Ch. 271: Chapter 271-280

Chapter 271 Filling Iris Heart And Womb With His Love [Part - 1] (R-18)

(Disclaimer: You guys have watched enough H and P to know where this is going. Anyone who dislikes reading these scenes can skip this chapter).

After their kiss ended, Lux affectionately looked at Iris as he lightly caressed the side of her face.

"Are you sure about this, Iris?" Lux asked.

Iris smiled and nodded her head. "Yes. Please, make me yours, Lux."

The Half-Elf stared at the blue-haired beauty in front of him. She wore a white dress that enhanced her angelic beauty. Soon, his hand slithered behind her back and undid the buttons that held her dress in place.

A rustling sound followed as the dress that covered her young and beautiful body fell on the floor. Only her white undergarments remained, and this sight made Lux feel as if a fire was starting to burn in his chest.

"You're very beautiful," Lux whispered as he planted a kiss on Iris' cheek, who was already beet-red from embarrassment.

"Thank you," Iris shyly responded as she did her best to keep a calm expression on her face.

Lux held her and gently laid her down on the bed, kissing her lips as he did it. For some reason, he enjoyed kissing her, probably because this was the first time in both of his lifetimes that he had done it, and it was even with a lady as beautiful as Iris.

In between the kisses, a rustling sound was heard as Lux removed his upper clothes and tossed it aside. A soft moan escaped Iris' lips as Lux kissed her neck, making his way towards her collarbone.

His kisses trailed downwards, until they reached her right breast, which Iris reflexively covered with her hand.

Lux smiled as he looked up at the blue-haired beauty's face, which had turned a shade redder, leaving a stark contrast to her white skin that looked so pure and soft to the touch.

Without much effort, the Half-Elf peeled her delicate hand from her bosom before kissing and suckling the aching pink tip that started to become firm inside his mouth.

Lux kissed, licked, and bit it, marking it as his.

His other hand moved to cup her left breast before kneading it gently.

'So soft,' Lux thought as he groped Iris' breast that perfectly fit his hand. He then started to lightly pinch, flick, and press down on her pink tip, making it hard under his touch.

Right now, the blue-haired beauty, who was hailed as the Princess of Barbatos Academy, lay on the bed tugging the sheets, as she surrendered her chaste body to her beloved.

After showering her breasts with kisses and love, Lux started to make his way downwards, until he came face to face with the white lingerie that covered Iris' secret garden.

Feeling a bit mischievous, Lux ran his finger over it, moving up and down, teasing that small crack that would open up to him in a few minutes.

Finally, his ministrations started to take effect as he saw a wet stain start to appear on the white undergarment, proving that she was now ready for more loving.

Lux finally took it off completely and spread his beloved's legs to take a better look at it.

"Please, don't stare at it that much," Iris said with a voice filled with embarrassment and shame, which did nothing but stroke the inner fire that had started to burn in Lux's chest.

The Half-Elf then lowered his head and kissed it before using his tongue to make her feel good. A minute later, soft gasps of pleasure escaped Iris' lips, as Lux did his best to ensure that her first time wouldn't hurt as much as it would.

Only when Iris' body shuddered did Lux stop. Clearly, she had experienced her first climax, making her pant for breath afterwards.

Looking down at her, Lux was finally unable to hold back and removed his pants, making the blue-haired beauty see the thing that would soon take away her chastity. The Half-Elf rubbed it at her entrance, making its tip wet.

'It's bigger than I thought,' Iris stared at Lux's member with both nervousness and anticipation. 'Will that really fit in me?'

This question was soon answered the moment Lux lowered his hips, making Iris' body arch due to the foreign object that suddenly entered her body.

Iris' breath became rugged as tears formed in her eyes. The red-headed teenager didn't move right away. Instead, she kissed Iris' cheeks, and patted her head in order to calm her down.

Only when she whispered to him that he could continue to make love to her did Lux start to move his hips, pushing deeper inside her.

The pain that Iris felt didn't last long, and soon she was starting to feel a tingle in her lower body, which turned into pleasure, making her grip the sheets tight.

The white sheets were now stained with faint traces of her innocence, proving that she had now become Lux's woman.

Lux was doing his best to avoid thrusting too roughly because it was her first time, but her pleasure-filled sighs and the way she called his name made the Half-Elf feel like his chest was about to burst from happiness and love.

Still, he endured and made love to Iris to the best of his ability, sending her to the peak of pleasure.

Soon, a grunt escaped Lux's lips as he released his seed inside her.

His release was so strong that it was painful. He even thought that a part of his soul had been released inside Iris' innocent womb as well, which had just tasted the essence of a man for the first time.

As both of them panted for breath, the ring on Lux's finger glowed faintly.

This ring was called Everlasting, and once it was used, its effect would last for three years. In those three years, only he would be able to make the lady, who made love with him, pregnant.

After three years, the effect of the artifact's ability would expire.

Only when he made love with her again would the artifact's ability activate, extending its effects for another three years.

As Lux and Iris enjoyed the afterglow of their love making, the feelings of love for each other only grew. Soon, the two began kissing once again as they renewed their vows of love with each other.

Dawn was still far from sight, and till then, Lux would pour his overflowing feelings inside of her, filling Iris' heart, and womb, with his love.

Chapter 272 Filling Iris Heart And Womb With His Love [Part - 2] (R-18)

The sound of water echoed inside the bathroom as Lux washed Iris' body gently after they made love with each other several times.

The blue-haired beauty didn't resist Lux's attempts to clean her up, and even enjoyed the care that he was giving her.

After doing it twice, he wanted to stop to allow Iris to recover because it was her first time, but the blue-haired beauty told him that she wasn't as delicate as he thought she was. Because of this, the two went on for two more rounds before Lux decided to stop.

He didn't want to put too much strain on Iris' body because she was just a virgin just a few hours ago, and he cared for her very much. Although she looked fine on the surface, he didn't want to risk it and simply held himself back.

Several minutes later, the two entered the bathtub. The beautiful young lady leaned her back against her beloved, enjoying the feeling of his body against her.

The Half-Elf's hands held Iris' waist, holding her in place.

"Are you feeling better?" Lux asked. "Does it still hurt? I'm sorry. I was a bit rough in the end."

"I'm fine, Lux," Iris replied as she rested her hands over his, giving him assurance that she was fine. In truth, the pain had already subsided, and what replaced it was a fullness, making her feel as if Lux was still inside of her.

Naturally, she didn't voice this out loud because it would be embarrassing to talk about it.

Lux's hand then moved towards her lower abdomen and used his fingers to draw circles on it, making Iris' feel ticklish.

Vera had explained to him the ability of the ring he was wearing, and for the most part, he was very satisfied with it. He was not in a hurry to have a baby with Iris since she was still too young to become a mother, and there were still some things he needed to do in Elysium.

He was now officially her fiance, and although they weren't married, it was already a done deal. The thought of embracing Iris again made Little Lux hard again, making him feel as if he had awakened a side of him that he didn't know existed.

"... Lux, it's starting to get hard again."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Iris said softly. She could feel his hardness pressing on her back, and since the water in the bathtub wasn't hot, she could feel the heat radiating from Lux's strong member. "Knowing that you are feeling like that because of me makes me happy."

As soon as those words escaped Iris' lips, Lux felt as if the string holding back his patience snapped.

His hands moved up and lightly groped Iris' breasts, making the latter gasp in surprise. As Lux played with her tender breasts, Lux knew that he was reaching his limit, but he also didn't want to push her past the point of exhaustion. Still, he pulled the plug of the bathtub draining the water inside it.

While the water was draining from the tub, Iris took the initiative to face Lux and kissed his lips. She then held his hard, and throbbing member and started to slid it inside of her. She stopped and broke their kiss, right as Lux grabbed her hand.

"Wait a little longer," he whispered huskily against her lips.

Iris nodded then kissed him again as Lux's hand released hers so both of them could fondle her breasts. His kisses started to move down her neck now that the water was no longer around their hips. Lux smiled at the heat that radiated from Iris' cheeks.

He shifted beneath her ever so slightly, so she knew she could take him in now if she wanted. Iris shifted her hips forward, bringing him inside her. She brought his head back up and kissed him deeply as she enjoyed feeling his fullness inside of her.

When their kiss ended, Iris slowly moved her hips up and down, allowing the pleasure to build up inside of her.

Lux's hands moved up to cup her breasts, before sucking on them alternately. He enjoyed their softness, making the blue-haired lady moan as the Half-Elf's gentle and persistent attacks stirred the tingling sensation in the place where the two of them were connected.

A few minutes later, the blue-haired beauty's body shuddered as she felt something hot shoot inside her womb. She felt like her insides were melting, further intensifying the climax that washed over her body, causing her mind to go blank for a few seconds due to how good it felt.

As the two panted to catch their breath, their eyes gazed at each other with affectionate gazes.

A moment later, the two shared a long, soft, and gentle kiss, signaling the end to their lovemaking.

After that, both of them washed up before sleeping in each other's arms on the bed.

The two of them woke up around noon, just in time for lunch, which they shared with Vera.

Alexander was nowhere to be found, which made Lux think that his step-father, now his father-in-law, was purposely avoiding him.

Vera looked at her granddaughter, whose smile indicated her happiness, making her feel happy as well.

Eiko, who hadn't seen her Papa and Mama for the entire night, was acting like a spoiled child because she wanted their attention.

Because of this, the two teenagers pampered the baby Slime by hand feeding her alternately, making Eiko very happy.

After lunch ended, Iris took Eiko to stroll around the academy, while Vera took Lux to a place where they could talk privately.

"Alex said that you and Iris can get married when she turns eighteen," Vera said with a smile. "I would like to hold my great grandchild after that, so you better do your best. Do you understand, Lux?"

"Yes, Grandma," Lux replied with a serious look on his face. "I will do my best to give you many great grandchildren."

"As much as I'd love that, remember that moderation is key," Vera commented as she rested her hands on Lux's shoulders. "You and Iris are important to me. As long as both of you are happy, and healthy, I'll be fine with a dozen great grandkids."

Lux chuckled because his grandma's words and her intentions were contradicting each other. How can having a dozen kids be called "doing things in moderation?"

After talking for a while, Lux asked Vera if she knew about the Sacred Dungeon that could be found in the Hidden Domain that was jointly controlled by the Six Kingdoms and Barbatos Academy.

"Actually, this is also something that Gilbert wanted to discuss with you," Vera said. "He was hoping that you would temporarily join the Storm Dragon's guild in order to fight for the resources inside the Sacred Dungeon."

"Grandma, sorry, but I don't want to be on the same team as Nero," Lux replied. "I owe a lot to the Wildgarde Stronghold, but putting Nero and I on the same team is not adding 1+1 = 2, but 1-1 = 0. It will just create problems for both sides, so it will be best if we both act separately.

"Also, I have already promised Cai that I will join the Rowan Tribe's expedition team to explore the Dungeon. I'm really sorry, but can you tell Sir Gilbert about this?"

"The Rowan Tribe?" Vera arched an eyebrow. "If this is the case then Gilbert and the others will have no objections. In fact, we are also teaming up with the Rowan Tribe to challenge Hell Mode. Are you also going there to get the cure for the Purple Plague?"

Lux nodded, which confirmed Vera's suspicion.

"Good. Since both of our objectives are the same, there won't be any problems," Vera commented. "I'm not sure if you know, but the Saint's Wife is Gilbert's older sister. This is why the Rowan Tribe and Wildgarde Stronghold have a very good relationship with each other. Gilbert has ordered Nero to find the flower which is supposedly the key to curing the Purple Plague. If we succeed in this expedition then aside from Cai's Grandmother, the entirety of the Six Kingdoms will benefit from this as well."

Lux's interest was piqued, so he asked his grandma more questions, allowing him to have a better understanding about the Nomadic Tribe that could move unhindered across the Six Kingdoms without anyone daring to stop their way.

Chapter 273 Change Of Plans

When Iris opened her eyes, she found herself inside a warm and protective embrace.

It felt so comfortable, and nice, that she didn't want to leave, but there were some things she needed to do today, so she couldn't stay in her beloved's embrace for hours on end.

After propping herself up, she gazed at Lux's peaceful sleeping face and smiled. The mere thought of spending the rest of her life with him was a wish that had become reality. Her gaze then wandered over his strong, and lean body, appreciating every part of it.

When her eyes landed on Lux's lower half, she felt her cheeks burning because the little guy was standing tall so early in the morning, despite the fact that it had worked hard last night to make her feel incredibly good, making her almost faint from the pleasure it brought her.

Leaving the bed, she went to face the full body mirror that was located in the corner of her room.

A blue-haired beauty stared back at her, and several kiss marks could be seen on her white and youthful body.

On her neck, on her collarbone, around her breasts, near her belly button, and even on her lower abdomen.

'Maybe I shouldn't have teased him so much last night,' Iris mused as she lightly touched the places where Lux had left his mark. 'He was a little rough on me last night, but it felt incredibly good…'

After losing her maidenhood, Iris had become quite active when it came to love making, even taking the initiative to push Lux down on the bed, so she could embrace him.

Even she was surprised at how bold she was, but in the end, she thought that she was only able to do such things because she truly loved Lux, and had wanted to be with him for several years.

Turning around, the blush on her face became redder when she saw more kiss marks on her backside, making her feel ashamed.

'I should tell him not to kiss me there next time,' Iris thought as she shook her head helplessly.

After admiring and checking her body for two more minutes, she then walked towards the window of her room and glanced at the scenery.

She had seen this view countless times in the past, but now, it held a different meaning to her. Because she was no longer alone. She had a fiance, whom she would marry in two-years-time.

'Maybe I should thank my father for what he did,' Iris mused.

In more ways than one, Alexander had indeed spurred Lux to push himself to the limit in order to reach a certain standard that would allow him to triumph over his rivals in the tournament.

This included Nero, who had a crush on Iris and was someone who didn't have a good relationship with him.

As she was gazing in the distance, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her body, and pulled her towards a strong, and lean chest, making her sigh in happiness.

"Good morning," Lux whispered in her ears before planting a kiss on her cheek. "Did you rest well?"

"I did," Iris replied as she returned Lux's kiss. "What are your plans for today?"

Lux didn't answer right away as he pondered the question inside his head.

"I will be leaving in two days time to go to the Rowan Tribe," Lux answered. "Cai said that I need to meet with its grandfather, and discuss the plans for the expedition in the Sacred Dungeon. You will be going with the Elite Members of Barbatos Academy, right?"

Iris nodded. Just like the Rowan Tribe and the Six Kingdoms, the Barbatos Academy was also sending an elite team in order to gather resources inside the Hidden Domain, where the Sacred Dungeon was located.

"Be careful, okay?" Iris said softly before turning around to look up at her fiance's clear, green eyes, that she loved so much. "As much as I want to go with you, I need to ensure that Barbatos Academy gets some gains in this expedition."

"I will," Lux promised. "You guys will be challenging the Normal Mode, right?"

"Yes. Last time, we didn't clear it, but we did gain some good things inside. This year, our goal is to actually clear it so that the morale of the Guild will soar."

"Goodluck to you."

Iris smiled. She knew that Lux planned to go to the Hell Mode of the Sacred Dungeon in order to help Cai look for a special flower that was said to cure most diseases. According to eyewitnesses reports, they were able to see this flower inside the Sacred Dungeon, when they first challenged the Hell Mode of the Dungeon.

Unfortunately, this flower grew on the back of what seemed to be a land turtle, who was a Rank 5 Field Boss Monster

(A/N: Rank 5 is equivalent to the Initiate Rank of Mortal Standards).

Cai's plan was simple. It would distract the monster, while Lux and Keane found a way to take the flower from the monster's back. Once they succeeded, they would immediately escape and no longer engage the Field Boss Monster, whose rank well surpassed their own.

After some hugs, and kisses, Iris went to the bathroom alone, and forbade Lux to come in with her. She knew that if she and the Half-Elf were to bathe together, the two of them would end up making love again, which would prevent her from doing the things she needed to for the day.

The Half-Elf understood that Iris had many responsibilities, so he didn't insist on going in the bathroom with her.

After tasting the forbidden fruit, both teenagers had become addicted to it. This was why they were doing their best to do things in moderation, because too much of something was not good.

—-

Fifteen minutes later, Iris had arrived at the Conference Room of Barbatos Academy where the high-ranking members of the Silver-Ranked Guild, Serenity, were going to meet.

Iris was one of the three Vice-Guild Masters of Serenity, and had her own personal army that ensured her safety during guild expeditions and went by the name, White Rose.

Serenity was a guild that was made up of talented students from Barbatos Academy. They were the cream of the crop, which allowed them to gain a high-standing among their peers, gaining the respect of everyone in Barbatos Academy.

One can even say that every student, especially the commoners, that managed to pass the entrance exam of the Academy dreamt of being part of this Guild, which represented the faction of Barbatos Academy in Elysium.

"You're late, Iris. Is My Daddy that good in bed that you forgot we had an important meeting today?" a beautiful lady asked in a teasing tone, which made the blue-haired beauty blush as she walked towards her seat.

The one that called out to Iris was none other than the Guild Master of Serenity, Henrietta Vi Fallon. A gorgeous lady with long purple hair, and eyes that were extremely rare within the Six Kingdoms.

This hair and eye color was unique within the Fallon Family, and only one child with this trait would be born every two hundred years.

Because Henrietta stood out from the crowd, many people, especially her family, had great expectations on her. Fortunately, she had a good head on her shoulders, and didn't feel any pressure from the expectations that everyone had of her.

She believed that she could live her life the way she wanted, and even her family couldn't stop her from doing what she had set out to do.

Henrietta had become the Guild Master of Serenity not because of her looks, but her ability. Even Iris, whom everyone treated like a VIP, only had respect for her Guild Master, who was also her best friend.

After Iris had sat on her chair, Henrietta no longer delayed their meeting and started the discussion.

The first words that came out of her lips shocked everyone, making even Iris look at her in surprise.

"This year, we will not go and challenge the Normal Mode of the Sacred Dungeon," Henrietta declared. "All of us will challenge Hell Mode, and our goal will be the Sacred White Lotus, which is said to cure almost all kinds of diseases, including the Purple Plague, which is still wide-spread within the borders of the Six Kingdoms."

Chapter 274 To The Rowan Tribe!

"My greatest regret is not being able to win the tournament, and become your fiance," Cai said as it pressed its forehead against Iris', making the latter giggle. "But because I know that you love your step-brother, I decided to take it easy on him and let him win, without making myself look bad."

"Thank you for letting him win, Cai," Iris replied. "Also, thank you for doing your best for me. I really appreciate it."

If Lux was there, he would have definitely slapped the shameless boar's bum for being thick-skinned. Clearly, it had fought with everything it had during the tournament, and still lost to Lux, even though the latter had fallen unconscious near the end of their battle.

"Um, will you come to our festival again next year?" Cai asked. "I'd like to see you dance again. Your step-brother stole my precious recording crystal. Next year, I promise that I will get a dozen copies of your dance, and treat it as my family's treasure."

Iris nodded "Okay. I will also come next year."

"Great! I look forward to accompanying you next year. Um, you can also bring My Daddy, we won't mind."

"Thank you."

Iris and Cai met in private because the latter wanted to talk to Iris without being interrupted before it returned to the Rowan Tribe. It had traveled all the way to Barbatos Academy in order to protect its friend's freedom from her own father, who decreed that she would become the fiance of the Champion of the Tournament.

After chatting for a few minutes, Iris suddenly remembered the letter that Cai's Grandpa had sent to her when the Boar decided to join the tournament. Cai's position in the Rowan Tribe was special, so there were several restrictions placed on it, preventing the boar from doing things that it must never do, while away from home.

"By the way Cai, did you make sure that no one saw your true form while you were participating in the tournament?" Iris asked while playfully rubbing the boar's face. "Grandpa Rowan gave you this restriction before you left the tribe, right?"

"... Of course! Hahaha!" Cai replied after a brief pause. "How can I possibly let someone see my true form? Wouldn't I be taking a loss if that happened? I still want to get married, you know?"

"That's good to know. I don't know what Grandpa Rowan would do if someone really saw your real body."

"I know, right?"

Cai laughed along with Iris, but if one was to pay close attention, they would find out that the boar was laughing nervously.

It had forgotten to lock the door when its transformation was about to be undone due to its haste, which allowed Lux to see its true form when the Half-Elf visited its room to look for it.

—---

An hour later, Lux, Cai, and Keane, stood at the gates of Barbatos Academy.

Eiko was perched on top of her Papa's head just like always. In fact, the slime was very excited to set off on a new adventure with Lux. Ever since the tournament ended, the Baby Slime was raring to return to Elysium in order to train, and gather more Beast Cores so that it could become stronger.

The tournament only pushed Eiko's desire to become stronger so she could beat her rival, the Unicorn Astra, in their next rematch.

"Make sure to help your Papa at all times, okay?"

"Ma!"

"Always eat on time, okay?"

"Ma!"

"Tell me all the names of the ladies who try to flirt with your Papa, okay?"

Eiko nodded her head, while perched on top of Lux's head, making the Half-Elf give Iris a bitter smile.

The blue-haired beauty then smiled mischievously before planting a kiss on Lux's lips, in front of everyone, who were also gathered in the gate of the academy, making the boys look at Lux in envy and jealousy.

"Be careful and don't push yourself too hard," Iris said as she cupped the Half-Elf's face. "Just come back to me safely."

"I will," Lux answered before kissing Iris' lips in front of everyone.

When their kiss ended, Cai lightly snorted and gave the two a disapproving look, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"You two should just get a room," Cai stated. "What are you two, exhibitionists? Are we a joke to you?"

Lux and Iris gave the boar a side-long glance before grinning at each other. Iris had kissed the red-headed teenager to let everyone know that she now belonged to him, making those who still had thoughts about her stop completely.

Lux, on the other hand, understood what she was doing, so he decided to play along and kiss her as well in front of everyone, to show them that the blue-haired beauty now belonged to him, so they should look for other fishes in the sea.

After sharing one more kiss that made Cai almost vomit sugar, the trio finally left the academy, leaving Iris and Vera behind.

Lux's Grandma had talked to Lux in private, at the same time that Cai was talking to Iris. They both said their farewells to each other, and Vera told him that she would return to the Wildgarde Stronghold and wait for his return.

Right now, Barbatos Academy, the Rowan Tribe, the Six Kingdoms, as well as other prominent families were all gearing up to challenge the Hidden Domain that only opened once a year.

"Let's go," Cai declared as it faced the West. "To the Rowan Tribe!"

As if waiting for that moment, a giant Manta Ray descended from the sky. It was the mount that Cai had used to travel to Barbatos Academy, and it would be the same beast that would carry it back to where the Rowan Tribe was currently settled, which was near the outskirts of the Hidden Domain that would be opening in a few days.

Lux and Keane followed behind Cai as the Boar mounted the Flying Manta Ray, which was a beast that the two of them were seeing for the first time.

The Half-Elf had only heard stories of the Nomadic Rowan Tribe from his Grandmother, and most of her stories told him how hospitable this tribe was even when interacting with strangers.

However, Vera warned Lux about one thing and one thing only.

"Rowan is known to spoil his only granddaughter very much," Vera said to him before they parted ways. "As long as you do not disrespect her, you will be able to leave the tribe in one piece."

Vera had said these words in a teasing manner, so Lux didn't know if his grandma was only joking when she gave him this warning.

Even so, he decided to not take chances and make sure to be on his best behavior during his visit. That way, he would get a better understanding of what kind of person the Chief of the Rowan Tribe was, and find a way to form a good relationship with him, so he would gain a backer that had the strength of a Saint.

As the Giant Manta Ray flew towards the West, the corner of Iris' lips curled up with a smile.

'I wonder what Lux will think when he finds out that I am also challenging the Hell Mode of the Sacred Dungeon,' Iris mused. Although she didn't look like it, she was a very competitive individual.

She believed that this time around, Serenity would be able to get the Sacred Lotus Flower back from the dungeon, and help the people that were inflicted with the Purple Plague, which had left many people—including Cai's grandmother—encased in a block of ice, waiting for the day that the cure for it would finally be found.

Chapter 275 May Your Reign Be Long And Prosperous!

The giant Manta Ray steadily flew across the sky as it continued its flight path toward the West.

During the journey, Lux asked Cai questions about the Rowan Tribe, to which the Boar more than happily answered .

Clearly, Cai loved its tribe so much that whenever it talked about it, one could feel the pride in its voice.

"We don't like conflicts, but we are not afraid of it," Cai said with a serious expression on its face. "We are the only tribe within the Six Kingdoms that travels from place to place. Where we went depended on the season and the mood of my grandfather.

"Because of this, most of the men and women in our tribe are battle-hardened warriors. We also carry a portable gateway that leads us to Elysium, so it doesn't matter where we go. This is one of the reasons why we do not feel the need to travel to the other kingdoms in order to borrow their gates, and can remain with the tribe for most of our lives.

"Granted, there are those who leave for various reasons, but we don't hold them back. The only oath they had to take was that when they leave the tribe, they would make a solemn oath not to do anything to harm its interest, wherever they may go. After that, they can leave with our Tribe's blessing."

Lux and Keane simply listened as the Boar spoke about the pros and cons of traveling from place to place. Naturally the pros are you would be able to see many different sceneries, meet new people, and explore new places.

There were of course cons as well.

The most common was parting with the friends and family members who decided to stay in the places they visited, as well as saying goodbyes to the new friends that had been made along your journey.

They also didn't have what they could call a "permanent home"—a place where they could settle down and grow as a community, making their own mark on the world.

"Perhaps because of this, our faction in Elysium decided to have a place we could call our home," Cai stated. "Right now, our faction has built a small town in a place where different paths converged. In short, the place we chose is like a hub for those who also like to travel. Visitors can use it as a place to trade, rest, and to a certain extent, stay for extended periods of time.

"What we don't have here in Solais, we have in Elysium. So we are thankful for the opportunity to have a place we can call home, in a world that is similar, yet different, from this world we live in."

Keane, who had been silent for a long time suddenly spoke up.

"What is this Elysium you speak of?" Keane asked. "What new world are you talking about?"

Lux and Cai stared at the skinny swordsman with confusion.

"... You don't know what Elysium is?" Lux asked in disbelief.

"Is that some kind of big city?" Keane asked back. "I've lived on the mountains all my life. I don't know about this place you call Elysium."

Lux and Cai exchanged glances because they could tell that Keane wasn't lying. The mysterious swordsman had really not gone to Elysium, so the two of them were at a loss about how to explain it to him.

"Um, just what kind of rock have you been hiding under all this time?" Cai inquired. "You said you have a Master, right? Why didn't he tell you about Elysium?"

Keane frowned as he remembered his no-good-master who only drank rice wine and ate barbecue all day and night. However, even if his Master was like that, he was still the person that saved their village when it was attacked by bandits when Keane was only eight years old.

Unfortunately, Keane's parents died protecting him, and he became an orphan. Because of this, his Master decided to raise him as his Disciple, and the two of them had lived in the mountains while Keane studied the Grand Void Sword Style.

'Maybe this is why my Master said that I should travel the world and find my own version of peace,' Keane thought. 'Does he perhaps think that I am now qualified to enter this world called Elysium?'

Lux on the other hand looked at Keane with admiration. Based on strength alone, he could tell that Keane had already reached the rank of a Grade-A Apostle, without even going to Elysium.

This meant that, whoever his Master was, had taken great care of him and didn't allow him to get left behind by his peers in terms of strength.

"Basically Elysium is very much like Solais, but there are differences as well," Lux said as he tried to explain things about Elysium to the skinny swordsman.

Cai would also comment from time to time in order to fill the gaps that Lux left about Elysium, allowing Keane to have a better understanding of the world that he was about to go to alongside Lux and Keane.

"For now, I think it will be best if you join the Faction of the Rowan Tribe," Lux advised. "They are a neutral faction, and you will be able to let you gain a better understanding of how the world of Elysium works. Also, experience is the best teacher. As long as you are able to visit it a couple of times, you will eventually adapt to your new environment."

Keane nodded his head in understanding. He felt very curious about this new world that Lux and Cai were talking about. Something inside him was telling him that the version of peace he was looking for might be found in Elysium.

"We're here," Cai informed as it looked in the distance with a smile. "We have arrived in the current settlement of the Rowan Tribe."

Lux and Keane followed Cai's gaze and saw many fluttering banners that bore the insignia of the Rowan Tribe.

The Half-Elf was surprised to see that the emblem of the Rowan Tribe was a black boar with red eyes that would make anyone who had seen it feel intimidated.

The Giant Manta Ray let out a soft humming sound as it slowly descended from the sky.

Perhaps, noticing its arrival, a loud horn sounded from within the settlement, and several flying Manta Rays rose up in the air to meet them.

"Welcome back, High Priestess–ack!"

One of the teenagers who came to greet Cai, suddenly found himself falling off his mount when the Giant Manta Ray, which Cai was riding, shot out a blob of water that sent him flying.

Fortunately, the teenager's mount was quick and hurriedly caught its rider with ease, preventing him from falling to the ground. Clearly, this wasn't the first time that this happened, and all of the flying riders of the Rowan Tribe and their mounts had long known how to handle such incidents.

The other teenagers who saw this immediately understood what they needed to do and simply pressed their hands together and bowed their heads in respect.

""We greet the Great Boar of the Rowan Tribe. May your reign be long and prosperous!""

Cai briefly nodded its head in order to acknowledge their greeting.

"Um, did anything of interest happen while I was away?" Cai asked.

"The emissaries from the Elven Kingdom of Elswyth came. They had a discussion with the Great Chief, but no one knew the details of their conversation."

A handsome teenager who was riding a golden Manta Ray spoke, and the others parted to make way for his arrival. His body was covered with tattoos, and his strong and overbearing presence made anyone who saw him feel as if they were facing a strong adversary.

"I greet the Great Boar of the Rowan Tribe. May your reign be long and prosperous!"

The teenager bowed respectfully towards Cai, and the latter briefly nodded its head to acknowledge his greeting.

Lux recognized who the teenager was and finally connected the dots.

During the tournament, when Cai was about to face one of the Five Overlords, his opponent conceded before the fighting even began.

"I see. So you are from the Rowan Tribe," Lux commented.

"Yes," the handsome teenager glanced at Lux and gave him a nod of recognition. "I didn't get the opportunity to fight you during the tournament. Perhaps you can give me the opportunity to spar with you after our expedition through the Sacred Dungeon is over?"

"Sure."

"Thank you."

After this brief greeting, the flying Manta Rays escorted Cai and its mount as it descended towards the Rowan Tribe, where the people had already gathered to celebrate its return.

It was only at this moment that Lux and Keane realized that the Boar that many had ridiculed, teased, and laughed at during the Lionheart Tournament, was actually an important personage in the only Nomadic Tribe within the Six Kingdoms that even made the rulers dare not to offend.

Chapter 276 Meeting The Saint Of The Rowan Tribe [Part 1]

Maximilian Rowan was the Chief of the Rowan Tribe and a powerhouse in his own right.

Right now, only Five Saints remain within the territories of the Six Kingdoms.

Two of them were from Barbatos Academy, while two others had shunned the world and lived the life of hermits, not caring about the petty squabbles the Six Kingdoms had over their territories.

Last but not the least was Maximilian.

He was known as the Black Boar of the Plains, and those who had witnessed his might during the Hundred-Year-War could attest that he wasn't someone that should be provoked no matter the cost.

Although the Chief of the Rowan Tribe was a pacifist at heart, he was the most aggressive of all the Saints when it came to using force to settle disputes.

This contradictory behavior of his made him a very unpredictable person, so those who dealt with the Rowan Tribe, especially when it came to political affairs, tread on a tightrope.

The delegation of the Elven Kingdom of Elswyth was proof of this. They had come to "politely ask" the Saint to handover Gerhart, as well as the Elven Treasure, Kinslayer, in exchange for rare resources that could only be gained from the Elven Kingdom.

However, after Maximilian told the Elves that Gerhart was his Disciple, they immediately changed their stance and simply asked that the Kinslayer be returned to them. They were even willing to make an oath that the Royal Family was willing to turn a blind eye to the incident that happened in the Lionheart Tournament and no longer pursue Gerhart in exchange for the Kinslayer.

To this, Maximilian nodded his head.

He said that as long as he acquired a blood pledge from the Elven Royal Family that they would no longer seek trouble for his Disciple, he would hand over the Kinslayer. However, until the pledge was in his hands, the Kinslayer would remain in his possession.

Hearing this, the Elven Delegation immediately returned to the Elven Kingdom in order to have the Royal Family procure the blood pledge, making them cease all hostilities against Gerhart, whom Maximilian had recognized as his disciple.

When Lux, Cai, and Keane arrived at the Rowan Tribe and heard this piece of news, the Boar snorted but didn't say anything.

Clearly, it didn't like anyone hurting its sworn brother, Gerhart, and found its Grandpa's demands quite satisfactory.

"Hmph! They are lucky that Grandpa was willing to negotiate about giving the Kinslayer back," Cai said. "If it had been me, I would have demanded a lot of things from them until they spit blood."

The Boar grumbled as it walked towards the Main Hall of the Great Chief, where guests were received by the Saint directly. Cai's current size was that of a meter-tall-boar, making it look like a house pet, but everyone that it passed along the way bowed their heads respectfully to it.

"Gramps! I'm back!" Cai shouted as soon as it arrived at the Great Hall, making its presence known.

"Cai, welcome home," a middle-aged man whose body was similar to that of a body builder smiled as soon as he saw the boar, who didn't hesitate to run and jump into the Chieftain's arms.

"I missed you, Grandpa."

"Not as much as I missed you."

The middle-aged man kissed the boar's cheeks and patted its head several times, making Cai close its eyes in contentment as it laid down on Maximilian's lap, allowing its grandpa to spoil it.

"You must be Cai's friends," Maximilian said as he shifted his attention to Lux and Keane who remained standing inside the Main Hall. "Please, sit. Both of you are guests. Feel free to treat this place as your home."

Gaining permission from the host, the two teenagers sat on the sitting cushions that were laid out in front of them.

On the surface, Maximilian gazed at them with a fond smile, but deep inside, he was assessing the two teenagers who accompanied Cai back from the Lionheart Tournament, in order to join their faction in the upcoming expedition inside the Hidden Domain.

"I've heard many things about the two of you from Xander," Maximilian said.

Xander was the name of the handsome teenager with tattoos all over his body and one of the Five Overlords. He was also the same person who conceded in his match against Cai in the tournament, which allowed the Boar to proceed to the Semi-Finals.

"On behalf of the Rowan Tribe, let me thank you for coming," Maximilian added and gave the two boys a brief nod. "If this expedition succeeds, I will owe both of you a favor. If it doesn't succeed, I will still give both of you proper compensation for joining our faction for the duration of the exploration of the Sacred Dungeon.

"All I ask is that you do everything in your power to find the Sacred White Lotus that can help save my wife, as well as those who had been inflicted by the Purple Plague for the past few decades. Can I expect that the two of you will do your best, regardless of the results of this mission?"

Lux and Keane both nodded their heads at the same time. Since they were already here, they would do their utmost to make this mission a success.

"You did well, Cai," Maximilian stated. "Both of these boys are good seedlings."

"But of course," Cai replied. "I made sure to only pick the best. Those Four Kings and the other Overlords, except Xander, are all no good. They're not worth soliciting."

Maximilian laughed as he patted Cai's head, who had a smug expression on its face.

"Well then, why don't you take Keane to the temporary lodging that we prepared for him during his stay?" Maximilian asked. "I want to discuss something with the Champion of the tournament in private."

"Okay," Cai replied. "Little Swordy, follow me. I'll show you to your room."

Cai obeyed its Grandpa and didn't even bother to stay and listen to the conversation between Maximilian and Lux.

Since its grandpa didn't want it to hear their discussion, it meant that it wasn't meant for its ears, so the Boar didn't insist on staying.

Lux could tell the trust between Maximilian and Cai was complete, and it reminded him of the trust he had with his grandma. Even though there were times when Lux was curious about what his Grandma was discussing with other people in private, he never asked her questions about them and simply waited for Vera to open up.

If she didn't say anything, it meant that the matter didn't concern Lux, so there was no need to talk about it.

A few minutes after Cai and Keane left the Main Hall, Maximilian waved his hand, creating a soundproof dome around him and Lux.

Clearly, the middle-aged man wanted to make sure that their discussion wouldn't reach anyone else's ears, which made Lux very curious about what Maximilian would say to him.

"Should I call you, Lux or My Daddy?" Maximilian asked with a smile.

"Just Lux, Your Excellency," Lux replied. "My Daddy is just an alias I used during the tournament."

"But, your Alias is more popular than your real name. It seems that almost everyone will be calling you My Daddy from now on."

"..."

Lux only hung his head in resignation, making Cai's grandpa laugh again. Clearly, he found the Half-Elf's dilemma quite amusing, so he felt the urge to tease the red-headed teenager and make him feel comfortable before he breached the real issue of why he asked him to stay.

Five minutes later, the smile disappeared on Maximilian's face, and was replaced by a solemn one.

"Tell me, Lux," Maximilian said as he gazed steadily at the Half-Elf in front of him. "You saw my granddaughter's real form, right?"

Chapter 277 Meeting The Saint Of The Rowan Tribe [Part 2]

"You saw my granddaughter's real form, right?"

A pin-drop silence descended inside the room after Maximilian asked his question.

Lux's first thought was to deny it, but he knew that lying to a Saint was very risky. In the end, he decided to come clean and tell Maximilian everything that happened.

"I should have knocked when I went to Cai's room," Lux started. "I saw her real form by accident."

"Good," Maximilian commented. "If you lied just now, I would have slapped you silly, but since you admitted your wrongdoing, and it was truly an accident, I will forgive you."

A playful smile appeared on Maximilian's face as he eyed Lux with satisfaction.

"You see, my granddaughter has disliked wearing clothes since she was little," Maximilian explained. "When she was still very young, it was fine. But as she grew older, we knew that things needed to be done in order to protect her reputation. The blood of the Rowan Family flows in her veins. Because of this, she was able to learn the art of Therianthropy fairly easily."

"But she can only shapeshift to become a boar. Perhaps, it was due to her admiration of me since she was young, so she wanted to become like me as well."

Lux nodded in understanding. When Maximilian got angry, he would transform into a hellish, giant, Black Boar, whose capacity for destruction was second to none.

Cai had grown up hearing her grandfather's bragging, and because of it, she had unknowingly imprinted to her inner core that becoming a boar would make her just as amazing as her Grandpa.

Since she didn't like to wear clothes, she would just transform into a boar. Although her way of thinking was unconventional, it still gave her family a sense of relief, knowing that Cai wouldn't be walking around naked all the time, letting everyone see her youthful beauty.

The only problem was that, at least once every three days, she would return to her original form for half an hour to an hour. During this time, Cai would lock herself inside her room, preventing anyone except her family from seeing her.

Maximilian had also placed a spell on her body, which would allow him to know if anyone saw her true form and who that person was. In the Saint's eyes, all those who had laid their eyes on his granddaughter would have a reddish aura that surrounded their bodies, allowing the Saint to know who they were.

"I promise that I will not divulge this secret to anyone," Lux said with seriousness.

"Well, I will believe you for now," Maximilian replied. "Cai and Iris are very close friends, and your grandma and I are close friends as well. You might not remember it, but Vera brought you to me when you were only two years old."

"Grandma did?"

"Yes. She wanted me to take a look at your body in order to find the reason behind your abnormal disease that causes you to faint. That is when I discovered that your soul was damaged. However, looking at you now, it seems like you have fully recovered. You even won the tournament and proved that you're the strongest member of the young generation. You really surprised me!"

Maximilian laughed heartily because he was truly surprised when he found out that the sickly boy that he thought would remain crippled for life had suddenly bounced back and even won the tournament where the strongest youngsters from all over the Six Kingdoms gathered to prove their worth.

A moment later, Maximilians' gaze landed on the three rings on Lux's hands, which made him arch his eyebrow in surprise.

"So Cai gave you the ring I made for her," Maximilian commented. "Does Iris have the pair to this ring?"

"Yes," Lux answered. "I'm sorry. Cai gave them to me in the spur of the moment. I can return them if you want."

"Hahaha. No need. Just treat it as a congratulatory gift to your engagement with Iris. All I ask is that you treasure them because I made them with great care. If you get married in the future, feel free to look for me. I will personally craft your brides' wedding rings."

"Thank you very much!"

"You sure are something. You didn't flinch when I said brides and not bride," Maximilian commented. "So, do you plan on having more than one wife? Is Iris fine with that?"

"Um, I am not actually looking for more wives," Lux replied. "But, Iris said that she is fine with me having more wives. All I need to do is tell her, so that she can meet them and see if they are worthy of me or not."

"What an understanding young lady. Maybe I should let Cai be your second wife?"

"Hahaha."

Lux laughed because he thought that Maximilian was just joking. The Saint also laughed making it look like he was just teasing Lux as well. However, only Maximilian knew the truth of whether he was just joking or not.

Half an hour later, Lux was escorted to his room by one of the servants working for the Chief of their tribe.

When Lux arrived at the Rowan Tribe, he was kind of expecting to see all of them living in tents, just like the other tribes near the borders of the Six Kingdoms.

However, what he saw were large huts made from animal bones and skins that could easily fit a family of eight.

The servant that was escorting him explained that all of the houses of the Rowan Tribe were artifacts made by the Great Chief himself.

Whenever they traveled, the houses would turn into fist sized balls, made from animal bone, that they could pack in their belongings, making them very easy to carry.

They would then ride their mounted beasts, and migrate to a different location, while keeping their houses with them at all times.

Lux was quite interested in this portable home, and he decided to ask the Saint to give him one as a reward after their expedition in the Sacred Dungeon.

Elysium was a very big world, and there would be times that he would need to camp out in the open as he traversed the lands, going from one place to the other.

Having a portable house would easily solve his problem and allow him to live in comfort, despite being away from villages, towns, and cities, for long periods of time.

That night, Lux and Keane were invited to join the Rowan Family for dinner, which the two gratefully accepted.

There were three more days before the Hidden Domain opened, which was plenty of time to get to know the members that would be joining their expedition. Lux had already known how strong Keane was, but he was not aware of how strong Xander and the other warriors of the Rowan Tribe were.

Because of this, he decided to have a sparring match with them to better understand their abilities.

Maximilian had assigned Lux to be the Captain of their expedition, making him the final decision maker of the team.

Although he was the Champion of the Tournament, the teenagers of the Rowan Tribe were itching to spar with him to see how strong he really was.

Lux thought that this was a good idea. As long as his temporary teammates were convinced of his strength, it would allow him to command them without any resistance to his orders.

During Dungeon expeditions, teamwork was the key and Lux had no intention of working with people who didn't trust him.

He would rather go Solo, or take just Cai and Keane with him, rather than lead a group who didn't see him as their leader.

When the warriors of the Rowan Tribe heard that Lux planned to duel with the people accompanying him to the Sacred Dungeon, all of them gathered to challenge him one by one, which the Half-Elf was more than happy to oblige.

Chapter 278 Can The Two Of You Not Show Your PDA Here?

A few days later…

"Grandpa, I promise that when I return, I will have the Sacred White Lotus to help cure Grandma," Cai said in a serious manner. "I will not let you down."

"I know, but also be careful," Maximilian replied. "The Sacred Dungeon is not easy to conquer. If it was, it had already been cleared several times already."

"Relax, we already got this in the bag."

"Hah… you never change do you?"

Maximilian helplessly shook his head before shifting his attention to Lux, who was standing not far from them.

"Make sure that Cai doesn't do anything reckless," Maximilian stated. "I will leave her, and my tribe's youngsters, in your hands."

Lux nodded. "I will do my best."

After Lux had fought with all the teenagers of the Rowan Tribe, including Xander, they finally realized how strong the Half-Elf was. Because of this, they no longer had any problems with him becoming their leader, and promised to obey his orders for the sake of their Tribal Chieftain.

"Let's go and conquer the Sacred Dungeon!" Cai declared.

""Yes!""

The Giant Platform at the center of the settlement started to glow faintly. This was the portable Warp Gate of the Rowan Tribe that allowed them to go to Elysium.

One by one, the teenagers entered the portal with Lux entering last. This was the first time he was entering Elysium through a Warp Gate and wondered if there was any difference between it and the Ring of Arondight that Eriol had given him.

A bright flash of light enveloped Lux's body, forcing him to cover his eyes.

When the light receded, he found himself in what seemed to be a settlement inside a jungle with trees that were several meters tall.

Several tree-houses could be seen in the distance, and those who dwelled in them were teenagers, making Lux understand that this was one of the Rowan Tribe's settlements inside the world of Elysium.

"The Hidden Domain is an hour away from here," Cai said. "Let us make haste. I'm sure that the other guilds are also there."

As if waiting for that moment, the Giant Manta Ray that Lux had seen in Barbatos Academy materialized above Cai's head.

Several other Manta Rays appeared as the members of the Rowan Tribe summoned their Beast Companions.

The Rowan Tribe was a Nomadic Clan, and they traveled over land, air, and sea. Because of this, all of them had Manta Rays as their first Beast Companions, allowing them to travel wherever they needed to go.

Lux and Keane mounted Cai's Manta Ray because they didn't have a flying mount of their own.

Keane, who was learning things about the world, wondered if he could also have a Beast Companion similar to Cai's Manta Ray and Lux's baby slime, Eiko.

"Of course you can have a Beast Companion of your own," Cai replied as she lightly nudged her Manta Ray to take off towards the direction of the Hidden Domain. "After this expedition is over, I can help you look for one if you like. The Manta Rays are our Tribe's exclusive mounts, so if you want one, I can ask Grandpa to give you one as a reward for helping me in this expedition."

Keane's interest was piqued after hearing Cai's words. For him, having a flying transport was great because it would allow him to go anywhere he wanted.

Preferably somewhere far away from the chatty Boar, who was making the peace he was looking for in life slip away from his fingertips.

As for Lux, he already had Jed. After taking in the blood of the Mutated Thunder Wolf King, it had evolved into a Rank 4 Thunder Warg King, which also allowed it to use Lightning Steps, allowing it fast movements on the ground, but lacking the ability to fly in the air.

Lux planned to look for a Beast Core that had the ability of flight, similar to Air Steps, which would allow the Half-Elf's mount to also traverse in the air.

As the small fleet of Manta Rays flew Northwards, Keane looked around him with a serious gaze. He was trying to look for differences between Solais and Elysium, but so far, he hadn't seen anything that stood out between the two.

"Just wait until we arrive at the Hidden Domain," Cai said with confidence. "It will be your first initiation here in Elysium, so you better do your best, Little Swordy."

"... How many times should I tell you not to call me Little Swordy?" Keane sighed because he had already given up on making the Boar call him by his name.

Now he had understood what Lux had felt when everyone kept on calling him My Daddy, instead of his real name, making him feel depressed.

"You'll get used to it," Lux commented as he tapped Keane's shoulder, making the latter mutter that he didn't want to get used to it.

Almost an hour later, they finally arrived at a canyon, with a deep gorge at its center.

"Is the Hidden Domain inside it?" Lux asked with a frown.

Cai nodded. "It was accidentally discovered when one of the students of Barbatos Academy fell on it and discovered the existence of the Hidden Domain. Knowing that the Academy didn't have the manpower to gather as many resources from the Domain, Sir Alexander decided to share the news to the Six Kingdoms and the Rowan Tribe.

"In return, the academy will get 10% of any resources that the other Factions gain whenever they enter the Hidden Domain. The Kings and my grandfather signed the agreement, and since then, the Six Kingdoms, Barbatos Academy, and the Rowan Tribe have ensured that the Hidden Domain would remain hidden from the other factions in Elysium. Also, this place is a neutral area, and no adjacent kingdoms can own it."

"No adjacent kingdoms can own it?" Lux tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Um, I don't really understand. But my Grandpa said that the God of this World created several Neutral Areas in Elysium, preventing anyone from staking their claim on it," Cai replied. "No settlements can be built in it because anyone who's tried has suddenly found themselves attacked by Argonaut and Dreadnaught Ranked Field Monsters.

"Also, the strongest mortals that can enter this area are Initiates. They simply don't have the strength to fight against Monsters of such rank, so the Elysians have left this land alone, giving us the opportunity to take advantage of it."

While Cai chatted with Lux and Keane, its Giant Manta Ray took the lead to enter the deep gorge, with the other manta rays trailing behind it.

After fifteen minutes of darkness, Lux saw faint blue lights at the bottom,

"Those are the lights of glow worms," Cai explained. "It means that we are near it."

True to her words, a path appeared at the bottom of the gorge that was spacious enough for two mammoths to easily walk side by side on.

The path was glowing with a blue light due to the countless glow worms that were sticking to the walls of the gorge, illuminating the path in front of them.

A moment later, they arrived at a very spacious clearing that was the size of three football fields merged together. At the far end of this spacious clearing was a giant silver gate that was shut tight.

Waiting outside of it were hundreds of teenagers, who belonged to the Six Kingdoms and Barbatos Academy.

As soon as Cai's Giant Manta Ray landed, countless eyes glanced in their direction.

Lux, Cai, and Keane were members of the Elite Four that had survived the Lionheart Tournament.

Everyone present on the scene instantly recognized them. However, no one dared to approach them, with the exception of one person.

"You're finally here, Lux," Iris said as she walked towards the Giant Manta Ray with a smile.

"I'm here, Iris," Lux replied as he jumped off the Manta Ray and opened his arms wide so he could embrace his fiance in his arms.

However, just as the two were about to hug each other, they found themselves hugging the body of a Boar, who stepped between the two of them at the last second.

"Um, can the two of you not show your PDA here?" Cai asked as she pushed Lux away with her snout, before nuzzling Iris, making the latter giggle. "Have some delicacy. We didn't come here to watch the two of you make out. You can do it when the two of you are alone, okay?"

Lux, who had been pushed aside, sighed in his heart as he looked at the boar who had given him a very strong urge to spank her.

Iris on the other hand, covered her lips as she suppressed a chuckle, while listening to Cai's complaints about how she and Lux should conduct themselves in public.

The Half-Elf could only roll its eyes at Cai's shamelessness before pushing it aside to give his fiance a hug.

Iris hugged him back, making those who were watching the two of them click their tongues in irritation. Several of the young men had a crush on Iris, including the members of her own guild who were about to accompany her inside the Sacred Domain.

Although they had long accepted that the apple of their eyes had already been eaten by someone else, the lingering feelings they had for her still remained.

This was especially true for Nero, who was looking at the two of them from afar.

Although he had a calm expression on the surface, inside his heart was a fire that threatened to engulf everything that belonged to the red-headed teenager who was currently hugging the young lady of his dreams in a tight embrace.

Chapter 279 Dangers That Lurks Inside The Hidden Domain [Part 1]

"The power of the Abyss is not something that can easily be controlled, or subjugated," Rainer said with a solemn look on his face. "If your will isn't strong enough, it will take over your senses and its seed will bury itself in your heart, giving birth to a monster with a human face.

"Nero. No matter what happens, you must strengthen your will, and not allow the power of the Abyss to take root in your heart. Many have already fallen victim to its whispers filled with temptation and promise of power. Do not let yourself be one of them. Do not let the Power of the Abyss control you. You must always be the one in control, do you understand?"

"Yes, Master," Nero answered. "I will keep your teachings in my heart."

—---

"Guild Master, the gate is showing signs of opening," one of Nero's Guild Members informed him. "If everything goes according to schedule, it will open in less than an hour from now."

"Understood," Nero nodded. "Thank you for your report. I will be there shortly."

The Guild Member respectfully bowed his head before leaving the makeshift tent that served as Nero's personal quarters while waiting for the Gate of the Hidden Domain to open.

The Hidden Domain was a treasure-trove of resources, and the Sacred Dungeon was only one of them. Unfortunately, many strong monsters guarded the locations where extremely rare herbs, fruits, and flowers—that were highly sought out by alchemists, and pharmacists—could be collected.

Several attempts had already been made in the past, but this only led to countless deaths, which made the various factions reconsider their strategy.

Any deaths in the Hidden Domain were permanent. Meaning if they died while collecting treasures inside, they could not be resurrected. Only those that died in the Sacred Dungeon would respawn outside of the Hidden Domain, in front of the Silver Gates.

Because of this, all the Apostles from Grade C to Grade A were strictly ordered to not wander around the Hidden Domain, and simply focus on challenging the Sacred Dungeon.

That way, even if they died, they would just be kicked out of the Domain, and keep their lives intact.

Nero took several deep breaths in order to calm himself before looking at the mirror.

"Nero, you're strong," Nero said firmly as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. "A single loss doesn't mean anything. It is just a way to remind you that you still have room to grow. Just continue to work hard, and strive to become the best. One of these days, everyone will know that you are the strongest person among your peers."

After lightly clapping his face with both of his hands. Nero once again took a deep breath before leaving the tent.

He was the Guild Master of the Silver-Ranked Guild, Storm Dragons.

His Guild Members looked up to him, and respected him. He had already proven himself to be a capable leader and, with him at the helm, he would lead the faction of the Wildgarde Stronghold and complete their mission without fail.

—--

"Can you feel it?" Keane asked Lux who was standing beside him with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes," Lux replied. "The Gate is about to open."

Keane shook his head. "I am not talking about the gate. I am talking about the people gathered here. Do you feel it?"

Lux scanned his surroundings, and looked up at the people around him.

As his gaze landed on Iris, the blue-haired beauty waved at him with a smile. She was currently with her Guild, Serenity, and the purple-haired beauty that was standing beside her gave Lux a challenging gaze, as if she wanted to challenge him to a duel.

Lux ignored her and glanced at the other teenagers that had gathered to explore the Hidden Domain together.

The Four Kings and the Five Overlords were present, each leading their own Guilds. The presences they were radiating were very different from the ones they had during the Lionheart Tournament, which made Lux wonder if all of them had increased in rank during the time he hadn't seen them.

"Now, do you feel it?"

Keane's inquiry broke Lux out of his daze, making the Half-Elf nod his head.

"There is this kind of tension that is hard to explain," Lux frowned because he finally understood what Keane was talking about. "It's like everyone here is heading to war, making the air around us heavy."F

Keane nodded because his senses were extremely sharp. When the Silver Gate had shown signs that it was about to open, the auras of everyone, including the members of their group, had suddenly flared up.

Even the usually chatty Cai was silent, and the hairs on the back of its body were standing on end.

Iris, too, had a solemn look on her face as she gazed at the Silver Gate whose radiance was getting stronger with each passing minute.

Only Lux and Keane had relaxed expressions on their faces, making them feel out of place.

The reason why the two could still remain calm was quite simple. This was their first time entering the Hidden Domain, while the others had entered it a year ago.

They had already experienced firsthand, what kind of terror lay beyond the Silver Gate, and knew that, the moment they entered it, their lives would be in danger.

The Sacred Dungeon was located at the center of the Hidden Domain. This meant that they had to travel for at least an hour before they could reach it.

They couldn't use any flying mounts, because this was a very risky move. It might make the local beasts inside the Domain attack them because they felt that their territory was being challenged by a newcomer.

In the past, all the Guilds would travel towards the Sacred Dungeon separately, however after losing more than half of their members before they even reached their destination, the decision makers of Barbatos Academy, the Six Kingdoms, and the Rowan Tribe decided that all factions must work together to reach the Sacred Dungeon.

With such a large force that was made up of Hundreds of Apostles, even Deimos and Argonaut Ranked Monsters needed to think twice before they engaged them in battle.

The Hidden Domain was a place where the "Survival of the Fittest" was always in effect. The Beasts here were very intelligent. They would not hesitate to kill the other local beasts to eat their meat and beast cores, once an opportunity presented itself.

This was why no Beast would take the initiative to attack a large group of Apostles, in fear that another one would attack its back the moment it received a serious injury from the foreigners that entered their Domain.

Suddenly, a creaking sound was heard as the Silver Gate that had been shut tight earlier, opened wide, showing a purple portal at its center.

"Storm Dragon, Follow me!" Nero ordered.

"Serenity, by my side!" Henrietta shouted.

"Saber Kings, lead the charge!" Ackley, the Barbarian whom Lux had fought in the tournament, roared.

"Silent Forest, keep your eyes open," Vall, the Spider Boy, stated.

"Noblesse, with me!" the Elf Prince, as well as the one that Gerhart fought during the tournament, Enlil hovered in the air as he led the Elves to enter the portal.

One by one, the Guilds that represented the various powers that gathered to challenge the Hidden Domain entered the portal.

"Let's go," Lux ordered.

The Rowan Faction was the last guild that entered the portal. Before the Silver Gate fully opened, the leaders of each guild had gathered to talk about the roles they would play in the journey to the Sacred Dungeon.

The Barbarian Guild, Saber Kings, and Nero's Guild—the Storm Dragons—would be the Vanguard.

The Silent Forest, led by Vall, and Noblesse, led by Enlil, would be the scouts.

Serenity would be at the center, that would immediately support the Vanguard or the Scouts if they were attacked along their journey.

Lux's Guild served as the rear guard to prevent any Monsters from sneaking up behind them and launching a surprise attack.

As the hundreds of teenagers marched towards their destination, various shrieks, roars, and chirping sounds were heard in the forest that surrounded them.

Everyone braced themselves for the first phase of their journey, where death was permanent, and their safety lay at the whims of the Monsters that inhabit the Hidden Domain that had been around for thousands of years.

Chapter 280 Dangers That Lurks Inside The Hidden Domain [Part 2]

As the different guilds made their way toward the Sacred Dungeon, which was located at the center of the Hidden Domain, they kept their guard up in order to prepare for any contingencies.

Even Lux had summoned Diablo and Pazuzu, and they were currently walking by his side to ensure that they would be able to react if their Master was in any kind of danger.

Eiko, who was perched on top of Lux's head, looked left and right with curiosity. She was able to rank up after eating the Beast Cores, which were the remaining spoils of war from the defending Whitebridge City.

Of course, these Beast Cores weren't enough, but after knowing the baby slimes dilemma, Iris used her stash of Beast Cores to allow Eiko to increase her strength before the expedition in the Hidden Domain.

Because of this, the Baby Slime gained many new abilities, including adding two more summons to her squad of slimes, who she named Saber and Cloud.

—--

< Eiko >

"The world is my oyster!"

– Named Slime Monster

– Rating: C

– Progress ( 0 / 20,000)

Health: 7,600 / 7,600

Mana: 32,500 / 32,500

Strength: 92

Intelligence: 650

Vitality: 152

Agility: 92

Dexterity: 92

Special Abilities: Mimicry [EX], Regeneration [EX], Family Bond [EX], Speech [EX], Dig [EX], Storage [EX], Poison Immunity [EX], True Sight [EX], Stealth [EX]

Summon Skills: Summon Blackie (Devil Slime), Summon Whitey (Angel Slime), Summon Rocky (Earth Slime), Summon Maya (Water Slime), Summon Saber (Saber Slime), Summon Cloud (Aero Slime).

Active Skill: Water Bullet, Hydro Ball. Fire Bullet, Fire Bolt, Wind Bullet, Aero Ball, Stone Bullet, Stone Spike, Shadow Bullet, Shadow Ball, Blink, Teleport, Cure, Cure-All, Mad Sprint, Moon Blast, Elemental Shields, Slash, Heavy Slash, Scorching Ray, Fire Wall, Entangling Vines, Locate Flora or Fauna, Sticky Web

Passive Skill: Uncanny Dodge, Very Tough, Guts

Titles: Mama's and Papa's Girl, Treasure Hunter,

Note: This Baby Slime is the real Protagonist!

—-

< Storage [EX] >

– Eiko can devour items and store them inside her body.

– Maximum weight of items that can be stored inside her body is ten tons.

– Can Store Living Creatures for a short period of time.

– Maximum number of creatures that can be stored inside the body is three.

– Maximum duration of storing living creatures inside the body is three hours.

—--

< True Sight [EX] >

– Eiko can see invisible creatures, hidden passages, as well as other creatures, places, or things that wouldn't be normally seen through normal eyesight.

—--

< Treasure Hunter >

Eiko can detect the presence of nearby treasures around her with great accuracy.

—----

"Mumumumu!" Eiko grumbled on top of Lux's head because she could detect plenty of treasures that were spread out within the Hidden Domain.

Unfortunately, she could also sense strong monsters guarding these treasures, so she was unable to get them.

Her Papa also told her that she shouldn't do any reckless actions because the place they were currently at was very dangerous. Because of this, she just stayed put on the Half-Elf's head.

'Don't worry, Eiko,' Lux said through telepathy. 'When we get stronger, we can always return here using the special Teleport Scrolls I acquired long ago.'

'Pa!'

After Lux completed the quest Birth Of An Abomination, he was given several rewards, and among them was the option to choose one among four special rewards that was given to him as a bonus.

These four choices were the Hell Horse, Golden Token of Gweliven, a Monster Egg, and four Teleport Scrolls that allowed him to directly teleport to any places he had visited, regardless of restrictions that were set in place.

Meaning, since he had already entered the Hidden Domain, he could come back to it at any given time in the future.

This would allow him to explore and gather resources inside it, even if it remain closed to the outside world. For Lux, this was one of the reasons why he accepted Cai's invitation to join her faction in coming inside the Hidden Domain.

Suddenly, several buzzing sounds were heard around them and the trees in the forest started to shake.

Lux had encountered a similar scenario back in the Figaro Gardens, and he immediately summoned Ishtar, as well as a dozen Skeleton Grand Archers to intercept the approaching threat that was coming their way.

"Mosquitoes!" Enlil shouted as he hovered above everyone's heads, and spread his arms to create powerful gusts of winds that blew outwards to prevent the thousands of mosquitoes that were flying in their direction to advance.

These were not regular mosquitoes but Rank 3 Mosquitoes that were called Ruthless Venom Mosquitoes.

Just like their name suggests, their bites could inject poison to their targets, paralyzing their entire bodies, which would allow the mosquitoes to suck on their bloods, while their victims watch helplessly as they turn into dried up husks, deprived of blood.

Vall immediately transformed into an Alpha-Ranked Elegant Golden Jumping Spider, and spat webs around them to create a deathtrap to the mosquitoes that had managed to evade Enlil's attacks.

Although a single mosquito was not a threat to them, a swarm of mosquitoes that numbered in the thousands was not something they could easily fend off.

Among these mosquito swarms were hundreds of Rank 4 Mosquitoes, which were called Horned Harlequin Mosquitoes. But that was not all. At the swarm's very core was a Rank 5 Field Monster, which was notorious for destroying entire villages and towns, while commanding its massive mosquito army.

Its name was the Diabolical Doom Mosquito, whose body was covered in red and black stripes, making it look incredibly deadly.

Lux eyed the four-meter tall flying mosquito in the distance as he used his Elysium Compendium to check its information.

—---

< Diabolical Doom Mosquito >

– Terror Mosquito

– Rank 5 Field Boss Monster

Health: 900,000 / 900,000

Mana: 250,000 / 250,000

Strength: 300

Intelligence: 500

Vitality: 900

Agility: 1000

Dexterity: 1000

Active Skills: Poison Sting, Increase Agility, Fury Attack, Poison Spray, Sky Assault, Sting Drill, Hyper Blast, Increase Evasion,

Passive Skills: Enhanced Fortitude, Doom Fervor, Lifesteal, Tactician.

Title: Swarm Overlord

—--

< Swarm Overlord >

– Increase the attack and defense of the swarm under its command by 20%

< Doom Fervor >

– When the monster's Health goes below fifty percent, its attack damage would increase by 50%.

—---

The Diabolical Doom Mosquito didn't personally launch an attack at the Apostles, whose rich blood had attracted them from far away. It used its aerial superiority, as well as its numbers, to attack the humans that were completely outnumbered five to one.

Despite Enlil's and Vall's effort to deter and keep the mosquitoes at bay, the power of the swarm descended upon them nevertheless.

All of the teenagers that had come to enter the domain were the elites of their respective guilds. The majority of them had already fought against Beast Tides, so they already knew what to do when dealing with beasts whose numbers far exceeded their own.

Unfortunately, even with their experience, several of them were still pierced by the mosquitoes needle-like mouths, causing them to get poisoned and paralyzed.

As the corpses of countless mosquitoes surrounded them, their fighting space became smaller, which made the defenders' movements quite sluggish and, in turn, giving the mosquitoes several opportunities to deliver a deadly bite on their blindspots, which caused their defenses to crumble.

Dozens of crippled young men and women were helplessly carried off by the mosquitoes, as their blood was sucked mid-air.

This hellish scene continued for several minutes until more than half of the mosquito swarm were eliminated due to everyone's outrage after seeing their friends and comrades being killed in front of them.

Diablo, whose strength rose by leaps and bounds due to the number of dead creatures around him, created a killing zone that instantly felled any mosquito that came within his range.

Two of the members of the Rowan Tribe had been caught off guard by the mosquitoes and was carried away during the skirmish.

There was nothing that Lux could do to save them, so he just focused on preventing the rest of his team from getting killed.

Cai had already used her Second Gear and transformed into Hildisvíni, whose tough hide prevented any of the mosquito bites from penetrating deep in its defenses.

Several clinking sounds were heard as Keane repeatedly flicked the handle of his sword, splitting the mosquitoes into two halves, killing them instantly.

Eiko had already summoned all of its Slimes as they created a protective perimeter around her surroundings.

Iris had already summoned her Five Beast Companions that ensured that not even a strand of her hair would be touched by the mosquito swarm that came to them en masse.

This gave Lux some peace of mind as he focused on eliminating as many mosquitoes as possible.

He, as well as the strong members of the expedition, was paying close attention to the Diabolical Doom Mosquito that was simply hovering in the sky. They knew that it was only waiting for a perfect opportunity to strike and eliminate the strong fighters that were making it difficult for its swarm to truly gain the upperhand.

Enlil, who kept on creating powerful tornadoes that sucked the mosquitoes mid-air and shredded them into pieces, was the swarm's greatest threat in the battlefield.

However, none of them could approach him because the Elf was a true Master of manipulating the Wind Element. As flying creatures, they needed the wind to navigate in the air, but the Elf had effectively created a protective zone around him that could repel any mosquito that came within a hundred meter distance away from him.

Vall was also another pain in the ass that made the mosquitoes incredibly frustrated. The Spider Boy had created a dome of sticky web around the trees, effectively trapping them, and binding them in place.

He was also very nimble in his spider form, so any mosquito that attempted to approach it would only find themselves cut into pieces by the invisible strings that he had prepared beforehand, making them wary of approaching him.

When the mosquitoes realized that the defenders had already found the right way on how to deal with them, the Diabolical Doom Mosquito screeched and ordered a retreat.

The reason why it retreated was not because it couldn't overpower the teenagers on the ground.

It retreated because the other monsters in the forest had been attracted to the smell of blood and corpses in the battlefield, which made them leave their dwellings to join the fray.

"Sh*t! Everyone, head to the Sacred Dungeon in haste!" Einar, the Barbarian, roared. "Other beasts are coming! If we stay here, we will get sandwiched from all sides! Run now while you still can!"

As soon as they heard the Barbarian's warning, everyone immediately ran towards the direction of the Sacred Dungeon. More than a hundred of them were already killed during the fight against mosquitoes, and more would die if they stayed behind.

Although everyone was running, they made sure that their formation was as closely packed as possible.

The Rowan Tribe, whose role was to guard the rear had no choice but to carry the stragglers, whose stamina wasn't that high to begin with. Most of these people were magic casters and healers, who specialized in the magical arts but didn't excel in physical training.

Fortunately, Lux could summon skeletons and golems. Because of this, their advance wasn't impeded as the skeletons carried those who were unable to run anymore, making them look at the Half-Elf with grateful gazes.

Lux would glance behind him from time to time, because he could feel that several predatory gazes had locked onto his body. Sensing the threat coming from their backs, Orion positioned himself directly behind the Half-Elf, effectively blocking his body from being seen from behind.

A moment later, several roars, shrieks, and growls, were heard from the distance as some of the Beasts in the forests feasted on the corpses of the mosquitoes, as well as the dried up husks of the young men and women, who would never be seen again.