208 - 214
Chapter 208 - Price
"This is totally unfair!"
The thing the five men regretted the most was not having a female companion in their team. Had they known a woman was key to their survival, they would make half their teams of women.
Alas, there was no medicine for regret. Kiba had no use of them so their fate was set.
"AHHH!"
The five men cried out for the final time as Kiba's aura barged through their defenses, killing them.
Ruby looked at their corpses and muttered a silent prayer for them. She has no regard for them so there was no way she would feel bad.
The only reason she prayed was the poor reason by which they died. She was sure no one else ever died for such a reason. It made her feel pity for them.
"Well," Kiba waved his right hand and a head-size fireball shot out of his palm. "They are poor chaps just like those before. So there is no reason for you to search them for resources."
"Ah...yes," Ruby nodded, startled.
She has rather forgotten checking the corpses but now it was far too late to even get minor resources.
The fireball landed on the corpses, burning them out of the existence.
"You are not here for herbs and fruits?" Ruby politely enquired as they stepped up on the slope.
No matter how poor the five deceased men were, even the low-level herbs they had could make some decent profit in society. Yet Kiba showed no interest which confused her.
The sky was turning dark as the time for sunset arrived. They walked towards a large tree to rest. For now, they didn't plan to use the portable camp. Instead, Kiba wanted to live in open for the time being and have dinner in open.
"They are not the main reason why I'm here," Kiba answered in a nonchalant manner. "But there are few special commodities that I do need to find if I get a chance."
While the countering agent for nanites was the most important ingredient for the cure for Felicity, he also needed supporting ingredients to fully heal the genetic damage.
Originally, he planned to 'borrow' those side ingredients from the government facilities in Delta City and neighboring cities, but after Eva informed him that he needed to visit the forest, he decided to find what ingredients he could find in the forest itself.
Claudia was always on the lookout for those ingredients in the civil society, so even if he didn't acquire them in the forest, it was still fine with him. Of course, it would be far better if he could get them here since he had time now and it would also save him efforts after he returned to the city.
"What commodities do you need?" Ruby further asked.
She has intel on a few rare items, so she wanted to prove her usefulness. She just didn't want her role restricted to his slave in the bed.
"Stardust Mushroom, Iceblood Flower, Vermilion Moon Fruit, Seven-petal Golden Rose, Level V Three-headed Cobra's gall," Kiba listed out a few more items, in a relaxed manner, as he walked ahead.
Behind, Ruby was terrified and rooted on the spot, unable to believe the items he has just mentioned so casually.
"They are super rare and high-level items targetted by top treasure hunters," Ruby thought as she gulped down. Every single of the herb would lead to a bloodbath, yet he was listing them out like they were some cabbages he can get from a street vendor.
"Then again he is a super freak," Ruby calmed her astonished heart. "He has defeated so many people without the least bit of efforts. So there is nothing surprising in him considering the items as ordinary vegetables."
Just the sights of the battles she witnessed from far away made her admire him. She was sure being his slave was not a bad fate when she considered all the factors.
"It must be good to be this strong at such a young age," Ruby remarked in a sweet voice as she caught up with him.
Kiba looked at her and then shook his head. "I wish that was true."
"Huh? Why?" Ruby asked him in confusion.
With the abilities he displayed so far, along with the confidence he showed in his upcoming visit to the core section, she was sure only the top echelons of the world could pose a risk for him. Yet he didn't seem exactly pleased.
"Don't misunderstand. I really like the powers I have, for they give me the freedom to do as I please without any worries," Kiba clarified with a smile. "It is just that everything in this world comes with a price."
Ruby was completely bewildered by his words. He was pleased with his powers but not exactly happy with the price he was referring to.
"Do you only have a short time to live?" Ruby asked after contemplating for a long time.
She knew how mutants got more powers through physical enhancements. The technological advancement gave the chance to acquire more power, but there were often severe consequences, especially if there was a major increase in strength.
Some mutants lost their sanity while others gained power at the cost of life force. After hearing Kiba's words, she believed he must be close to death. It made sense to her given the powers he had.
"Nope," Kiba shook his head. "I can easily live for a century or two unless I am killed."
While he didn't know about Zed, he knew the life force he carried as Kiba. The Cosmic Spark has given him far more time to live than other humans.
"You are not dying?" Ruby was stunned. Earlier she was sure that he must have gained the power at the cost of his life.
"Obviously not," Kiba said as he sat down under the tree. "If I was close to death, or only have a short time to live, I would be spending my remaining time in my home, accompanied by women and alcohol."
Astonished, Ruby sat down next to him and rested her back against the tree. She might not know him for long, but she was sure he was not lying now.
"People often believe life is the greatest price one can ever pay," Kiba said as he looked at the setting sun. The sky was orange, the remaining rays of light turning the forest into a beautiful scenary. "Nothing could be further from the truth."
Ruby observed his expression and then closed her eyes. The more time she spent with him, the more confused she became.
Initially, she believed he was a powerful sadist who liked to toy with others just like humans played with ants, but then there were times like now when he was a complete mystery to her.
She didn't know what to truly think of him.
"What is the price you paid?" Ruby asked slowly.
"I haven't paid the price yet," Kiba answered, his eyes focused on the sun. "But I know for sure, a time would come when I would need to pay for what I have gained."
"And what is it you have to pay with?" Ruby brought her eyes on the sky as the stars came in the picture.
"I have to pay with..."
Chapter 209 - This Is Awkward
The next day.
Under a tree, Kiba and Ruby sat on a white sheet. They both had taken a bath and changed clothes, at least Ruby has.
She was wearing a green sweater and pants while Kiba was in the same clothes, a white shirt, and black pants. He has a good reason though since his clothes were made from special nanoparticles and they cleaned themselves.
Fruits and breakfast dishes were spread out on the ground.
Today was the third day since Kiba has arrived in the forest. The fresh food items he had brought were now finished with this breakfast.
Kiba took a bite from an orange slice and looked at the morning sky. Unlike the Delta City where the sky was affected by pollution, the sky here was beautiful and a sight to behold.
The sky was completely blue, shining in mesmerizing splendor. The birds flew past, merrily chirping a melodic tone.
"This is not a bad place to spend time," Kiba mused with a smile. "It definitely has its attractive points."
He lowered his head and brought his eyes on Ruby. She has completed her breakfast and extinguished her hunger.
Kiba, on the other hand, was still hungry though not for food. He leaned his face down on her chest, his lips kissing her breasts through the fabric of her dress.
Ruby was startled. They were out in the open, unlike previous times where their privacy was protected by the camp walls.
"Someone might see us!" Ruby backed down, her soft hands pushing his head gently away.
"And wouldn't that be thrilling?" Kiba asked with a smirk, his eyes focused on her like a hungry wolf at the sight of a sheep.
Ruby was stunned as his hands wandered over her breasts, her protests proving useless. She felt butterflies running in her stomach, imagining people watching her and Kiba as they made out.
The prospect made her entire body tensed and flushed.
Kiba brought his lips to hers, closing them tightly for a long kiss. His hand traced over her spine, sending a bolt of current throughout her body.
ROAR
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a thunderous roar resounded in the area. The ground started shaking as if a high-intensity earthquake has arrived.
Kiba's body was closed with Ruby as the tremors in the land made them roll on the ground. His body was on the ground while she was above him, both startled by the sudden turn of events.
He freed his lips from hers, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Which bastard dares disturb me from finishing my breakfast?" Kiba jumped back to his feet.
The ground continued to shake and crack apart. Some hundred meters away from them, heavy splitting lines appeared.
RUMBLE.
Ruby looked in disbelief as the land split into two. The land on the side opposite to them slowly raised high in the air.
In a minute, a giant beast came in the picture, its height spanning for thousands of feet. It has thick trees and foliage growing up on its back, while on its legs and arms there was only foliage.
The back of the beast was brown just like the ground while its front was rock-white, covered with small grass in between.
"This is a level IV ferocious beast," Ruby was terrified. "Due to its frequent violent outbursts, it is usually referred to as Crazy Rampage King."
"Whoever named it sure has a bad sense of naming," Kiba was surprised, not terrified. "If I was that beast, I would definitely feel humiliated."
He has seen this beast and the red tiger from the jet when he first arrived in the forest. Back then, its rampage resulted in the deaths of hundreds of beasts.
What surprised Kiba was that his senses didn't notice the presence of this beast throughout the night.
While it was true that he wasn't truly using his clairvoyant ability, but just by default, he usually senses everything in his vicinity.
This was how he knew about the traps laid out by the two teams before. He was not actively scouting out, his senses did that without his will. It was just like how ears hear everything in the area, whether one wants or not.
If he wanted, he could suppress his senses, but that required heavy work, not worth the efforts.
For the beast to evade his default senses, that was truly startling for Kiba.
ROAR
The beast raised its head and let out a loud roar.
"Someone must have offended it!" Ruby saw around six to seven figures opposite to the beast. The dust in the air along with the presence of the beast made it hard to clearly see the figures.
"Let me check who ruined our breakfast," Kiba said as his body flickered and he disappeared from the spot.
Meanwhile, in front of the beast, a man jumped up like a ball of rubber to get away from the leg of the beast. This man was none other than Amir. (Chapter 206).
He was joined by Mina, Alexia, Nellie, Monroe, and Gill as they evaded the beast.
"Gill, why did you have to experiment with your sonic gun here?" Mina asked as she stepped back.
"How was I supposed to know the land was not land but a crazy beast?" Gill countered, his body sweating heavily. His hands were carrying two guns, aimed at the feet of the beast.
Sonic waves emitted out of the barrel of the guns, striking the feet. The foliage shattered in fragments and landed on the rock surface, resulting in faint cracks.
But to his horror, they did no real harm, and instead, further provoked the beast.
"We have to escape no matter what!" Mina positioned her palms towards the feet and spewed out columns of sandy liquid. The liquid solidified, stopping the feet of the beast temporarily.
Monroe opened his mouth and expectorated black mist. The mist seethed in the air, releasing a corrosive force, and flew towards the eyes of the beast.
Shua.
The beast moved one of its arms and swiped the mist away. The mist landed on the ground, creating a charred ground.
The swiping action even resulted in a strong gale, removing trees in the vicinity from the ground.
"Shit," Amir leaped back. "This is really bad."
As he said it, he suddenly noticed Kiba landing on the ground some distance away from the beast.
"Who is he?" Alexia wondered aloud as she ran back.
"Doesn't matter," Nellie said. "Soon, he is going to be just a corpse."
"Why do you guys create trouble for others?" Kiba looked at the retreating figures and asked.
The six didn't bother to reply for now was not the time to answer. And even if they could answer, how exactly would they respond?
That one of them was toying with a gun and awakened the beast?
"Hey, answer," Kiba was about to continue, but then suddenly he got stuck midway. He swallowed the words he was about to speak as he looked ahead in the distance.
Some two hundred meters away from him, he noticed a creamy-white skin girl, in a black suit, sending two discs to land damage on the ferocious beast.
Ashlyn!
The moment he saw her, he was rooted on the spot. His expression was of deep astonishment as he looked at the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen in his life.
In his entire life, as Kiba, perhaps he has only shown such a reaction when he first saw Eva and Agatha years ago.
It wasn't to say that he could determine who was more beautiful than the other. That would be an insult.
No two woman's beauty could be compared for each woman has her own strong points.
After all, beauty was to the eye of the beholder. What one likes in another might vary from person to person.
Yet Ashlyn was someone who an artwork of God, perfect in every way. No man can ever dislike anything about her.
Every facial feature of hers was molded with precision.
Her emerald eyes, crystalline black hair, long legs or her fit little frame...everything about her was to be loved.
If Kiba was forced to compare the beauty and her young age, perhaps only Felicity and Sophia could rival Ashyln.
The former, though, was someone he never looked at from the perspective of a male seeking a female partner. He has never shown the least bit of lust towards her due to the status she held in his heart.
Ashlyn, on the other hand, was someone he has just seen. His eyes were fixed on her, everything else was unconsciously ignored by him.
He was in a complete daze!
Amir and others were startled by his response.
Why is he standing there?!
The beast is next to him! What's more, the beast was offended by his attitude!
The beast was the king here, but yet a punny human was ignoring its existence, and instead, observing god knows what.
"He wasn't born with good luck for sure," Gill remarked as he saw the beast's action.
"That idiot has my thanks," Monroe added in a mocking voice.
"He was sent here to save us."
"Let us run now that the beast is preoccupied."
At the same time, the beast raised one of its gigantic foot in the air before ruthlessly bringing it down on Kiba.
BANG
Terrifying shockwaves rippled out as the foot landed on the ground.
Even the land outside the perimeter of the foot caved into a giant crater, sending debris and dust in the air.
Amir, Mina, and others near them felt their throats turning dry at the sight. They used the momentary time gap to create a safe distance from the beast.
While they scoffed at Kiba for being daze at such a crucial moment, they were thankful for the opportunity he created.
Some distance away, Ashlyn finally noticed the disturbance but her expression was the same as ever.
Behind the beast, Ruby was shocked.
"Kiba! No!"
She has just caught up and seeing her master smashed down by a beast, it made her insides churn in despair. She has initially disliked him and even hated him for what he did on the first night, but the events of the last two days have inscribed his image in her heart and soul.
"You can't die!" Ruby cried with tears flooding down.
"Poor girl," Mina and Amir shook their heads in pity and continued to fleed.
Just then, the foot of the beast shook. The beast's eyes were filled with astonishment as it felt a strong force against the foot, pushing it.
Alarmed and bewildered, the beast saw its foot shoved away from its original spot.
"Impossible" Nellie was running while glancing back, and when she saw the foot displaced, her expression changed.
The dust settled down and she observed Kiba right in the middle of the crater, his one arm raised in the air.
"With just one arm?!" Nellie muttered, terrified.
The others noticed her reaction, and they turned around.
"He is fine!" The moment their eyes went on Kiba, their jaws slacked.
"This has to be a dream!" Alexia stumbled down on a rock. The shock from the scene she observed was far too much for her to care about the pain from falling on the ground.
Kiba lowered his arm and cleaned the dust from his shirt.
"This is rather awkward," Kiba scratched the back of his head. "I have never lost focus like today."
At least, in the city, there would be no embarrassment even if he gawked at some girl for a long time since there were no dangerous beasts lurking.
The only relieving point for him was that Claudia wouldn't know about this. Claudia loved to remember his embarrassing moments and remind him of them in her sarcastic conversations with him.
Just thinking of the remarks she could make from this episode gave him chills.
Kiba shook his head and recalled the three beauties he saw in the last three days.
Fiona, Sophia, and Ashlyn.
"Fuck! How is this a land of dangerous beasts? It is a land of maidens!"
Chapter 210 - Lovely Place
Inside a large crater, a small piece of ground remained intact, upon which Kiba stood. Hardly two meters away from him, one of the feet of the giant beast was stuck on the ground.
The beast, often called Crazy Rampage King, was stunned by the scene in front of him.
The punny human he stepped his foot was fine without any injuries? What's more this frail human even displaced his foot with just a hand!
Far away, Amir and the other five were equally astonished by the turn of events. In the same time, Ashlyn, who has just taken the rotating discs back in her hands, was somewhat startled. Her expression though remained the same as ever, like she didn't care the least bit.
While some distance behind from the beast, Ruby was pleasantly surprised. She wiped her tears and looked at Kiba with admiration.
"Fucking hell. This is a land of beauties." Kiba thought in his heart. "No wonder so many people die in the forest. How is a man supposed to be on guards after being surrounded by beauties like them?"
He turned around and noticed the shocked expressions on the beast and the human spectators.
"Well, this is bad," Thinking for less than a second, his eyes flashed with a devilish glint. "No choice but to use desperate measures."
The next moment, Kiba fell down on the ground, his body trembling as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Blood streamed down from his orifices while his face turned deathly pale. His breathing was heavy as sweat, mixed with blood, dripped down his chin.
"What happened?" Mina wondered aloud, bewildered by Kiba's condition.
Just a moment ago, he was standing there perfectly fine but now he looked exhausted and defeated.
"He must have channeled more power than his body could handle," Gill hypothesized.
There were known cases of mutants summoning powers far beyond their capacity in life and death crisis. Not only mutants, but even ordinary humans could find unbelievable strength in desperate situations. Such cases were usually known as miracles, but they had scientific reasonings.
The human body was a treasure trove with endless potential. The combination of hopeless situation and survival instincts can force one to tap in this potential to survive.
Of course, the backlash from a forced withdrawal of power was equally harmful.
Gill believed Kiba was one of those miracle cases.
The beast, on the other hand, was happy by Kiba falling on the ground.
"It was only natural! How can a human fare against this mighty king?" The beast thought.
It raised its foot high in the air to stomp the human for good.
Just then, the beast felt a chill throughout its body, as if it has fallen under an ice river. A state of paralysis struck the beast.
"Don't push your luck, you useless piece of trash," A sinister voice ringed inside the beast's mind.
The beast was greatly alarmed. It landed its foot just near Kiba, missing him by hair's breadth. The shockwaves from the impact sent Kiba flying in the air, making him fall some distance away from Ruby.
"Kiba!" Ruby called out, in shock. She rushed ahead and supported him to stand up.
Kiba placed his arm around her shoulders and they both ran.
"His luck is good!" Gill said in surprise.
The beast looked at the two human figures near its foot and roared. But much to the horror of Amir and others, the beast raised its arms and punched towards them.
"Damn!" Nellie cried out. "It has recalled we were its original targets."
"Run!" Alexia rushed ahead as the beast's fists stuck a hundred feet behind them.
A formless burst of terrifying energy exploded out from the impact. Monroe, who was near the impact, stumbled on the ground, his body colliding with rocks and stones.
Amir turned into a ball of rubber and Mina sat above him as he jumped high to get away. Now was not the time to care about others.
Meanwhile, Ashlyn who was farthest from the beast opened her left palm. Her hands were covered with black gloves, the material the same as her black suit.
Seven runic seals appeared on her palm, each seal pertaining to a color of the rainbow.
Currently, only the blue seal has a slight crack in between.
"Haah, it is not worth the efforts," Ashlyn shook her head and closed her palm, the seals fading away. She leaped back to get away from the beast now that it was distracted.
Behind, Kiba and Ruby rested against the back of a tree.
Ruby brought out a handkerchief to wipe sweat and blood from his face. Just as she touched his face, the blood and sweat disappeared. His face regained its original healthy color.
"?!" Ruby was astonished, her eyes and mouth wide in surprise as she thought what it implied.
"Well, why the strange reaction?" Kiba leaned his head between her breasts.
"I..." Ruby now thought how she was worried for nothing.
She chided herself for thinking he would be exhausted so easily when he wasn't the least bit tired in his fight against Fiona and others.
"You were rather emotional, slave," Kiba said with a smile. "I never thought anyone here would shed tears for me."
Ruby lowered her head, her cheeks slightly flushed. She didn't know how to respond.
Kiba then brought his eyes in the direction of the beast. Monroe was about to be stepped by the beast.
"That's enough," Kiba passed a message telepathically. "You can now scram."
The beast was rooted on spot, its eyes flaring with fury. It wanted to refuse and go against the human, but then it recalled the earlier paralysis and didn't dare defy the command.
Much to the surprise of everyone, the beast turned around and stepped in the opposite direction.
"I'm saved?" Monroe muttered. He opened his mouth and released black mist, corroding the debris upon him.
"That beast truly lives up to its name," Alexia said from far away. "Its crazy eccentric mind is hard to grasp."
Everyone silently looked on as the beast left the area. Each of them sighed in relief, thanking their lucky stars.
Kiba looked at Amir, Mina, Alexia, Nellie, Monroe, and Gill before focusing on Ashlyn who was furthest away. She has a cold demeanor and from what he could tell, she displayed no signs of fear during the battle with the beast.
"The forest is a lovely place," Kiba thought with a faint smile. "Claudia wanted me to enjoy the visit. It would be wrong if I didn't fulfill her wishes."
Chapter 211 - Difficulty
"Crazy Rampage Beast is gone for good," Monroe muttered in a pleasant voice as the debris upon him melted. He quickly jumped on his feet and checked the injuries he has suffered.
"Are you fine?" Amir asked as he jumped next to him and reverted to his original form from the earlier ball-like state.
"Yeah," Monroe said in a slightly annoyed tone.
"Don't blame us for what happened now," Mina understood his annoyance. "We were only protecting ourselves and if we have tried to save you, all of us would have died."
"I understand," Monroe nodded as he took out a pill from a bottle and stuffed it in his mouth. Energy waves surrounded him and the injuries on his body disappeared.
"Let's meet that man named Kiba and his girl," Amir suggested. He has heard Ruby shouting Kiba's name when he was attacked by the beast.
"Okay," The others in the team agreed and walked towards the tree behind which Kiba and Ruby were resting. Ashlyn also joined her team after Amir's insistence.
Kiba, in the meantime, snapped his fingers and a camping bag appeared in front of him.
"It has all our daily items," Kiba said as he clamped the bag on his back. The bag was made from special materials to make it light.
"Why?" Ruby was startled.
She believed he possessed a spatial storage item by which he could store all luggage inside it, without actually carrying the load. She has heard of such storage items, and from what she knew, the technology for such items was derived from the meteorites.
What she didn't understand was why he would use a bag suddenly when he doesn't have to.
"We can't let them know of our little secret," Kiba said as he jumped back on his feet.
He obviously knew the false assumption Ruby had about storage item. He didn't really feel like correcting her and explain the true nature of his abilities.
"Ah!" Ruby nodded in understanding.
The storage items were rather envy-worthy due to the materials needed to manufacture them. She thought if others came to know he carried a storage item, then the news would spread and he would become a target of others.
While he was powerful, she knew even he would get annoyed with everyone targetting him. This was indeed true since he wanted people to live so that he could use them as guinea pigs in the core region.
For the time being, he wanted to prevent deaths if it was possible. This was the reason he just saved Monroe from the giant beast.
"Hey," Amir called out as he stepped in front of the tree. "How are you two doing?"
"Fine," Kiba and Ruby both pretended to be on guards as they saw more of Amir's team joining them.
"Relax, we mean no harm," Amir quickly clarified. "We are also dead tired and in no state to start another battle."
"Oh?" Ruby looked at Amir and others.
Indeed, she felt they were exhausted even though they didn't seem to have any major injuries from facing the giant beast.
"Did you guys also suffered under the beast tide?" Alexia asked.
"Beast tide?"
"I take that as a no," Alexia said with a sigh. "We don't know why, but yesterday, almost all low-level beasts in the outer region started fleeing inside. It caused a beast riot and many humans died in the resulting stampede. We survived but our energy was fully spent..."
"I see," Ruby nodded while giving a quick glance at Kiba.
She has a pretty good idea of how the beast riot started and the man responsible for it. It also made sense to her why she didn't see many beasts during the journey so far.
"That was horrible," Kiba said in a heavy and righteous voice. "Whoever is responsible for such an event needs to be killed for endangering the lives of innocents."
"Yeap," Alexia agreed.
"Umm, let me introduce myself. I'm Mina," Mina chimed in. She felt they were going sidetracked from the purpose they planned to make acquaintance with the two. "The six of us are from Blue Cliff Group."
Mina then proceeded to introduce everyone by name - Amir, Alexia, Nellie, Monroe, and Gill
"Ah! Nice to meet you," Kiba said in a pleasant tone. He then pointed at Ruby and said," We two are just normal adventurists without any group."
Inwardly, he thought how everyone he has met so far has a bad sense of naming. The beast was fine with that stupid name but why would a group name themselves as Blue Cliff?
"Six? But you are seven?" Ruby said after Kiba stated their names.
"Ashlyn is not a part of our group," Mina explained while pointing at Ahsyln who was standing some distance away from them. "She has joined us as a special member."
"Oh," Ruby was sure the special member was just a nice way of addressing a temporary member in the group.
A member whom they most likely met at forest and decided to collaborate for resources.
"Actually, the reason we are here is to invite you to our group as special members," Amir joined in and explained the benefits involved. "All of us have plans to explore the meteorite and discover the secrets of that foreign world. Before the core region opens up, we would be collecting herbs and vitals of beasts."
Amir has seen potential in Kiba so he wanted to have him in the group. This also meant inviting Ruby though he didn't have any high expectations from her.
"You two are not in any group and joining us would be beneficial to you in long run," Mina added in a kind voice. "Not only you will get more resources, but the threat you will face would decrease. There are only benefits involved in the collaboration for all of us."
"Well," Kiba turned towards Ruby and said. "I need to discuss with my partner."
"We understand," Amir hinted others to back off. "Please tell your decision soon."
"Sure," Kiba smiled in agreement as the group gave them time and space to discuss.
Ruby glanced at him and started a non-existent discussion. Inwardly, she thought the decision was Kiba's alone.
She was just a slave with no power to resist his orders.
She obviously understood Kiba didn't wish to let others know the true nature of their relationship so he was orchestrating a fake performance to fool them.
"We are going to be acting as a new couple," Kiba looked her in the eyes and said. "Two lovers who met in the forest and fell in love at first sight."
"...." Ruby lowered her head, her cheeks turning a dark shade of red.
She was embarrassed since 'love at first sight' was how he fooled her in sleeping with him. The background he created was not false but not true either.
After five minutes, Kiba and Ruby walked to the group to enter into an agreement with them after the small details were decided.
"We are pleased to have you two in our group," Alexia said with a smile.
"It is our honor to join you," Kiba expressed his gratitude, while inwardly he sighed as he thought: "Obviously you would be pleased. You wish to use me, Ruby, and Ashlyn as scapegoats when things turn worse."
The six might not have let their intentions known, but he was pretty sure. Otherwise, why else would they take powerful 'special members' in the group despite the obvious risks involved?
"Some miles ahead is a cave which Rock-scaled Lizards are using as a habitat," Amir brought out a map from his pocket and said. "Their scales and hearts are a very valuable commodity. Let's not mention the herbs they are guarding. We should get them today."
Mina then explained more details to Kiba and Ruby.
"We have no problems," Kiba nodded on behalf of the two.
"Good," Amir and the group then left the area.
Throughout the journey, Ashlyn was walking separately, without saying a single word. While Kiba did have a light conversation with others, but never with Ashyln.
The reason he joined the group was Ashlyn but he didn't try to strike a conversation with her. Much less a conversation, he didn't even peek at her.
In the art of seduction, the right opportunity mattered the most. If he conversed with her by using a flimsy excuse, despite knowing her demeanor, his non-existent impression in her eyes would fall, and the chances of him getting her would dwindle.
"The chances are not good anyways," Kiba thought as they walked through the thick foliage.
"From what I have seen so far, and what the others in the group have hinted, Ashlyn is of level VI or higher in terms of difficulty. Unless I use those methods...there would be no success in a short time. No, I can't use them."
Kiba gritted his teeth and made a decision to not use underhanded tactics, no matter how much he desired her.
He didn't wish to cross the boundary line just because of his own lust. Doing so would be disrespectful to not only Ashyln but also to him as an individual.
This was the same reason why he never went overboard with Sophia. He did tease her to enjoy her reactions, but he didn't touch her inappropriately or do anything which would have a drastic effect on her as a person.
"Haah," Kiba released multiple sighs at his poor luck. "I'm too much of a good guy."
Yesterday, he met Sophia but she was a very difficult target. Even with his experience, he believed he would need at least six to seven months to fully seduce her.
Now, he met another gorgeous girl, but she was even more difficult than Sophia.
How can he not blame gods and his own innocence for the troubles he was facing now? All he had was two months in the forest, but the time required for success in this new target was no less than a year.
"Damn! Mature women are more fun," Kiba thought as he stepped ahead under a tree branch. "They know what they want thanks to their age and experience."
Kiba recalled his time with Suzane in Delta City. She was rather an easy conquest due to this very reason. He was able to get her in bed after a week or so of hard work.
"Maidens, on the other hand, are clueless on what they truly desire," Kiba thought as he remembered the young girls from the city.
"Their young minds are further corroded by naive ideas of love and romance. This makes things truly difficult for an individual like me whose reputation is maligned by society."
Kiba wanted to share the hardships he has faced in his conquests. But alas, no person could ever understand his pain and sufferings...he was all alone in his journey.
Chapter 212 - Preparations
(Author's Note - Let me be clear since there are few people who are bound to misunderstand: There would be NO kidnapping nor any sexual act by others towards the love interest (s) of Kiba/Zed. So you can rest assured on this, and enjoy the novel without worrying about tragedy ^_^ The story is complex but not sad or bitter :) I promise you this.
Also, to better understand the next few chapters without any misunderstanding, you need to recall the happenings in Chapter 55 and Chapter 108. Thank you.)
While Kiba and his newly found companions rushed towards a cave to hunt for lizards, important events were taking place outside Desolate Blood Forest.
Central District, Delta City.
A large business park formed the headquarters of Sky Fiend Group. The group dealt with defense and pharmaceutical products.
Their popularity was above average and in the grand scheme, their influence was only limited to Delta City.
The buildings were sparsely located in the park with special care given to greenery between two infrastructure. One might even blame them for wasting so much land space for unneeded greenery when the prices in the area were sky high.
Hundreds of staff members moved in and out of the various glass buildings, carrying out day to day activities. Each staff couldn't help but appreciate the relaxing environment in the group.
It was hard to get a job here, but if one can get placed, then their life was set. At least that's what they thought.
Inside a seven-storied underground facility, on the lowest floor, dozens of men in white were standing over a metallic bridge. In their hands, there were files and tablets showing various genetic data in the forms of charts.
The faces of the men in white were filled with nervousness as they looked under the bridge.
A large stasis capsule, filled with crystalline red liquid, was placed horizontally. The capsule's length was no less than a ten-storied building.
In fact, the other buildings and infrastructures above were just a smoke screen to provide space for the capsule.
At the end of the bridge, an elevator opened up with a ding sound. An elderly bald man, in a black suit, walked out of the elevator and stepped on the bridge with the support of a walking stick.
His face was filled with pockmarks and some beard hair.
"Sir Joshua," one of the white men greeted the elderly man.
Joshua ignored the greeting and moved to the other end of the bridge.
"Start the awakening of the Esteemed One," Joshua said as he glanced at the giant being inside the capsule.
"Yes," The men in white nodded their heads and started the arrangements.
Joshua has a stern expression on his face as he supervised the preparations.
"World government, Atlantis, Lizenea, Dharma Chakra...your days of ruling the world are numbered," Joshua thought with a hideous smirk.
"In just a few months, Sky Fiend Group will topple you with the support of Esteemed One and the power source in BSE79 meteoroid."
------
Bermuda Triangles.
Inner Zone, Paradox Dimension.
Dark and stormy clouds engulfed the sky. Rain droplets in the form of lightning fell on the ground, creating chaotic turbulence on the land.
The alien species ran for their lives as the rain carried a corrosive force targetting their very life force. As chimera and giants in the vicinity died, their vitality, in the form of beads of blood, flew towards the chains tied to the flying castle.
Inside the giant hall.
On the throne made of darkness, the man retraced his vision from Sky Fiend Group. His right hand tapped on the armrest.
The darkness seethed in excitement at his actions. Like fire, it coiled around his fingers.
"The second set of preparations need to start now that he is away," The man muttered in an emotionless tone.
At the end of the hall, among hundreds of skeletons, a skeleton of a three-headed male creature stood up as he heard the words.
Each head of the skeleton has a single eye while its lower body resembled of a human, except for the talons on feet. On each head, there was a strange crown placed, radiating endless energy.
The skeleton's hollow eye sockets were filled with fury as it looked at the man sitting on the throne of darkness.
"Cosmic Emperor, stop this madness," the creature spoke in a language not known to anyone on Earth, not even Rhea. "Your previous actions have already defied the rules of this world. If you continue, the entire universe would pay the price."
Cosmic Emperor titled his head towards the skeleton. In same emotionless tone, he said, "Did anyone ask for your opinion?"
As he said this, the darkness from the back of the throne expanded like the mouth of a giant beast. The darkness then soared towards the skeleton.
"Cosmic Emperor... don't!" The skeleton cried out.
This creature has died out long ago and along with death, its sense of fear had died. What remained now was just a fragment of its past self, a fragment that existed due to the deep hatred inside it.
But as the skeleton saw the darkness soaring, the fear was reborn. Its anger was replaced with horror.
The darkness was incorporeal, carrying a menacing power that corrupted everything within its vicinity, regardless of dead or living.
Its entire existence was ominous and contrary to the rules of the universe, cursed with might that could end this world in no time.
The other skeletons trembled as they witnessed the three-headed skeleton being consumed by the darkness.
Sss
The darkness slowly retraced back to the thone, leaving behind nothing but the strange crowns.
Cosmic Emperor placed his hands on the armrest before leaving the throne and walking down the dais.
The darkness from the throne no longer hid his body as he stepped ahead. The light from the crystal walls fell on his face, revealing his extremely handsome and refined facial features.
His eyes and hairs were as dark as the darkness of the throne, forming a contrast with his pale skin. He was naked, without any clothes or ornaments, exposing his well-framed and envy-worthy body.
The throne, in the meantime, dissolved into a pool of dark liquid. Like water waves, the dark liquid rushed towards the feet of Cosmic Emperor.
Thousands of dark crystalline thread stretched out from the dark liquid to envelope his body. Slowly, the threads joined together to morph into a dark robe.
~step~
The only sound in the hall was the sound of his steps as he moved ahead. His pace was very slow but in just seconds, he was at the end of the hall.
The remaining skeletons were angry at his actions, but none of them dared make a protest now.
Cosmic Emperor tapped a finger on the giant door of the castle. The door was a mixture of white and gray like it has suffered under the vicissitudes of time.
On its surface, there were vivid inscriptions of magical beasts and extinct lifeforms. The inscriptions flashed with blinding radiance as Cosmic Emperor retraced his finger.
Creak.
The door of the castle opened up, and as it did, terrifying waves of energy unconsciously swept out from him.
RUMBLEEEE.
Suddenly, the entire dimension shook heavily as if the end of the world has arrived. The dark clouds ripped apart, bringing out a clear sky the dimension hasn't seen in a long time.
But this gave no joy to the various races in the dimension. Even before they could make out what was going on, they viciously fell down on their knees.
It didn't matter if one was a giant, chimera, hydra, angel or any other race. Their fate was the same, kneeling down under the pressure.
Much less protest, they couldn't even scream. It was as if their bodies have lost their vocal abilities.
Dark blood streamed out of their orifices while their internal organs displaced from the original locations.
Millions of living beings internally cried in pain as a powerful force coursed throughout their bodies, inflating them like a balloon. Their veins shattered and bones cracked apart under the influence of this new power.
BOOM
Thousands of living beings exploded in blood and gore. Just like before, their vitality was devoured by the blood chains connected to the castle.
"Ants are forever ants, no matter the size and form," Cosmic Emperor said disdainfully. He then placed a finger on the middle of his chest.
From the tip of his finger, streams of dark energy shot out and covered his entire body. Like a seal, it stopped the dreadful pressure emitting from his body.
Swoosh.
A large column of dark particles engulfed him like a vortex and he disappeared from Paradox Dimension.
Behind, the surviving beings breathed in relief. They were trembling and sweating, unable to believe the sudden close encounter with death.
"Just what is going on?" A chimera asked, his voice low. "In these last few months, this is the third time we were attacked by this unknown force."
"No, the last time intensity of the force was comparatively weak. But this time, the force was as strong as just five months ago," A powerful giant said as his eyes involuntarily moved on the flying castle and noticed the door closing up.
"We need to leave this dimension otherwise we will be exterminated without even knowing why," The chimera said as he stood up.
"Yeah," The giant agreed. "But the dimension is sealed by the Forsaken Ones so we can't leave..."
"Damn," The chimera cursed before running towards its home.
-----
Delta City.
Somewhere in the city, on a skyscraper, a girl and a middle-aged man stood. The girl has long wavy dark pink hair, with two locks hanging down.
Her yellow eyes followed the stars in the night sky before moving towards the region where Dream Rise House was located.
She was none other than Alice. The one who secretly tried to check Zed's Strings of Fate, but failed due to the actions of the gray particle inside his head . (Chapter 146).
"My lady, we should return back to the family estate," The middle-aged man said in a polite tone. "This city is not safe since there is a breach of time."
"I can't," Alice's soft voice cut in before the middle-aged man could complete his words. "My fate is entangled with his."
"But Zed is no longer in the city," the middle-aged man reasoned.
Alice didn't respond and allowed the night wind to breeze across her face. Her eyes were radiating resplendently as she observed the primal nature of the world, trying to study more about the breach.
She saw the world as it was, in the form of energy and nothing else.
Suddenly, without any warning, her face turned deathly pale and she coughed up a mouthful of blood.
With horror on her face, she looked at the direction of Dream Rise House.
"Impossible," Alice's entire body was shaking. "How can such terrifying power even exist in this world?!"
----
Dream Rise House.
Inside the living room, Agatha was sitting across a table. She slowly finished her dinner while enjoying a rom-com movie on a virtual screen.
[[Lady Agatha, would you like to have anything else?]] Claudia asked.
A humanoid droid took the empty plates and cleaned the table.
"No, I'm done," Agatha answered. "Thank you for dinner."
[[It is my duty to take care of you, so please don't thank me every time.]]
Agatha smiled in response before changing the topic, "Would he be truly fine in the forest?"
[[Yes. You can rest assured on that.]] Claudia answered. [[If anything, you should pray for the safety of everyone else there.]]
"Haha, I guess so," Agatha laughed at the words. "He really loves to play around."
Agatha couldn't help but think of what he did with her parents, friends, and relatives in a restaurant during the telecast of Hypocrite News.
He has made everyone wept from anger and humiliation. Everything so that they would no longer dare say anything bad about her.
[[Playing around is an understatement. He enjoys toying with others.]] Claudia replied.
She was trying her best to relieve Agatha of her worries.
"He is not that bad," Agatha disagreed.
She believed he was really good for those who were good to him. She was the obvious example and so was Felicity.
Of course, she was also aware there were very few people who could be truly good to him if they know his real personality.
She was about to continue defending him when she let out a yawn.
"I'm suddenly feeling drowsy."
[[You must be tired.]]
"Maybe---" Agatha trailed off as she closed her eyes and entered sleep on the chair.
Claudia was startled. She activated the hidden sensors implanted in the walls to check her body. The sensors emitted beams of light which fell on Agatha.
A few moments later, Claudia read the report and found no oddities either with Agatha or the child in her womb.
[[Carry her to the bed.]] Claudia commanded two droids who were standing at a corner.
The droids stepped forward to carry out the command.
"There is no need," a strange voice suddenly reverberated in the room.
As soon as the voice appeared, the droids stopped in their path as if their command was overwritten.
[[What?]]
Chapter 213 - Preparations (Part II)
Dream Rise House.
Inside the living room, the lights in the ceiling lit up the room. The room has an airy feel to it thanks to the furnishing and the opening to the waterfall at the end.
The mist from the waterfall rejuvenated the room with a mesmerizing fragrance.
~splash~
The only sound in the room was from the waterfall.
In the center, across a dining table, Agatha was peacefully sleeping on a chair. While at the corner, two droids were standing.
[[What's going on?]]
Claudia was startled by the turn of events. As soon as the strange voice appeared out of nowhere, she felt her orders to the droids overwritten.
From the time she was created, this was the first time she has faced such a situation. Not even Kiba could overwrite her commands directly since she was the main artificial intelligence in the villa and the underground facilities.
As Claudia contemplated the strange happenings, the sensors in the room detected a high concentration of energy.
Between the entrance of the room and the fireplace, hundreds of small dark spheres materialized in thin air. The spheres fused together to converge into Cosmic Emperor.
[[Who are you?]] Claudia didn't dare trust the readings her sensors were reporting to her.
Cosmic Emperor didn't answer and stepped forward. He looked around the room with a complicated expression on his face.
A few seconds later, he shook his head.
"Haah," Cosmic Emperor released a low sigh. "In the end, everything returns to dust."
He raised his right hand in the air to make a gentle grasping motion towards Agatha.
The dining table made a screeching sound as it moved ahead. At the same time, Agatha flew out of the chair.
[[Stop.]]
The walls opened up to reveal advanced laser guns. From a sofa, drones shot out towards Cosmic Emperor.
"You are the one who should stop," Cosmic Emperor said in a nonchalant manner.
Claudia felt her commands once again being overwritten. The drones returned back while the walls closed up.
Claudia looked on through the cameras as Agatha flew in his arms. His one hand was on the back of her head while the other was below her thigs.
He carried her in his arms and walked towards the fireplace.
"I wish to enter inside," Cosmic Emperor said.
[[What?]] Before Claudia could even enquire fully, the fireplace shook and the fire faded.
The mantel pushed towards the ceiling while the legs of the fireplace moved sidewards. The firebox opening expanded to the size of a door.
Slowly, a metallic door appeared at the end of the fireplace.
Cosmic Emperor stepped towards the door as it opened up to reveal an advanced elevator. On the virtual control panel, the line diagram of the various underground sections appeared.
Without any touch, the option of the 'Floor: -1' was selected, and the elevator moved down.
Meanwhile, on the second underground floor.
This floor didn't have any lab or any other facilities, yet hundreds of drones and droids were on constant watch. The walls and the ceilings were made of adamantine to provide the ultimate defense of a bunker.
The drones moved in between thousands of high-level processing units which were joined to a data cord. The cord, in turn, was connected to a metallic floating orb.
The orb has a radius of around ten meters. There were green electronic inscriptions on the surface, resembling circuits.
If the orb was seen by any scientist, then a global war would start.
The reason? The orb was made of Divine Particles - the same particles which created the current age of evolution!
Whether it was government or revolutionaries, everyone would launch an assault to capture the orb.
Of course, Kiba wouldn't allow it to happen even if it means facing the wrath of the entire world. It wasn't due to the Divine Particles but rather the significance the orb has for him.
This orb was the core of Claudia! It wouldn't be wrong to say the orb was her mind and soul!
So how can Kiba allow it to be captured by others? As preparation for a worst case scenario, he has provided her with further security - a golden force field which surrounded the core.
The force field has an uncanny resemblance to the golden lightning which appears in the sky when Kiba goes all out!
Currently, hundreds of digital screens appeared on the floor, all of them focused on the activities of Cosmic Emperor and Agatha who was in his arms.
[[Just what is going on here?]]
Claudia sent orders to activate the other security features in the villa, and just then, the green inscriptions on the orb flashed.
[[My core framework!]]
She has the intelligence and personality of a human female, but ultimately, she was artificial intelligence: An advanced set of codes.
Now, her codes were being influenced. The codes which gave her authority to mobilize the forces in the villa were locked by a new command line in her core!
She could still feel her connection to the defense and offense mechanism but no matter how she tried, she couldn't use them.
[[Not even master could change my framework so easily.]]
If Kiba wanted to make changes in her, he would need weeks, if not months. After all, she was an advanced AI with her own thought process.
Any mistake would result in irrevocable damage.
But now, not only her codes were temporarily changed, she wasn't affected otherwise. She was still the same except for her ability to attack.
At the same time, on the floor above.
The elevator reached the floor and the door slowly opened up at the end of the corridor.
Cosmic Emperor stepped out with Agatha in his arms. He walked past the Section I and continued to walk forward.
[[Where is he going?]] Claudia couldn't make a sense of things. She was surprised about him being aware of the underground facilities, and so she initially believed he has plans to use the lab.
But the lab was in Section I. He hasn't even stopped at its entrance, much less try to step in.
[[No!]] Claudia shouted out through the speakers as she determined his destination.
Section IV.
He was standing in front of the red force field which enveloped the door of Section IV. The thick metallic door was white upon which 'IV' was written in black.
"Open the door," Cosmic Emperor spoke out.
[[I refuse.]]
Only she could open the entrance, and she did her best to not let her framework changed. If earlier she was hesitant, now she was determined. She did this to not only protect Agatha but also others.
Yet her actions proved futile as she felt a new command line written in her codes to open the entrance.
[[Why are you doing this? If you open it without preparations, you will kill everyone in the city.]]
"Does the existence of ants matter?" Cosmic Emperor coldly asked.
[[You...]]
Claudia, having no choice, made the arrangements. She didn't want to see the city and every one her master cared about being killed.
She couldn't rely on anyone else, including her master given how she couldn't even contact him due to the lack of signals in the forest. Not to mention, the time it would require for him to return even if she was able to contact him. As for others in the city, just what could they do against a being like Cosmic Emperor?
Claudia was worried about Agatha and her child, but now she was helpless. She didn't have the power to chose so she decided to save those whom she could.
Zzzz.
The lights in the villa dimmed before disappearing. Every single gadget stopped functioning as the electricity from the villa moved down.
Similarly, the electricity from the second underground floor was severed and transferred to the above floor.
The drones, meanwhile, moved to the sockets on the walls to meet energy demands and supply power whenever needed.
At the same time, the force field from Section IV slowly faded while the electricity transformed into a high-density white force field covering the other sections to prevent the damage from reaching outside.
Creek.
The doors slowly retraced inside the walls.
Shua.
Powerful violet energy waves boomed out of the thin opening.
If Kiba was here, even he would have a difficult time standing in front of the energy waves. It has to be known during Kiba's fight with Akshobhya, he has to form a barrier around him to protect himself from the energy in Section IV.
Yet Cosmic Emperor stood there as if the energy waves in front of him was just a gentle breeze...
Chapter 214 - Preparations (Final Part)
Dream Rise House.
The door to Section IV was thrice thicker than the other sections. Unlike other sections, the door was made from a combination of six metals and stones.
Adamantine, Gallium, Vajra, World-mending stone, and two other unknown metals, which didn't even exist in Earth's record, were used to create the door and the surrounding walls.
Both Kiba and Claudia have spent a lot of efforts and resources to reinforce Section IV. Everything to prevent the outer world from destruction.
Now, though, the door has retraced and the section was open. Terrifying waves of energy, in the form of violet streams, boomed out, carrying the power of extermination.
The high-density force field covering the corridor and other sections, along with extremely durable metallic walls, prevented the energy from seeping outside.
Yet with such defense arrangements, the entire underground section was shaking. Claudia felt it was a matter of minutes before the force field was ruptured.
[[What do you want?]] Claudia asked.
From what she had seen so far, she believed the Cosmic Emperor knew every secret she and her master were hiding.
What truly stunned her was the ease by which Cosmic Emperor was standing in the face of violet energy. Even Agatha was fine, with not a single scratch on her body.
She knew even her master would have a hard time achieving this without spending a lot of efforts.
Section IV was something neither she or her master would want to use unless they were desperate and out of options. This was the reason why Kiba decided to rely on Desolate Blood Forest to find a cure for Felicity instead of using this option.
Cosmic Emperor didn't answer her question. He stepped inside the section, carrying Agatha in his arms.
From outside, the section wouldn't be longer than a standard living room. Yet, from inside, the area seemed endless with no boundaries.
There was no air or another medium. The entire region was cold, so cold that one would solidify to an ice cube in an instant.
Besides the bone-numbing chillness, the entrance was dark, save for the violet streams of energy.
~tap~
Cosmic Emperor walked forward. His feet landed on nothing, yet made a tapping sound. If one looks carefully, one would see below his feet, there was nothing but space.
Space which resembled outer space. There was no start or an end, it was an area without physical division or dimensions.
The laws of Earth didn't apply here.
As he stepped ahead, indistinct objects came in sight. They were glittering with dazzling lights and colors.
But the lights and colors were confined, they didn't spread in the darkness. It was like an invisible glass wall was preventing them from expanding out.
Some objects resembled planets and stars of various proportions while a few resembled giant landmass. There were few objects which couldn't be made out as if they were on the process of being forged.
Every object was ethereal and incorporeal. Cosmic Emperor passed right through them and walked towards the source of violet streams of energy.
Just then, a fume of white mist appeared next to a star. In the blink of an eye, the mist morphed into a gigantic beast having thousands of tentacles. The end of tentacles was like proboscis, pointed and sharp, carrying a power to devour anything.
This beast was from an endangered species of Star Devourer. It relied on energy from solar bodies to survive and thrive.
Star Devourer stretched out its tentacles and surrounded the star from all sides. The tentacles penetrated the core of the star to suck every bit of its energy. In just a moment, the star reached the end of its life.
A supernova occurred right in front of Cosmic Emperor and it was a sight to behold, but for him, it held no interest at all. He continued to step without caring about the beast or the star.
The beast made delightful noises which spread in the soundless medium. It then noticed Cosmic Emperor and was startled by its presence.
In terms of size, if the beast was a giant than Cosmic Emperor was a grain.
Yet Star Devourer sensed an endless amount of vitality from him. It has a feeling that the energy from him was far greater than the star it has just devoured.
Delighted, the beast channeled its power to materialize its existence in this space. Its presence was not real but now, slowly, space began to flicker as its body appeared in the same space.
But this was not easy or without consequences. Star Devourer rapidly aged and deteriorated as if it has broken some sacred rule. Hundreds of its tentacles disintegrated into nothingness while dead skin fell from its body.
Star Devourer knew the cost but it didn't hesitate for everything was a gamble. It whipped out its tentacles towards the puny human figure.
Star Devourer was sure the energy in him could be enough to make up for the loss and give it more power than before. Perhaps this human's power could even give it a chance to leave this forsaken space.
"Insignificant vermin," Cosmic Emperor muttered in disgust. The robe of darkness on his body seethed in fury as the tentacles arrived at him.
Sss
The darkness stretched out from his robe and coiled around the coming tentacles.
The next second, Star Devourer felt its very soul trembling. The soul was nothing but a set of complex data, carrying vital essence which forms the very existence of an individual.
In every living being, the soul was the immortal part for it would survive even after physical death. The soul, through the laws of the world, would move to a new body which was basically reincarnation or rebirth.
Now, the beast felt its soul being corrupted by the menacing darkness. Its memories, its essence, and vitality, everything in it were corroded to something horrifying.
The beast roared in unspeakable agony and pain, trying to free from this darkness. It regretted its decision but alas, it didn't even get a chance to beg, much less break free from darkness.
The soul was ripped apart and devoured by the darkness like it was some delicious dish. In less than a second, the body of the beast was covered with darkness and sucked inside.
Chhh
As the darkness retraced back, in place of the supreme beast, there was nothing but space. All traces of Star Devourer were wiped out from existence.
The darkness returned back to Cosmic Emperor's robe as he continued ahead.
He passed by hundreds of what appeared to be planets, stars, landmass and other indistinct forms. In between, golden grains of sand resembling a galaxy appeared, carrying exuberant vital essence.
His pace seemed slow but so far, it has only taken him less than a minute to cover the unimaginable distance.
Finally, he appeared in front of what appeared to be the source of violet energy waves.
A casket.
The casket was floating in the space. Behind the casket, there was nothing, neither space or matter or anything.
If a powerful mutant with space abilities was present here, he could determine that the very space and everything within it originated from the casket.
The casket was white upon which mystical red runes were engraved in a beautiful manner. The runes were of multiple shapes and forms, some floral while the rest were of royal design.
On the center, there was a hole, the only area devoid of runes.
The hole was rather hollow and negligible in dimensions, but its presence was striking. At the end of the hole, a white surface was visible, making it clear that the hole didn't extend to the insides of the casket.
If Castor Damon was alive, he would know what item could perfectly fill this hole.
An item that was in the shape of an amethyst crystal: A six-sided prism at the center and pyramids on both the ends.
Cosmic Spark!
Cosmic Emperor looked at the hole for a moment before shaking his head. His dark eyes gleamed as his vision passed right through the casket.
Inside, a female figure was resting, her body clad in a red robe. Even her face was covered with a thin veil.
It was impossible to see her body and facial features except for her silky violet hairs.
From time to time, violet waves of energy would cover her body like streams of current. A negligible amount of waves would then seep out through the edges of the casket.
The runes on the casket would devour most of the energy waves, using it to power this very space. The remaining energy waves, on the other hand, would land on the boundary of this space which was the walls of Section IV.
Cosmic Emperor's eyes focused on the female's face. Between her eyebrows, there was a violet jewel embedded in her skin.
"Scarlet Leila De Rose, it has been a while," Cosmic Emperor said almost like a whisper. "But then again, for you, it hasn't. I wonder if you remember our conversation at the waterfall in Pearl Haze?"
Scarlet Leila De Rose continued to rest, her eyes shut. She has her hands above her chest, continuing a slumber from long ago, incapable of answering his question.
"Even long before that, when I was young, a naive part of me always believed life was like a waterfall," Cosmic Emperor said with a bit of melancholy in his voice. "It begins to end somewhere. How one arrives at the end from the beginning is up to oneself."
Cosmic Emperor's appearance was young, rather very young, but his voice contained vicissitude of time like he was talking about a thousand years old topic.
"But the passings of time taught me to no longer believe in the ideas of my naive self," Cosmic Emperor continued. "After all, The Fate has everything predetermined from beginning to the end. Who would know it better than you, Princess?"
He let out a sigh before placing Agatha on the top of the casket. He positioned her body such that the back of her stomach was above the hole in the casket.
"This time, though, the end would be the beginning," Cosmic Emperor placed an index finger on Agatha's belly.
On the tip of his finger, a dark flash of light concentrated. Just then, the violet crystal on the glabella of Scarlet Leila De Rose beamed out a violet light.
The violet light passed right through the casket and struck at the back of Agatha.
Inside Agatha's womb, the fetus was in the process of growth. The golden eyes of the fetus were shut tight, but then they suddenly shook as the violet light and dark light struck the coating surrounding the fetus.
A fetus relied on the fluids from the mother to survive and grow. But now, two additional sources of energy coursed through its body along with energy from Agatha.
The fetus showed slight resistance to the violet light but none to the dark light as it grew adapted to them.
"What Fate wants, it shall have, but what I desire, I will definitely have, no matter the price."