. But the thrill didn''t last long as a thought crept in and dampened his enthusiasm. ''And yet nother method to boost one''s strength...'' he sighed inwardly.

    If a sword forged from the essence of a level 7 monster could grant him such a boost, there was no reason to think it was exclusive to him. Anyone wielding a weapon of similar or superior quality would gain the same benefitsˇŞor possibly even more.

    ''Quit thinking about this, he reminded himself. In any case, someone who owns a weapon of that caliber is either extremely rich, extremely powerful, or both. Either way, they wouldn''t be easy to deal withˇŞwith or without their weapons.''

    Instead of brooding over it, he decided to focus on the positives. If my stats are enhanced this much just by holding it... how much stronger could I become if I form a connection with it?

    To form a connection with a weaponˇŞespecially one capable of channeling manaˇŞthe process was simple: send a pulse of mana into the weapon, and if compatible, the bond would form.

    However, as Alex attempted just that, it felt as though his mana had crashed into an invisible wall and rebounded with such force that he was forced to drop the sword.

    "Damnit!" Alex cursed, clutching his handˇŞthe same hand that had gripped the sword. The skin had reddened and cracked, and it looked as though it had been scorched.

    Fortunately, the burn marks weren''t too severe. After soaking his hand in a cloud of yellow healing smoke, his skin gradually returned to normal.

    Everything had happened too fast for him to react, but he had clearly felt it. ''The sword... it rejected me,'' he thought with a tired sigh.

    But this time, it wasn''t the sword acting out of hostility. NoˇŞthe rejection came from something else entirely. His mana wasn''t strong enough. Or rather, its quality was too low.

    Because the weapon had been forged from the essence and core of a level 7 monster, AlexˇŞwhose mana was that of a level 4ˇŞhad been judged unworthy. The mana embedded in the sword refused to bond with his.

    "Now..." He mumbled, scratching the back of his head, "...how do I deal with this problem?"

 Chapter 374: Soul weapon (1)

    Chapter 374 - Soul weapon (1)

    Alex scratched his head, wondering what his next move should be. He had two options in front of him, and neither was particularly appealing.

    The first was to simply use the sword as it was, without access to any of its skills, since he still couldn''t connect to it due to his poor mana quality.

    The second, if he truly wanted to unlock the sword''s full potential, was to level upˇŞideally to level 5, maybe even level 6ˇŞjust enough to finally form a proper connection with it.

    Among these two choices, he didn''t particularly like the second oneˇŞit felt like rushing, like sacrificing his future foundations just to bring out the full potential of a single weapon.

    "On the other hand, it''s not just any weapon. Its skills are bound to be impressive," Alex reasoned, pacing back and forth in his room.

    As he weighed his options, he pulled out the weapon he had been relying on lately: the double-headed scythe.

    Now, the longsword rested in his right hand, while the double-headed scythe filled his left.

    "It doesn''t provide the same stat boosts," he thought, eyeing the scythe, "but it has its own advantagesˇŞand depending on the situation, it might actually be more useful." After all, it was with this very scythe that he had defeated the dungeon boss just a week ago.

    "Maybe until I''m able to form a link with the sword, I should use the two ofˇŞ"

    Alex froze mid-sentence, his words cut off by something unusual.

    The empty eye sockets of the skull joining the scythe''s curved blades suddenly lit up with a disturbing black-and-white glow.

    It wasn''t the first time he had seen this eerie lightˇŞthe skull would normally glow when he channeled mana into the weapon to activate its skill. But this time was different. He hadn''t injected any mana. He hadn''t done anything at all. The scythe had lit up on its own, and the glow in the skull''s eyes was the most intense he had ever seen.

    "I have a bad feeling about this," Alex murmured, reaching to return the scythe to his space ring.

    But he had hesitated a moment too long.

    Before he could react, the skull at the center of the scythe began to swell unnaturally. One second, it was the size of an apple; the next, it loomed over him, grotesque and monstrous, jagged teeth sprouting from its widening jaws.

    ''What the hell is going on?'' Alex thought, frozen in place by the sudden transformation.

    Unfortunately he should''ve moved and then wonder what was going on.

    In a flashˇŞtoo fast for his eyes to followˇŞthe grotesque skull lunged, its gaping maw snapping forward with terrifying speed and force.

    But it wasn''t Alex it was after.

    Its target was the longsword in his right hand.

    Before he could even tighten his grip, the skull''s fangs crashed into the blade. Cracks spread instantly across the sword''s surface like shattered glass under pressure.

    The skull yanked back with brutal efficiency, wrenching the weapon from Alex''s hand and flinging it into the air. Then, in one fluid, horrifying motion, it arched its head up, caught the falling sword mid-air, and crushed it between its teeth with a sharp, grinding snap.

    By this point, there were so many cracks running through the blade that it simply gave way under the strain and snapped cleanly in half.

    Crack. Crack. Crack.

    The sound of splintering metal echoed through the room, sharp and relentless, as the giant skull crunched down on what remained of the sword.

    Then, under Alex''s wide, disbelieving eyes, a loud gulp echoedˇŞwet and final. And just like that, it was over.

    Alex stood frozen, his whole body locked in place, a rattled expression carved onto his face.

    The swordˇŞcrafted from the essence of a level 7 monster, a weapon so rare and powerful that even the greatest factions of Imperion probably want a chance to get their hands on itˇŞa treasure he had spent ninety million gold coins to acquire... it was gone. Devoured. As if it had been nothing more than a tasty snack.

    "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Alex roared, his voice thundering as he gripped the polearm of the scythe with both hands. "SPIT IT OUT! SPIT IT RIGHT NOW, YOU FUCKING CREEPY BASTARD!!"

    He swung the scythe wildly from side to side, as if hoping to make it nauseousˇŞdesperate to force it to vomit out the sword it had just devoured.

    Yet throughout his furious assault, the massive skull didn''t even flinch. Its glowing eye sockets, filled with that eerie blend of black and white light, kept shining as it slowly scanned the room, acting as if Alex didn''t even exist.

    Then, all at once, it stopped. It twisted, turning its gaze in another direction, its focus sharpening as if it had locked onto something.

    Alex followed the skull''s stareˇŞand his eyes went wide the instant he realized what it was so intently observing.

    In the next heartbeat, the skull lunged like a striking serpent, moving with unnatural precision, the glow in its eyes flaring brighter than before.

    "NOT UNDER MY WATCH!" Alex bellowed, hurling the scythe with all his strength in the opposite direction the skull was heading. At the exact same time, he channeled every bit of power in his legs and shot toward his bed, his momentum so intense that the wooden floor beneath him cracked and split apart in his wake.

    Reaching the bedside, he moved with urgent speed. His hand closed around the artifact in the form of two daggers bound together and without wasting a second, he shoved them into his space ring, sealing them away from the skull''s reach.

    Turning around, Alex found himself face to face with the giant skull, now looming just inches away, its cavernous eye sockets still shimmering with that same eerie blend of black and white light.

    For a brief moment, they simply stared at each other. Then, Alex was almost certainˇŞdisturbingly certainˇŞthat the skull gave him a slow, grotesque grin. The next second, it began to shrink, the grin still plastered across what passed for its face.

    In the blink of an eye, the massive skull had already reverted to the size of an apple. But it didn''t stop there. The entire scythe began collapsing inward, folding in on itself. Smaller and smaller it became, until all that remained was a tiny, floating blob. It wasn''t solid, yet it didn''t look liquid or gaseous either. In fact, Alex wasn''t even sure it was made of matter at all.

    "What now?" Alex muttered, his jaw clenched in frustration. He could feel something was about to happen, but had no idea what. ''Should I just make a run for it?'' he wondered.

    He barely had time to finish the thought before the faintly glowing blob shot toward him at a speed that blurred reality. By the time his brain processed what was happening, the thing had already pierced into his chest and vanished inside.

    "What is it with things entering my body without my permission?!" Alex almost screamed, exasperated.

    Seconds later, he collapsed to his knees, drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged. He felt the strange presenceˇŞthe blob, or whatever it wasˇŞdigging its way deeper into his body. ''No... it''s not my body,'' he realized, ''it''s my soul.''

    Thanks to his soul linkage ability, Alex was more attuned than most to the subtle fluctuations of the soul. And now, he could feel something embedding itself into the very core of his being, forming a bondˇŞone more intimate and invasive than anything he had ever experienced before.

    As that realization struck him, a translucent blue screen blinked into existence before his eyes, and a cascade of notifications began flashing in rapid succession.

    [You have formed a bond with a soul weapon]

    [You are now linked to a fragment of Seraphiel''s Armament]

    [Updating status...]

    [Status update complete]

    [You may now access your updated status at will]