chapter 5

13/4/16

21:30

Uh-oh, I'm feeling so sleepy. I thought after returning to the central park area, I could rest peacefully.

"Good news has just been delivered, the bodies of those young people have been given new vessels to hold their sacred consciousness," said the blonde-haired woman in a serious tone.

"Really? This is great because your son has finally returned," said Mom in a very serious tone.

"Rather than discussing this issue, I'm more curious about your son. No one should be able to survive with their original body," responded the woman seriously.

The atmosphere gradually became quiet as I opened my eyes. I could see the Light Rail Transit carriage speeding up with a view of the city center around it.

I glanced beside me and saw Dad and Mom looking at me with serious expressions, while in front of me, the blonde-haired woman gazed toward me.

"That body shouldn't be functioning because the white-scale disease would have damaged it. Yet he can still move freely and bleed like the rest of us, which is a new anomaly. Prince Deharm, it seems you know a lot about this disease," said the woman seriously.

"It's not a disease, but part of the awakening of a Progeion's power. Progeions call it the sacred test that all Progeions—whether creators or creations—must undergo. It's been a part of life since the first generation of Progeions," I replied calmly.

"It looks like a disease to me. I've lived for thousands of years since the golden age of the Holy Empire of Unitopia. Please don't lie to me," the woman responded seriously.

"It's no wonder you don't believe it, but that's the reality. Great-Grandfather, being respected, can you break this fossilized person's beliefs?" I responded calmly.

I glanced ahead, seeing Great-Grandfather surrounded by businesspeople and the black-haired girl beside him. He was enveloped in golden energy before his body transformed into a humanoid figure clad in a white, tight suit. His chest, wrists, and ankles were covered in metallic white armor with golden accents in some parts.

His back was draped in a golden cape, just before his face was covered by a mask with three pairs of eyes. There was a deep scar on the left side of his face, and a pair of red eyes emerged from there.

"Oh, indeed, ruler of the Elsyium continent, this is not a disease. This is the true manifestation of a Progeion that cannot be removed from your body," said my Great-Grandfather in a more serious voice.

The businessmen looked shocked, and I turned to the blonde-haired woman, who was also looking serious before turning her gaze toward me.

"How does he know such important things?" asked the woman, confused.

"You didn't know? He's a member of the Dark Council, the highest body regulating all Progeion codes and cultures, including you. In a way, he's my successor in holding the highest power among creators," Great-Grandfather replied softly.

He then returned to his human form and gazed at me seriously.

I turned my gaze to the woman again, who gave me chills with her stern expression. I glanced at my mom, sitting beside me.

"My son, if your position is that high, you must behave like a leader. You should mimic the nobility from the magic association," Mom said seriously.

"Like that arrogant guy earlier? I'd rather die than imitate them. Besides, my understanding of nobility is entirely different from your holy sky teachings. I only follow the nobility of Elsyium before the Sky Revolution, blending it with Progeion nobility," I replied flatly.

"That's a good start, but what exactly don't you like about magic association nobility?" asked Mom seriously.

"Racism, loud and rude words, bothering other people's lives—there's a lot I hate," I responded calmly.

"Those are certainly bad things and should be avoided. But Progeion nobility... I don't understand that," Mom replied seriously.

Meanwhile, the long, black-haired girl smiled slightly while glancing at me.

"Progeion nobility—although I don't fully understand, I can tell this girl isn't just anyone. Is she from nobility too?" asked Dad seriously.

The girl just smiled and nodded while placing her hands beside her skirt, spreading it slightly.

"Such sharp observation. Your eyes are indeed sharp, Savior, or should I call you Soulder Savior. Please allow me to introduce myself—I am the Crown Princess destined to inherit the throne of the Progeion Empire. I am Princess of Void, Melenia Verga Emporas. I hope we can become close," the girl said in a calm and composed tone.

Dad and Mom remained silent, while the ruler of the Elsyium Empire looked utterly surprised. For about a minute, there was silence before everyone looked serious and turned their gaze forward.

"If that's the case, I believe she is a noble. You must be the highest-ranking noble in your place, like me," said the woman seriously.

"Indeed, Mom believes she is a noble. Deharm, you must learn to become a noble like her. Her nobility is incredibly pure," said Mom very seriously.

"My son, it seems you associate with such people. You're right; you should show more of your nobility, especially since you say you've learned from her," Dad added seriously.

I yawned slightly and glanced at the girl.

"Emporas, if your reason for being here is to deal with the resets, you won't be able to handle them because you've tried before. Give up if you think you can make a name for yourself in Earth's civilization," I replied flatly.

"No, this is all as planned. Besides, you've already messed up the destruction of the Knightmare Sentinel, which should have occurred at the end of this month, giving me time to act. However, something is strange. The magic association should have rioted due to your selfishness, but they're still holding onto that sword fragment," Emporas replied calmly.

"I don't know. I'm too sleepy; I just want to sleep after this," I responded flatly.

"So, you don't know their intentions? When the Soulder's power combines with the Sentinel, it will awaken the combined power of the Soulder Savior held by the Savior. However, that power is so great that, if awakened, it could rival the Royal Category. I want to see it with my own eyes," the girl responded with a small smile toward me.

The ruler of Elsyium turned her gaze to the businessmen in front, who wore serious expressions.

"Because you wouldn't humiliate us with your true nobility, Grand Creator of White, gathering support from the magic association will only destabilize power further. So please curb your ambitions to expand your influence," said the woman seriously.

"I don't want to create a new faction; they come to me to improve their communication with other wizards and ordinary humans. All for one purpose—finding their soulmate," replied my Great-Grandfather seriously.

"Soulmates... I see. We can arrange marriages, as that's one of the functions of the magic association, so you don't need to use your power to support them," the woman responded seriously.

"In Progeion culture, relationships between individuals are sacred. If two individuals are bound, they must fight to maintain it themselves. According to my descendants, Deharm Milford mentioned that your matchmaking can't be trusted, considering the divorce rate is 90%," Great-Grandfather replied seriously.

"Really, according to Prince Deharm's records? We can fix that. In a year, no couple will divorce. Everyone will find their match," the woman responded seriously.

"I can't believe that, especially since you just broke up with the king of the southern human kingdom. You've had no partner since. Don't push yourself into failure. Rest assured, I'm an expert at this, like a psychologist for the Progeions," Great-Grandfather replied seriously.

Hearing this, the woman clutched her chest before exhaling deeply, then forced a smile at me.

The train slowly stopped, and the door opened to reveal the platform to my right. I stood up and grabbed my backpack, slinging it over my shoulders.

I sighed deeply as the woman straightened her gaze at me. Uh-oh, she seems offended by my notes. This is troublesome; I just want to sleep.

"Crown Prince Deharm, it's true that you refused the marriage arranged by the magic association. You know how embarrassing it is for your parents if you don't have a partner, especially at your age," the woman said seriously.

"You know, I'm busy cooking. I don't have time for relationships," I replied flatly.

Emporas stifled a laugh before covering her face with her hands, letting out a soft chuckle. She sighed deeply and looked at me, while Great-Grandfather stared seriously.

"Your Highness Emporas, what's so funny about this situation?" asked Great-Grandfather seriously.

"Nothing. It's just that reality is the opposite of what he says. Since no one has ever claimed to be his soulmate, he's free among the Progeions and can form relationships without scandal. In fact, women are his biggest obstacle, more worrisome than monsters," Emporas replied seriously.

"Are you saying he's a playboy? That's what humans would call him. So, are you saying you also have special feelings for my descendant?" Great-Grandfather asked seriously.

"Yes, and he was the one who stole my first kiss. Or I forced my kiss on him; that kiss was far more exciting, especially his embarrassed and surprised expression, speechless. I would kiss him again if it made me happy," Emporas replied calmly.

Ignoring this, I walked toward the platform, seeing a crowd of people in white uniforms, along with cameramen taking pictures as I exited.

I ignored them as I left the platform, yawning widely.

"So, you've arrived, my childhood friend. Deharm Milford, I hope you don't mind talking for a moment," came a cold and flat voice from beside me.

I turned to see the owner of the voice, a girl with light gray hair and red eyes, wearing a sleeveless blue dress paired with a short skirt and black stockings.

The girl walked up to me, looking very serious.

"As the ruler of Tyrania, I, Crown Princess Reina Von Tyrania, offer my sympathy to you for the tragedy that occurred. I've heard the story—their eyes were stolen. This is even worse than the theft of my kingdom's treasures," the girl said seriously.

"Thank you for your sympathy. Don't worry, I'm handling the issue. So, how's the collection of your treasures going?" I asked, curious.

"Without the Beast of Wrath, it's tough but not impossible, considering I have knowledge from the previous world. You call it singularity, like the group of creators you know who decided to help us," the girl replied seriously.

"Wait, other Progeions came here too?" I asked, confused.

The girl glanced to the side of the platform, where I saw a group of people dressed in black robes, talking to gray-uniformed military personnel.

One of them, wearing a gray scarf, smiled at me.

"What a surprise to meet you, Your Highness Deharm Milford," said the figure seriously.

"Korlz, I'm not too surprised since Emporas is here. But why bring the Black Order?" I asked, curious.

"We heard the situation is beyond even Emporas's control, so we thought we'd get a role in this new saga," the figure replied seriously.

I sighed deeply as the gray-uniformed military personnel looked seriously at me.

"Prince Deharm Milford, to strengthen relations between our two kingdoms, how about we hold celebrations in both territories, funded by the people?" asked the figure, sounding very serious.

"Sorry, I must decline because now isn't the time. The twelve nobles have declared this a cursed act, and the Phoenix has sworn to avenge it. Maybe next time we can accept," I replied flatly.

"I see. We can't celebrate either, even though we've recovered most of the stolen treasures. But if my family were tortured like this, I'd be upset too," the figure replied seriously.

I felt a wave of intense frustration, so I sighed deeply.

"Astral barrier!" I murmured softly.

The area around me was enveloped in a white wall, and a golden flame struck it from the left side for about three seconds before fading.

The white wall disappeared, and the people around me looked shocked, staring at me.

"What did I say? Prince Deharm was not a mistake chosen by the great Phoenix, who never errs in his judgment. Thank you for wasting your energy, Prince Bronez of the Volcrish Empire," Reina said seriously.

Her gaze slowly turned toward a man with dark green hair and blue eyes, wearing all-white clothing, guarded by several others in white uniforms behind him.

"I was just messing around, you weird one, 391-100. If you dare hurt my friends, you will incur the wrath of the government officials. So act maturely and stay over there, away from him," the man said seriously.

"Oh, the evil uncle. You're upset because I'm talking with Reina. When you're just her ex-lover," I replied flatly.

Everyone stared at me, especially the gray-uniformed military personnel, looking confused.

"Ex-lover? That's a title given to someone whose relationship has ended. As I recall, Princess Reina broke up with him after hearing that Prince Bronez sold his treasures to cover his gambling debts," said one of the black-clad figures seriously.

"Oh, I see. Yes, he's her ex. You no longer deserve to be by Princess Reina's side," the figure I had spoken with earlier said seriously.

The white-uniformed people stepped aside as the green-haired man glared at me angrily.

"This is just a small conflict between us. Prince Deharm, remember that your confession of love was rejected by her. Also, I stole her precious first kiss, and I'm currently dating the Sky Princess," the man said seriously.

A white-gowned woman with golden-blonde hair glowing with golden light straightened her gaze toward me.

"Indeed, what happened in the past was his mistake. He was just trying to double his money quickly. Prince Bronez has a pure heart because he's the half-brother of the Sky Princess before me. You should both forgive his past mistakes and start by being our guest of honor at our event," the woman said very seriously.

Everyone stared at us.

"Sorry, I'm busy dealing with this case. And also, the Knightmare Soulder, so I don't have time to play with you," I replied flatly.

Everyone looked surprised, and I turned my gaze to Reina.

"Sorry, I'm heading home. If you need to talk, just email me," I added calmly.

"Yes, I understand. But it's impressive how you rejected the Sky Princess's request, even though she's incredibly charming and the epitome of noble elegance," Reina replied seriously.

"Epitome of noble elegance? She looks more like a spoiled princess from a rich family, rated 2.3 on the nobility scale. You, on the other hand, are much higher, with an 8.5, so please don't force me to submit to her," I replied flatly.

"You say I'm like a noble princess? That's an extraordinary compliment, though I'm not sure how to accept it. But it feels strange since my status is much higher than the Sky Princess. What's your agenda in praising me?" Reina asked seriously.

"Agenda? I have none. I'm just stating the truth. Why do you think I had the courage to confess my feelings for you in the past?" I responded flatly.

I glanced at Reina, who looked surprised, then at the black-robed figures nodding, causing the gray-uniformed soldiers to look serious.

"What do you wish to convey, O Creators?" asked one of the soldiers seriously.

"The words of our leader are true. I believe she belongs to the highest caste, given her grace and elegance. She would surely be in the Gray Caste if she were in the Progeion world," one of them replied seriously.

"You all, isn't this the same as disrespecting your leader, Princess Emporas? If she hears this, she might feel betrayed," the soldier replied seriously.

"Our traditions differ greatly. Among us, the highest-caste Progeions never restrict us. Instead, they compete to be more perfect through hard work. We're a bit narcissistic, or at least that's what the esteemed Deharm calls it, and I understand it," the figure replied seriously.

I turned my gaze to the distance and saw Dad, Mom, and Great-Grandfather exiting the train, followed by the businessmen.

Behind them, I saw Emporas with a purple flower on her left ear, glancing at me.

"That sweet girl, is she the new assistant to the Grand Creator of White?" asked the soldier seriously.

"She is the esteemed Emporas, our leader," replied the black-clad figure very seriously.

"She's sweet, and elegant too. She's a princess; I'm not surprised. But compared to sweet Princess Reina, I wouldn't mind because she's really charming," the soldier said seriously.

I continued toward the stairs, yawning widely.

Uh-oh, I'm so sleepy.

"Hey, Deharm! Hello!" I heard a very friendly voice from the left.

I turned to see a tiger-eared girl in a white school uniform waving at me. She was with a girl in a purple sweater and a pink blazer, standing at the back of the crowd gathered on the platform.

"Tigrina," I replied flatly.

Then, the other two girls turned to look at me with surprised expressions. One had bluish-purple hair with horns above her ears, and the other was a pink-haired girl with short, shoulder-length hair and pointed ears.

Oh no, Sakurai is here. I'd better run before I become their target.

"Deharm, I'm sorry about what happened last night. You know I can't control my succubus side, especially around dark magic users like you," Sakurai said softly.

"Yeah, I don't mind since, personally, a human like me would also be aroused when having intercourse. But please don't do it while I'm sleeping," I replied flatly.

"I understand. I won't do it again. But that means I can do it while you're awake," Sakurai said calmly.

I sighed deeply as the three girls looked surprised.

"Deharm Milford, does that mean you don't mind having intercourse with women?" asked the blue-haired girl calmly.

"Yes, I'm human. Sex is part of human reproduction to create offspring," I replied flatly.

"Really? Then tonight, we can sleep in the same hotel room together," the girl smiled slightly, glancing at me. "Just kidding, I won't force you to have sex with me. Even though I'm the first succubus, I have values I won't break."

She gazed straight ahead.

"Exactly, you know it's extremely rude to leave someone feeling happy. I think this only lasted for four minutes. I hope you don't mind watching the magic association's show," she added seriously.

I turned my gaze to the journalists pointing their cameras, and saw the arrogant man approaching Dad and Mom.

"Savior and Sky Princess Ruby, I think now is the time to announce to the world how close we are," the man said very seriously and loudly.

"Perfect Adam, you must mean you're my best student, right? Isn't it obvious since you can use all of the sacred Phoenix techniques," Dad replied seriously.

"That's not it. It's time to acknowledge me as your son. As stated in the records, make me the eldest son of the Milford family. With this, I'll become Crown Prince of Newtopia and restore the purity of the Elsyium continent!" the man said seriously.

"That's impossible. Our son has never died, so we're still bound by blood. Besides, you're also the Crown Prince of the southern human kingdom—that territory should be enough for you," Dad replied seriously.

The man became visibly frustrated as a white-clad individual approached, carrying a white suitcase, which he slowly opened, revealing gold bars.

"I'll share my wealth with you if you acknowledge me as your son. I'll be the elder brother of that weird one, 391-100," the arrogant man said very seriously.

"This isn't about wealth, Perfect Adam. He is our son and can never be replaced by anything," Dad replied seriously.

The blonde-haired man's gaze turned toward me as he snapped his fingers.

"Don't blame me for making me angry. Release the beast to kill that eyesore," the man said angrily.

Above us, a golden magic circle appeared, and a 4-meter-tall peacock landed behind him. Its body was enveloped in golden flames as it walked toward me.

From my right hand, the Crosstriker appeared, and I aimed it forward.

"Raising Peacock, hurting this person is the same as hurting me. Stop this attack now, or you'll be dismissed and replaced by another spirit," came Nexus's stern voice.

The peacock stopped, and its eyes slowly turned red.

"Big Boss, I'll free you from this dirty body. But according to the rules, I only follow the orders of those who hold my power," the peacock said seriously, flapping its wings.

I felt warmth on my right side, so I reached down with my left hand and pulled out a card from the holster.

The card had an image of a peacock spreading its wings with golden flames in a mountainous area.

"Oh, so this is the true manifestation of this card's power. Turns out it's a grilled chicken too," I murmured softly.

"Grilled chicken? I can't fly, but I'm a peacock, a bird with beautiful tail feathers. Where did you get the power sealed within that card?" asked the peacock seriously.

"In the battle with Knightmare Sentinel, I sealed the golden flames that would have destroyed the surrounding buildings into this card," I replied very seriously.

"According to the law, you also hold my power, sharing authority with Perfect Adam. But since you're very weak, I won't obey you," the peacock said seriously.

I pulled the trigger, and a white energy beam struck the creature, instantly extinguishing its golden flames.

The creature collapsed to the floor.

"What terrifying power... What kind of creature are you?" the peacock asked very seriously.

"I'm human. Even though I'm weak, we're very clever. You just received a 10-megawatt Cross Laser shot. No wonder Earth has been in danger for the past 500 years if its guardian creatures are this weak," I replied flatly.

"You dare call me weak? My power is siphoned by the magic association to maintain their perfection. Lowly human, you're not bad yourself," the peacock said seriously.

I glanced at the Crosstriker's eye, which blinked a few times.

"End this fight now because you're wasting time. The Beast of Pride's movements have been confirmed. He has trouble controlling his temper, so he's easily offended, as expected from the Red Faction. Chronos orders us to go to the moon," the voice said very seriously.

"Really? There's new information. That's easy; I have a base there," I replied calmly.

I aimed the Crosstriker at the night sky, where the bright moon shone, and pulled the trigger once. A white beam shot toward me from the moon's bright side, and in ten seconds, the beam dimmed, revealing a large hall filled with giant dragons of various colors—black, white, gray, cyan, magenta, blue, brown, green, and red.

"So, this is the new nest of the Astra dragons. I understand, but why haven't I ever sensed this place's presence?" the creature asked seriously.

"It's in outer space. Check the panels if you don't believe me," I replied flatly.

The ceiling of the hall slowly opened, revealing Earth's beautiful view in the distance.

"Great Gaia, as beautiful and majestic as always. So we really are on the moon. What a miracle that can't be achieved with magic. Now, onto the main topic," the creature said seriously.

"Since you believe it, good. Right, the Beast of Pride," I replied calmly.

I turned around to see Dad and Mom standing there, looking stunned as they gazed at me.

"So, this is really the moon? I thought it was some grand conspiracy unknown to the magic association. Even my vision couldn't detect it if it's on the moon," Mom said seriously.

"This is beyond logic. If you want a peaceful, quiet nest, Dad could have provided land on Earth. Why go to the trouble of building it on the moon? This conversation will be very interesting. Let Dad contact his friends to talk with the Astra dragons," Dad said seriously.

The dragons exchanged glances before turning toward Dad.

"No need, O Savior. We can use holograms to communicate with Earth," Solnova replied seriously.

"O white dragon, we need a direct meeting with you, whom we worship. Please understand," Dad replied seriously.

"We've sworn that if we return to Earth, it will only happen if Soulder Cross, your son, has failed. Then we will commit genocide on the entire magic association, including you two. So there's no tolerance in this matter," Solnova replied seriously.

"If that's what you want, you can destroy us. I'll even personally hunt down my friends who dared make you uncomfortable. But please pay attention to us, as we are also your followers," Dad replied seriously.

"Very well, we will descend tomorrow morning," Solnova replied seriously.

Dad and Mom turned their gaze toward me.

"Deharm Milford, quickly take us back to Earth to celebrate their arrival," Dad said seriously.

"Sorry, I can't. The teleporter only works to bring me from Earth to this base. I'll take you by plane tomorrow morning because I have class," I replied flatly.