Ch. 631: Chapter 631-640

Chapter 631 Welcome To Your New Home

"... Garret, tell me. Am I dreaming?"

"I had the same reaction the first time I saw it, Sarah. But, I can tell you right now that this is not a dream."

Two golden words that said "Heaven's Gate" were currently flashing in front of Sarah, her daughters, as well as their retainers.

Now that Garret was part of his Guild, Lux thought that adding his entire entourage wouldn't make a difference. Also, this was the only way he could bring the former Great General of the Haca Dynasty, his family, and subordinates to their Guild Headquarters in the Outer Reaches of Karshvar Draconis.

"Wow! Eiko, your Papa is awesome!" Leah happily spun round and round while holding the Baby Slime in her hands.

"Un! Awesome!" Eiko giggled because she was having fun playing with Leah.

Alexa and Emily looked at Lux as if they were looking at a rare Monster that they were seeing for the first time in their lives.

Never in their wildest dreams had they thought that the Half-Elf, who had rescued them from the Capital City of the Haca Dynasty, would also be the Guildmaster of the Mythical Guild that had been the talk of the entire Dynasty for the past few months.

"I know that it's a lot to take in, but what you're seeing is real," Lux said with a smile. "Everyone, please accept the invitation. That way, all of you can accompany me back to our Guild Headquarters."

After being urged by Lux, everyone finally accepted his Guild Invitation and was surprised further by the rows of text that appeared in front of them.

"G-Guild Buffs?" Sarah exclaimed. "Free Stat Points?!"

Sarah was once part of a Mithril-Ranked Guild in the past, and even that Guild didn't have the Guild Buffs that she had received from joining Heaven's Gate.

She had heard rumors, however, that Adamantine-Ranked Guilds had Mana and Health Regeneration, but the Guild Buffs she was receiving now were way more than what the rumors she had heard of in the past.

"Lady Avyanna, we'll be going now," Lux bowed to the Orc Chieftain who had come to bid them farewell. "I hope that our Guild Teleportation Gate here in your city will be finished soon."

"I hope for that as well, Lux," Lady Avyanna replied. "As soon as we finish the construction of the Teleportation Gate, we will start the exchange we have agreed upon."

Lux nodded. Right now, his Guild Headquarters was pretty barren. The floating island still needed a lot of renovations. The Half-Elf had asked the Orcs to help him build a small village at the base of the mountain.

He planned to slowly expand the number of his guild members and invite traders from the City of Pygmalion, as well as from the other parts of Karhsvar Draconis, to create shops on the floating island.

The Dragon King had decreed that the Half-Elf could only have the Mountain Range as his territory.

However, Keoza assured Lux that he could just take the entire island for himself.

When the Half-Elf asked the Crystal Dragon if this move of theirs would cause tension between him and the Dragon King, Keoza only told him that as long as he was there, the Dragon King would have no choice but to give the entire floating island to him.

What Lux didn't know was that Keoza had a ruffian side to him. Truth be told, Keoza had full control of the Capital City of the Dragon Race, Rex Lapis.

If he wished for it, he could make the floating Islands fall from the sky, which was something that the Dragon King would never allow to happen. This fact made Keoza confident that he could use the strong arm method to make the entire island Lux's property.

"We'll be going now," Lux gave the Orcs one last wave of farewell before teleporting directly to his Guild Headquarters, bringing his new members along with him.

Cethus had registered the Teleportation Gate in Lux's headquarters in his Teleportation Crystal prior to their departure from the floating islands, so he was able to teleport back to it without any problem.

Lady Avyanna glanced at her son, Flamma, who was staring blankly at the place where Lux had disappeared to, and smiled.

"Go," Lady Avyanna said softly as she gave her son a gentle push on the back. "Staying here in the Blackrock Clan will limit your growth. Go and see the world. It is a very big place filled with danger, but since you are my son, you are going to be fine."

Barca patted his son's shoulders with a smile. "You are never alone, my son. Our spirits will always be with you. The Spirit of the Blackrock Clan will guide your way."

Flamma nodded his head with determination.

"I'm going, Father, Mother," Flamma stated. "I'll make sure to make the entire world know the name of the Blackrock Clan!"

"""Ahoo! Ahoo! Ahoo!"""

"""Ahoo! Ahoo! Ahoo!"""

"""Ahoo! Ahoo! Ahoo!"""

The Orcs all raised their hands up high and cheered their future Orc Chieftain, wishing him safe travels as he embarked on a journey to gain experience and see the world that was outside the boundaries of the Blackrock Clan.

—--------------

Outer Reaches…

"He wasn't joking when he said we were going to live in a castle…," Emily muttered as she glanced at the castle made of white marble in front of her.

The majestic headquarters of Heaven's Gate stood tall on the mountain range.

"Welcome to your new home," Lux said using the Guild Chat function. "If ever anyone asks any of you what our Guild's name is, tell them that it is Ars Goetia. This will be the Guild Name we will use for the time being until we become strong enough to protect ourselves from the world."

Garret, his family, as well as their retainers, all nodded their heads in understanding. They didn't need to be reminded twice about how important it was to keep Lux's Guild a secret. Right now, everyone was desperately looking for any information regarding the Mythical Guild.

If this secret was discovered, they would also be implicated in the conflicts that would arise afterward.

Just as Lux was about to invite everyone to come inside their Guild Headquarters, the Teleportation Gate glowed briefly, and a Half-Orc walked out of it.

Flamma gave Lux a brief nod, and the Half-Elf returned it with a smile. No words needed to be spoken between them because they already understood why Flamma had appeared in his Guild Headquarters.

Cethus narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Half-Orc who walked up to Lux to chat with him. He understood why Flamma was here, and it made him feel an invisible pressure weighing down on his shoulders.

After a talk with Gerhart and knowing that Lux could only bring a fixed number of individuals with him inside the Sacred Dungeon, he realized that he could no longer delay the decision he had been thinking about since last night.

He might be prideful, but he also understood that pride alone was not enough to reach his goals.

With this thought in mind, the Dragon Born took a deep breath as he walked alongside the others to enter Lux Guild Headquarters.

A Guild Headquarters that would he would soon call his Second Home.

 

 

Chapter 632 I Want To See The Two Of You Fight For Real

"He's finally back..."

The Dragon King opened his eyes before looking in the direction of the Outer Reaches.

As the ruler of the Dragon Race, he had the omniscience to know everything that was happening inside his Kingdom.

He was paying careful attention to the Half-Elf's Guild Headquarters, and as soon as he sensed Lux's presence, he understood that the red-headed teenager had finally returned to the Outer Reaches.

Of course, his wife, Queen Saphira, had already told him what really happened to Valerie, and she wasn't really pregnant.

However, the mere thought of having the Half-Elf touch his daughter was enough for the Dragon King to want to kick Lux's bum repeatedly until it became swollen.

'Maybe I should really go and have that fishing trip with him,' the Dragon King lightly growled, making the Royal Guards standing in the throne room subconsciously shudder.

They could feel that their King was very angry, but they had no idea why he was angry.

If not for the fact that Queen Saphira had repeatedly warned him to not harm the innocent Half-Elf, the Dragon King would have instantly teleported to the Outer Reaches and dragged the red-headed teenager to the Sea of the Ancients.

A place where Dreadnaught-Ranked Krakens and Empyrean-Ranked Sea Dragons lived.

Suddenly, the Dragon King sensed another presence behind him which calmed down his raging heart.

"All of you leave me alone," the Dragon King ordered.

Immediately, the Royal Guards that were in the throne room left in an orderly manner. None of them wanted to face the brunt of the Dragon King's wrath, so they left the throne room without even a backward glance.

When the gates of the room were shut tight, the secret passageway behind the King's throne opened, revealing a very beautiful lady, whom the Dragon King would kill to protect.

"He's back, right?" Queen Saphira asked as she sat on her husband's lap while holding a baby Dragon in her arms.

"Yes," The Dragon King replied. "Did you come here to make sure that I don't go there and kill him?"

"Mmm." Queen Saphira smiled. "You and Keoza are not on good terms right now. If you make a move out of anger, the consequences might be something that both sides don't want to see. Don't worry, I asked Valerie to stay put in the Inner Palace for a while. She won't be allowed to 'sneak away' until the Half-Elf has left the Outer Reaches."

The Dragon King reluctantly nodded his head after hearing his wife's advice. Just like Queen Saphira had said, he and Keoza weren't on good terms right now.

He had already angered the Crystal Dragon by purposely giving Lux a hard time, sending the Half-Elf into the Pit to build his Guild Headquarters. However, to his surprise, the Half-Elf managed to overcome this hurdle and even managed to reach a compromise with the Mayor of the City of Pygmalion.

Of course, Keoza's appearance played a major role in the incident. Both of them parted on bad terms, and the Dragon King didn't want to antagonize the Crystal Dragon, who could make the capital city of the Dragon Race fall from the sky in a heartbeat.

As if sensing his father's simmering anger, the baby Dragon in Queen Saphira's arms started to cry.

"There, there. Don't cry," Queen Saphira coaxed the crying baby with a soothing voice. "We love you very much."

After a few more words and kisses of love, the baby Dragon finally stopped crying and fell asleep in Queen Saphira's embrace.

"Kids grow fast," Queen Saphira said softly as she held her baby in a loving embrace. "So we can't keep them inside a cage forever. Dragons are creatures who want to fly in the sky. If you restrict her too much, it will be bad for her growth."

The Queen of all Dragons then planted a kiss on her husband's cheek before leaving his side.

"It seems that the Half-Elf had brought some interesting people back with him," Queen Saphira commented as she opened the secret passageway behind the throne. "I'll permit Valerie to visit them when Lux is no longer in the Outer Reaches. Feel free to add more guards to keep an eye on her when she leaves the Inner Palace."

After saying what she needed to say, the Dragon Queen left her husband behind. She knew how overprotective the King was of her only daughter, Valerie, but keeping her locked up in the Inner Palace wasn't a solution.

Queen Saphira knew that her daughter could get rebellious at times, so she decided to give Valerie some freedom by letting her sneak away from time to time.

She just didn't expect that her daughter would start to feel things she had never felt before, which made the Queen happy and worried at the same time.

------------

Meanwhile in the Outer Reaches...

"Let me join your Guild," Cethus said.

"Join my Guild?" Lux arched an eyebrow at the Dragon Born who had asked him to talk in private. "Why?"

"My reason is the same as when I joined you in your journey to the Wanid Kingdom," Cethus stated. "I want to be stronger."

The Half-Elf crossed his arms over his chest before glancing at the window of his room. He could see the giant crater from his vantage point, and that was also where he planned to build a village with the help of the Orcs.

"Cethus, I have lots of enemies," Lux said while still looking outside of his window. "Enemies that are far stronger than I am. You might find yourself facing off with someone who is beyond your league if you decide to stay by my side."

"I don't care."

"Even if you lose your life?"

"If that happens, I can only blame myself for being weak."

Dragon Borns prided themselves in their strength. This was why when Cethus lost to Lux, he felt as if the beliefs he had in the past all crumbled under his feet.

That was when he realized that the people whom he called Low-Landers were different from what he had imagined.

They were not weak as he and the other Dragon Borns originally thought.

The battle in the Wanid Kingdom once again solidified this fact, and it made Cethus realize how naive he was in the past.

His arrogance from being born as a Dragon Born held no value whatsoever in the face of overwhelming strength.

Strength that he wished belonged to him.

"Very well, but on one condition," Lux stated. "You will have a one-on-one fight with Gerhart. If you win, I will allow you to join my guild. If you lose..."

"If I lose, I will train to become stronger and challenge him again," Cethus replied. "Thank you for your time. Goodbye."

The Dragon Born left the room without even waiting for Lux's reply.

The Half-Elf could only look at Cethus' back with a complicated expression on his face.

"Are you fine with that, Gerhart?" Lux asked.

"Yes," Gerhart replied as he flew inside Lux's room from the window.

The green-haired Half-Elf planned to eavesdrop on their conversation but was easily discovered by Lux.

After being discovered, Gerhart asked Lux to keep his presence a secret, which the Half-Elf agreed on.

It was also Gerhart that proposed that he fight Cethus in a one-on-one battle. Lux didn't know if Gerhart had a grudge against the Dragon Born, but he still agreed to his request.

For him, adding Cethus to his guild wasn't a big deal.

However, he was worried that the Dragon Born was not someone who could keep secrets. Because of this, he was reluctant to agree to Cethus' request.

If not for Gerhart's proposal, Lux might have rejected Cethus' request to join his Guild.

"Don't hold back, okay?" Lux asked. "I want to see the two of you fight for real."

"You have nothing to worry about," Gerhart replied. "I've held a grudge against Cethus since the day we first met. This is just me paying that back with interest."

Lux shook his head helplessly after seeing the determination in Gerhart's eyes. Although he was curious about who would win between the two combatants, who were both at the peak of the Initiate Rank, he didn't want either of them to be fatally wounded in the battle.

Having considered this, he planned to interfere when he deemed that both were about to land a killing blow on each other. The Half-Elf was not aware that high above the clouds of his Guild Headquarters, an old Dragon-Born Lady was paying close attention to her grandson.

The moment Cethus returned to Karhsvar Draconis, his Grandma felt his presence, so she immediately came to the Outer Reaches to check up on him.

'Good, Cethus,' the old Dragon Born Lady thought. 'It seems you have improved a lot since the last time I saw you.'

She had hoped that after Cethus accompanied Lux on his journey, her grandson would learn a bit of humility. After seeing him again, she knew at a glance that her grandson had experienced many things that allowed him to grow not only in strength but in character as well.

 

Chapter 633 Lux’s Growing Army

Upon arriving at their Guild Headquarters, the first thing that Lux did was give Garret, his family, and his subordinates a tour of their Guild Headquarters.

He even called the Kobolds working on the underground tunnels and had them say hi to their newest comrades in the Guild.

"Unbelievable, there are even Kobolds...," Sarah couldn't help but question her common sense after everything she had seen since their arrival.

It was a known fact that Monsters couldn't join guilds, so when she saw that the Orcs and Kobolds were members of Heaven's Gate, she felt like her eyes had been finally opened to the hidden truth of the world.

Not far from her, Leah's interest was piqued by the Monster eggs that Lux had placed in the nursery room inside the palace.

"Eiko, are all of these Monster egg slimes?" Emily asked as she lightly poked one of the colorful eggs that were resting on a nest made of hay.

"Un!" Eiko nodded. "All Baby Slimes!"

Leah then turned to Laura and Livia, who were the same height as her. The two Dwarves were humming a tune as they fed Nora and Cora berries, which was one of the many favorite foods that the two Baby Slimes liked to eat.

"Can I also get an egg?" Leah asked the twins.

"Of course," Laura replied.

"These Baby Slimes need people who will love and care for them," Livia commented. "I'm sure Leah will get along with the slime that will hatch from the egg she chooses."

After hearing the twins' reply, Garret's youngest daughter crouched down to observe the Baby Slime eggs in front of her.

"I'll choose this pink egg over here." Leah pointed at a colorful pink egg with heart symbols on its surface.

"Okay." Laura nodded. "Pick it up and place it on the incubator over there. After that, form a contract with it to make it your beast companion. Then, and only then, will the Baby Slime hatch from its egg."

Leah carefully picked up the Monster egg as if she was dealing with a newborn baby. She then walked slowly towards the incubator, making sure not to drop the egg in her hands.

Sarah couldn't help but smile when she saw this scene. Although Slimes were the weakest Monsters in existence, she didn't mind if her daughter wanted to raise one herself.

Livia guided Leah through the process of forming a contract with the Monster inside the egg. Although she was still young, Leah was able to properly follow Livia's instructions and successfully formed a contract with the Monster.

Half a minute later, cracks started to form on the egg's surface, which made Leah and Eiko, who was perched on top of Leah's head, look in anticipation for what was about to happen next.

The egg split in half, showing the most adorable pink slime that Leah had ever seen in her life.

"Ma?" the baby slime asked as soon as its gaze landed on Leah's face.

"Yes!" Leah nodded as she gently picked up the Baby Slime and brought it close to her face.

The Baby Slime was surprised at first, but after sensing that it wouldn't fall, it allowed itself to be lifted up by its owner.

"Cute!" Leah said with endearment as she looked closely at the Baby Slime in her hands.

The Baby Slime looked at her with a smile before moving closer to kiss her nose, which made Leah giggle.

"Are you a girl or a boy?" Leah asked the Baby Slime in her hands. However, instead of answering, the slime only tilted its head to the side as if it didn't understand Leah's question.

"It's a girl," Laura said.

"How did you know?" Emily, who had also come to take a closer look at the baby slime, asked.

"Intuition," Laura replied. "For some reason, I can tell that this Baby Slime is a girl. Leah, how about you give her a name?"

The little girl thought about it for a bit before looking at the Baby Slime in her hands. As if sensing that it was about to be given a name, the baby slime looked up at Leah with anticipation.

"Holly," Leah said softly. "Your name will be Holly."

As soon as she had given the Baby Slime a name, its body glowed briefly for several seconds before returning to its former color.

Several rows of text appeared in front of Leah, as the information about her Baby Slime materialized in front of her.

----------

< Holly >

Pink Baby Slime

Monster Rating: Rank 1

Skills: Seed Bullet

Unique Ability: Sweet Scent

< Sweet Scent >

â€" Always emits a sweet fragrance in the air, making even the most foul-smelling places smell like a field of flowers in full bloom.

â€" This Unique Ability has an AOE effect and passively regenerates 1% of the Maximum Health, and Mana Points of anyone within a 200-meter radius of Holly every 3 seconds.

â€" This Unique Ability also creates a ten-meter radius barrier against Miasma. Anyone inside the barrier will not be affected by any negative status and debuffs from the Miasma.

----------

"...Is this really a Baby Slime?" Sarah muttered after seeing Holly's information. "Her Unique Ability is similar to a High-Ranking Cleric in the Temple of the Haca Dynasty."

"Compared to Holly, the Baby Slime perched on top of your daughter's head is more amazing," Garret whispered in his wife's ear. "I'm even wondering how powerful Eiko will become after Lux becomes a Ranker."

He had only seen glimpses of the Baby Slime's actions during the war, but the former Great General was convinced that Eiko was just as deadly as Lux on the battlefield.

Alexa and Emily were also tempted to get a Baby Slime as well, but they held back for the time being.

The two simply watched their little sister happily dance around as she held the newly hatched Baby Slime, who was making the surroundings smell like a field of flowers.

An hour later, everyone gathered in the dining area for dinner.

The Head Maid of the Ousborne Family, as well as the other maids, all worked hand in hand to create a feast for everyone in the Guild Headquarters.

Cethus had gone to the City of Pygmalion to buy some meat, vegetables, mead, as well as fruit juices, according to Lux's request.

Although they had received a farewell feast with the Orcs, their food was mostly roasted meat and fruits, which was too heavy for the ladies of the Ousborne Household.

They were used to eating high-class foods made by their maids, which wouldn't lose to what the Royal Family of the Haca Dynasty ate on a regular basis.

Lux and his other guild members also enjoyed the delicious dishes that the maids had prepared for them. This made the Half-Elf very happy, knowing that from now on, his Guild would be fed well. All because of the professionals that he had managed to poach from the Haca Dynasty.

'Now that there are people taking care of the Guild Headquarters, I will be able to travel with some peace of mind,' Lux thought.

One of his primary concerns was the lack of trustworthy people who could look after their Guild Headquarters whenever he was away. Fortunately, Garret and his family would live in the Guild Headquarters now. They could serve as his representatives and take care of his Guild Members whenever he wasn't around.

Now that Garret was part of his Covenant, Lux planned to make the Human Commander train his Guild Members for large-scale wars.

After some negotiations, Lux agreed to revive 500 of Garret's trusted subordinates, who had turned into Crystal Statues.

(E/N: My lawn ornaments!)

Keoza was the one who would revive these crystallized soldiers, whom Garret had personally trained since a young age.

These soldiers were more loyal to him than they were to the Haca Dynasty, so the Great General was confident that he could make them all fight for Lux's cause.

With 500 additional Elite Soldiers who were of the Initiate Rank, Lux's fighting force had once again risen to a level where he could easily conquer a city that was not defended by a Saint.

If his friends, acquaintances, and the Guardians of Wildgarde Stronghold could see him now, none of them would believe that the frequently fainting Half-Elf of the past was now a person who could easily conquer their stronghold, if he wished for it.

 

Chapter 634 Surpassing One’s Limits [Part 1]

In the crater located at the base of the mountain, Gerhart and Cethus stood facing each other.

Lux and those who wished to spectate the battle watched from the mountaintop, patiently waiting for the two combatants to begin their fight with each other.

"Do you really need to go through this?" Flamma asked with his arms crossed over his chest. "Even I recognize Cethus' strength. He will be a good addition to the Guild."

"It's not about how strong a person is, Flamma," Lux replied as he looked at the Dragon Born who had taken a fighting stance while holding a black spear in his hands. "It's about how strong their resolve is. Cethus is a bit special. I agree that he is strong, but strength alone will not make him eligible to join my guild."

Leah, who was sitting by the Half-Elf's side, looked up at him and asked a question.

"Big Brother, do I also need to fight in order to be part of the guild?" Leah asked.

"No," Lux replied. "You get a free pass, Leah because you are Eiko's friend."

"Really?"

"Really. Isn't that right, Eiko?"

"Un!"

Alexa and Emily eyed the Half-Elf who was clearly spouting a bunch of nonsense in order to trick their little sister. Even so, they understood the intent behind his words. Not everyone had the privilege to join Lux's Mythical guild whenever they wanted to.

They were members of Heaven's Gate only because their father was now part of Lux's Covenant. If not for that fact, all of them could only dream of joining the Mythical Guild that took the world by storm.

"They're starting." Flamma narrowed his eyes as he watched Gerhart and Cethus soar toward the sky. "Who do you think will win?"

"It's hard to say," Lux replied. "I think the one that goes all out will be the winner."

The Half-Elf then waved his hand to summon Pazuzu, Orion, Lazarus, and Zagan to help stop the fight if they deemed that it would be too dangerous to continue.

He had seen how Gerhart fought with his life on the line in the Tournament that was held at Barbatos Academy. If he were to do the same thing now, he was afraid that even if the Dragon Born was strong, his chances of winning were very slim.

The last thing he wanted to happen was for one of them to lose their lives just because they weren't able to hold back from dealing a fatal blow to their opponent.

Suddenly, strong winds started to blow in the surroundings, forming tornadoes, as Garret manipulated the wind to serve as his shield and sword against his enemy.

Cethus didn't back down and flew toward the center of the chaotic slaughterhouse with a determined look on his face.

As soon as he entered the range of the tornadoes, he suddenly found himself falling to the ground as if the wind under his wings had disappeared completely.

The Dragon Born had expected Gerhart to manipulate the tornadoes to suck him inside it, rendering him helpless.

"You've always been proud of your ability to fly," Gerhart said as he unleashed several wind blades in the direction of the falling Dragon Born. "Because of this, I've always wondered what you'd feel if the wind that allowed you to fly disappeared completely."

"You talk too much," Cethus replied as he righted himself in mid-air.

The Wind Blades that Gerhart had unleashed suddenly veered toward the ground, as if something heavy pulled them down.

Cethus, on the other hand, stood in the air, as if he was standing on solid ground.

"I don't need wind to fly," Cethus declared as he raised the spear in his hand, pointing its tip to the green-haired Half-Elf, who was at the center of six tornadoes that were spinning around him. "Enough chat, just fight."

Dozens of dark balls appeared around the Dragon Born, which made the corner of Gerhart's lips rise.

'I knew it,' Gerhart thought. 'This bastard is not going to hold back. I better take this battle seriously.'

The green-haired Half-Elf was the one who proposed that he and Cethus fight. The real reason for this was that he wanted to test his own strength against an opponent whose rank was equivalent to his.

Gerhart then raised both of his hands, and the two tornadoes surrounding him shrank before spinning around his left and right hands.

The two other tornadoes then merged with the Half-Elf's legs.

A moment later, the two remaining tornadoes merged with Gerhart's body, creating an armor that was imbued by the destructive power of mother nature.

Without any warning, Gerhart shot towards the Dragon Born like a railgun, with a speed that was almost impossible to follow with the naked eye.

Cethus, who was surrounded by the countless gravity balls, had done the same thing as Gerhart had done.

He had absorbed these Gravity Balls, creating a black shell around his body, freely manipulating the power of gravity in his surroundings.

Suddenly, a resounding ringing sound spread in the surroundings as Gerhart collided with Cethus' gravity shell.

The green-haired Half-Elf had wanted to end the battle as soon as possible, so he decided to give the Dragon Born a solid punch on his shoulder that was strong enough to tear Cethus' entire arm off his body.

However, to his surprise, not only was he unable to break the gravity shell, he found himself flying backward from the impact of the collision.

Aside from control over gravity, Cethus had also learned a new skill recently, and that was Vector Manipulation.

He had only started using this ability recently and lacked mastery over its control. This was why he decided to make things a bit simple and created a gravity shell that automatically repelled or deflected any attacks whether they be physical or magical in nature.

The only way to break the shell was if his opponent unleashed an attack that would overwhelm Cethus' control over gravity, breaking it completely.

"Looks like you'll have some problems if the two of you ever have a rematch," Lux said before giving Flamma a side-long glance.

"Mmm, it's not bad," Flamma replied. "But I can easily break it if I go all out. How about you? Can you deal with it?"

"Of course," Lux replied. "Just who do you think I am?"

The Half-Elf and the Half-Orc both chuckled, but deep inside, they were thinking that Cethus' new ability was indeed very troublesome.

Vector Manipulation was not an easy ability to Master, but anyone who was capable of unlocking its maximum potential was a force to be reckoned with.

Gerhart, who had been blown away by his own attack, righted himself in mid-air. That short exchange was enough to tell him that if he wasn't willing to use his bloodline ability, he would lose this match to the Dragon Born.

"First Gate, Unlock," Gerhart said as he bit on his thumb, removing the limiter he had set after training with Cai's Grandpa, Maximilian.

A second later, he vanished from his spot, and another resounding ringing sound spread in the surroundings as his fist smashed on Cethus' gravity shell.

However, this time, instead of being blown away by his own attack, it was the Dragon Born who was sent flying by Gerhart's punch.

Blood flowed from the green-haired Half-Elf's clenched fist, but he didn't care. Now that he was putting his life on the line, Gerhart was determined to see this battle through to the end.

He had acknowledged that it would be hard for him to beat Lux in a one-on-one battle, but he would be damned if he lost to Cethus, whose arrogance in the past had ticked him off more times than he could count.

"What are you doing?" Flamma asked when he saw Lux equip his Personal Dragon Regalia, which allowed him to move at the speed of lightning.

"Just making sure that neither of them is going to die in this duel," Lux replied. "Gerhart has unlocked his limit and if Cethus doesn't have any more trump cards, I'm stopping this match."

The Half-Elf then flew towards the sky and remained a good distance from the two combatants.

His Named Creatures had also positioned themselves in strategic locations, ready to use Duel [EX] to forcefully separate the two fighters, whose battle would probably destroy parts of the floating island, which was something none of them wanted to see happen.

 

Chapter 635 Pride Of A Dragon Born

When I turned ten years old, I sincerely believed that I was blessed to be born as a Dragon Born.

We were a part of the proud members of the Dragon Race, for the blood of Dragons flowed in our veins. This made us stronger than the other races in the world, and it allowed us to grow at a very fast rate.

As I grew older, the pride I felt in my heart turned into arrogance. I always thought that the Low-Landers, or those who lived in the lands beneath our floating Kingdom, were just second-rate races.

They were those who weren't blessed to be born as Dragons or Dragon Borns, making them inferior to our race.

However, this belief changed the moment the Half-Elf, Lux Von Kaizer, arrived in Karshvar Draconis.

For better or worse, the Dragon King had chosen me to become his supervisor, watching his every move, and making sure that he didn't do anything stupid that would cause trouble for our Kingdom.

At first, I treated Lux like an animal. Something lower than a dog that only existed for my amusement. But, after the incident that happened in the Outer Reaches, I found out that the lowly dog that I thought was harmless, was actually a shameless bastard, hiding in sheep's clothing.

Then, one thing led to another and little by little, I noticed that he was growing at an alarming rate.

It came to the point that I wondered if he was consuming some kind of elixir that speeds up his growth, allowing him to surpass, even those of the Dragon Race.

I thought that maybe, if I knew his secret, I would be able to become a Ranker in no time at all, so I decided to accompany him on his journey.

However, he had a condition.

—----------

"Cethus, you wanted to go with me, right?" Lux asked.

"Yes," I replied despite the weird feeling I felt back then due to how confident Lux sounded.

"Perfect! Since that is the case, how about you fight me? I am a Necromancer, and you are a Dragon Born. I only take strong individuals with me on my journey. If you can beat me then I will allow you to accompany me, deal?"

—----------

I accepted his condition thinking that I would easily win against him, and make him obedient to me.

However, I was wrong.

Very wrong.

I thought we were going to fight a one-on-one battle, but the bastard actually summoned his Undead Creatures and used some kind of taunting skill to force me to fight them in close combat.

On that day, I realized just who I was dealing with, and on that same day, I made a vow never to fight Lux in a one-on-one duel again.

Why?

Because the bastard doesn't fight one-on-one duels!

After my loss, I genuinely felt that if I let Lux leave Karshvar Draconis without me, I would lose the one and only clue I had for how to get strong in a short period of time.

Because of this, I did something that I never thought I would do in my life.

I begged him to take me.

It was the most humiliating, and shameful display I had ever made in my life, and I thought that if I could only endure the feelings of shame in my heart, I would be able to become stronger once I found out Lux's secret.

Perhaps it was out of pity, or perhaps he was thinking of something else, but he did take me with him.

Back then, I was confident that although I lost to Lux, I would be able to surpass him once I became a Ranker.

The battle in the Shaufell Plains was perhaps the first time that I thought I was going to die.

The Crimson Berserker Mantis was truly powerful, and there had been more than one occasion when I felt that I should flee and leave everyone behind.

For me, they were just a means to an end, and they were not worth risking my life to save.

Just as I was about to leave everyone behind, I saw a miracle happen.

Lux revived the Giant Termite, and it transformed into a powerful Demi-Creature that he named ALL-MITE.

Perhaps, in the eyes of the Ancient Dragons, as well as the Saints, the battle between a Deimos-Ranked Beast, and a Low-Ranker, was just a bunch of kids playing sword fighting.

However, for those of the same Rank, and below that Rank, it was a battle against Power Houses that decided our life and death.

ALL-MITE had won that day, and it made me rejoice internally that he appeared before I left the battlefield to save my life.

Because of this, I was able to continue my journey with Lux, and even managed to be rewarded with a Pseudo-Legendary Spear and a Skill Book that allowed me to learn the skill, Gravity Domain.

A skill that was tailored for me, which greatly increased my fighting prowess.

After saving the residents of the Town of Abingdon, we continued our journey to the Blackrock Clan, where the Transcendent Flames were located.

Little did we know that we had unknowingly arrived at a wrong time.

Thinking back, perhaps we didn't arrive at the wrong time.

We arrived at the perfect time to join the war, and it made me think that it was a good opportunity to steal the Transcendent Flames, while the main bulk of the Orc Army was dealing with the Humans from the Haca Dynasty.

Unfortunately, Flamma was there and heard my plan, which led to me fighting him in a duel

For the second time in my life, I lost again.

I tried to brush off the loss thinking that since Flamma was a Deimos-Ranked Alpha Monster, my loss was justified.

But, it still didn't sit well with me.

After tasting defeat against Lux, I vowed to never lose again.

However, that vow sounded like a joke after Flamme crushed any remaining pride that I had.

Fortunately, Lux also defeated Flamma, so I was spared from falling into depression.

For some reason, I found satisfaction in having the one that bullied me, get bullied back with the same tactic that was used against me.

My only regret was that I wasn't there when the Skeleton Gangbangers screwed Flamma ten times over.

Oh! How I wished I had seen that!

I would have definitely recorded it with a Recording Crystal, making it one of my prized possessions.

After Flamma was soundly defeated, Lux went to the front lines, alongside the Orc Army, leaving us behind.

I was gravely injured, and the others were tasked to look after me while I healed.

That was also when I started to pay close attention to the green-haired Half-Elf, Gerhart, whom Lux had recruited to his guild not long ago.

He gave off the presence of a lone wolf. Someone who didn't need anyone to look after him, and would simply lick his wounds if he ever received any injuries during his journey.

Since we were both of the same Rank, I definitely thought that if it was him that I was fighting against then I would win easily, or so I thought.

As I propped myself up from the ground, and wiped away the blood that flowed from my lips, I was starting to hate Half-Elves.

'Get a grip, Cethus. We can't always be on the losing end, right?,' I said internally as I stood up to face the green-haired Half-Elf whose presence descended on me like a mountain.

Although my instincts were screaming at me that I should concede and accept my defeat, my heart, and soul said otherwise.

"Hey, Gerhart, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time," I said with a smile.

"You talk too much," Gerhart replied. "But, I guess I'll hear you out before I smash your face with my fist."

I didn't know what came over me at that time, but I just laughed.

A laughter that came from the heart.

"That's right," I said as I raised my middle finger at the green-haired Half-Elf, which I had seen Lux do to the Vanguard Commander, Ronan, of the Haca Dynasty.

I didn't know what it meant, but for some reason, I felt that now was the time to use the gesture, as well as the words Eiko would often say whenever Lux wasn't paying attention to her.

"Come, F*cker!" I declared as I, too, put my life on the line to fight for what little pride, and dignity still resided in my heart. "You're going down!"

 

Chapter 636 Gerhart’s Favored Enemy

Revenge.

That was my sole purpose in life.

Nothing would make me happier than to crush the heart of the Elf that fancied my mother, and left her to fend for herself in a Kingdom that looked down on the Human race.

I, who had been born from such a union, was scorned by the Elves for being a filthy half-blood, whom they looked upon as a stain in their noble bloodline.

This was why I didn't hesitate to use one of the prized treasures of the Elves, the Kinslayer, to kill the arrogant Prince of the Elven Race, Enlil Neifion, who bore the same name as the man that I wished to kill.

Unfortunately, the bastard chose to save his life and teleported away from the tournament before I could even give him the killing blow.

The Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe, Sir Maximilian, protected me from the demands of the Elves, who wished for me to be surrendered into their custody.

Since both sides refused to budge, I decided to compromise and surrendered the Kinslayer to them.

Although this wasn't what the Elves wanted, they were still satisfied that one of the treasures of their kingdom had been returned to them.

However, what they took was merely an ornamental sword, which had lost its true power.

A power that I took for myself, and kept it a secret from everyone, including the Saint that had taken me under his wing.

While I was recovering from the backlash of using Kinslayer in the Tournament, I secretly studied the Martial Technique called Demon Slayer Art.

It was a Martial Arts that was developed in order to slay the Demons that had once wreaked havoc in the land.

However, the price one had to pay for using such a formidable technique was just as formidable. If used for a long time, it would cause irreparable damage to the body, which could not be healed, even if they used the strongest elixirs in existence.

There were ten gates that needed to be opened in order to use this technique to the fullest. Each gate could be activated by releasing the trigger which was located at the tip of each finger.

One could even say that if someone lost a finger then it would be impossible to activate the full power of the Demon Slayer Art because they would not be able to open the Final Gate, which was called the Gate of Demons.

As of right now, I can only open three gates.

The First Gate allows me to raise all of my stats by 200%, tripling my power.

The Second Gate raises my stats to 300%.

Likewise, the Third Gate raises my stats to 400%

This was similar to activating a Berserk ability, but there was only one major difference.

This technique may have been called the Demon Slayer Arts, but this only came to be because this art was created to target Demons.

When one was mastering this skill, they would need to give an offering of the creature whom they wanted to become the object of their hatred.

And the race I hated the most were Elves.

I offered the blood of Elves, which made this technique very dangerous to the, aptly named, "Favored Enemy" that I had chosen.

Not only did this raise my stats and triple them, it also doubled my attack power when I was fighting against Elves.

If I was fighting against Enlil, the Elven Prince of the Elswyth Kingdom, a single punch from me was enough to smash his head like a watermelon.

Unfortunately, I was not fighting against Elves.

I was fighting against a Dragon Born, so the extra damage of this ability didn't activate. However, that was enough.

The current me was enough to overpower my foe, who had never in his life truly fought with his life on the line.

"Come, F*cker! You're going down!"

I sneered in my heart after seeing Cethus try to embolden himself in order to fight me.

"Very well," I replied as I took a step forward, instantly making me reappear a meter away from the Dragon Born who still didn't know whom he was dealing with.

With one full-powered punch that contained my will to win, I smashed my fist against Cethus' shoulder.

This was the first time I was using this technique in combat, and I didn't want to accidentally kill the Dragon Born. Because of this, I was limited to attacking places that wouldn't instantly kill him.

Even if his arm was obliterated, it could still be regrown if a high-ranking Cleric used the spell, Greater Restoration, on it.

Just as I thought that the battle was over, I suddenly felt my entire body become heavy, slowing the speed of my punch by a second.

At that moment, my fist hit something hard, which made me wince in pain.

The blow had sent Cethus flying for dozens of meters before he crashed and skidded across the ground for hundreds of meters before coming to a complete stop.

Just as I thought that the battle was finally over, the Dragon Born slowly propped himself up from the ground, while coughing up blood.

I could tell from his pained expression, and the blood that was flowing from the corner of his lips, that my blow had dealt significant damage to him. Even so, I also saw the burning determination in the Dragon Born's eyes which made me click my tongue.

Not far from us, I could see Lux, wearing some kind of armor, and hovering in the sky with his arms crossed over his chest.

I was certain that he was paying close attention to the battle to ensure that Cethus and I wouldn't die from our exchange, which was something I appreciated.

Just as I was about to deal another painful blow to the Dragon Born, Cethus opened his lips to talk.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Cethus asked. "Aiming for my shoulders so that you don't accidentally kill me? It seems that you really think that your puny punch could break past my Dragon Scales. It seems that you still don't understand your position, Half-Elf."

I wanted to laugh after hearing the Dragon Born's words. If I hadn't been holding back, my last punch would have definitely broken his ribs, and caused him serious internal injuries.

But, just as I was about to mock him, my body froze as the earth under my feet shattered.

"You finally noticed it?" Cethus laughed as he leaned on his black spear to support his body. "You should have knocked me out when you had the chance."

"Now you've done it," I replied as my expression became solemn. "Don't cry if I accidentally kill you, okay?"

High above my head, similar to a miniature black sun, a giant gravity ball that increased the gravity in its surroundings by five times, started to take effect on my body.

Although I didn't know how Cethus was able to create such a big gravity ball, while taking my one-sided beating, I realized one thing, and one thing only.

If I didn't end the duel in less than a minute, the one who would lose this battle would be me.

Fortunately, a minute was enough to wrap things up.

"Second Gate," I said as I bit the index finger of my right hand. "Unlock."

Playtime's over.

It was time for a take over.

 

Chapter 637 I Still Haven’t Used My Full Power

Chapter 637 I Still Haven’t Used My Full Power

As soon as Gerhart unlocked his Second Gate, he vanished from where he stood and reappeared in front of Cethus.

The Dragon Born had anticipated the Half-Elf's move, but there was nothing he could do but grit his teeth and bear the consequences.

Cethus increased the gravity of his Domain to six times and coated himself with a Vector Shield to deflect Gerhart's blow.

When Gerhart's blow connected with Cethus' shield, blood sprayed in the air, and the ground beneath shattered.

Nevertheless, Cethus held firm, enduring the Half-Elf's attack, which was mitigated by half due to his shield.

Despite Gerhart's fist never reaching Cethus' Dragon Scales, the shockwave of his punch had dealt him internal injuries, causing him to cough up blood.

The Half-Elf stomped his right foot backward, as he unleashed another punch that sent blood spraying into the air once again.

With every strike that Gerhart delivered, the skin on his fists tore apart, revealing his bones beneath it.

Enduring the excruciating pain all over his hand, Gerhart unleashed blow after blow after blow.

With each strike, he felt as if the weight of a mountain was pressing down on his body due to Cethus' Gravity Domain, crushing his body under it.

Even so, Gerhart persevered, unleashing blows that would have been powerful enough to annihilate any Elf who was of the Initiate Rank and below.

The spectators watching this scene from the side couldn't help but frown as they watched the suicidal barrage that the Half-Elf was dishing out without any regard for his body.

This continued for a full minute, and from time to time, Lux would consider whether he should end the match or not. He could feel that Gerhart and Cethus were both staking everything on the line, so he wanted to respect their feelings.

Finally, the blows stopped coming as Gerhart stood panting for breath with his arms covered with blood.

"It will be best if you give up now," Cethus said. "I still haven't used my full power."

"You don't look convincing when your face is swollen, with blood dripping from your ears, nose, and lips," Gerhart countered. "Your legs are also shaking very badly. If not for the spear you are holding on to right now, you would have collapsed long ago."

"Nonsense." Cethus coughed up blood as he leaned heavily on his spear. "I just stand here… and let you punch me because… a single punch from me can kill you."

Truth be told, Cethus could no longer hear what Gerhart was saying. The Dragon Born's ears had long ruptured, and his right eye was swollen shut and bleeding a bit, making him unable to see on that side.

If not for the fact that his left eye was still functioning properly, allowing him to read Gerhart's lips, he wouldn't have any idea what the green-haired Half-Elf was talking about.

His legs were ready to give way at any second, but he still held on and focused all of his strength to increase the gravity that was crushing his opponent's body, making Gerhart unable to do anything.

"One last blow," Gerhart stated as he raised his bloody right hand, whose fingers had all been broken. "I'll end this with one last blow. If you survive this, you win."

"Bring it on!" Cethus said before gritting his teeth. 'I can still take one last punch. After that, I will win!'

The gravity was now 8 times stronger, which made walking literally impossible. Fortunately, Gerhart was close enough to Cethus to make his blow reach the Dragon Born's body.

There were no longer any tornados circling around Gerhart's fists, nor was there any shield protecting the Dragon Born's body.

Both of them were both spent, and this last blow would decide everything.

Gathering all the strength he could muster, while fighting the gravity that was about to snap all the bones in his body, Gerhart roared as he unleashed one last blow.

However, as the Half-Elf was about to punch Cethus' chest, his legs gave way, changing the trajectory of his punch.

Time seemed to move in slow motion as Cethus' bloodshot eyes watched the Half-Elf's fist flying toward the lower half of his body.

"Noooooooooo!" Cethus screamed internally in slow motion as Gerhart's attack inched its way toward his family jewels.

A pin-drop silence spread in the surroundings, only to be broken by the sound of a cracked nut that reached everyone's ears.

Due to how intense the battle was, Alexa had subconsciously squeezed the nuts in her hands tightly, cracking their shells completely.

However, no one paid attention to what Garret's eldest daughter did because the outcome of the match had already been decided.

"Both of you did well," an old lady said, grabbing Gerhart's wrist and preventing him from breaking her grandson's balls to a pulp.

Cethus' legs had finally reached their limit, making the Dragon Born kneel on the ground while clinging to his staff, preventing himself from completely falling.

The Gravity Domain had been dispersed, which eased the burden that Gerhart was feeling, allowing him to breathe normally again.

"G-Grandma?" Cethus said through blood-soaked lips. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just passing by and accidentally saw this battle," Cethus' Grandma, Faustina, replied with a smile. "You've grown a lot, Cethus. I'm very proud of you."

"...I'm glad." Cethus' eyes slowly closed as he finally fell to the ground unconscious.

"This is not a draw," Gerhart said in an exhausted tone. "I should have won if you didn't stop us."

Faustina nodded her head in acknowledgment of Gerhart's words. If she hadn't stepped in, the one who would have won the match would have been the green-haired Half-Elf. However, Cethus was her family, and she couldn't just stand by and watch her grandson suffer.

"Yes, it's your win," Faustina replied. "However, since I interfered, I'll give you an Argonaut-Ranked Beast Core as compensation. Fine by you?"

"Okay," Gerhart coughed a mouthful of blood after the effects of his empowered state ended.

A second later, he, too, lost consciousness and Faustina gently laid him on the ground before taking out several High-Quality Potions from her storage ring.

Without even batting an eye, she poured half of their contents on the two unconscious fighters' bodies before letting them both drink half of it.

matter what happens, you must reject his offer at all cost. Do you understand?"

Although he was feeling doubtful, Lux nodded his head in understanding.

Lux landed a few meters away from the High-Ranker before checking Gerhart's and Cethus' conditions.

Since Cethus had called the old Dragon Born his Grandma, the red-headed teenager didn't get in her way as she administered treatment to the two unconscious fighters.

"Are you going to let my Grandson join your guild as well?" Faustina asked without even glancing in Lux's direction. "It seems that my Grandson is very interested in following you around."

"Yes," Lux replied. "I will let him join my Guild."

"Good. I like sensible people."

"Hahaha."

Lux couldn't help but laugh because Faustina reminded him of his own Grandma, Vera. He could see the love in the old lady's eyes toward her grandson and understood that she wouldn't allow Cethus to be bullied under her watch.

"Well then, I have done my part," Faustina said after making sure that Gerhart and Cethus were no longer in any danger.

She then stood up and gave the Half-Elf a teasing smile, making the latter shudder subconsciously.

"Since you've been good to my grandson, I'll give you some friendly advice," Faustina stated as she walked towards Lux and whispered something in his ears. "If the Dragon King invites you to go fishing with him, don't go no matter what. Make up any kind of excuse that you can think of, and no matter what happens, you must reject his offer at all cost. Do you understand?"

Although he was feeling doubtful, Lux nodded his head in understanding.

Faustina smiled before lightly patting the Half-Elf's shoulder.

"Take care of my Grandson for me," Faustina gave the unconscious Cethus a side-long glance before walking away. "I'll look forward to the next time I see him."

After saying those words, Faustina disappeared, leaving the Outer Reaches behind.

Now that she was sure that her grandson was in good hands, she could focus on her other duties with a peace of mind.

'It seems that I need to make sure that the Half-Elf doesn't get on the King's bad side,' Faustina thought as she flew in the direction of the Capital City of Karshvar Draconis. 'My grandson's future depends on it.'

She had cast a special kind of barrier around her and the Half-Elf, preventing the Dragon King from eavesdropping in on their conversation.

Just like Cethus, she treated Valerie like a granddaughter.

Because of this, she didn't want the beautiful yet extremely gullible young lady to feel guilty if something happened to the Half-Elf, who had already visited the Dragon Princess in her dreams, teaching her of many things that made her young, and innocent heart… skip a beat.

 

Chapter 638 Big Brother, Do You Have A Lover?

Chapter 638 Big Brother, Do You Have A Lover?

"Man… that battle was awesome," Flamma said as he drank the fruit juice that was made by Marie, the Head Maid of the Ousborne Family. "How about the two of us have a rematch? This time, you're not allowed to summon anything. Also, Eiko is not allowed to help you. What do you think?"

"I think you didn't suffer enough beating last time," Lux replied as he fed Eiko a sandwich. "But, you don't have to worry. I'm sure you will have your turn when we go to the Domain of the Fallen."

"I'm actually looking forward to this Sacred Dungeon Adventure. When are we going?"

"In a few weeks. I need to return to my hometown first. There are a few things that I need to handle by myself."

Lux didn't tell the Half-Orc that he was very eager to return to see his Fiance, as well as celebrate his birthday with her.

He was about to turn seventeen, and it made him reminisce about the times when he trained to prepare for the trial that would give him the chance to go to Elysium.

All of those depressing days were now behind him, and although many things were happening all around him, he couldn't help but feel blessed to be where he was now.

"Sir Lux, what is your hometown like?" Alexa asked. "If I remember correctly, the world you belong to is called Solais, right?"

Emily, who was also eating some sandwiches glanced in the direction of the Half-Elf. Clearly, she was very eager to hear about the world of the Foreigners who regularly visited Elysium.

"Our world is similar to Elysium," Lux replied. "However, it has undergone a Hundred-Year War, which made several locations barren and uninhabitable. There are also areas that are restricted because the lands beyond them reek of diseases, plagues, and Monsters that are said to have been corrupted by the land itself."

Emily, who had just finished her sandwich, asked Lux another question, which almost all Elysians wanted to ask.

"Can we go to your world?" Emily asked. "Foreigners can visit our world, but can we do the same and visit your world?"

Lux didn't answer right away as he pondered this question. As far as history went, Elysians couldn't Leah, who had been feeding her baby slime, Holly, a sandwich, looked at the Half-Elf and asked him a question.

go to Solais.

Many Solaians, who had found their significant other in Elysium, had tried to bring their lover to their own world.

Unfortunately, none of those attempts succeed. Currently, there was no way for Elysians to go to Solais. Only Solaians were able to travel freely between the two worlds, and it had been that way since the first time they were able to go to Elysium.

"Perhaps there is a way," Lux replied after careful consideration. "However, we haven't discovered how you guys can come to our world. Maybe in the future, you guys can also travel freely between worlds. But, I'll tell you this, Elysium is much better than the current Solais."

Solais was a dying world, and according to Eriol, it didn't have much time left. This was why the God of Gamblers and the God of Games collaborated in order to create the Heaven's Gate Project.

They had tasked Lux to find a way to save the dying world from destruction and give it a chance at rebirth.

Leah, who had been feeding her baby slime, Holly, a sandwich, looked at the Half-Elf and asked him a question.

"Big Brother, do you have a lover?" Leah asked in an innocent tone.

Flamma, Alexa, Emily, and Marie perked up their ears as they waited for Lux's answer, like old aunties looking for a fresh bit of juicy gossip.

"I have a Fiance," Lux replied. "Her name is Iris. She is also Eiko's Mama."

"Ma!" Eiko nodded her head.

Leah looked at the Half-Elf with an innocent smile as she asked another question.

"What is she like?" Leah inquired.

"She's sweet, kind, loyal, and loves me very much," Lux answered.

"Is she more beautiful than my Big Sister, Alexa?"

"Both of them are beautiful. No one is better than the other."

Emily giggled after hearing Lux's reply. Clearly, the Half-Elf used a "safe" answer in order to not offend her little sister, Leah, who was asking Lux unreasonable questions.

"Is she strong?" Flamma asked. "My mother is strong. That's why she's the Orc Chieftain. She always punches and kicks my father, and he doesn't have the strength to hit her back."

"Well, she is strong in her own way," Lux replied with a mischievous smile. "She puts up a good fight."

Whenever the Half-Elf made love with his fiance, he noticed that Iris' stamina was slowly matching his own. Because of this, they were able to do it many times, while hiding under the blanket to prevent Eiko from seeing the two of them do it like bunnies.

"Brother, bring her next time, okay?" Leah asked. "I want to meet her as well."

"I'll see what I can do," Lux replied as he patted Leah's head. "I'm sure the two of you will get along really well."

When their lunch ended, Lux went to find the Kobolds who were mining underground to check on the things that they had collected while he was away.

He had asked Garret to accompany him because the Great General would be in charge of their Guild Headquarters whenever Lux was dealing with things outside of the Outer Reaches.

Simply put, Garret was now his steward, and he believed that, with the latter at the helm, his dream of converting the floating island into a thriving city would become a reality.

"Amazing," Garret said as he looked at the piled-up ores, as well as raw gems, in the Kobold's make-shift treasury under the ground. "With this, we will be able to arm our soldiers to the teeth. There are also enough gems to trade for gold, food, and other materials that we will need to build the village at the base of the mountain.

"If the King of my Kingdom was able to see this much Draconium Ore and Aenarium, he would definitely welcome me back with open arms," Garret stated. "Are you sure you trust me enough to share this secret with me?"

"Of course," Lux replied. "Do you know the Dragon King? We are best buds. He can easily destroy a Kingdom just by lifting a finger."

Garret rubbed his chin as he eyed the red-headed teenager who was inspecting the number of resources they currently had.

"What is his Rank?" Garret inquired.

"Supreme," Lux replied in a heartbeat. "What do you think? Do you still feel like betraying me?"

The Half-Elf gave the Great General a devilish smile, which made the latter chuckle. Now that Garret was part of his Covenant, his loyalty was ensured.

No member of the Necromancer's Covenant could betray their Lord. Doing so would be a folly because their souls would be under his mercy.

With that said, Garret had no intention of betraying Lux's trust. Now that he was a member of Heaven's Gate, he would use all of his expertise to make sure that it would become the strongest Guild in existence.

'Too bad, we don't have a Saint in the Guild,' Garret thought. 'If we did, we would no longer have to keep a low profile.'

The Great General understood that they currently didn't have the strength to protect their Guild's secret.

Two days later, when Gerhart had recovered enough to travel, he and Lux returned to Solais, leaving Elysium for the time being.

Now that the issue with the Transcendent Flames had been dealt with, Randolph, Grandma Annie, Laura, and Livia, had begun practicing their crafting abilities in order to create better weapons, armor, potions, pills, and other consumables that would help the Guild Members increase their ranks.

Even though Lux could summon the Orcs and the Dryads to help him anytime, he still wanted to have his own fighting force and not rely on them too much.

Right now, Heaven's Gate had a Human army that numbered 500 strong. Originally, Lux thought that all of them were Initiates, but he was wrong.

Out of the 500 Soldiers, only 100 were Initiates, with some at the peak of the Apostle Rank.

Only after joining Lux's Guild did the Apostles all become Initiates. In time, these Initiates would all become Rankers, further boosting the Half-Elf's military might.

Just the thought of having 500 Low-Rankers under his direct command was enough to make Lux feel smug.

Although this number was nothing compared to the number of Rankers each Kingdom possessed, it was still a decent amount, allowing him to be of the same level as an Overlord.

"Let's go back, Eiko," Lux said as he patted the Baby Slime on his head. "Let's go meet Iris."

"Ma!" Eiko happily replied as the Half-Elf pressed his closed fist over his chest.

"Open!" Lux declared. "Heaven's Gate!"

A moment later, he and Gerhart disappeared from their Guild Headquarters and reappeared in Lux's old home in Wildgarde Stronghold.

While this was happening, the Six Kingdoms, the Skystead Alliance, and the Xynnar War Pact were all gathering their talented youths that would accompany Lux in clearing the last gate of the Sacred Dungeon.

They believed that when all the Four Gates had been conquered, the final Gate of the Apocalypse would open, allowing them to gain something that had been lost through the passage of time.

—----------

Capital City of the Vahan Empire…

"Malcolm and Nero, both of you will follow my son's orders," Emperor Andreas said while sitting on his throne. "It is of the most importance that you follow his every command without asking why or refusing it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Malcolm replied. "I won't let you down."

"I will heed your orders, Your Majesty." Nero bowed his head respectfully. "I shall follow the Prince's orders without fail."

Emperor Andreas nodded his head with satisfaction before shifting his gaze to his son, who had blue hair and eyes.

He was the Second Prince of the Vahan Empire, Prince Cyrus, and he stood nearly two meters tall, towering over Malcolm and Nero, who were kneeling in front of him.

A sinister smile could be seen on the young man's face and his eyes, covered with a tint of bloodlust, were looking forward to seeing what kind of Monsters he would face inside the Domain of the Fallen.

 

Chapter 639 If They Get In My Way, I’ll Just Beat The Crap Out Of Them

Chapter 639 If They Get In My Way, I’ll Just Beat The Crap Out Of Them

"Your birthday is almost here, Lux," Gerald, the Commander of Wildgarde Stronghold, said with a smile. "Time sure flies. Back then, you were a sickly brat who fainted almost everywhere. Now, look at you! You look as handsome as I had been when I was your age. Hahaha!"

Lux smirked before drinking the tea that was offered to him by Natasha, who looked at Gerald as if he was delusional.

"After your birthday, the campaign to conquer the Gate of Famine will begin," Natasha commented. "Have you made your preparations?"

"Yes," Lux nodded. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Rainer, who was seated across Lux, put his teacup down on the table before sharing his thoughts.

"This time, things will be more serious," Rainer stated. "I heard that you instructed Cai, Keane, and Xander to sell their quotas to the Skystead Alliance, Xynnar War Pact, and the Six Kingdoms.

"The representatives of Barbatos Academy will be led by Henrietta, while Val's and Einar's quotas will be used by their own respective factions. The Barbarians have decided that they'll take this last gate seriously, and form a team centering around Einar as the leader. Val will be using his own quota to bring his Guild Members. It seems that everyone is making sure to seriously go all out with this last gate."

Lux nodded. "Malcolm was also able to clear the Dungeon this last time, so the Skystead Alliance will have five additional slots open. All in all, the Skystead Alliance will bring 11 people, including Malcolm, on this expedition, while the Six Kingdoms and Xynnar War Pact will have five members each."

Gerald blew his smoking pipe before looking at the Half-Elf, whose presence had changed considerably since the last time they met. Right now, the current Lux was giving off an aura of confidence that he hadn't seen in a long while.

There were many confident teenagers who believed that they were the strongest members of the young generation, but there was something different with Lux's confidence that made Gerald believe that he was currently one, if not the strongest member of the young generation.

"Are you worried that the Vahan Empire will pull something during the conquest of the Last Gate?" Gerald asked as he gave Rainer a side-long glance. "I believe that Nero will be participating this time as a representative of the Vahan Empire."

"Good for him," Lux replied. "Also, I'm not too worried about whatever shenanigans they've planned to do this time around. If they get in my way, I'll just beat the crap out of them."

Rainer scoffed. "You spoke with great confidence, and I believe that you have what it takes to back it up. However, Lux, remember this, you mustn't be too overconfident. Underestimating your opponents is a very foolish move."

Lux nodded his head in agreement with Rainer's words.

"That's right, Sir Rainer," Lux replied. "I'll keep that in mind."

There was a slight tension in the air, which made Gerald and Natasha frown. Fortunately, the Cleric of the Stronghold was sharp and knew what she had to do, engaging Lux in a new topic.

"By the way, are you planning to sell your Quotas to the other factions?" Natasha inquired in order to change the subject. "It seems that the Skystead Alliance, Xynnar War Pact, and the Six Kingdoms are willing to pay a high price for the quotas in your possession."

Lux didn't answer right away and instead, drank all the tea in his cup before placing it on top of the table.

"I don't plan to sell my quotas right now," Lux replied. "I plan to bring a few people with me to the Dungeon."

"Is that so?" Gerald puffed some white smoke from his pipe. "It seems that you're also taking this campaign seriously. Who will you be bringing with you?"

"Friends," Lux answered in a heartbeat. "Reliable friends."

He had already planned to bring Gerhart and Cethus with him into the Domain of the Fallen. As for the remaining slots, he decided to give them to Barbatos Academy, so that Henrietta could bring more of her Guild Members inside the Dungeon, giving them more options when it came to forming their teams.

"Friends," Natasha asked in a teasing tone. "Girlfriends? Have you already asked for Iris' permission?"

Lux chuckled after hearing Natasha's question. Although his Fiance was very open-minded, he wasn't the kind of man who would actively look for a new lover as he journeyed through Elysium.

"I'm bringing men with me," Lux replied. "One of them is Gerhart. I'm sure all of you are already familiar with him."

The three Guardians of Wildgarde Stronghold nodded their heads. How could they possibly forget who Gerhart was?

His performance during the tournament was something that no one had expected.

An hour later, Lux left the Keep of the Wildgarde Stronghold and met up with Gerhart at the North Gate.

"Are we going to head to Barbatos Academy now?" Gerhart asked as soon as he saw Lux walking in his direction.

"No," Lux replied. "We will pick up Cai and Keane in the Rowan Tribe first. I'm sure you also want to visit Sir Maximilian, so we're headed there first."

Gerhart felt happy when he heard that they would stop by the Rowan Tribe before going to the academy. There were so many things that he wanted to tell the Patriarch of the Rowan Clan, especially the things he experienced during his journey.

Although he had no family, the green-haired Half-Elf had treated the Rowan Tribe as his second home. This was why he was quite excited to see them again.

Two days later, Lux's Thunder War King, Jed, landed in the Plaza of the Rowan Tribe, where he was met by an excited Cai.

"Why didn't you tell me that you're going to visit us?" Cai asked in a disgruntled tone. "We could have prepared a feast to celebrate your arrival, you know?"

"Da Wae~" Fei Fei, who was on top of Cai's head, greeted Eiko.

"Fei Fei~" Eiko greeted her back, making the two Baby Slimes giggle.

"We wanted to give you guys a surprise, and it seems that we were successful," Lux replied as some of the young men and women of the Rowan Tribe began to gather at the plaza to see the Half-Elf whom they had heard so much about from Cai and their friends.

"By the way, where is Keane?" Lux asked as he scanned his surroundings. "Is he not around?"

After hearing Little Swordy's name, Cai wryly laughed before making a gesture for Lux to follow her.

"It will be much easier if you see him yourself," Cai explained. "You see, Little Swordy changed a lot after you left."

Lux wondered what this "change" was and his curiosity got the better of him. He hadn't seen the skinny swordsman for a long time, and seeing how Cai was acting so mysterious, the change that she was talking about must be quite significant.

While Gerhart went to look for Cai's Grandpa, the red-headed teenager and the boar went to the forest together, in order to spy on their friend, who was starting to find the peace that he was looking for in his life.

 

Chapter 640 Is This Trial Really Tied To My Karma?

Chapter 640 Is This Trial Really Tied To My Karma?

"No matter what happens, make as little noise as possible," Cai said softly as they snuck towards the clearing in the forest. "They should be in their regular spot."

Lux arched an eyebrow when he heard the words "they." He came to see how Keane was doing, but it seems that he was not alone.

A few minutes later, the Half-Elf and the Boar finally found the person they were looking for.

It had been a while since Lux had seen Keane, and the moment he saw him, he understood what Cai was talking about.

Back then, the swordsman was skinny, but now, he had gained a bit of weight in a good way. His lean and toned body was covered with sweat, causing his skin to glisten under the sunlight. Currently, he was practicing his sword swings, giving them his full concentration.

Not far from him was a young lady, whose beauty was starting to bloom. She was currently reading a book and seemed to be just as absorbed in it as Keane was with his sword practice.

A minute later, Keane finally sheathed his blade back to its scabbard, making a resounding clicking sound.

At that moment, the young lady also raised her head from reading her book and closed it. She then set it aside before picking up a towel and a jug and walking towards Keane.

She first handed the jug to the swordsman before wiping off the sweat on his body with the towel in her hands.

Keane slowly drank from the jug until he had his fill, standing still to allow Rose to wipe the sweat off his upper body. When she was done, the no-longer-skinny-swordsman placed his right hand on her waist, and gently pulled her close to him.

A moment later, the two shared a quick kiss on the lips. Rose took a step back and returned to the tree where she left her book.

She then picked it up and walked back towards Keane, who then took her free hand.

Without uttering a word, the two walked hand in hand toward the path that led back to the Rowan Tribe, unaware that their actions had been seen by Cai, as well as Lux who was very surprised with the changes that had happened to his good friend.

"Since when?" Lux asked the Boar who had a smug look on her face. "And who took the initiative?"

Lux had long felt that Keane and Rose might indeed become close, but he never expected their relationship to progress this fast.

"Well, it happened a few days after you left," Cai replied. "I'm not sure who took the initiative, but, when I found out about it, the two were already very close. I'm still keeping this a secret from "Lux, you're finally back," Keane said with a smile when he saw the Half-Elf. However, his smile disappeared and a solemn look formed on his face as he eyed the Half-Elf with his trained eyes. everyone, especially Grandpa. Make sure not to tell him, alright?"

Lux doubted very much that Maximilian was really not aware of his granddaughter's relationship with Keane. As a Saint, it would be effortless for him to get wind of these things, especially when it was happening inside his Tribe's Territory.

Still, the Half-Elf nodded his head and promised Cai that he wouldn't tell anyone.

The two then took a detour to re-enter the Rowan Tribe from the other side of the forest to make it seem that they had gone to a different place, instead of watching Keane's and Rose's private display of affection.

"Lux, you're finally back," Keane said with a smile when he saw the Half-Elf. However, his smile disappeared and a solemn look formed on his face as he eyed the Half-Elf with his trained eyes. "You've become stronger… a lot stronger."

There was a hint of envy and jealousy in Keane's voice. However, this feeling only lasted for a brief moment before he exchanged a fist bump with one of his good friends.

Although Lux had gotten stronger, he believed that he would soon catch up with him and become stronger as well.

"You look way better since the last time I saw you," Lux replied in a teasing tone. "You look like a person in love!"

A faint flush appeared on Keane's face as he lightly scratched his cheeks, which almost made Lux and Cai puke sugar due to how wholesome and innocent his reaction was.

Not wanting to put the swordsman on the spot, Lux decided to ask him if he heard any kind of news within the Six Kingdoms while he was away.

"I haven't heard any news as of late," Keane replied. "All I know is that the Rowan Tribe will start their seasonal migration soon. This time, their destination will be near Barbatos Academy."

Lux was surprised that the Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe decided to make such a move. Although he understood that the Rowan Tribe migrated on a seasonal basis, he felt as if there was something more to this than met the eye.

For two Saints to be stationed that close to each other meant that they were planning to do something big.

Whatever that thing was, it would certainly create waves within the Six Kingdoms once the news of it started to spread.

"By the way, have you already talked to Sir Maximilian?" Keane asked. "It seems like he has something important to tell you."

"Really?" Lux asked back.

"Yes," Keane nodded. "Rose told me that she saw some kind of vision, so she told her Grandpa about it. A few days later, Sir Alexander and Iris visited the Rowan Tribe.

"I don't know what they talked about because Rose wasn't willing to tell me anything about her vision. However, I have a feeling that the reason why the Rowan Tribe is going to migrate near Barbatos Academy has something to do with that."

Lux's interest was piqued, but since this was between Cai's Grandpa, Maximilian, and his stepfather, Alexander, he decided to not pry and set it aside for now.

Perhaps waiting for that moment, Rose made her appearance and greeted Lux and her sister, Cai.

"Good day, Lux," Rose said with a smile. "I pray that you've been well since we last met?"

"Good day, Rose," Lux replied. "I've been well. How about you?"

The young beauty gave Keane a side-long glance before replying to the Half-Elf's question with a sweet smile.

"I'm doing well." Rose eyed the Half-Elf as if sensing something different from him. "It seems that you've reached the peak of the Initiate Rank. Have you visited a Temple to check the trials that you'll need to accomplish in order to advance your rank?"

Lux shook his head. "Not yet. I'm waiting to go back to the Academy to visit the temple there."

"Oh, you don't have to do that. We have our own temple here. Why don't you go and check it out for a bit? Brother Gerhart has just finished his visit as well."

"Is that so? I guess I'll do it here then."

Lux only planned to become a Ranker after conquering the Sacred Dungeon. Since there was a level restriction, he didn't want to take his Trial right away.

Even so, he was very curious about the kind of Trial that'll be waiting for him.

According to his Grandma, Vera, the trials to become a Ranker were closely tied to a person's Karma. As to what that meant, Lux had no idea. All he knew was that, as long as he cleared any of these Trials, he would be able to take that next step to become stronger.

"You will be given many trials to choose from, but you can choose only one," Rose explained as she guided Lux to the Temple of the Rowan Tribe. "If ever you are unable to complete your trial because it is too difficult, all you need to do is return to the temple in order to take a new Trial."

"It's that simple?" Lux asked with a smile.

"Changing the Trial is simple, but completing one is not easy. After all, if it were easy, everyone would become a Ranker in a blink of an eye. Some people are unable to complete this step for their whole lives and are stuck at the Initiate Rank until they die."

Rose's words sounded ominous, but Lux believed that, with the current force under his command, the Trials that would be given to him could be completed without any difficulties.

"Here we are," Rose stated as she pointed at a red tent that stood out from the rest. "After picking your trial, come and look for Grandpa. He is waiting for you to greet him."

"Understood." Lux nodded before entering the tent to see the Trials he needed to choose from and complete in order to become a Ranker.

At the center of the tent was a table with a big red pearl on top of it. Rose had already told him that all he needed to do was press his hands over the pearl, and he would be connected to the Heart of the World, which sustained all life in Elysium.

Before pressing his hand over the Red Pearl, Lux took a deep breath in order to calm his heart.

When he was ready, Lux placed his palm over the red pearl, and immediately, several rows of text appeared in front of him.

"Welcome Lux Von Kaizer."

"The World has deemed you ready to take on the path of Rankers."

"You will be presented with several trials, and you may pick only one of them. Only after you complete one of them will the world give you its blessing, allowing you to take that next step to greatness."

"Here are the trials that Fate has decreed upon you."

—--------------------

< Choose one of these Trials in order to become a Ranker! >

—--------------------

Lux's eyes landed on the first choice, and read its contents. A moment later, he blinked his eyes in confusion due to the absurdity of the quest.

At first, he thought he was just seeing things, but after double-checking the first option given to him, he felt like the world was playing a prank on him.

—--------------------

< First Ranker Quest >

< The Golden Trial >

– Get a Dragon Princess Pregnant and stay alive for an entire year. Once you accomplish this task, you will immediately receive the blessing of the world and become a Ranker!

– The path to happiness is a path filled with thorns. However, as long as you are willing to take the chance, a happy and fulfilling shotgun wedding awaits you on the other side of the rainbow.

Note: You may have already made her emotionally pregnant. Man up and take responsibility!

—--------------------

"Is this Trial really tied to my Karma?" Lux couldn't believe what he was seeing no matter how many times he read the First Quest. "Just what did I do to deserve this?"

(A/N: Kekeke!)

(E/N: *Facepalm*)

After pondering for quite some time, Lux decided to check the Second Trial because the first one seemed to be an impossible mission.

He still wanted to live, so he decided to pretend that he didn't see the First Trial and prayed that his luck would be better with the second one.

(E2/N: Is this where Lux loses his gacha luck?)