Ch. 1191: Chapter 1191-1200
Chapter 1191 Lux’s First Child
"… You and Valerie are pregnant?" Lux asked as a rush of emotions rose up from his chest. "Yes," Aurelia replied. "Both of us are pregnant with your child."
Valerie, who was seated on the couch beside her mother, looked at the Half-Elf with a reddened face.
Queen Saphira looked at the Half-Elf who had turned her daughter into a woman with a calm expression on her face.
Although Valerie was innocent and ignorant of most things, that didn't mean that she would want to bear the child of a person she didn't like.
The fact that she took that step, despite knowing the consequences, proved that she had strong feelings for Lux. This was something that she could accept as a mother.
However, accepting and agreeing were two different things.
She felt that the Half-Elf had taken advantage of her daughter's innocence and ignorance, which caused Valerie to get pregnant.
However, after a long private discussion with Aurelia, she found out that even before the Aphrodisiac incident, Valerie already had strong feelings towards Lux.
The Aphrodisiac was merely the last push she needed in order for her to make her feelings known, and it ended up with her conceiving the child of the person who had just saved them from a fate worse than death.
Perhaps, feeling her gaze, the Half-Elf shifted his attention to the Dragon Queen, who was looking at him while holding onto her daughter's hand.
Queen Evangeline, on the other hand, looked at her daughter, who was looking at her lover like a maiden in love. She never thought that there would come a day when she would see her daughter look this way, making her sigh in her heart.
She was also paying close attention to Lux to see how he would react to the news of Aurelia and Valerie becoming pregnant. The Half-Elf's reaction was expected. He was shocked, but one could tell that he was also quite happy with the news.
Of course, this happiness was short-lived and was replaced by anxiety the moment he realized that the mothers of the two Dragon Princesses were sizing him up with their gazes.
"Lux, I am happy to finally meet you," Queen Evangeline said. "Aurelia has told me many things about you."
"She has?" Lux inquired.
"Yes." Queen Evangeline replied. "Especially the part about you being a good kisser. Are you as good as she claims to be?"
Aurelia's face immediately reddened before she gave her mother a pleading gaze. She didn't want Queen Evangeline to spill all of her embarrassing secrets in front of everyone.
Her mother covered her lips with her hand and chuckled. After all, it was very rare for Aurelia to look this cute and adorable. "I don't know if I'm a good kisser or not," Lux said. "But I do love kissing Aurelia. I'm addicted to her kisses."
"Oh my~ you're quite a bold one I see," Queen Evangeline looked at the Half-Elf with an amused expression on her face. "So you like kissing my daughter. How about Valerie? What do you like about her?"
This time, it was Lux's turn to redden as he glanced at the angelic Princess, whose beauty could cause the downfall of nations.
"Valerie is innocent, but that doesn't mean she isn't assertive," Lux replied. "The moment her switch is flipped, she likes to take the lead and make me feel as though I'm the luckiest man in the world."
"You are indeed the luckiest man in the world for being chosen by my daughter," Queen Saphira commented. "Many would risk their lives to offend my husband just to ask her hand for marriage. But you didn't do that. Instead, you took a shortcut."
"I have no excuses for what I have done," Lux stated. "The only thing I can do right now is to ensure that all my lovers and future wives will live happy and wonderful lives. But I cannot give it to them right now. There is still one more obstacle that prevents us from truly being happy."
The room quieted down a bit because everyone knew what Lux was talking about.
There was one more hurdle that he needed to jump over, and that was none other than Daniel, who had probably gotten his hands on the Golden Scales of Eternity.
Now that the Abyssal Invasion had calmed down a bit, Lux had the time to think about the future.
But the future he saw was very dark.
Even with the power he possessed, he still didn't know how to fight against Daniel, who was not only a Pseudo-God but was also capable of wielding the power of the Outer God, Azathoth.
If Lux only had to fight against Daniel, there might still be hope. But against that existence… Lux couldn't help but shudder when he remembered the near-death experience he had with the Outer God that slept at the deepest layer of the Abyss.
"Don't worry."
Aurelia stood up from her seat and walked towards Lux.
She then sat down by his side and held his hands tightly.
"You will not be fighting alone," Aurora stated. "The worlds of Elysium and Solais will fight alongside you. I'm sure that there will be a way to beat him."
The beautiful succubus gave Lux's hand a light squeeze, showing him her support.
"Also, you are now a father of three." Aurora smiled. "You should make sure that they will be able to live in a peaceful world."
The room once again descended into a deafening silence. But this time, it was due to a different reason.
Half a minute later, Aurelia spoke up as she looked at Aurora with a smile.
"Congratulations, Aurora," Aurelia said. "You're pregnant with Lux's child as well?"
"No." Aurora shook her head. "It's someone else who was pregnant. That person already gave birth as well."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"… Who gave birth?"
The one who asked was none other than Valerie, and for some reason, she had a discontented look on her face.
Even the two Dragon Queens had disgruntled expressions after hearing that someone had already given birth to Lux's first child, which they thought would be born by either Aurelia or Valerie, who were both pregnant with his child.
Chapter 1192 Prelude To The End
Valerie thought that it would either be her or Aur who would be giving birth to Lux's first child.
But after hearing Aurora's statement, she felt like someone had stolen her place in Lux's heart, making her want to confront that woman.
Even Iris, who still had her memories sealed, frowned. After spending time with Aurelia and Ari who got to retain their memories, she found out that she was Lux's first Fiance.
She could still accept that Valerie and Aurelia were about to give birth to Lux's children, but finding out that someone whom she didn't know had done it first, she felt as if someone managed to reach fourth base before her.
Cai then looked at her sisters one by one.
None of them had a bulging belly yet, so it was impossible for them to have given birth without her knowing.
"I see, so that's it."
Aina, who had remained quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. Lux had talked to her about many things that happened in his life. One could even say that the Dwarf knew more than what her sisters knew about the Half-Elf.
After connecting the dots, only one answer came to Aina's mind.
"It's Queen Rhiannon, right?" Aina inquired.
"Yes," Lux answered in a heartbeat. "She gave birth to a daughter, and her name is Dia."
"Dia… that's a good name." Aina nodded before shifting her gaze to Aurora. The two ladies held each other's gaze, but neither of them spoke.
It was as if both of them had reached a tacit understanding and decided to keep silent about the matter until Aurora was ready to tell everyone.
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Meanwhile, in the Abyss…
Antero stood tall as he gazed in the direction of the portal.
He could tell that someone was trying to force their way in, and he knew right away that they would gradually succeed in their endeavor.
The Golem of Destruction could have delayed the inevitable, but he deemed that this was just a waste of time.
"Little Rhiannon, don't leave the castle," Antero ordered.
"Yes, Lord Antero," Queen Rhiannon replied as she held Dia in her arms.
The baby was sleeping, and unaware that someone would soon intrude upon her peaceful world, which she had enjoyed since the time of her birth.
The space twisted and, finally, a figure emerged from the portal that led to the 14th Layer of the Abyss.
"Finally," Daniel said as he looked at the Golem of Destruction in the distance. "You sure gave me a hard time, Antero."
Antero didn't say anything and continued to hold his ground.
Behind Daniel, countless Abyssal Lords and Abyssal Monsters started to appear, which were under his rule.
The Pseudo-God then glanced in the direction of the castle, and the corner of his lips rose by a slight margin.
But before he could do anything, space started to twist around him, making the smile on his face disappear.
"Are you sure about this, Antero?" Daniel asked coldly. "We could settle this peacefully, you know? If you agree, I will not harm anyone on this Layer, and even forbid my subordinates to harm any of them. All I ask is that you give her to me."
"No," Antero replied firmly as he took a fighting stance. "You're not taking Little Dia under my watch."
Daniel snorted as he raised his hand.
The image of the Outer God, Azathoth, who made Antero look like a little insect, appeared.
But despite all this, the Golem of Destruction stood his ground.
Dia was his family.
How could he possibly let Daniel take her away and extract the Pillar of Eternity, that slept within her innocent soul?
Yes.
Dia held the last Pillar of Eternity that Daniel was looking for.
The Pillar of Hope which was represented by a Golden Candle.
"I'll ask one last time," Daniel stated. "Give her to me, and we can still both walk away from this without antagonizing each other."
Antero didn't even bother to reply to Daniel's words and prepared himself to fight.
Cracks appeared all over the skies of the Thirteenth Layer, making even Daniel frown.
"So you plan to go all out, huh?" Daniel's face became solemn after realizing how serious Antero was.
Not many knew about the fact that Antero was the very first creature born in the Abyss.
Because of this, he had the power to control the Abyss to a certain extent, which allowed him to seal the portals that led to the Thirteenth Layer where the two people he considered to be his family resided.
Now that one of them is being threatened, the Golem of Destruction would not back down and would even destroy the entirety of the Abyss if it meant ensuring that Daniel wouldn't get what he wanted.
Truth be told, the reason why Daniel was trying to settle this peacefully was because he also didn't want to antagonize Antero.
He was the Golem of Destruction, and he could survive even if the entirety of the Abyss was destroyed.
Antero was also a Pseudo-God, but he didn't fight using his full power. Because, once he did, the Abyss would be destroyed by him.
However, Daniel also couldn't back down because he needed the Pillar of Eternity from Dia.
Because of this, he had no plans to change his decision. He channeled the strength of Azathoth in his body and prepared to clash against the Golem of Destruction.
Suddenly, the cry of a baby reverberated in the surroundings, catching Antero by surprise.
His sole attention had been focused on Daniel and he didn't notice that an Abyssal Lord, who specialized in stealth, had infiltrated the castle and captured the baby in Queen Rhiannon's arms.
The Succubus Queen still hadn't regained her full strength, so she wasn't able to detect the Abyssal Lord either.
"Noooooo!" Queen Rhiannon shouted as the Abyssal Lord escaped from the castle, carrying her child in his arms.
Antero roared, and the entirety of the Thirteenth Layer shook due to his rage.
Now that someone had dared to kidnap his family member, he would not stop until that person was destroyed.
The silhouette of Azathoth above Daniel's head opened its eyes.
It then unleashed a deathly beam of destruction at the Primordial Golem of the Abyss and shattered its body into countless pieces.
Queen Rhiannon's cry of despair spread throughout the entirety of the Thirteenth Layer as the world around her started to crumble.
Now that the balance of power in the Abyss was broken, the final prelude for the end of the world had finally begun.
Chapter 1193 Antero’s Ultimatum
Queen Rhiannon still hadn't regained her full strength after giving birth to Dia.
At the moment, she was only at the peak of the Calamity Rank. But after seeing Antero get destroyed and her daughter taken away from her, she decided to burn her life force in order to save her daughter regardless of the consequences.
But right before she was about to do that, she heard a voice speak inside her head, stopping her from what she was about to do.
While this was happening, Antero's shattered remains swirled like a tornado and began to attack not only Daniel but also the Demigod who had kidnapped his granddaughter right under his nose.
The skies of the Thirteenth Layer now had cracks in it, and parts of it were falling to the ground.
The Succubi all joined the battle to protect their Queen, not caring about the fact that they were fighting against countless Demigods.
Red lightning descended from the cracks in the sky and annihilated countless Abyssal Monsters that were on Daniel's side.
Antero's body was slowly reforming, and even then, his shattered parts didn't stop attacking anyone within its range.
The Demigod who had captured Dia was hard-pressed to escape because Antero had locked him in his sights.
Even while in Stealth, he couldn't escape from Antero's Wrath. A giant spiked stone, which was part of Antero's body, flew straight toward the Demigod with the intention of boring a bloody hole through his chest, killing him for the crime of taking his granddaughter.
However, just as the stone was about to hit its body, the Demigod turned around and raised the baby in his arms, using the crying Dia as a shield against the stone that was about to kill him. But, just as he expected, the stone stopped a meter away from the baby, making the Demigod breathe in a sigh of relief.
He didn't know that this act not only angered Antero even more but that the Golem of Destruction had now decided to murder the entirety of Daniel's forces.
A gigantic stone fist descended upon the bulk of Daniel's army, turning anything it hit into meat paste.
This was the reason why the Pseudo-God didn't want to fight against Antero. Not only was the Golem of Destruction Immortal, but it could also easily regenerate its body, which was why everyone referred to him as Indestructible.
Although he could be destroyed, he would never be destroyed completely.
Even if the Abyss were to cease to exist, Antero alone would remain.
This made him the most dangerous being to fight against. A Monster who could regenerate endlessly and could never be killed was a nightmare to face in battle.
Knowing that this fight could not go on, Daniel teleported beside the Demigod who was holding Dia and took the baby away from him.
The moment he did, a stone spike pierced the Abyssal Lord's chest, killing it instantly.
Dia was the only one preserving his life, so the moment she disappeared from his hands, his life was already forfeited.
"Antero, stop!" Daniel shouted. "I only need the Pillar! You can take back this child. I promise that she will not suffer from its loss! We will also not interfere with the Thirteenth Layer, so stop this madness at once!"
Antero snorted.
No one in the Abyss or anywhere in existence could threaten him. Although Dia might die if he really fought against Daniel with everything he had, the Golem of Destruction was confident that he could capture her soul and store it safely inside his body.
He could just go to Elysium and take a seed from the World Tree, using it to create Dia's new vessel. Not only would she be reborn with a stronger body, but she would be many times more powerful as well.
The same could be said for Queen Rhiannon.
Even if Daniel were to kill him, Antero would do the same.
Also, he had another option.
Since Lux was a Necromancer, he was certain that the Half-Elf would go above and beyond to give Dia and Queen Rhiannon the perfect bodies, which would give them the perfect conditions to revive.
The Golem of Destruction believed that, as long as he had their souls, everything was going to be fine. So even if Daniel was threatening him with Dia, Antero didn't back down and raised his fist to punch the hateful Pseudo-God to oblivion.
However, he stopped his attack when the Succubus Queen flew between him and Daniel with her arms spread wide.
"Please stop, Lord Antero," Queen Rhiannon stated. "It's fine. Dia will be fine."
The Succubus Queen then turned to Daniel and glared at him.
"Take the Pillar of Eternity," Queen Rhiannon stated. "But know this, if my daughter suffers even for a little bit from it, I swear that even if it costs my life, I will make you pay for what you have done to her!"
Antero also glared at Daniel, making the latter sigh in relief.
Although it was troublesome to extract the Pillar of Eternity without harming the baby, it was still within his capabilities.
Taking a deep breath, the Pseudo-God channeled the power of Azathoth in his body to slowly, but gently remove the pillar from the infant's soul.
He didn't dare rush things because he felt that Antero had already sent part of his will to the deepest layer of the Abyss.
The moment something happened to Dia, he would unleash his wrath there, waking the sleeping Outer God from its slumber.
This was Antero's ultimatum.
He didn't care even if he and Daniel suffered mutual destruction. The moment his bottom line was crossed, he would not hesitate to wake up the Outer God, who had the power to destroy almost everything in creation.
Once the Outer God broke free of Daniel's control, the first thing it would kill would be him. Knowing this, the Pseudo-God didn't dare to play any tricks and did his best to extract the Pillar of Eternity without harming the baby, who had now stopped crying in his arms.
The Abyssal Army that belonged to Daniel also breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that Antero had finally compromised.
In that short span of time, over a dozen Demigods had died, and countless Abyssal Monsters were killed.
It once again reinforced the belief in their minds that they could offend anyone in the Abyss except the Golem of Destruction, who would not stop until those who offended him were dead without the hope of reviving ever again.
Chapter 1194 The Three Troublemakers Of The Temple Of Ten Thousand Gods [Part 1]
The Thirteenth Layer of the Abyss was in shambles.
Countless cracks could be seen in the sky, and a large portion of it had already collapsed.
The land had countless fissures in it, and the only place that remained standing was the mountain where Queen Rhiannon's castle stood.
The entire layer had also darkened considerably. Only Antero's burning eyes, as well as the eyes of the creatures that glowed in the dark, could be seen in the surroundings. Although the Thirteenth Layer's degradation had been put to a screeching halt, it still looked like a world that was about to meet its end.
Antero was the only creature that was preventing it from being destroyed completely, but all of that could change the moment he decided to attack Daniel and his cronies.
The Golem of Destruction was paying close attention to Dia's vital signs and aura. Although her presence was still as weak as a flickering flame, it still held strong and refused to be snuffed out.
Slowly but surely, a golden candle emerged from the baby's chest. Its light burned brightly amidst the darkness that surrounded it.
Dia slept peacefully without a care in the world as if the process of something very powerful and important to her being extracted from her body had no meaning.
Earlier, Queen Rhiannon heard a voice inside her head.
It was a childish voice telling her that everything was going to be fine, so she didn't need to burn her life force in order to save her daughter.
The voice also told her to let Daniel take the Pillar of Eternity from Dia's body, for the artifact would not serve the Pseudo-God even if it fell into his hands.
Queen Rhiannon didn't know from whom or where the voice had come from, but she felt that this voice was from someone who was on their side.
Because of this, she stopped Antero's attack and decided to trust the owner of the voice by telling Daniel that he could take the Pillar of Eternity from Dia's body.
Although she believed that Antero would do everything in his power to revive her and her daughter, it was still better if both of them could live without needing to have their current vessels destroyed.
Two hours later, the Golden Candle had been fully extracted from Dia's body.
Queen Rhiannon quickly descended in front of Daniel and hurriedly but gently took her baby from his arms.
After that, she glared at Daniel one last time before flying toward the castle in order to let Dia have a proper rest.
Antero gave his granddaughter a glance and felt relieved that she was safe and unharmed from the extraction of the Pillar of Eternity from her soul.
"Go and leave this place," Antero said in a cold tone. "I do not want to see any of you ever again."
"We will leave as promised, Antero," Daniel said while holding the golden candle, whose light was burning brightly in his hand. "However, I want you to promise me as well that you will not become my enemy. I kept my part of the bargain, so you keep your part as well."
"Go," Antero repeated. "I will not repeat myself a third time."
Although he didn't affirm or reject Daniel's words, the Pseudo-God could tell that Antero no longer planned to antagonize him. Even though the Golem of Destruction could destroy the Abyss if it wanted to by waking up Azathoth, it would only do this as a last resort.
The Abyss was his home, and he must have an attachment to it, so Dabiel believed that he would not dare to destroy it unless his hands were forced.
Daniel then commanded his army to follow him toward the 12th Layer of the Abyss.
Now that the way was clear, no one was stopping him from reaching the First Layer, where the portals leading to the countless words were located.
Daniel now had three Pillars of Eternity in his possession. He only needed two more to complete his ascension to Godhood and gain the power that he had desired for many years.
But before that, he would first have his revenge on Solais and Elysium.
He had long wished to destroy the two worlds with his own two hands, and soon, he would obtain the power to do that.
When the Abyssal Army had all passed through to the 12th Layer, Antero raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
The Thirteenth Layer started recovering at a rapid pace as it greedily absorbed the power of the Abyss.
The cracks in the sky disappeared, and the portion of the sky that had collapsed was once again filled up, making it look as if nothing had happened.
All the fissures on the ground closed up as well, and the place where the parts of the sky fell transformed into a lake that shimmered like crystal.
With a wave of his hand, Antero once again sealed the Thirteenth Layer, excluding it from the grand battle that was about to commence between the Pseudo-God, who wished to become a God, and the Necromancer of Heaven, who had seen the battle in the Abyss from start to end.
Lux looked at the crystal ball that was being held by Cupid with a complicated look on his face.
Eiko, who was perched on top of his head, looked at the Dim Sum God, who was also perched on top of the head of a little girl, whom the Half-Elf labeled as "Red Riding Hood".
The Dim Sum God and the Baby Slime held each other's gaze and smiled.
The Dim Sum God thought that the Baby Slime was a kindred spirit who also liked to perch on top of people's heads.
On the other hand, Eiko was wondering if the Dim Sum God tasted good because it looked very delicious in her eyes.
While the two little ones were appraising each other, the Loli Goddess, Lily, was paying close attention to the Half-Elf, who now had a solemn expression on his face.
Lux was relieved that Queen Rhiannon and Dia were safe, but he also felt pressured because he knew that it was only a matter of time before Daniel appeared in their world.
Once that happened, a clash between them would be inevitable, and Lux still had no idea how he would beat Daniel in battle.
Seeing his expression, a smile crept up Lily's face. Unlike the mortal who didn't know how to fight against a Pseudo-God, who wielded the power of an Outer God, she knew how to give Lux a fighting chance.
This was also the reason why Eriol and Max allowed the three Gods to descend in Elysium.
The three Troublemakers were the only Gods within the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods who could get away with breaking a few rules because of the connections they had with the other Gods.
Although they were not strong as individuals, the three of them combined could move mountains if need be.
And they would do just that.
Move a big mountain so that Lux could meet with someone, who might be able to give him the knowledge that would allow him to fight against Daniel, who wielded the power of an Outer God that could potentially destroy all of creation the moment it opened its eyes.
Chapter 1195 The Three Troublemakers Of The Temple Of Ten Thousand Gods [Part 2]
?
"Do you wish to have a fighting chance against that Daniel guy?" Lily asked the Half-Elf with a smile on her face.
"Of course," Lux replied in a heartbeat. "If there's a way that I can defeat him, I will gladly do it."
"So you say, but what are you willing to pay to gain that knowledge?" Lily arched an eyebrow. "I practice the law of equivalent exchange. I also don't accept refunds. Once you agree to my conditions, you can not break the contract that you will sign."
Lux looked at the little red riding hood with a solemn expression on his face.
Eriol and Max had talked to him telepathically, and both informed him that the three individuals in front of him were actually Gods who had decided to offer their help to him, but not for free.
"Then, what must I do?" Lux asked. "As long as it doesn't fall below my bottom line, I am willing to pay any price."
Lily pondered a bit before walking around Lux in circles.
She eyed the Half-Elf from head to toe as if she were some kind of connoisseur checking the quality of the products that were on display in the store.
"The one who will decide the price for the knowledge you wish to obtain will not be me," Lily stated. "It's someone who has been treated unjustly by another God, who at this moment is doing his best to survive in a world despite the limitations placed on his body.
"His end game goal is to fight against Fate, as well as give his Father a beating he will never forget.
"Us Gods are paying close attention to this individual, and some of us are actively rooting for him from within the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods. You are going to meet with this person, and he will decide whether he will help you or not."
Lux nodded his head in understanding. "I want to meet this person."
Lily smiled and nodded her head. "Wait here for a bit. I will ask my friends to help you. Cupid, you can stay here for a while. How about you, Dim Dim? Do you want to stay here and play?"
"Dim~ Dim~" the Dim Sum God nodded its head.
It had taken a liking to Eiko because she was like a kindred spirit to it.
What Dim Dim didn't know was that Eiko had also taken a liking to the Dim Sum God but in a different kind of way.
"I'll leave Dim Dim in your care then," the Loli Goddess, Lily, handed the Dim Sum God to Lux before opening a portal beside her. "I'll come back as soon as I can."
The moment Lily left, Lux asked Eiko to take care of the Dim Sum God, whom the latter accepted with a big smile on her face.
Dim Dim was also very happy because it thought that it was going to play with the cute Baby Slime, who started licking its body, making Dim Sum God giggle.
The Half-Elf smiled after seeing that Eiko seemed to be very fond of Dim Dim, but for some reason, he felt that the Dim Sum God was in danger.
'Must just be my imagination,' Lux thought before leaving the room to look for his lovers.
He had to inform them that he would be leaving Elysium for a while in order to meet with someone who would be able to help him fight against Daniel, who was able to wield the power of an Outer God whenever he wanted.
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Five hours later, Lily returned.
However, this time, she wasn't alone.
Standing beside her were two very cute little girls with pink hair, who were busy munching on gummy bears.
Lily glanced at the surroundings and sighed in relief when she noticed that Dim Dim wasn't around.
The two girls beside her were gluttons, so Dim Dim was very scared of them.
Lux blinked once then twice as he looked at the two little girls whom he had met not long ago.
They were none other than Maple and Cinnamon, who just celebrated their birthdays.
He and Aurora were present at their birthday party because James took them back to his home world to stay for a few days.
"Hello, Maple, Cinnamon," Lux said with a smile. "How is your mother, Chiffon? And your father, William?"
"Mama is good," Maple replied. "She's currently eating Papa's hotdog. At least, that is what she told us before she and Papa locked themselves inside their room."
"Cinnamon wants to eat a hotdog too! But Mama said I'm still too young for it," Cinnamon pouted. "It's not fair!"
"Right?" Maple nodded. "Neh~ Big Brother. Can we eat your hotdog?"
Lux and Lily almost coughed out blood after hearing what the two girls had to say.
Both of them even cursed their parents in their hearts for being bad influences on the two girls who just turned nine years old this year.
"B-Both of you are still young to eat hotdogs, so why don't you wait until you are a bit older?" Lux replied. "Or better yet, why don't you eat something else for the time being? There are many more delicious foods than hotdogs."
"But Mama always says that Papa's hotdog is delicious," Cinnamon countered.
"That's right!" Cinnamon commented. "She even said that no matter how many times she eats it, it doesn't run out of stock. Isn't that like eating in an all-you-can-eat buffet? Oh… I forgot. We are banned from going to buffets."
"Yes. Cinnamon finds this very vexing as well," Cinnamon replied. "How can they call it a buffet when we are not allowed to eat there?"
Lux coughed and glanced at Lily, who was also looking back at him. The two then nodded at the same time and came to an agreement.
Both of them decided to have a nice long talk with Maple's and Cinnamon's parents and tell them to be more careful when it came to teaching their children about things that they shouldn't know until they were older.
"Maple, Cinnamon, you don't have to worry about eating hotdogs right now," Lily stated. "I will buy you a lot of them later, okay? But first, this Big Brother needs your help."
"Okay," Maple nodded. "We're going to visit that Big Brother, right?"
"I like that Big Brother. He's very nice to Cinnamon," Cinnamon replied.
Lily smiled. "I won't be coming with you this time because that world's God is very strict. However, as long as you don't do anything out of place, you'll be safe… maybe."
Lux felt that Lily's words were ominous, but since he didn't have a choice in the matter, he just nodded his head and gritted his teeth.
Maple and Cinnamon held each other's hands before moving their free hand in a circular motion.
A moment later, a red portal appeared in front of them, which was emitting an oppressive aura.
"Let's go, Big Brother," Maple said. "Make sure to follow us closely. If you don't, you might get lost in time and space."
"Follow us closely, okay?" Cinnamon warned again before walking toward the red portal with her twin.
The Half-Elf took a deep breath before he, too, entered the portal with the two little girls, who had the power to travel to different worlds, in search of their own special someone who would love them just as much as their Papa loved their Mama.
Chapter 1196 The Second Strongest System [Part 1]
"Big Brother, we've come to visit you~" "Big Brother, Cinnamon is here, too~"
Lux looked in front of him and saw a black-haired young man, who was panting for breath as he leaned against a tree.
Countless corpses of Monsters were littered around him, which showed that he had just finished a tough battle. Blood seeped at the corner of his lips, and the black, military armor he was wearing was torn in several places. His left arm was also bent at an unnatural angle, which clearly signified that it was either dislocated or broken.
Either possibility was bad, and the way he saw it, the person in front of him didn't seem like someone who could give him advice on how to fight against a Pseudo-God, who was able to use the power of an Outer God.
Lux was sensitive to the strength of an individual, and a glance was enough to make him realize that the teenage boy was weak.
Extremely weak by Elysian and Solaian standards.
He was just like a Grade-D Apostle, which was the weakest rank in Elysium after the Beginner Class. And by a single glance at him, Lux assumed that he was not even older than sixteen years old. "Big Brother, can you help Brother Thirteen?" Maple asked. "His left arm looks funny."
Lux nodded and went toward the young man and gently held his hand. "This is going to hurt, so bear with it," Lux said.
The teenage boy with short black hair and green eyes nodded. Even though he was bruised and battered all over, his eyes remained calm, and his expression didn't show any signs of pain.
His stare was strong and steady, which made Lux feel as if he was looking at a monster that was trapped inside a teenage boy's body.
With one quick jerk of his arm, Lux straightened the teenage boy's left arm, setting it back into its rightful place.
"Thanks," the teenage boy, whom Maple called Thirteen, said. "You're welcome," Lux replied.
The Half-Elf watched as the young man casually raised the pinky finger of his right hand and stared into the distance.
Although Lux couldn't see anything, he had a feeling that the young man was looking at something, which made him frown.
After the young man finished what he was doing, he lightly patted the head of the two little girls, who both smiled and gave him a hug.
"What are the two of you doing here?" Thirteen asked. "Are you looking for your sister?"
"No," Maple replied. "We came here for you, Big Brother."
"This Big Brother wants to ask you for help, Big Brother," Cinnamon stated. "Can you help him?"
Thirteen frowned before glancing at the Half-Elf and eyed him from head to foot. "How may I help you?" Thirteen asked. "I am in a hurry, so make it quick."
Lux took a deep breath before introducing himself.
"My name is Lux Von Kaizer," Lux said. "I came here because the Goddess, Lily, said that you can help me."
"I don't know any Goddess named Lily," Thirteen replied. "But you still haven't answered my question. What do you want?"
Thirteen's voice was filled with impatience as if he couldn't be bothered to talk to someone. However, he did accept the potions that Maple and Cinnamon gave him so that his injuries would recover faster.
Sensing that Thirteen would really leave if he kept on wasting his time, Lux no longer minced his words and told him about his dilemma.
The young man with short black hair and green eyes listened to his story from start to end before looking into the distance.
"Explaining will take some time, and I need to go someplace to look for someone," Thirteen replied. "Can you come back after a day? I really need to go." Without even waiting for Lux's reply, Thirteen briskly walked away.
He was still injured and, despite the potions that Maple and Cinnamon had given him, the injuries on his body still hadn't fully healed.
If he rested for two to three hours, all of his injuries would recover. However, he didn't have the luxury of rest.
Someone important to him was somewhere out there, fighting alone to help others survive against the Monsters, who had started to massacre everyone on the continent.
Lux wanted to say that he could help him find the person whom he was looking for, but before he could do that, he found himself unable to say anything.
He had lost his voice, which greatly surprised him.
"Big Brother, we can follow Brother Thirteen, but you are not allowed to interfere or do anything," Maple stated.
"Helping him is no good," Cinnamon said sadly. "Even if Cinnamon wants to help, she can't do it because someone very scary will hurt him more if he receives help from others."
"We helped him a bit earlier, but if we did more, we would just anger that scary person," Maple said with a pout. "This is the limit we can do for Big Brother Thirteen." Suddenly, Lux felt his strength being suppressed for some reason, which wasn't always a good sign. However, after hearing Maple's and Cinnamon's statements, he assumed that this world had its own set of laws that he also had to follow, or else, he would face dire consequences for his actions.
In the end, he had no choice but to observe Thirteen from a distance, along with Maple and Cinnamon, who were looking at him with worried expressions on their faces. He still didn't understand why Lily told him that the extremely weak teenage boy, whom he could easily kill with a flick of his finger, held the answers to beat an enemy who was someone that even Lux couldn't fight with his full power.
However, it didn't take long for him to be amazed when he realized that the teenage boy whom he just met had the courage to fight against Monsters whose ranks were many levels higher than his. Lux watched with a solemn expression on his face as Thirteen used every method in his arsenal to fight the enemies that Lux wouldn't dare to face if he were in the same situation.
Thirteen used the environment, other monsters, as well as his cunning, to overcome the challenges that stood before him. The more Lux watched the teenage boy struggle, the more he understood why Lily and the other Gods were paying close attention to him.
Bleeding and battered, Thirteen continued to walk forward with a resolute look on his face.
For a brief moment, Lux had a feeling that if Daniel had faced this young man in a one-on-one battle, the one who would win would be none other than Thirteen.
He looked at the teenage boy who was dragging his injured body along and facing monsters stronger than him, to look for someone whom he held sacred in his heart.
Chapter 1197 The Second Strongest System [Part 2]
As Lux, Maple, and Cinnamon followed Thirteen's journey, the Half-Elf's admiration toward the person whom he initially described as extremely weak, rose by leaps and bounds.
Thirteen didn't manage to win because he was strong.
No, he fought as if he knew exactly when his enemies would strike, and where their attacks would land. Despite his foes being way stronger than him, it was as if they were trying to hit a fly that was buzzing around them, which was almost impossible to hit.
Of course, impossible to hit was an exaggeration. While they were unable to land a direct blow on his body, their attacks still managed to graze the teenager since he couldn't completely evade their attacks.
But even with this, Thirteen remained calm as he threw one throwing knife after the other.
There were even times when he hit his own throwing knives, making them fly at an almost impossible angle just to hit their designated targets.
It was as if the teenage boy was able to calculate everything perfectly, allowing him to hit where he wanted, and hit it hard.
Thirteen's first targets would always be the eyes of the Monsters, to rob them of their vision. If this was not possible, he would run around, maximizing the benefits from the terrain serving as obstacles for the Monsters to slow them down.
Thirteen's first targets would always be the eyes of the Monsters, to rob them of their vision. If this was not possible, he would run around, maximizing the benefits from the terrain serving as obstacles for the Monsters to slow them down.
There were times when he set up traps and lured the Monster he was fighting into them, dealing serious damage and catching them by surprise.
Basically, he was like watching someone who, despite being weak, was not afraid to fight toe to toe with stronger opponents.
There was even one instance where Thirteen lured a Monster to fight against another Monster.
Although Lux could easily kill these creatures with his current rank, he would certainly be running away from them if he were in Thirteen's shoes.
To put matters into perspective, Thirteen was like a Grade-D Apostle trying to fight against a Rank 5 Monster, which only the Initiates and Low-Rankers of Elysium should be able to fight.
It was like imagining Colette when she was still a Grade-D Apostle, fighting against the Thunder Wolf King that almost destroyed Leaf Village in the past.
That was the kind of foe Thirteen was facing at the moment, and even a Monster as strong as that was having problems beating a teenager, who had already been injured before the battle began.
Lux watched as three four-meter-tall Black Hercules Beetles were buried under an avalanche that Thirteen had instigated.
He had planted explosives at the top of a cliff, and detonated it remotely while being chased by the Monstrous Beetles.
The Half-Elf couldn't help but feel his blood boil after watching this scene because he had seen everything from start to finish.
It was like watching a painter start to paint on a black canvas, and see a masterpiece unfold right before his very eyes.
That was the only way that Lux could describe the emotions that he was feeling right now. He momentarily forgot Daniel, as well as the threat he brought to his world.
After burying and killing his targets, Thirteen leaned his body against a fallen boulder and closed his eyes.
The battle he just had took a toll on him, and he was truly exhausted. He knew that moving forward would be detrimental to his condition, so he decided to rest for an hour to let his body regain a bit of his strength.
Unfortunately, he underestimated how tired he was. Just a few minutes after closing his eyes, he fell asleep, the sight of which made Maple and Cinnamon sigh in relief.
Even Lux thought that the teenage boy deserved to have a short break after everything he had been through.
He thought of Thirteen's battles and thought about what he would have done if he was in his shoes. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see himself winning against the Monsters the teenage boy had fought if he was in the same rank as him.
'What does he have that I don't?' Lux thought. 'Courage?'
Lux thought and shook his head. If he lacked courage, he wouldn't have gone to the Abyss to look for Aurora, despite the danger of meeting Daniel along the way.
'Then am I cunning?' Lux pondered.
He had to admit that he wasn't cunning enough, or resourceful enough to accomplish the things that Thirteen did.
But, he still thought that this still fell short of his evaluation of the teenage boy, who was currently resting on one of the boulders that had fallen from the mountain due to the avalanche that he had caused.
'Just what is it?' Lux pondered. He felt as if he had grasped a bit of it, but before he could firmly hold it in his hands, it slipped away like fleeting air.
The Half-Elf had never felt so frustrated because he truly believed that he had already found the answer to his problem, and yet, the answer always stayed out of arm's reach as if teasing him to come a bit closer.
However, every time Lux did come closer, it would move away, allowing only the tips of his fingers to touch its surface.
Lux felt helpless, but since Thirteen asked him to wait for a day, he would wait for a day.
Whoever he was searching for seemed important enough for him to brave these kinds of dangers despite his low rank.
Two hours later, Thirteen opened his eyes. He slowly climbed up the small hill that was created by the avalanche to go to the other side. Lux, Maple, and Cinnamon followed him at a safe distance.
They followed him as he walked for five miles without stopping. When he reached the top of the small hill he finally stopped.
In the distance, countless Monsters were advancing in his direction, making Lux, Maple, and Cinnamon frown.
At that moment, Thirteen spoke up, which caught the three stalkers by surprise.
"You asked me that question earlier, but I didn't have time to answer you," Thirteen stated. "Now, I have a bit of time, so I'll answer your question while I still can."
A second later, Lux reappeared beside the teenage boy, whose clothes were more torn apart than the last time he saw him up close.
"Listen closely because I will not repeat myself," Thirteen stated. Lux nodded, as he, too glanced, at the hordes of monsters that were advancing in their direction.
Based on their presence, he could tell that they were Rank 1 up to Rank 7 Monsters.
Lux could easily deal with these things if he summoned his Undead Legion.
But, he didn't do that. He simply waited for Thirteen to tell him the answer to his question before these Monsters descended toward the Second Strongest System in the world like a raging tide.
Chapter 1198 The Second Strongest System [Part 3]
Thirteen stared at the approaching Monster Army with a calm expression on his face.
Lux was sure that the moment these Monsters reached them, the young man wouldn't be able to survive no matter what tricks he used in battle.
He was prepared to take Thirteen away by force if he had to because he didn't want to see the young man die, knowing that he could do something to prevent it.
While he was deep in thought, the teenage boy spoke unhurriedly, breaking him out of his thoughts.
"More often than not, there are times when we can't rely on anyone but ourselves to do things right," Thirteen stated. "Each of us has our own battles to fight, like the Monster Army that is headed toward me right now. With your current strength, you can wipe them all out just as easily as raising a hand."
Thirteen then turned to face Lux. His eyes were as calm as the surface of a still lake, unperturbed by what was happening in his surroundings. The Half-Elf couldn't see any trace of fear in those beautiful green eyes, who seemed to hold all the knowledge of the world and suffered countless hardships and heartaches.
"But this is not your battle," Thirteen said firmly. "Just like how your battles are not mine."
The teenage boy then shifted his gaze back to the Monsters that were coming closer and closer to him.
"Remember this—the Fate of an entire world is not decided by the strength of a single individual," Thirteen explained. "You are stupid and arrogant if you think that you alone can save your world. What I hate the most are Heroes and those who have a Hero Complex.
"Why must a single individual carry the weight of an entire world with billions of people in it? Are you telling me that those billions of people are all dead weight? If you think that way, then I suggest you let a donkey kick your head. There is something very wrong with you."
Lux felt like he was being insulted, but for some reason, he also felt embarrassed after Thirteen's pep talk.
The teenage boy was right.
The world of Elysium and Solais had billions or even trillions of people when combined.
He automatically assumed that since he was appointed by Eriol and Max to help save Solais from destruction, he alone had the power to save it.
He thought that he alone would be able to save everyone in it.
"If your life is a novel, I bet the readers are thinking that you're not the real Main Character of your story," Thirteen stated. "You're probably just the sidekick or the mount of a Baby Slime, who is secretly the true Protagonist of your story."
————————
Somewhere in Elysium….
Eiko sneezed just as she was about to feed her pet Sea Otter, Lucky, a Calamity-Ranked Beast Core that she had taken from an Abyssal Monster.
Thinking that it was her Papa and Mama thinking about her, she cutely smiled and continued to feed the Baby Otter, which made the latter very happy.
————————
Thirteen then held his left and right hands out to the side, creating a hazy fluctuation that seemed to disrupt space itself. From those hazy distortions in space, he took out two short swords, which he would use to fight against the Monster Army that was just a kilometer away from him.
"Listen," Thirteen said. "When we feel like all hope is lost and we can no longer stand our ground, that's when we often realize something very important."
Thirteen then glanced at Lux, and a faint smile could be seen on his face.
"Remember this, Lux," Thirteen stated. "In the greatest battles of our lives… We. Are. Never. Alone."
As if waiting for that moment, over a dozen rocket missiles flew past Thirteen's and Lux's heads, landing on the Monster Army that was advancing on them.
Loud explosions erupted, and pained cries reverberated in the surroundings.
A few seconds later, the sound of a Helicopter rotor reached their ears.
Lux glanced upwards and saw a black military Helicopter flying in their direction. When it was right above their heads, four Individuals jumped out of it and landed perfectly in front of the teenage boy, who had been fighting alone all this time.
"I'm sorry, Young Master," a middle-aged man wearing a butler's suit bowed his head respectfully. "It took us some time to steal—errr borrow a Military Helicopter from the base. I deeply apologize for coming late."
A chubby teenage boy smirked before raising his hand.
Suddenly, a six-meter-tall Troll appeared beside him, holding the most badass bastard sword that Lux had seen in his lifetime.
"It's smacking time!" A two-meter-tall young man bumped his knuckles together and his entire body completely turned bronze in color, making him look like a bronze statue that was moving on its own.
The incredibly handsome young man with long blonde hair tied up behind his back and eyes that were red as rubies chuckled as he held a beautiful ornate sword in his right hand.
He then pointed the tip of his blade at the enraged Monster Army, which was now madly rushing in their direction with the intention of shredding them into pieces.
"With my friends beside me, I am Invincible!" The incredibly handsome young man declared, as he, the Butler, the Chubby Boy, the Troll, as well as the young man that had transformed into a Bronze Statue, rushed towards the Monster Army with the intention of fighting them head-on.
Thirteen watched them with a faint smile on his face before shifting his gaze back to Lux and pressing his closed fist on the Half-Elf's chest.
"You are not alone, Lux," Thirteen stated. "And I'm sure that there are many people who will gladly fight alongside you, risking their lives to protect everything they hold sacred. This is why you are foolish if you think that you are fighting this battle alone.
"Let's say that this Daniel guy and this Outer God are truly powerful. You just need to think outside the box. If the people or creatures in Elysium and Solais are not enough to fight them, then you should tap into the power that was bestowed upon you by that b*tch named Fate. "You are the Necromancer of Heaven. Since that is the case, what is stopping you from using the power of Necromancy to pound your enemy into submission? Don't only look inside of the two boxes you are in. If you look outside those two boxes, no one in the world or the multiverse will be able to stop you."
Thirteen then gave Lux a slight push before turning to face the Monster Army in preparation to join his people to annihilate them all.
A portal had appeared behind Lux, so the moment Thirteen pushed him, he found himself falling into the portal, unable to do anything. "Death smiles at us all and all a man can do is smile back," Thirteen said as he took a step forward. "But when you look Death in the eye, and death blinks first, nothing seems impossible."
(A/N: Quote from Marcus Aurelius, and Rick Yancey.)
Lux watched the young man's back as he dragged his injured body toward the Monster Army. This image was burned in the Half-Elf's eyes, and before the portal closed to send him back to his world, the final words of the Second Strongest System in all of creation reached his ears.
"In times of Darkness, one must stop looking for the Light, and become the Glow for others to follow."
Those were the last words that the Half-Elf heard before he felt his body falling toward the endless Abyss, with Maple and Cinnamon flying closely by his side.
Chapter 1199 Giving Him A Piece Of Their Mind
After falling for what felt like an eternity, Lux found himself suddenly appearing in the skies of Elysium.
The Fox Lady, Hana, suddenly appeared beside him and held him tightly.
She then made several short teleportations in rapid succession before landing softly on the ground, still holding the Half-Elf in a princess carry.
"Thank you, Hana," Lux said.
"You're welcome," Hana replied as she helped her Master stand up properly. "Did you find the answers that you were looking for, Master?"
"Weren't you there with me?" Lux asked back. "Didn't you hear Thirteen's words?"
Hana shook her head. "The moment we appeared in that world, we couldn't see what was happening outside. For some reason, we also can't materialize beside you. "Our vision only returned a moment ago when you started falling from the sky, Master. Because of this, I took the initiative to bring you safely to the ground because I thought that you lacked the power to land by yourself."
Lux smiled and nodded his head.
Although he could have landed safely and broken free from Hana's hold, he allowed himself to be taken care of by his companion. Thirteen's words had resonated in his heart, and he finally understood something that he had been taking for granted all along.
'Yes, I am not alone,' Lux thought. 'I've been fighting with everyone from the start. Also, there are others like Keoza, who will always lend me their hand when I need them.'
He then remembered Thirteen's snarky comment about him being a side character and the mount of a Baby Slime, who was the true protagonist of his story if his life were in the world of a novel.
"What a funny guy," Lux thought. "How can I be the side character of my own story? Isn't that a joke?"
Shaking his head, Lux teleported to his Guild Headquarters in order to see how everyone was doing.
Currently, the Alliance was rushing back toward the Kingdom of Espoir Frieden after they received word that Nyarlathotep had suddenly appeared there, bringing its horde of Golden Abominations with it.
They knew that no matter how fast they wanted to go, things would have already concluded the moment they arrived.
Fortunately, Hereswith had informed them through the Guild Chat of Heaven's Gate that everything had already been dealt with.
Despite countless deaths and damage received by the Elven Kingdom, Nyarlathotep was finally defeated, which made the entire Alliance rejoice.
Even so, that didn't stop them from moving at full speed back to the Elven Kingdom to reunite with their loved ones, while hoping that their families weren't among those who had died due to the Outer God's invasion.
Lux, who suddenly appeared in the Floating Island of Edea, found himself facing two Dragon Kings, who had sensed his arrival.
"So you've finally shown yourself, you brat." King Azza pressed his hand over Lux's shoulder and held it in a vice grip. "We have many things to talk about. But first, tell me, how would you like to die? You can choose the method. I don't particularly mind. However, I highly recommend that you choose the slow and painful way to die."
The corner of Lux's lips twitched when his father-in-law stopped talking. Clearly, the Dragon King wasn't too thrilled about the news of his precious and beautiful daughter suddenly being pregnant without his knowledge.
"Father…" Lux said, but before he could finish saying the rest of what he planned to say, King Azza grabbed his robe and raised him up, making the Half-Elf look at the Dragon King eye-to-eye.
"Don't call me Father, brat." King Azza growled. "You have the guts to do that to my daughter. Do you know how much I'm tempted to rip you to shreds right now? The only reason why you're still alive is because you dealt with that bastard Nyarlathotep, who is only a little less scummy than you."
Lux didn't know what to say after being compared to the Outer God, who had almost destroyed the World Tree and turned everyone in Espoir Frieden into Golden Abominations, which would serve as its personal army.
"Dad…" Lux said, which made the Dragon King raise his hand to smack him.
Fortunately, Keoza held onto the Dragon King's wrist and prevented him from hurting the Half-Elf, whom he was also very tempted to smack for getting Aurelia pregnant.
The worst part of it all was that he was almost forced to watch the process. Fortunately, at the last second, he managed to split his spirit from the Dragon Token to appear in Karshvar Draconis.
That was when he told the Dragon King that he would join him the next time King Azza went fishing.
"Don't tease him too much, Lux," Keoza stated. "First, tell us everything that happened. Hereswith has already told us how the event unfolded, but we want to hear your version of it."
King Azza snorted, but he still released the Half-Elf so that the latter could talk.
After fixing his robe, Lux told the two Dragon Kings everything from start to finish. He told them about going to the Abyss to save Aurora and his near brush with Daniel.
When he came to the part when he finally arrived in Elysium, the two Dragon Kings' expressions became solemn.
The Half-Elf told them that Blackfire informed him that Hereswith was in danger, and the Kingdom of Espoir Frieden was under attack by Nyarlathotep.
Because of this, he had hurriedly gone there to fight against the Outer God and prevent him from destroying the World Tree, as well as hurting his lovers, who were all living near the tree itself.
When he told them that the Golden Scales didn't appear even after he destroyed Nyarlathotep's soul, the expressions of the two Dragon Kings' became even more grim.
Lux even mentioned the part when he saw Daniel breaking the seal that Antero had placed to prevent anyone from reaching the Thirteenth Floor.
King Azza, as well as Keoza, were dumbfounded when Lux admitted that the Succubus Queen had given birth to his daughter.
But that was not all.
His daughter possessed the Pillar of Hope within her soul, which was now also in Daniel's possession, making the Pseudo-God the owner of the three Pillars of Eternity.
"So, you and Eiko are in possession of two of the Pillars. The Pillar of Love and Pillar of Stability, which are the Golden Locket and the Golden Anchor," Keoza said. "Only by gathering all five will you be able to save Solais. "On the other hand, if Daniel succeeds in acquiring all of them, he will not only hold power over both Elysium and Solais, but he will also finally ascend into Godhood."
The Crystal Dragon sighed before looking at Lux with the most serious expression he had made in his life.
"So, have you found a way to defeat him?" Keoza asked.
Even King Azza, who was still mad at Lux, held his tongue and waited for the Half-Elf's answer.
"Yes and no," Lux replied. "I think I understand how to defeat him, but until I put it into practice, I will not know whether I am right or wrong."
"So when do you plan to put this to the test?" King Azza inquired.
Lux didn't say anything. Instead, he pointed towards the Heavens, making both Dragon King's frown.
"We can't let Daniel reach Elysium and Solais and make these worlds our battleground," Lux stated. "We won't wait until he brings the fight to our doorsteps. We will bring the fight to him and hit him with everything we have or die trying."
King Azza and Keoza glanced at each other before looking at the Half-Elf with smiles on their faces.
They were done being messed around with by the invaders from the Abyss.
If a fight is what the Pseudo-God wanted, a fight he would get.
But this time, they would be the ones knocking on Daniel's doorstep in order to give him a piece of their mind.
Chapter 1200 Final Preparations
It took the Alliance one week to hurry and reach Espoir Frieden.
Some of them were relieved to see that their loved ones were alive, while some cried bitter tears after finding out that their family members were among the casualties of the battle.
But their bitterness disappeared when they saw their loved ones, who had been turned into Undead by Asmodeus and his Undead Mages.
Due to the power of the World Tree, the souls of the people who had died had temporarily taken shelter near its body, preventing them from being sucked into the Abyss.
When Lux arrived, these souls returned to their bodies, which he had raised from the dead to help fight against the Abominations, who had ended their lives.
Although they were now Undead, the mere fact that they could still talk and communicate with their families was a blessing in itself.
Asmodeus was now a Demigod-Ranked Monster, so his abilities to reanimate the dead had also been upgraded. As long as twelve hours hadn't passed after the person had died, he would be able to bring their soul back to their bodies and allow them to be born again as Sentient Undeads.
After their bittersweet reunions, plans were made for the final battle that would take place in the Abyss.
This was only possible thanks to Lux's, Eiko's, and Aurora's help.
Eiko could make everyone fly in the sky, allowing them to travel the path that Aurora would guide them to take.
Since Aurora had been reborn as a Transcended Succubus in the Abyss, her connection with that world was very strong.
Also, because she had grasped the path that James had taken on their return trip to Elysium, she was able to point Eiko in the right direction.
Lux, on the other hand, had the Golden Locket. He could create a barrier that would protect everyone from the fabric of time and space, allowing them to safely travel through one of the many pathways that led to the Abyss.
Daniel had already infiltrated the First Layer of the Abyss and was now charting a path that would take him to Elysium.
Lux and the others wanted to meet him halfway, and their battlefield would be on the path that connected both worlds.
The Leaders of the Alliance told everyone to rest for three days before they undertook their final journey.
Three days was just enough time to let the warriors, who would accompany them into battle, say their goodbyes to their loved ones.
They knew that this time, their chances of survival were significantly smaller compared to fighting against Nyarlathotep and the Abyssal Lords under its command.
The one they would be fighting against was a Pseudo-God, and the power the other party had at his disposal was something that not even the two Dragon Kings, King Azza and Keoza, could easily overcome.
Even so, they would still face him head-on, using the full might of the alliance.
However, on the second day, something unexpected happened.
Several portals appeared in Espoir Frieden, and countless warriors from the different Kingdoms and Empires of Solais poured out to join the battle.
It seemed that they had also managed to defeat the Abyssal Lords that had tried to invade their world, and this time, they would join the fight, which made the total forces of the Alliance swell exponentially.
The Six Kingdoms, the Rowan Tribe, Barbatos Academy, and many other forces decided to join the final battle that would determine whether their worlds would be saved or perished.
Eriol and Max had used their authority to communicate the current situation of Elysium to Solais.
The Kings and Emperors of the various Kingdoms and Empires knew that once Elysium fell, there would be no hope for them as well.
So although they suffered a lot from the Abyssal Invasion, they, too, sent all able-bodied men and women to join the Alliance in their final gamble.
When Lux returned to Espoir Frieden, a pleasant surprise awaited him.
All of his lovers, who had lost their memories, finally remembered him, and this was all thanks to Cupid.
The little troublemaker had used his arrows to shoot the hearts of Lux's lovers, forcefully destroying the seal that prevented them from remembering their beloved.
Their reunion was happy, bittersweet, and painful.
The reason why it was painful was due to the fact that Iris and Cai demanded that he make them pregnant as well.
Of course, Lux could no longer use the excuse that "this wasn't the right time" to have babies because Valerie and Aurelia were already pregnant with his children.
Because of this, Lux was dragged into the bedroom by his two fiances, who had forcibly taken the Everlasting Ring off from his finger to ensure that both of them would conceive his child.
They knew that the battle he would face was a very dangerous one. But regardless of what happened in the future, whether they survived or not, they still wanted to conceive his child.
Making Lux unable to refuse them.
Ali and Ari had promised Valerie that they would only consider getting pregnant after she had given birth to her baby. Because of this, the two beautiful handmaidens didn't demand that Lux get them pregnant.
However, that didn't mean that they didn't spend some intimate moments with Lux in the bedroom.
Of course, Aina and Aurora did the same. Three days later, Iris, Cai, Aina, and Aurora all stood beside Lux on the Floating Island of Edea.
They decided to come with him and take part in the battle that would decide their futures.
Valerie, Aurelia, Ali, and Ari also decided to travel with Lux and stay inside his Guild Headquarters alongside their mothers.
All of them understood that there was no point in staying in Elysium if the Alliance was to be defeated in battle.
If they were going to die, they would die alongside the people that they loved. That way, all of them could be reunited in the afterlife.
Perhaps, the other races also felt this strongly as well.
Because of this, even the non-combatants decided to take up arms and join the Alliance in their fight, further increasing the size of their Army.
All the floating Islands of Karshvar Draconis and the Crystal Palace would be used to house the people who wished to fight.
Since there were more preparations to be done, the three-day limit was extended to five days, giving everyone barely enough time to make the necessary arrangements needed to prepare for the greatest battle the likes that Elysium and Solais had never seen.
High above the Heavens, Eriol and Max watched this scene with solemn expressions on their faces.
Both of them knew where Daniel was and how long it would take him to travel between the Abyss to reach the world of Elysium, where the two final pieces of the Pillars of Eternity were waiting for him.
They relayed all the necessary information to Lux, who shared it with the rest of the Alliance.
This was why they were okay to delay their departure by two days, which they wouldn't have done if they hadn't known Daniel's current location.