Ch. 1011: Chapter 1011-1020

Chapter 1011 Against The Tides Of History

"Bloody hell," Captain Jack Spawow stared at the city in front of him with a dumbfounded look on his face.

A city made entirely of gold shone faintly in the distance.

The Legendary City of El Dorado, which every Pirate wanted to explore, now stood in front of him in all of its glory.

Eiko and Fei Fei, who both had the treasure hunting ability, narrowed their eyes.

Both Baby Slimes were looking in the same direction. Over there was the temple that overlooked the entire city from a distance.

"Go!" Eiko ordered.

"Yes, Princess," Avery replied before flying towards the Golden Temple that had caught Eiko's and Fei Fei's attention.

Naturally, Captain Jack Spawow followed them without a second thought. He was there to witness history in the making, so he did his best to catch up to the Skeleton Pirate King, who purposefully flew at a speed that the Pirate Captain could follow.

Avery landed in front of the temple doors and opened it with both hands.

The moment the door opened, the two Baby Slimes jumped off Avery's shoulder and happily buried themselves in the pile of gold coins and treasures that were in front of them.

Eiko happily tossed a few coins in the air as if she was splashing some water.

Fei Fei did the same, and soon, the tinkling of coins reverberated in the surroundings.

After having their fill, the two Baby Slimes began to explore the temple.

The temple had three stories, and they were currently on the first floor.

Eiko and Fei Fei climbed the golden stairs leading to the second floor.

There, they found countless golden weapons that were of the Mythical and Legendary Rank.

Unlike the first floor, the two Baby Slimes didn't like the second floor.

Sure, the weapons were made up of gold, but since they weren't interested in weapons, they ignored them and headed towards the stairs.

Captain Jack Spawow, on the other hand, was mesmerized by the countless golden weapons that were neatly arranged in weapon racks.

If not for the fact that the two Baby Slimes were heading to the third floor, he would have stayed here and inspected all the weapons around him.

With a heavy heart, the Pirate Captain followed the two baby slimes, which made Avery chuckle.

On the third floor, a hill of treasures appeared in their vision.

However, Eiko, Fei Fei, and Captain Jack Spawow ignored all of this as their gazes were attracted to the top of the hill.

There, laying on top of a golden pedestal was a cylindrical cheese that radiated a dominating presence.

But this was not the only thing that caught Eiko's, Fei Fei's, and Captain Jack Spawow's attention.

Behind the Golden Pedestal that held the cheese stood a four-meter-tall Golden Anchor.

The Skeleton Pirate King, Avery, narrowed his eyes because he could tell that the Golden Anchor wasn't simple.

As a Peak Demigod, he was able to see the Power of Faith, as well as the Weave that bound everything together.

Right now, those two powers intertwined around the Golden Anchor, making the Skeleton Pirate King feel a suppression that surprised him.

Suddenly, all of them heard a voice speaking directly inside their heads.

—————————-

"In the boundless expanse of time,

Eternity's song, a sweet rhyme,

No beginning, no final chime,

Endless, infinite, a wondrous climb,

Eternal moments, forever sublime."

——————————-

The group looked around them but saw no one else inside the room. However, as if waiting for that moment, the voice once again spoke.

——————————

In the realm of Elysium, where legends take flight,

There stand Pillars of Eternity, resplendent and bright.

Amidst the shifting sands of time's turbulent sea,

These steadfast monuments stand, a symbol of Stability.

Carved from ancient gold, their foundations deep,

They guard against the chaos, the secrets they keep.

With strength and purpose, they rise to the sky,

A testament to endurance, as the ages pass by.

In defiance of oblivion, they remain unbowed,

Against the tides of history, they stand proud.

With a resolute spirit, they Anchor the land,

Ensuring that stability forever shall stand.

Through storms and battles, they weather the test,

An unyielding symbol of Stability, at their crest.

In the heart of Elysium, where destinies entwine,

The Pillars of Eternity, a sanctuary divine.

So let us take heed of these pillars so grand,

Embracing the values that make us all stand.

In a world of chaos, let Stability be our guide,

As we face the challenges of life, side by side.

——————————

Eiko looked at the Anchor with a resolute look on her face.

She slowly crawled up the mountain of treasures and climbed the pedestal where the One Cheese lay untouched for hundreds of years.

Without a second thought, the Baby Slime ate it. The cheese disappeared completely just like that.

Eiko felt a comfortable warmth spreading inside her body, which made her temporarily close her eyes due to how good it felt.

Suddenly, a powerful aura erupted from her body, making Avery and Captain Jack Sparrow unable to remain standing.

Both of them fell onto their knees as they looked at the Baby Slime whose body was glowing faintly in resplendent blue light.

Fei Fei, who was unaffected by Eiko's dominating aura, only looked at her best friend with a smile on her face.

A minute later, Eiko's body transformed into her Fairy Princess form.

She then pressed her hand over the Golden Anchor.

Suddenly, the loud tolling of bells reverberated in the surroundings, reaching all the isles of the Ford Federation.

The Pirates who were outside the Hidden Domain all fell to their knees as Eiko's aura surged like an unstoppable wave.

While this was happening, the Fairy Princess was holding onto the Golden Anchor with her eyes closed.

The Legacy of the Pirate King, who once owned the Golden Anchor, flowed inside her head, allowing her to understand how to wield the power of the Golden Anchor, which was one of the Pillars of Eternity, representing Stability.

Several minutes later, Eiko opened her eyes. She then flapped her wings and floated in the air.

Her hand then touched the shank of the Golden Anchor. After that, she raised the Anchor as if she was wielding a weapon in her hand.

(A/N: The shank is the handle of the Anchor. If you are still confused, ask Google kekeke.)

Captain Jack Spawow looked at the little girl, who seemed to be around five years old, holding the four-meter-long Golden Anchor, with awe.

Although he heard the voice inside his head, he still didn't fully understand what the Pillars of Eternity meant.

But he could tell that the moment Eiko summoned the Golden Anchor in the outside world, she would be able to command the laws of the world and bend them to her will.

Chapter 1012 Death Would Be The Least Of Their Worries [Part 1]

While Eiko and Fei Fei were busy looting the City of El Dorado, one of the Kingdoms bordering the Xeno Kingdom was having an important meeting.

In the Royal Palace of the Aston Kingdom…

"Are you sure about this information?" the King of the Aston Kingdom asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the High-Ranker nodded his head. "I am certain about it."

The King closed his eyes as he pondered on what to do with the information he currently had.

He was one of the people who had come to the Divine Empire and witnessed the destructive battle between the Heretics and the Divine Army of Light.

Although the Divine Army's influence had fallen considerably after losing their Capital City and their Main Headquarters was destroyed, it didn't change the fact that they were still one of the most powerful organizations in the world.

After thinking for several minutes, the King glanced at his adviser and asked for his opinion.

"What do you think we should do with this information?" The King asked.

The Adviser only smiled after hearing the King's inquiry.

"Is there a need to think about this, Your Majesty?" the Adviser replied. "The Xeno Kingdom survived the Beast Tide with the Heretic's help. This means that they are connected to him in some way.

"As to how to handle this information, we can just leak it to the subordinate Kingdoms of the Beast King. We don't need to get our hands dirty. We can just let them handle this matter."

The King smiled. "So we are going to make it look like we only passed along this information but didn't have a hand in this matter, correct?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Adviser replied. "If you wish, I will personally handle this matter."

"Very well," the King replied. "I will leave this matter in your very capable hands."

"As you will, Your Majesty," the Adviser bowed before leaving the throne room.

Half a day later, the Adviser arrived at one of the subordinate Kingdoms of the Beast Empire, Zane Kingdom, and talked directly to their King, sharing with them this sensitive matter.

"I see, so you wish for us to do your dirty work for you," the Rhino King smirked.

"Not at all, Your Majesty," the Adviser replied. "We are simply giving you this information. As to what you do with it, it is up to your discretion."

"No matter how hard you try to sugarcoat it, the fact still stands that you want us to trample on this Xeno Kingdom for you," the King stated.

However, a smile soon appeared on the Rhino-kin's face as he thought of the many benefits he could obtain by talking to the Divine Army.

"Very well, if things go smoothly, I will make sure to share a slice of the pie with the Aston Kingdom," the King replied.

"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty," the Adviser bowed respectfully. "I will now take my leave."

The King nodded. "Mmm."

When the Adviser of the Aston Kingdom left, the Rhino King raised his hand.

Immediately, four Saints appeared in front of him and knelt at the same time.

"Go and visit this Xeno Kingdom," the Rhino King ordered. "Take the children of their Royal Family as hostage and bring them here."

"What if their parents resist, Your Majesty?" One of the Saints asked.

"You can beat them up, but don't kill them," the Rhino King stated. "Someone has to inform the Heretic that we have hostages on our side."

"Understood." The Saint nodded before he and his comrades disappeared from the throne room.

The King then clapped his hand, and his right-hand man appeared in front of him.

"Go to the Beast King Empire and tell them what we plan to do," the Rhino King ordered. "Also, get in touch with the nearest branch of the Divine Army and share this news with them as well. The more reinforcements we have, the better."

His right-hand man nodded before turning into a beam of light that flew towards the window.

The Rhino King smirked because he understood that even though the Divine Army was acting as if they were lying low, they were in fact expanding their information network and doing their best to find any information about the Half-Elf.

Since that was the case, why not let them see the Half-Elf themselves?

The Divine Army hadn't used their full force in the battle in their Divine City.

Only a third of their army had been present at that time because their Higher Ups were busy with something else.

The Divine Army had discovered a hidden gateway a week before Gaap's capture, and they were doing their best to analyze where the gateway would take them.

After careful experimentation, they discovered that the Gateway actually connected to the Abyss, making it a higher priority than Gaap's execution.

News about the Xeno Kingdom's connection with Lux traveled quickly in just the span of two days.

Because of this, a handful of people, who were currently gathered in a secluded place in Elysium, received the information.

"Xeno Kingdom?" the Beast King frowned. "Those fools. Are they trying to poke a hornet's nest?"

Clearly, the Beast King was very displeased with this news.

After what happened in the Divine Empire, he had to re-evaluate Lux's threat level, and upon careful consideration, he decided that antagonizing the Half-Elf wasn't worth it.

What he was afraid of wasn't the Half-Elf.

He was afraid of the people backing him up.

Hereswith was now a Peak Demigod, and the Beast King would only be able to fight against her if he transformed into his Beast Form, which would allow him to jump to the Peak Demigod State.

Most monsters who were in human form had this ability.

The Dragon King was a Peak Supreme.

However, once he transformed into his Dragon Form, he would become a Peak Demigod.

A Demigod was stronger than a Supreme, and no one in their right mind would dare antagonize a peak Demigod unless they had a death wish.

The Oracle of the Divine Army, Maeve, frowned after hearing the report.

She was still very bitter that she had failed to kill Lux and allowed the Half-Elf to escape.

If it weren't for Gaap's interference, the Half-Elf would have died in the Divine City, and one of the Heretics threatening their organization would have ceased to exist.

Taking a golden bowl out of her storage ring, the Oracle filled it up with water before lightly tapping its surface with her fingertip.

Ripples appeared on its surface, but just like she expected, she was unable to see anything.

She was unable to use her Divination to lock onto the Half-Elf because he was protected by the laws of the world, for he was one of the beings who had unlocked a Progenitor Class.

"This might be a good opportunity," Maeve muttered as she gazed at the Beast King and the two other people beside her. "Depending on how important the members of the Xeno Royal Family are to that brat, we might be able to capture him."

"You make it sound so easy," the Beast King sneered. "Have you forgotten about what happened in your Divine City?"

Maeve and the two people sitting beside her frowned.

"What happened back then was truly unfortunate," Maeve admitted. "However, it was due to the fact that we allowed our enemies to make their preparations that caused our downfall. This time, we will act swiftly and not give the Half-Elf time to react."

"Are you going to kill him?" the Beast King asked.

The Oracle shook her head. "Killing him now is not ideal. If it were before, I would not hesitate to kill him. But now… things are more complicated."

The Oracle knew that if they killed Lux, Hereswith would avenge him.

Once the beautiful Elf came into the picture, the Elves would also join the war.

If the Elves join the war, the Dragons would also move.

Right now, a full-scale war between these factions was something that they wanted to avoid.

"You won't kill him, so what will you do?" the Beast King arched an eyebrow.

Maeve smirked. "Once we have the hostages, we will force him to sign a Soul Contract. That will ensure that he will not be able to defy us again."

"So you will make him your slave."

"As long as he is alive, Hereswith will not do anything reckless. As long as we have her Grand Disciple, we will have a leash that can control her movements. This is hitting two birds with one stone."

The Oracle smiled because this was indeed the best solution to control the two Heretics and make them submit by force.

 

Chapter 1013 Death Would Be The Least Of Their Worries [Part 2]

The Beast King narrowed his eyes, but he didn't find anything wrong with enslaving the Half-Elf.

He understood that the two Necromancers and the Divine Army would forever be at each other's throats after Gaap's Death.

However, a compromise could still be achieved as long as they were able to capture the Half-Elf.

As long as Lux was alive, it would not trigger a full-scale war, and Hereswith would have no choice but to sit and negotiate with them.

"Very well." The Beast King nodded. "Let's do this."

"You go first," Maeve replied. "I need to make preparations on this end. I will meet you as soon as I get a few sacrifices from the Apostle Project."

The Beast King gave the Oracle a slight nod before flying away.

According to the report he received, the Saints under the Rhino King had already entered the territory of the Xeno Kingdom and were about to start their mission.

The Beast King was confident that they could accomplish this easy task, so he decided to head to the Zane Kingdom and meet up with the Rhino King.

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Meanwhile in the Xeno Kingdom…

Victor, who was currently having an afternoon tea with his wife and daughters, frowned as he looked towards the East.

Queen Felicia also looked in the direction where her husband was looking and sighed in her heart.

'I knew it,' Queen Felicia thought. 'Our neighbors really want to looking and sighed in her heart.

'I knew it,' Queen Felicia thought. 'Our neighbors really want to make things difficult for us.'

Victor glanced at his wife, and the latter nodded her head in understanding.

"Aina, take Colette and hide," Victor ordered. "Do not return until things settle down."

Victor had already told Aina about the possibility of them being attacked due to their connection with Lux.

Of course, he hoped beyond hope that their neighboring kingdoms weren't busybodies, but he still underestimated their greed.

"Hide? You underestimate us too much."

A voice filled with ridicule said, which made Victor and Queen Felicia stand up to protect their daughters.

Four individuals appeared on the balcony with sneers on their faces.

"Chameleon-kins," Victor clicked his tongue. "How long have you been here?"

"We've been here for two hours," the Chameleon-kin Saint replied. "It's quite funny that you didn't even sense us even though we were right under your nose."

At that moment, four more individuals landed on the balcony, and they were none other than the Rhino-kin Saints that had been sent to capture the children of the Royal Family.

"You have two choices," one of the Saints of the Rhino-kin said. "The first is to quietly surrender your daughters to us. We promise that we will not hurt them. They will be released once they have served their purpose."

"What purpose are you talking about?" Queen Felicia asked. "Our Kingdom hasn't done anything to any of you."

The Rhino-kin remained calm and even politely answered Queen Felicia's question.

"It is beneath me to kidnap children and use them as hostages," the Rhino-kin replied. "However, this is a decree by my King, so I am duty-bound to carry out his order. But that doesn't mean that I can't choose how this event will unfold.

"You already know that fighting us will not only be a painful choice, but it might also hurt your children. The best option you have is to quietly allow us to take them, so none of us will get hurt.

"Like I said earlier, once they serve their purpose, they will be released. I will even personally escort them back to your kingdom safely."

Queen Felicia narrowed her eyes. "You still haven't answered my question. Why are you doing this?"

"Hey, why don't we just beat them up and get this over with?" the Chameleon-kin interjected. "Explaining things to these weaklings is annoying."

The Rhino-kin sighed. "If you want your children back, make sure to tell the Half-Elf to come to the Beast Empire to get them. The sooner he gets there, the sooner your daughters will be released. Now, hand them over. This is the last time I will ask nicely."

Victor and Felicia exchanged glances with each other. Even though they were outnumbered, they would still fight to protect their children.

How could they possibly allow these people to kidnap their children just like that?

But before they could even make a move, Aina took a step forward while holding Colette's hand.

"Father, Mother, please stand down," Aina said in a calm manner. "We will be fine. Lux will save us."

She looked at her parents with determination, wanting them to not do anything reckless.

Although she understood that her parents wanted to protect them, dealing with eight Saints was simply beyond their abilities.

Also, their people might also get involved in the battle, which might lead to casualties on their side.

Aina didn't want this to happen, so she decided that it would be best to just allow herself and her sister to be captured peacefully.

She could tell that the Rhino-kin meant what he had said, so doing this was indeed the best option.

"Good." The Rhino Saint nodded "Now come with us."

He didn't bother binding Aina and Colette because the two of them were not strong enough to escape.

Without another word, the two young ladies walked toward the Rhino Kin and bid their parents farewell.

A moment later, the eight Saints rose up towards the sky and flew towards the East, carrying Aina and Colette with them.

"Victor…" Queen Felicia said with a worried look on her face.

"I know," Victor replied. "Fortunately, that Half-Elf's friends are still within our Domain. I will let them know what happened. I just hope that they have a way to relay this incident to Lux."

King Victor flew towards the North in order to find Keane and Gerhart, who were hunting the survivors of the Beast Tide as part of their training.

Right now, he wanted nothing more than to see his daughter's fiance and beg him to save Aina and Colette from the people who took them away.

He knew that, alone, he was unable to do anything.

But Lux was different.

Even though he knew that he was going into a trap, he was certain that the Half-Elf would not hesitate to go to the Beast Empire to save Aina and Colette.

This blind trust that had taken root inside Victor's heart was due to the things that happened in the Divine Empire.

———————————

Two hours later….

Lux, who was meditating and sitting cross-legged in Barbatos Academy, opened his eyes.

His eyes glowed faintly with power as he tried to hold back the raging beast that was roaring inside his chest.

Keane and Gerhart had just informed him of what happened to Aina and Colette and this news made Lux very angry.

A moment later, the Half-Elf disappeared from Barbatos Academy.

He had done his best to honor his Master's words to not seek vengeance against the Divine Army for a period of time, but this latest incident infuriated him.

The raging anger that he had buried inside his heart after his Master's death, howled with a vengeance.

It could no longer be contained and, right now, he wanted nothing more than to crush the bastards who had taken Aina and Colette away and make them understand that Death would be the least of their worries.

 

Chapter 1014 The Young Sure Are Fearless

"It is an honor to meet you, Your Excellency," the Rhino King bowed his head.

The Beast King responded to the Rhino King with a brief nod.

Both of them were Kings, but the Beast King was the King of all Beasts. Because of this, any Beastkin, regardless of their Rank, had to give him the respect he deserved.

"Did you succeed in your mission?" the Beast King asked.

"Yes, Your Excellency," the Rhino King replied. "We have captured the two daughters of the Dwarf King of the Xeno Kingdom. They are currently residing in the guest room under the strict supervision of my subordinates."

"Take me there."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

The Beast King had just arrived at the Zane Kingdom, but he didn't plan on staying there for long. He intended to take the hostages with him to the Beast Empire and wait for the Half-Elf to make his appearance.

A few minutes later, the Rhino King personally opened the door of the guest room, allowing the Beast King to enter first.

When he entered the room, the Beast King's gaze landed on the two young Dwarves who were seated on the couch.

The younger one was hugging her sister, and there were tear stains on her face.

The older one held her sister firmly and was patting her head. Clearly, she was doing her best to assure her sister that everything was going to be alright.

This scene made the Beast King click his tongue in irritation.

He wasn't too happy with what he was seeing.

As the mighty Beast King who ruled all the Beastkins in Elysium, he found this a bitter pill to swallow.

For him, taking hostages, especially hostages who were as young as his daughters, was beneath him.

However, what was done was done. Although the Rhino King moved without his permission, he still decided to agree to the Oracle's plan of using hostages to lure the Half-Elf into saving them.

'To think that I would stoop this low,' the Beast King grumbled in his heart. 'After this is over, it will be in my best interest to distance myself a bit from the Divine Army of Light.'

Aina, who had already sensed the Beast King's presence, glanced in his direction. The two stared at each other for nearly a minute.

Surprisingly, it was the Beast King that first averted his gaze. The reason why he averted his gaze was due to the fact that he was afraid that the young Dwarf would see the shame and guilt in his eyes.

"What's your name?" the Beast King asked.

"Aina Goldenslayer," Aina replied.

"Aina, you and your sister will come with me to the Beast Empire," the Beast King stated. "Worry not, you and your sister will not be hurt. Take them with us."

The Beast King ordered his subordinates. However, just before his men could approach the two dwarves, a Rhino-Kin stepped forward.

"I made an Oath to their parents that I would safely send them back after everything is over," the Rhino-Kin stated. "Your Excellency, I wish to keep my promise, so please, allow me to travel with these two to the Beast Empire."

The Beast King eyed the Rhino-Kin before nodding his head.

"Very well," the Beast King nodded. "You will be in charge of their safety."

"Thank you, Your Excellency," the Rhino-Kin Saint bowed his head respectfully.

A few minutes later, the Beast King entered the Teleportation Gate of the Royal Family, along with his entourage.

Since the battlefield would take place within his Capital City, he needed to make preparations just in case things got out of hand.

Aina and Colette followed without resistance, for they knew that the two of them were incapable of escaping their captors.

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Somewhere in Elysium…

"It will be best if you return those children to their parents," the Sovereign of the Divine Army said as he looked at the beautiful Oracle in front of him. "Now is not the time to antagonize the Heretics."

"We and the Heretics have an irreconcilable grudge against each other," Maeve countered. "This is the best opportunity to put an end to this conflict, is it not?"

"Child, you are still blinded by your hate against Hereswith," the Founder of the Divine Army joined the conversation. "We cannot afford to have a large-scale war at this moment, especially when the Gate of the Abyss is starting to show some activity. You need to look at the bigger picture."

The corners of Maeve's lips curled up into a smile. "What's this? Since when did the Supremes of the Divine Army become cowards? Did the two of you lose your edge after our Main Headquarters was destroyed? Are you too afraid to raise your head in fear that it will get blown off from your body?"

The Sovereign of the Divine Army sighed. "Look. Do you know why Memento Mori and the Divine Army never engaged in a full-blown conflict with each other? Sure, we have skirmishes every now and then and even lose the lives of our people in battle, but it never reached the point where both sides want to exterminate each other from the face of the world.

"We only dealt with Hereswith because she was taking a path that shouldn't be taken. As a Necromancer, she should have stuck to the path of Necromancers. But she wanted more and decided to seek the power of the Divine. This is the reason why we agreed to kill her."

The Founder nodded. "A Necromancer wielding the power of the Divine will be immune to Light, Life, and Divine attacks. This means that we will not be able to kill them without our Core Abilities. Because of that, we needed to kill Hereswith before she succeeded in her ascension."

The Sovereign then glanced at the countless human-sized tubes to his right side and placed his hands behind his back.

"When that Half-Elf succeeded in becoming a Necromancer of Heaven, we decided to kill him while he was still weak," the Sovereign stated. "Also, since Gaap is already our enemy, it was just normal to take his Disciple out along with him.

"Both of them could be killed because, even with Antero's help, Gaap would not have been able to live for a long time. We know that the Golem of Destruction used his Soul as its source of energy. Simply put, the chances of killing them were high, so we decided to get it over with. But now, things have changed."

The Founder of the Divine Army closed his eyes. "Now, Hereswith has returned and has become Heaven's Necromancer just like that brat. On top of that, she is now a peak Demigod and has the ability to summon another Demigod-Ranked subordinate, but that is not why we decided to not antagonize her anymore.

"The Kingdoms in Elysium are split into three factions. Those on our side, those on Hereswith's side, and those who want to retain their neutrality. If we attack Hereswith, the Elven Kingdoms will support her. The High King of the Elves will not allow his daughter to die a second time.

"If something happens to Hereswith, a full-scale war will take place, and it will cause countless and unnecessary deaths in this world. Countless Saints will die. Supremes will meet their end. The Powerhouses of Elysium will decrease drastically by the time the war is over.

"After that, the Abyss only needs to successfully open one gate, and this world will be finished. Maeve, it is not because we are cowards. We are simply looking at the bigger picture. This world can not lose any more of its powerhouses, especially when the fabric between the Abyss and our world is getting thinner.

"This is why we started the Apostle Project. With this, even Apostles will gain the power of Supremes. No matter how many Demigods the Abyss has, no matter how much they outnumber us, as long as we can create countless Pseudo-Supremes, we will be able to push them back to the Abyss.

"While we are doing this, the Necromancers of Memento Mori are gathering the Stars of Calamity. They are not trying to awaken these fearsome creatures to fight against us. They are trying to find them all in preparation for the real battle that we have to face. So, child, do not antagonize the Heretics for now.

"The delicate balance of this world must be kept. It doesn't matter even if we lost our Divine City. These things can be rebuilt at any time. But once the Saints and Supremes start killing each other, this world would become inches closer to being conquered by the Abyss."

Maeve snorted after hearing the explanation of the Founder and the Sovereign of the Divine Army. In her eyes, the two were just sugarcoating their inability to stand up against their foes.

"Forget it." Maeve scoffed. "I was a fool to think that two old men still had what it took to keep the influence of the Divine Army alive. Since you don't want to move, I'll do it myself. I will be taking twenty Apostles with me."

Maeve didn't even wait to hear the reply of the two men inside the room. She simply stormed off because she felt disgusted talking to the two cowards, who had lost their pride and edge, after the battle that took place in the Divine Empire.

The two old men glanced at each other and sighed.

"The young sure are fearless," the Founder said softly.

"Are we really letting her go like this?" the Sovereign asked. "What if she dies?"

"She won't," the Founder replied. "Before her mother passed away, she told me about a vision she saw where her daughter was fighting in the final battle against the Abyss. Since that is the case, it is impossible for her to die until the Abyss starts their invasion."

(E/N: Fufufu. Just because she is fighting, doesn't mean she's alive)

The Sovereign nodded. "Should we proceed according to plan?"

The Founder replied. "Yes. We need to create our True Divine Army before that Fallen Hero makes his move."

The two men then gazed at the hundreds of human-sized tubes in their surroundings and sighed.

These Apostles were the hope of their world, and to be frank, both men truly hoped that they would be enough to tilt the tide of battle in their favor.

Chapter 1015 Just Who Is The Real Monster Here?

"Cowards," Maeve grumbled as she headed to the Underground Barracks, where some of the Apostles were staying.

The moment she appeared, all the Apostles within the vicinity stood at attention and gathered in front of her.

"I'll make this quick," Maeve stated. "I plan to capture one of the Heretics who destroyed our Divine City. I will need twenty volunteers. Those who are prepared to die to protect the honor of the Divine Army, step forward!"

All the Apostles stood forward. They looked at the Oracle with a determined look on their faces. None of them were afraid to die because this was their purpose.

They were aware that their Main Headquarters was destroyed, and this news filled their hearts with rage. Now that an opportunity had come to capture one of those responsible for its destruction, none of them had plans to back down from such a mission.

The Oracle nodded her head in satisfaction after seeing the Apostles' unwavering determination to protect the honor and dignity of their organization.

'If only those two fools were as brave as these sacrifices, then we wouldn't need to hide underground like worms.' Maeve sighed in her heart. 'They are already old. It seems that the fear of death has taken hold of them.'

After picking twenty volunteers, the Oracle of the Divine Army brought them to the underground Teleportation Gate that was directly connected to the Beast Empire.

————————

Beast Empire…

"These will be your temporary quarters during your stay here," the Beast King said. "I will send maids to take care of both of your needs. Just stay put, and the two of you will be returned to your parents once this is over."

The Beast King then left without another word.

He had assigned two Saints, along with the Rhino-Kin, to guard Aina and Colette and prevent them from escaping.

The Oracle had contacted him using a special artifact, and she told him that she was on her way to the Beast Empire.

The Beast King stared at his Capital City with his arms crossed over his chest.

He had been there when the Main Headquarters of the Divine Army was wiped out from the face of the world. He had no intention of letting the same thing happen to his city.

He intended to fight the Half-Elf inside his personalized Domain, and that is where he would capture him alive.

"Come, Lux Von Kaizer," the Beast King muttered. "The grudge between you and the Divine Army will end here."

The Beast King was confident that he would be able to defeat the Half-Elf even if Hereswith were to come and help him.

————————

Heaven's Gate Guild Headquarters…

The Beast King was not aware that Lux had no intention of involving his Grandmaster in this battle.

Although Hereswith had repeatedly told him that Gaap was meant to die when he decided to fight in the Divine City, the Half-Elf still felt that it was his fault that his Master died.

When the four Pseudo-Supremes arrived to target him, he was forced to flee the battle due to the difference in Ranks.

He was simply too weak to fight against them, and this great disparity couldn't be overcome even by a month of grinding for Beast Cores.

When the arrow of Destruction was about to hit him, he tried to swap places with his clones, but it failed.

His clones had already perished in battle, which almost ended his life.

If it weren't for his Master swapping places with him, the arrow would have surely ended his life.

Lux could still remember that moment as if it was yesterday.

He always thought that, if only he had been stronger, he would have definitely escaped with his Master without fail.

The Half-Elf knew that he couldn't always depend on his Grandmaster to save him whenever he fought against a Supreme or a Demigod.

He needed to have the ability to stand his ground against these Powerhouses, and that was what he planned to test right now.

"Aurora, I need your help," Lux said.

"Welcome back, Lux," Aurora replied with a smile. However, after seeing how serious Lux's expression was, she instantly felt that something bad had happened. "How can I help you?"

The Half-Elf didn't hesitate and told Aurora about everything that happened in the Xeno Kingdom. The beautiful young lady intently listened from start to end without saying a word.

When Lux finished his explanation, she nodded her head and looked him in the eye.

"How can I help you?" Aurora asked. "As long as it is within my ability, I will do everything in my power to help."

"Thank you, Aurora," Lux said with a faint smile on his face. "I want you to come with me to the Pantheon of Exile."

Aurora blinked once then twice before a dawn of realization appeared on her face. She then held Lux's gaze for nearly half a minute before nodding her head.

"Understood," Aurora nodded. "When are we leaving?"

"Right now," Lux answered.

The Half-Elf then took out one of the three tickets in his possession, which he hadn't used for a long time.

These tickets allowed him to instantly teleport to any place in Elysium and Solais that he had been to before.

After a brief explanation about what he planned to do, Lux teleported to the Inner Sanctum of the Pantheon of Exile.

"Heaven's Call," Lux muttered as he summoned Aurora to his side using his ability.

A pillar of white light appeared beside him, and the young lady who held all the misfortune of the world made her appearance.

Aurora looked at the Half-Elf with an inquiring gaze, asking if they should start their operation.

Lux nodded. "You can start."

Taking a deep breath, the beautiful young lady pressed her hand on one of the barriers that was keeping a Calamity-Ranked Monster inside its prison.

A moment later, several cracks appeared on the barrier's surface, making the Ape-Like Calamity Beast who had been imprisoned for nearly a century, start attacking the barrier to speed up its destruction.

When the barrier finally shattered, the five-meter-tall Ape-Like Monster roared and looked at the two teenagers with bloodshot eyes.

It wasn't even the least bit thankful for being freed from its prison. The only thing in its mind was to vent out the frustration that it had been holding back for a very long time.

However, before it could attack the two teenagers, three creatures appeared between it, and the two people it wanted to kill.

Two of those creatures were the Four-Armed Black Ogre and the Golden-Eyed Naga.

The last creature that made its appearance was none other than Avernus, who had taken his Demi-Human form.

Without even giving the Ape-Like Monster a chance to register what had just happened, the Black Ogre and the Golden-Eyed Naga attacked.

Avernus chuckled as he walked towards the pitiful-looking ape, who was about to get Gang Banged into submission.

The other monsters, who were imprisoned inside the Inner Sanctum, shuddered when they saw this horrifying scene.

They watched as the Calamity-Ranked Ape was beaten until it was half dead without giving it a chance to fight back.

"Blackfire," Lux stated, and the Black Coffin appeared before him.

Its lid slid open and countless hands grabbed hold of the fallen Ape, dragging it towards its body.

The Half-Elf then glanced at his next target, making the imprisoned monster's body shudder uncontrollably.

On that day, the monsters that had once terrorized the Lands of Agartha all roared in fear and helplessness.

They were the existences that were deemed too dangerous to wander freely. But now, they were looking at the red-headed teenager with fearful eyes.

All of them had the same thought as they watched their comrades get absorbed by the Black Coffin one by one.

'Just who is the real monster here?'

This was the thought that swirled inside their heads as they looked at the Half-Elf's merciless eyes.

Avernus' laughter spread inside the Inner Sanctum as he beat the crap out of all the monsters that stood in front of him.

He knew that Lux was very angry, and he could feel it through their connection.

Although he had only been with the Half-Elf for a short period of time, he now had a good grasp of his personality.

'I almost pity the Beast King,' Avernus thought as the Calamity-Ranked Monster he was facing fell on the ground.

A second later, Blackfire devoured the monster's body and added it to his collection.

No matter how much the monsters begged and pleaded for mercy, all of their cries fell on deaf ears.

The Black Ogre, the Golden-Eyed Naga, and the Dracolich smacked them to oblivion.

There were hundreds of Peak-Calamity Ranked Beasts inside the Inner Sanctum, and Lux had no intention of sparing even one of them.

The Beast King and the Oracle were preparing to fight against Lux with the intention of capturing him.

They were not aware that the Half-Elf had other plans in mind.

Yes.

He didn't plan to go to the Beast Empire to fight.

He'd had enough dealings with the Divine Army.

What he wanted to do was a one-sided annihilation, and he would not stop with the Beast Empire.

All the factions under the Divine Empire's influence would soon know that the big organization they looked up to was nothing when faced with the rage of the Necromancer of Heaven.

High above the heavens, a sigh escaped Eriol's lips.

Although he didn't wish to see what Lux was going to do next, he also understood that there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Max patted his friend's shoulder and sighed as well.

Now that things had reached the tipping point, an unstoppable avalanche that would sweep the entire world by storm was about to take place.

 

Chapter 1016 Even In Death, None Of You Will Escape!

Aurora looked at Lux with a worried expression on her face.

After learning why the Half-Elf decided to raid the Inner Sanctum of the Pantheon of Exile, she also felt anger toward the Divine Army. They dare call themselves divine, yet they would resort to using an underhanded method like using the young man's lover as a hostage to force him to appear.

'Have they not hurt him enough?' Aurora bit her lip as she held Lux's hand. 'Why can't they just leave him alone? Don't they have any compassion?'

For the first time in her life, Aurora wanted nothing more than to place her Curse of Misfortune on the hateful people who were making the person she loved suffer.

The Half-Elf didn't know what Aurora was thinking, and perhaps even if he knew, he wouldn't care either.

His gaze was focused on the Calamity-Ranked Monster in front of him who was currently being subjugated by Avernus, the Black Ogre, and the Golden-Eyed Naga.

The number of Calamity-Ranked Monsters that he had subjugated was nearing a hundred, and there were hundreds more to capture.

Not all of the Monsters were Demi-Humans, so Blackfire couldn't enslave them the same way it did Demi-Human Monsters.

But Lux didn't care.

If the Monsters had a Demi-Human form or could transform into a Human, they would become Blackfire's puppets.

If not, he would just use his skill, Animate Undead, to make them his subordinates after they had been killed.

Although it would take a lot of resources to be able to access the most optimum Monster class options available to him, he didn't care.

Right now, he intended to take all the monsters inside the Pantheon of Exile and settle the score once and for all.

Five Supremes?

So what?

Pseudo-Supremes?

He didn't care!

Peak-Calamity Ranked Monsters might be weaker than Supremes, but if there were hundreds of them, even Supremes would run for their lives.

Also, Blackfire had informed him that Eiko managed to capture a Supreme, which gave the Half-Elf a pleasant surprise.

He didn't know what his Baby Slime was doing, but since she managed to defeat a Supreme, he didn't need to worry much about her.

Eiko had dozens of Nuclear-Level Blast Bombs in her possession, so it was not impossible for her to defeat a Supreme in battle.

Lux was just surprised that his daughter managed to beat him into enslaving a Supreme first. Of course, he had no complaints.

The stronger his Baby Slime was, the better.

An unresigned screech spread in the surroundings as the Giant Spider, whom Avernus and his two sidekicks ganged up on, crashed to the ground.

A few minutes later, the monster breathed its last, and Lux waved his hand to store it inside his Bounty Ring.

"Aurora, please," Lux said softly.

The young lady nodded her head as she reluctantly let go of Lux's hand to touch the barrier of the cell that was right beside the Giant Spider.

"C-Can we talk like civilized individuals?" the Calamity-Ranked Monster behind the barrier that Aurora just touched pleaded. "I-I am willing to become your servant. Just don't kill me."

It was a five-meter-tall Salamander with black and yellow stripes on its body. It had transformed into a demi-human reptile in an attempt to stop Avernus and his gang from beating him up.

At this point, all the monsters within the Inner Sanctum were shivering in their prison cells.

They were powerful monsters in their own right, but in the face of the sadistic Dracolich and his sidekicks, even the strongest monsters wanted to plead for mercy.

Lux gave the Demi-Reptile a hard and long stare, making the monster feel anxious.

The barrier in front of him was now littered with cracks, and it would only take a minute at most before it was completely destroyed.

"Okay, I will accept you as my servant," Lux stated, which made the Calamity-Ranked Monster sigh in relief.

The Half-Elf began to draw runes in the air until a magic circle appeared under the Demi-Reptile's body.

The monster didn't move and allowed Lux to finish the Master and Servant contract.

Taking out a small dagger from his storage ring, the Half-Elf pricked his finger and drew a drop of blood.

He then casually flicked the drop of blood towards the Magic Circle, completing the ritual.

After sensing that the connection was properly established, he ordered the Demi-Human Reptile to join Avernus, the Black Ogre, and the Golden-Eyed Naga to subjugate the rest of his comrades.

Naturally, the newly converted monster was more than willing to vent out his frustrations after becoming the Half-Elf's servant.

It was impossible for him to not feel sad about his current situation, but since he didn't want to unnecessarily feel pain when the outcome would never change, he decided to just take the easy way out.

There was a saying that if you couldn't beat them, join them.

The other Monsters were also considering this option as a way to escape being beaten to a pulp.

But some monsters were simply too prideful.

They didn't want to become Lux's servants, so they decided to kill themselves.

But this was a very grave miscalculation on their part.

"You think that killing yourselves is the right choice, huh?" Lux sneered. "Let me show you how futile your sacrifices are when facing a Necromancer. Even in death, none of you will escape!"

As if to set an example, Lux revived the first monster that had committed suicide using his skill Animate Undead.

This monster looked like Living Armor, but instead of metal, its body was made up of crystals.

Since it was already a High-Ranking Undead Monster, the Half-Elf sacrificed one of the Calamity-Ranked Beast Cores in his possession to get the most optimum option of the Monster classes that were available.

Although the chance of success was only 30% to create the monster he wanted, he still took the gamble. It didn't matter even if he failed since the other options on the list were good in their own way.

Fortunately, his gamble paid off, and he acquired a Living Armor whose body was made up of mirrors.

He named his new subordinate, Kagami, and it retained its Rank as a Peak-Calamity Monster.

When the Monsters saw this scene, they no longer attempted to commit suicide.

They understood then and there that regardless of whether they were alive or dead, the Half-Elf would still have his way, one way or the other.

Now that Avernus' sidekicks had increased by one, the Monsters could only cry as they waited for their turn to be converted into one of Lux's subordinates.

They understood that there was no longer a path of escape left for them, so they all folded and submitted to the Half-Elf, whose gaze was devoid of mercy.

Chapter 1017 Unexpected Visitor

"Well then, Father, Mother, I'll be going now," Valerie smiled as she excused herself.

The Dragon King and the Dragon Queen watched their daughter go with smiles on their faces.

"Is it me or does our daughter look more beautiful than before?" the Dragon King asked his wife.

"It's not just you," Queen Saphira replied. "She has become livelier, and she also looks happier than before. Perhaps something good happened during her stay in Espoir Frieden."

The Dragon King nodded in agreement. He had observed the great changes in his daughter's look and personality after she returned from the Kingdom of the High-Elves.

Valerie was practically oozing with a charm that was hard to ignore.

It was as if she was a beautiful flower that had finally bloomed, making everyone who saw her feel captivated by her outer, and inner beauty.

"I guess allowing her to go with Faustina was the right decision," the Dragon King stated. "She had become quite attached to that Halfling and his Disciple. When Gaap died, Valerie was devastated, so I thought that letting her visit the Elven Kingdom was the right thing to do at that time."

"It was a good choice," Queen Saphira commented. "Perhaps, we should let her visit other places more often. It will help her grow to be a more mature and better person."

The Dragon King frowned, but he also understood that his wife was right. Letting Valerie stay inside their kingdom every day would leave her too ignorant of the world.

This was also why he agreed to take her to the Divine Empire to witness Gaap's execution.

He wanted to show her the dark side of the world, where the strong oppressed the weak. That way, she would realize how blessed she was to be born as a Dragon Princess.

The Dragon King wanted Valerie to mature and become a wonderful lady who would contribute to the well-being and continuous prosperity of the Dragon Kingdom.

"… I'll let her visit the Crystal Palace more often then," the Dragon King said. "Even though there is tension between our kingdoms, Augustina would not dare to harm our daughter in her domain."

The Dragon Queen nodded her head in agreement. "She knows that the children are innocent and will not go out of her way to antagonize Valerie. Perhaps, aside from Karshvar Draconis, the Crystal Palace is the second safest place where she can wander around freely.

"That child also talks a lot about Aur. It seems that the two of them have become good friends. At least, the younger generation is going in the right direction. Unlike us, adults, who like to make things complicated."

The Dragon King snorted. "If you want to blame someone, then you should blame that bastard, Keoza. If he didn't disappear during the coronation, the Dragon Kingdom would not split into two factions. I was forced to clean up his mess, yet his people accused me of usurping his throne and calling me Fake King behind my back. What a bunch of cunts."

"Language, my Dear." Queen Saphira frowned. "Just because Hereswith came back to life doesn't mean you should copy her style. If Valerie starts using vulgar words, I'll whack you."

The Dragon King lightly coughed and averted his gaze.

"Um, sorry about that," the Dragon King replied. "If you want to blame someone, blame Hereswith. That girl sure knows how to infect people with her words."

"Oh? It seems that you still have a soft spot in your heart for her," Queen Saphira smirked. "Even after getting rejected, you continued to woo her until she died. Must be nice seeing her alive and kicking."

"Saphira, this is already in the past," the Dragon King sighed. "It is true that I still hold a soft spot in my heart for Hereswith, but that doesn't change the fact that I love you more than her right now. So don't be jealous and open a wound that has already closed."

"Fine." Queen Saphira nodded. "I know that you're telling the truth. Also, I don't hate Hereswith. Even I had a crush on her back then."

The Dragon King looked at his wife in disbelief. "You what?"

Queen Saphira's face was flushed as she averted her gaze. "Her charisma is very strong, and back then, she even called me Sister. How could I possibly resist her?"

"Is that why you always asked her to go to the hot springs with you whenever she visited Karshvar Draconis?" the Dragon King asked with curiosity.

Queen Saphira ignored his question and threw out a question of her own.

"Have you heard the latest news from the Divine Army?" Queen Saphira asked. "It seems that they are using a hostage to lure Gaap's disciple out of hiding."

The Dragon King chuckled because he understood that his wife was trying to change the subject.

However, since he had no intention of sleeping on the floor tonight, he decided to go with the flow and nodded his head.

"The Beast King and the Oracle are currently in the Beast Empire," the Dragon King replied. "They have captured the two Dwarf Princesses of a small Kingdom that was recently founded. I believe its name is Xeno Kingdom."

"Xeno Kingdom…" Queen Saphira muttered. "Poor children. They are involved in a war between Powerhouses."

"Indeed." The Dragon King snorted in disgust. "Now that Gaap and Antero are out of the picture, they probably think that they have a higher chance of capturing that Half-Elf."

"Capture, not kill?" Queen Saphira arched an eyebrow.

The Dragon King nodded. "They can't kill him."

"Why?" Queen Saphira asked. "Hasn't killing him been their goal all along?"

"In the past, yes," the Dragon King answered. "But, now, it's different. If they kill Lux, it will trigger a large-scale war. We have signed an alliance with the High-Elves. If they go to war, we will go to war as well. This is something that the Divine Army will want to avoid at all costs.

"Unknowingly, we have become that Half-Elf's protector. Since he has Hereswith's backing, he also has the entire Alliance's backing."

Queen Saphira nodded in understanding. "Well, at least he gets to keep his life. A large-scale war is something we don't want to happen right now. Especially since the Abyssal Gates are starting to appear once again."

The Dragon King was about to say something more when he saw something appear at the corner of his eye.

"You…" The Dragon King narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Specter that manifested a few meters away from him.

"It has been a while, Saphira. You're still as beautiful as ever." The Specter greeted.

"And you're still the charmer, even though you have lost your body," Queen Saphira smiled sweetly after seeing an old and very dear friend of hers. "It's good to see you again, Keoza."

Keoza, who had taken his demi-human form, smiled.

"What are you doing here?" the Dragon King asked while glaring at the hateful Crystal Dragon who left everything behind for reasons known only to him.

"I have come to tell you one thing," Keoza replied as he held the Dragon King's stare. "In the future, when you invite someone on a fishing trip, I will come with you."

"Huh?" the Dragon King looked at Keoza with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I am going with you the next time you go on a fishing trip," Keoza repeated what he said earlier. The Crystal Dragon had an amused expression on his face.

But the Dragon King knew that whenever Keoza had this expression, he was planning to beat someone up to oblivion.

For the time being, the ruler of Karshvar Draconis held back his doubts and focused on the bastard in front of him.

"Again, why would I go on a fishing trip with you?" the Dragon King asked angrily. "I am a busy person. Do you think I have as much free time as you?"

Keoza sneered. "Just remember what I told you. When you go on a fishing trip, I'm going with you. I'm leaving now, Saphira."

A moment later, Keoza's specter disappeared, leaving the Dragon King and Dragon Queen behind.

The Dragon King couldn't believe that the hateful Crystal Dragon was telling him that he would go on a fishing trip with him.

But, he was familiar with Keoza's character.

The Crystal Dragon could be annoying at times, but whenever he said something, there was always a reason behind it.

'Does he just want to go on a fishing trip with me?' the Dragon King thought. 'Does he want to start with a clean slate and forget old grudges?'

The more the Dragon King thought, the more sensible Keoza's words became. Because of this, he came to a conclusion.

"Darling, do you know any good fishing spots in the nearby territories?" the Dragon King asked.

Since Keoza wanted to go on a fishing trip with him, he should at least prepare for the trip in advance.

Although he didn't know who the Crystal Dragon was referring to when he said that he would be coming with him the next time he invited someone to a fishing trip, the Dragon King didn't think much about it.

'So, a fishing trip for three people,' the Dragon King thought. 'I wonder who else I should invite for that trip?'

The Dragon King smiled as he started planning for the trip.

The least he could do was to make it a fun experience for him, Keoza, and the person that he would invite in the future, whoever it may be.

Chapter 1018 The Cruel Necromancer Of Heaven [Part 1]

"Hey, before you kidnapped these kids, did you confirm if their parents had a way to contact that Half-Elf?" the Beast King asked the Rhino-Kin Saint, who was assigned to guard Aina and Colette.

"We were just ordered to capture these kids," the Rhino-Kin replied. "We didn't ask our King if their parents have a way of contacting the target."

The Beast King frowned after hearing this. But, before he could say anything else, the Oracle of the Divine Army raised her hand.

"That Half-Elf will come," the Oracle of the Divine Army, Maeve, stated. "Although I can't use my Divination to find his location, I am very certain that he will come."

"And how do you know that?" the Beast King inquired.

"I have my ways," Maeve replied. "All you need to know is that he will come. It may not be today, or tomorrow, but he will definitely come before this week is over."

The Beast King crossed his arms over his chest as he gazed outside of the window.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Very sure. You can count on it."

Three days had already passed since Aina and Colette had been taken away from the Xeno Kingdom.

During this time, they weren't treated too badly, and the Beast King made sure to make their stay as comfortable as possible.

Aina, who understood that they didn't plan on harming her or Colette, didn't lower her guard, and simply assured her sister that everything was going to be fine.

She also made sure to subtly tell Colette not to answer any questions pertaining to Lux, and make it seem as if their relationship with him wasn't that deep.

Fortunately, the Beast King and the Oracle didn't seem interested in interrogating them, and simply waited for the Half-Elf's arrival.

Deep in her heart, Aina didn't want Lux to appear because he would be diving head-first into a trap.

But, she still didn't know what she could do to stop this from happening.

Even if she managed to escape with her sister, and return to the Xeno Kingdom safely, she was sure that the consequences of doing that would be dire.

'What do I do?' Aina thought. 'What can I do?'

Her expressionless face remained the same, which prevented others from knowing what she was thinking.

Even so, she couldn't stop feeling anxious inside her heart because her lover would be risking his life to save them.

Knowing that she was stuck between a rock and a hard place, Aina did the only thing that she could do.

And that was to believe in Lux.

She knew that her lover would not take their lives lightly, and would do his best to ensure that they would be rescued without fail.

Aina was certain that even at this very moment, the Half-Elf was doing his best to find a way to overcome their current dilemma.

'Lux,' Aina thought. 'Be careful.'

Another day passed, making this the fourth day since Aina and Colette had been captured.

The Beast King had already prepared a grand welcome for Hereswith's Grand Disciple.

He had even made preparations just in case the beautiful Elf came to assist him.

Their ultimate goal was to capture Lux and not kill him.

Although this was a lot harder than ending the Half-Elf's life, the Oracle and the Beast King understood that his death would be the worst outcome of this battle.

An all out war between the Allied Forces of the Elven Kingdom, the Dragon Kingdom, and the other Kingdoms supporting them, would definitely wipe the Beast Empire from the face of the world.

After a few days of careful thinking, the Beast King was even regretting the fact that he had agreed to continue this operation.

In hindsight, he had more to lose than the Divine Army by using his Empire as the stage for the battle.

'Maybe, it was the wrong decision after all,' while the Beast King was debating inside his head if he had acted recklessly by continuing to antagonize the Half-Elf, he felt a disturbance coming from the West.

The Oracle immediately appeared beside him and squinted her eyes.

"He's coming," Maeve said with certainty.

Along the horizon, a black line had appeared.

Dark clouds were gathering, and were slowly making their way towards the Beast Empire.

Those with strong senses immediately felt that something was happening, and turned to look at the western skies with grim expressions on their faces.

Time passed as the ominous feeling in their hearts increased.

The Beast King who was watching from far away wanted to get this battle over with, but for some reason, the dark clouds that were slowly heading towards his empire were moving at a very slow rate.

It was as if whoever had summoned the clouds were purposely delaying its advance, making the anxiousness of those who knew that something bad was going to happen, increase with each passing minute.

An hour passed…

Two hours passed…

Finally, after three hours, the Dark Clouds covered the entirety of the Beast Empire.

The rumbling sounds of thunder boomed in the Heavens, as lightning snaked across the sky like Dragons who were waiting for the right chance to pounce.

"Reveal yourself!" the Beast King commanded. "I know that you are here, Lux Von Kaizer!"

Aina and Colette walked towards the balcony of their room, and gazed at the dark clouds in the sky.

The Rhino-Kin, who was guarding the two Dwarves, didn't stop them and simply stood a few meters away.

Now that the person they wanted to capture had appeared, there was no longer a reason for him to detain the two girls inside the room.

However, since he made a promise that he would take them back safely, he decided to keep them safe until the battle ended.

"Come out!" the Beast King shouted. "Are you going to fight or not?"

Suddenly, the clouds blocking the sun parted a little, allowing a ray of light to descend upon the land.

The light shone down on a red-headed teenager, who was hovering in the air.

It was none other than the Half-Elf they were waiting for.

But, there was something very different about him. Instead of Draconic wings flapping behind his back, they saw two sets of angelic wings (four wings).

One was white, and the other was black. Although he looked quite different from how he appeared in the Divine Empire, it didn't change the fact that he was alone.

Aina and Colette looked at the Half-Elf in the distance, and sensed him looking back at them as well.

'Don't worry, Aina, Colette. Everything is fine now.'

These were the words that the two Dwarves heard inside their heads, which made the anxiety in their hearts vanish without a trace.

The Beast King and the Oracle extended their senses to check if the beautiful Elf was with him. However, they were unable to detect the presence of a Demigod.

This made them relax a bit. Without Hereswith, their chances of capturing Lux alive increased exponentially.

Just as the Oracle was about to say something to the hateful Heretic, the singing of an angelic voice spread throughout the entirety of the Beast Empire.

Making those who heard it feel their hearts skip a beat.

"Like an angel with cruel and merciless intent.

Go forth, young man, and become a legend."

Chapter 1019 The Cruel Necromancer Of Heaven [Part 2]

"Like an angel with cruel and merciless intent,

Go forth, young man, and become a legend."

The singing voice of an angel lingered in everyone's ears, and before the citizens of the Beast Empire could react, the Beast King had already thrown an orb into the sky.

Immediately, a Domain expanded, bringing the Half-Elf, the Beast King, the Oracle, and their allies into a separate dimension.

The surroundings looked exactly the same as the Beast Empire.

The only difference was that there was not a single civilian or bystander anywhere in the city.

Only the forces that the Beast King and the Oracle had prepared were present and would soon confront the Half-Elf, who had served himself up to them on a silver platter.

"Before we start, know that I am very ashamed of the method we used to lure you here, Half-Elf," the Beast King stated. "But in order to put an end to the grudge between you and the Divine Army, it has to be done."

The corner of Lux's lips curled up after hearing the Beast King's words.

"If that helps you sleep at night, then so be it," Lux replied in a teasing tone. "My disgust and disappointment in you will not change regardless of what you say."

The Beast King didn't say anything to defend himself from Lux's taunting words. He focused all his attention on the Half-Elf, observing the latter's expression.

He was expecting to see helplessness, resignation, rage, unwillingness, and anxiety on the Half-Elf's face, but he didn't see any of those.

Instead, what he saw was contempt and disdain, which made him feel as if the Half-Elf was looking at him like he was a piece of trash.

The Beast King didn't like being the receiving end of such a look, and because of this, he roared and charged at Lux with the intention of ending the battle as fast as he could.

Lux didn't move and remained standing in place.

But when the Beast King was only a hundred meters away from him, the space in front of him distorted, and a Dracolich in his Demi-Human Form clashed with the Beast King, blocking his advance.

"You pitiful Dragon, who has become a servant of a child." The Beast King sneered. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

Avernus chuckled after hearing the Beast King's taunt.

"Dilan, oh, little Dilan. You don't have to worry," Avernus replied. "Soon, you will also become that child's servant. I especially prepared a collar for that special occasion. I'm sure that it will fit you perfectly."

"Screw you!" Dilan growled as he kicked the Dracolich away.

Although he succeeded in dealing a blow to the Dracolich, Avernus' chuckle still reached his ears.

The Beast King had no intention of wasting any time, so he decided to continue his advance toward the Half-Elf.

But when his gaze landed on the Half-Elf's body, he couldn't help but shudder after seeing an unbelievable scene.

Dozens of Flying Monsters of different sizes hovered around the Half-Elf.

But, that was not all.

On the ground, hundreds of Monsters had also appeared, making the Beast King thankful that he brought the battle into a separate dimension, and not in his Capital City.

The Auras of the Monsters were enough to tell Dilan that all of them were Peak-Calamity Ranked Monsters, making his heart shudder.

"All of you are free to kill everyone, except him and her," Lux said as he pointed at the Beast King and the Oracle of Light. "You guys can beat them up, but they are not allowed to die. Do I make myself clear?"

All the Monsters roared in reply.

"Go," Lux ordered. "Show them no mercy."

The Flying Monsters immediately flew toward the Beast King, while the Monsters on the ground charged at the Oracle of Light and her cronies.

Dilan cursed internally as he backed away in haste.

Their original plan was that he would fight against Hereswith, while the Oracle fought against Lux.

The Beast King was confident that he could fight the beautiful Elf and her Skeleton Queen to a draw if he went all out and transformed into his Beast King form.

However, against hundreds of Calamity-Ranked Beasts, even if he were in his Demigod Form, he still would not be able to handle such a powerful army.

A Demigod could single-handedly deal with five Peak Calamity-Ranked monsters.

But he wasn't facing just five.

He was facing hundreds of them, so Dilan only did what he could do and that was…

To run!

Even the Oracle didn't hesitate to run away. This was simply an impossible battle to begin with.

The twenty Apostles that she had brought with her, who could transform into twenty Pseudo-Supremes, were also no match for a Peak-Calamity Beast.

A Supreme might be able to fight against two to three Peak Calamity-Ranked Beasts if they were truly powerful.

However, the Apostles could, at most, transform into Pseudo-Supremes.

What did this mean?

It meant that a single Peak-Calamity Monster was enough to deal with one of them with ease.

This wasn't a battle, but a one-sided massacre.

"Are you going to run away, Beast King?" Lux asked in a teasing tone. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

The Beast King didn't even bother to reply to the Half-Elf as he put as much distance as he could between the two of them.

However, something happened, which made him stop in his tracks.

A projection appeared in front of him, showing his Capital City.

There, he saw thousands of Undead Monsters and four Calamity-Ranked Monsters.

The Black Ogre, the Golden-Eyed Naga, the Salamander with black and yellow stripes, and a Giant Red Wolf Spider were standing like invincible pillars on the four cardinal directions of the city, preventing anyone from leaving.

The Undead Monsters marched toward the castle, and a red-headed teenager was leading them with a smile on his face.

The Half-Elf in question even waved in the direction of the Beast King, making the latter feel as if cold water was poured over his head.

He was certain that the moment those four Calamity-Ranked Monsters started their onslaught, his Capital City would be reduced to dust in a span of just a few minutes.

While he was doing his best not to scream in anger and frustration, a tone devoid of any mercy reached his ears.

"I will give you a choice," Lux said in a cold tone. "Capture the Oracle and give her to me, or… I will destroy everything you hold sacred."

The Beast King glared hatefully at the Half-Elf, who was standing calmly in the distance.

"Have you forgotten that I still have hostages?" the Beast King asked.

"Hostages?" Lux smirked. "What hostages? Are you talking about them?"

The Half-Elf pointed at the projection, showing Aina and Colette.

Aina was currently in her Angel of Vengeance Form, carrying her sister in her arms.

Lux's Battle Angel, Seraphina, was with her.

The Beast King was about to ask what happened to the Rhino-Kin, but before he could do that, the projection zoomed in on the palace.

It showed that the Rhino-Kin had been impaled into the wall by a spear that belonged to the Supreme that Eiko had subjugated in the Battle in the Ford Federation.

The Saint was not dead, but he was not in any condition to help anyone.

Also, facing a Supreme, who was looking at the city with his arms crossed over his chest, was enough to tell the Beast King that his Empire was in a very dire situation.

"I now have millions of hostages," Lux said with a devilish smile on his face. "Including the members of your family. But don't worry. Since I appreciate that you didn't mistreat Aina and Colette, I will give you a choice."

The Half-Elf paused, but it only made the Beast King feel as if a guillotine was placed above his head. One wrong move and everything would end in a heartbeat.

"You can either capture that B*tch Oracle and bring her to me, or you can keep running while watching a genocide take place.

"If you choose to capture the Oracle, I promise to spare your people and your family members. I will also allow you to become my subordinate if you do that.

"If you choose the second option, that is fine as well. I have been holding myself back long enough. I've never even considered starting a genocide before because I have my bottom line. However, you guys kept on testing my limit. Did you really think that I was a Saint, who would just smile even when you hurt the people who are important to me?"

Lux's words were cold and filled with killing intent.

He was only a slight push away from eradicating the Beast Empire from the world, but a little bit of his conscience remained.

Even so, if the Beast King were to defy him, that little bit of conscience wouldn't be enough to stop the rage that had now taken hold of the Half-Elf.

Although he still looked calm on the surface, it would only take a heartbeat for him to start a massacre.

"I will give you five seconds to decide," Lux's eyes glowed golden. "Now, make your choice."

Dilan looked at the Half-Elf, who was only an order away from destroying everything that he and his ancestors had built over the last thousands of years.

With a heavy heart, he locked his gaze on the Oracle, who had already traveled a great distance away from her Domain.

'I shouldn't have agreed to this plan,' Dilan thought as he bit his lip until it drew blood.

A moment later, he charged in the direction where the Oracle was running away.

There was only one choice for salvation, and he was going to make that choice, right here…

Right now.

Chapter 1020 The Cruel Necromancer Of Heaven [Part 3]

"What? The Half-Elf attacked the Beast Empire?" The Dragon King looked at the projection in front of him in disbelief.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Dragon Born reported. "Our spies in the Beast Empire just informed me of what is happening there right now."

"How did this happen?" the Dragon King asked. "Did they do something to that brat? Is the Divine Army planning to kill him?"

The Dragon King's face became extremely serious because this was no laughing matter.

His daughter, Valerie, had passed him a magical contract.

The moment he signed that contract, he had become part of an Alliance between the Elven Kingdom, as well as those who visited the Kingdom of Espoir Frieden.

There was a clause in the contract that stated that if one of their parties was attacked or went to war with a valid reason, all the other signatory members would join them in their counter-attack.

If the Divine Army were to really kill Lux, he could only imagine how Hereswith would react.

Hereswith would certainly go to battle, which meant that the entire Elven Race would also go to battle. And because they were in the same alliance as the Elven race, Karshvar Draconis, along with the other parties in the alliance, would also have to join that battle, leading to a World War.

"What are those bastards from the Divine Army thinking?!" the Dragon King smashed his fist on the armrest of his throne.

Fortunately, it was made from extremely hard material that wouldn't shatter easily, even from the full-powered strike of a Supreme.

After regaining his composure, he once again looked at his subordinate.

"Tell me everything that you know," the Dragon King ordered. "Don't miss a single detail."

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Similar scenarios took place in other locations on the continent.

In the secret Headquarters of Memento Mori, Hereswith was also informed of what was happening in the Beast Empire.

"We still haven't confirmed all the details about this incident, but according to the reports we received, it seems that the Beast Empire had taken two Dwarf girls hostage," an old Necromancer said. "Because of this, your Grand Disciple went to the Beast Empire.

"Right now, there are thousands of Undead Monsters in the Capital City of the Beast Empire. Our spy also added that there are four Peak Calamity-Ranked Monsters as well. But according to the report, they are not making a move.

"They simply surrounded the Royal Palace and the City, preventing anyone from entering and escaping. All the citizens have locked themselves inside their homes, and the guards of the city are only on standby. None of them dare to attack the monsters because they are not prepared for the consequences of their actions."

Dillon frowned after hearing the report. He then glanced at Hereswith, who didn't seem to be too bothered about what was happening to her Grand Disciple.

"Aren't you going to help him?" Dillon wasn't able to stop himself from asking.

"If he needed my help, he would have asked for it long ago." Hereswith shrugged. "Since I didn't hear anything from him, it means that he plans to handle this on his own."

"That's the thing. Aren't you worried about him?"

"I am worried. But there is something that you should know about my Grand Disciple."

"And that is?"

The corner of Hereswith's lips curled up into a smirk before she answered Dillon's question.

"He would not challenge a Supreme or the Pseudo-Supremes of the Divine Army without a concrete plan to counter them," Hereswith explained. "Since he didn't ask for my help, that means that he already has the means to protect himself.

"Still, I am annoyed that the Divine Army is still actively targeting my disciple, even going as far as to involve those that are close to him. Lux doesn't have the right mindset to become a Necromancer simply because he isn't cruel enough.

"But the moment he discards his morality, I'm afraid that it will be hard for him to turn back. Even demons run when a good man goes to war."

Hereswith's tone was cold, but it was firm.

Her Grand Disciple was still mourning the loss of his Master, Gaap. If the ones responsible for the Halfling's death were to push Lux's bottom line then…

"He will not stop until his rage is quenched," Hereswith said softly. "Maybe I should visit the Beast Empire just in case."

The beautiful Elf was very tempted to go, but something was telling her that she shouldn't.

A moment later, a sigh escaped her lips.

"Please inform me if there are changes in the Beast Empire," Hereswith said as she walked out of the conference room.

"Where are you going, Child?" the Old Necromancer asked.

"I'm going to look for the Stars of Calamity," Hereswith replied without even turning her head to look behind her.

The Old Necromancer watched her go before sighing.

The other Necromancers looked into the Conference Room and looked at their leader. They were waiting for him to give them an order, but the latter raised his hand as if to tell them to not do anything.

"Keep watch on the situation," the Old Necromancer ordered. "We are not going to interfere. Only if Hereswith moves to assist her Grand Disciple would we also send reinforcements to help her."

All the Necromancers nodded.

They still thought that the Divine Army was very foolish to start a conflict that could have dire consequences.

Meanwhile, the Oracle, who had convinced the Beast King to push through with this plan was desperately running for her life.

"Have you gone mad, Dilan?!" the Oracle shouted. "Are you betraying the Divine Army?!"

———————————

(A/N: In order to prevent confusion let me refresh everyone's memories. Dilan is the Beast King, while Dillon is the black-robed individual who controls the Seven-Headed Dog of Calamity, Teju Jagua.)

———————————

The Beast King didn't reply and simply charged in her direction with a determined look on his face.

"Protect me!" the Oracle ordered the twenty Apostles who had accompanied her on this journey. "Do not let him catch me!"

Five of the Apostles broke away from the formation and instantly activated the Divine Powers within them.

This allowed their ranks to soar up to become Pseudo-Supremes, giving them a power that belonged to those who stood at the Apex of the Mortal Realm.

The Beast King roared and transformed into a Giant White Tiger with black stripes on its body.

Now that he had taken this form, his Rank was no longer a Supreme but a Demigod.

What did this mean?

It meant that he became an existence that was stronger than a Supreme.

The five Pseudo-Supremes didn't hesitate to attack the Giant Tiger who was six-meter tall.

However, their attacks couldn't even hit their big target.

Before they could even understand what had happened, all of them were sent flying when the White Tiger appeared in front of them and swatted them one by one.

All the Pseudo-Supremes were knocked unconscious, and their ability was disabled as well.

Clearly, the Beast King knew the ins and outs of the ability that allowed them to gain great powers in exchange for their life force.

What the Apostles were doing was similar to how Gaap allowed Antero to manifest despite only being an Apostle.

The Divine Army had been impressed by the Halfling's method, so they did plenty of research on how to imitate a similar effect.

This was how the Apostle Project was born.

Although it would kill these individuals after their life force had been used up, it was still a good trade in order to gain a power that allowed them to become Pseudo-Supremes.

The Beast King had forcefully canceled that ability, preventing the Apostles from burning their lives away.

It seemed that he was determined to prevent any casualties among his people, and the ranks of the Divine Army at this point in time.

If he could trade the Oracle's life for the safety of millions of people, he would not hesitate to do it.

After all, she was the reason why they were currently in this situation.

The Beast King might have played a part in it, but he found this method distasteful. As a warrior, he disdained using hostages in battle.

Doing it made him ashamed and, for someone of his standing, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

"What are you all doing?!" Maeve shouted. "All of you attack him now!"

She knew that the Dimensional Domain that they were currently in wouldn't disappear unless the Beast King canceled its effects.

Because of this, Maeve decided to order all of her subordinates to attack, sacrificing their lives in order to create an opportunity that would allow her to escape.