Ch. 641: Chapter 641-650

Chapter 641 Final Ranker Quest

< Second Ranker Quest >

< A Will Of Eternal >

– Marry a doll-like Dwarf beauty who is also the Guildmaster of a Gold-Ranked Guild.

– Although the White Lotus is beautiful to see, it still takes root upon the filth of Eternity. Past and Present Karma intertwine, thus is the makings of the Divine.

– Although her expression doesn't seem to change, and many think that her heart is calm and still like a lake. Deep inside she yearns for the one. A person she will love more than anyone.

– For you to win her hand in marriage, convince her family and show them your courage. For the Dwarves are always steady as stone. Go all in, or just go home.

(Note from a certain adorable little Dwarf.)

– Big Brother, please marry my sister, okay? That way, you will be part of our family!

—-----------

The corner of Lux's lips twitched after seeing the message. He didn't need to be a genius to know who the Trial was referring to.

The note at the bottom of the message was another giveaway, which reminded Lux of Collete, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

"The first is pregnancy, now marriage," Lux muttered while rubbing his face with both of his hands. "Just who made up these trials anyway?"

The image of the doll-like beauty, who reminded Lux of his favorite Idol back on Earth, resurfaced in his mind. One of his greatest regrets in his past life was not being able to go to her concert because he died a few days before his Idol's performance.

Truth be told, it was not hard for him to develop a crush on Aina, who was also Colette's sister because of her uncanny resemblance to the person he idolized. Because of this, he was very tempted to accept the quest, but he stayed his hand and clicked to see the next option.

—-----------

< Third Ranker Quest >

< Misfortune's Beloved >

– In this world, there are two polar opposites. One is the luckiest girl in the world, and the other is the unluckiest girl in the world.

– Right now, the unluckiest girl in the world is imprisoned at the center of Elysium. She cries deep under the ground, near its core, all alone in the darkness.

– Although many have wanted to help her, they have refused to do so. Those who tried in the past proved that any who touched, or tried to free her from her imprisonment, would be tainted by bad luck, which would follow them until the day they died.

– Dozens have already tried, and all of them regretted their decision. They wished to save her in the past, but now they curse her for even being alive. For as long as she lives, their curse remains, and since then, no one has dared to touch Misfortune's Beloved.

Note: When you start having Bad Luck, there isn't an end to it.

—-----------

"..."

Lux felt complicated after reading the third quest. Although he wasn't sure, he had a feeling that the Unluckiest Girl in the world could be found in the Kingdom of Agartha, which was said to be located near the core of the world.

He currently had the key to go to such a place, and he also wished to save the unluckiest girl in the world. However, he didn't know if he had a way to counter being tainted with bad luck, and right now, he needs all the luck he could get.

"If there comes a time when I can find a way to save you, Trial or no Trial, I will come to find you," Lux said softly as he remembered the details of the quest.

Just thinking of a girl all alone in the darkness was enough to make him wish he could break her prison, and bring her to the surface world.

The Half-Elf gritted his teeth as he checked the next option, hoping that it would be something that he was capable of doing.

—-----------

< Final Ranker Quest >

< A True Necromancer >

– Currently, you are not able to utilize the full power of a Necromancer, because you don't fully understand what being a Necromancer is.

– You lack the ruthlessness, and the decisiveness needed to command a Legion of the Undead that would be feared far and wide, across all kingdoms, and empires in the world.

– What better way on how to learn to become a Necromancer than find a True Necromancer as your Master?

– If you are able to find your true calling, you will be able to unlock the Transcendent Necromancer Skills that will make your Unholy Army a true force to reckon with!

– So go and find a True Necromancer, who will teach you the ways of the Undead. Once you're done, it will be your enemies time to dread.

Note: When the world turns its back on you, laugh at it with all of your heart. For there is but a thin line between morality and depravity, and a happy ending can only be gained, by facing the world, and slapping it with a Legion of the Undying.

—-----------

Lux took a deep breath after reading the final trial to becoming a Ranker.

For some reason, the words of the trial resonated in his heart. His understanding of being a Necromancer was only to summon and raise the dead.

That was what he had been doing till now, and he thought that it was everything a Necromancer needed to do. But, according to the Trial, he still didn't fully understand what being a Necromancer was.

However, there was one problem.

"Just where can I find a Necromancer to teach me how to be one?" Lux muttered.

A moment later, an image of a black-robed man, commanding the Calamity Beast appeared in his mind.

It was the same person who obliterated an entire city, just because he could, and no one, not even a Saint, would be able to stop him alone.

This memory had a great impact to him because that was the first time he saw a Monster of that Rank. An Apex Creature that could move unhindered across the land, making all that stood on its way run away in fear for their lives.

"No." Lux clenched his fists after remembering that scene. "I don't want to be that kind of Necromancer."

On that day, many innocent people died. If he were to become someone as ruthless as that then he would rather not find a Necromancer to be his Master.

Suddenly, a familiar voice reached his ears, which made Lux almost jump in fright.

"Master, I think you have a terrible understanding of what Necromancers are."

Asmodeus, who had appeared beside the Half-Elf without his orders, said with a smile.

"Y-You almost gave me a heart attack!" Lux patted his chest in order to calm his heart. "Don't do that again, Asmodeus. I thought that my heart was going to jump out of my throat."

"Apologies, Master," Asmodeus bowed apologetically at Lux for giving him a fright. "But, I just couldn't stay silent knowing that you may have developed a prejudice against Necromancers. You see, not all Necromancers are the same. There are people like Master who still understands what is right, and what is easy.

"I strongly advise you to choose this trial because it might allow you to surpass your current understanding of your Profession. Also, the Transcendent Necromancer Skills sound interesting. If possible, I want you to obtain them, so I can use them as well."

Lux sighed deeply after hearing Asmodeus' explanation. Truth be told, he was also very interested in knowing what the Transcendent Necromancer Skills were, but after recalling what happened in Wolfpine Barony, he felt disgusted at the black-robed person's total disregard of life.

"Just take this Trial, Master," Asmodeus urged. "Even if we find a Necromancer, but if you don't like them, we can always find another. We will not lose anything."

Lux thought that the Archlich's words were true. If by chance, he happened to come across a Necromancer, it would not automatically make them the Half-Elf's Master.

He had the right to choose whom to acknowledge as his Master, like he did with Randolph.

"Very well." Lux nodded. "We'll give this one a try."

Lux then chose the Final Trial, and the other Options disappeared.

Now that he had chosen his Ranker Quest, he just had to hope that he would stumble upon a decent Necromancer, who didn't treat the lives of people like grass that could be cut at any given time.

 

 

Chapter 642 Celestial Maiden Physique

After leaving the Temple of the Rowan Tribe, Lux went to the Tribal Chief's Main Residence to find Cai's Grandpa, Maximilian.

"Rose was right. You have indeed reached the limit of the Initiate Rank," Maximilian said as he eyed the Half-Elf in front of him. "Did you already pick a Trial for your Ranker Advancement?

"Yes, Your Excellency," Lux replied.

Maximilian nodded. "Good. Now, let's talk about business."

The Saint of the Rowan Tribe waved his hand, and enclosed his room with a barrier that prevented anyone from eavesdropping, or scrying in on their conversation. What he was about to tell Lux was important, so he didn't want to risk anyone hearing it, even by chance.

"First off, let's talk about the Domain of the Fallen," Maximilian stated. "According to my sources, the one who will be leading the representatives of the Vahan Empire and the Skystead Alliance is none other than the Emperor Andreas' Second Son, Prince Cyrus Cy Vahan. He is well known for his aggressive behavior, so he might come to you and look for trouble."

Maximilian smirked at the Half-Elf who seemed uninterested in the information about the Prince of the Vahan Empire.

"Don't worry, if he does something to you, feel free to fight back." Maximilian gave Lux his assurance that he would back him up if the need arose. "We can't have our people bullied by those pricks."

The Half-Elf was surprised at first before a devilish grin appeared on his face. Since Maximilian assured him that it was fine to fight back against the Second Prince of the Vahan Empire, he would definitely do so if the bastard tried to pick a fight with him.

Maximilian chuckled after seeing Lux's expression. It was the face of someone ready to make trouble, and he found it quite amusing.

"Okay. Now that we have settled that issue, we will talk about the main topic of why I want to have a serious discussion with you," Maximilian's expression turned serious, which made the Half-Elf pay more attention to what he was going to say.

"My two granddaughters were born with unique abilities," Maximilian stated. "Rose has the power of Precognition, which allows her to see glimpses of the future. She has no control over it, but whenever it happens, the things she sees come to pass most of the time.

"There are also no timelines for it. For example, if she sees a vision of the future, she doesn't know when it will happen. It can happen a few minutes later, a day later, a week, a year, or a decade."

Maximilian paused for a while in order to give Lux some time to digest what he had just said.

"What did she see?" Lux asked.

For him, this was the most important question. Since Maximilian was telling him this, it meant that he may have also appeared in Rose's vision.

"A beautiful lady with horns, batlike wings, and purple eyes," Maximilian replied. "In her vision, she saw you and Cai unconscious beside that beautiful lady's feet. Rose's vision ended when the lady glanced in her direction and laughed. However, just before her vision was covered with darkness, he heard the lady say a few words to her and that was… Celestial Maiden Physique."

Lux subtly summoned his Soul Book, which was invisible to everyone else except those he had given permission to see.

He then searched for the Legacy of the Celestial Maiden and the information appeared on the pages of his Soul Book.

—------------

< Celestial Maiden Physique >

– This Unique Body Constitution allows its owner to absorb the powers of the stars, and allow their Rank to increase by leaps and bounds.

The scary part about this ability is that it can also absorb the strength of others, through physical contact like kissing and making love. If their partners are weaker than them, their Ranks will regress, and their strength would be stolen from them forever.

– However, if the one being kissed or having physical union with the owner of this body constitution is stronger than the owner, they would be able to absorb the power of the owner of the Celestial Maiden Physique, making themselves stronger in the process.

The only Silver Lining is that the owner of the Physique would be able to regain her former strength once more if she bathed in starlight for a period of time.

– It is said that those who were lucky enough to find someone with the Celestial Maiden Physique will be able to reach the Rank of a Saint in just a span of a few years.

—------------

Lux suddenly realized something and it made him look at Maximilian with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Don't tell me…"

"Yes. Cai has the Celestial Maiden Physique. Do you know what kind of Physique it is?"

Lux nodded. Since he was already aware of what kind of special body constitution Cai had, there was no need to play dumb about it.

"Since you are already aware, this will make things easier," Maximilian stated. "According to Rose, that beautiful lady seemed to be keen on using Cai as a means to make herself stronger. Of course, she wasn't certain about this part because this was just her assumption. However, she could tell that the lady in her vision was quite powerful.

"Based on the descriptions she gave me, I can only say that the one in her vision is a Succubus. No matter what happens, we can't allow Cai to fall into her hands."

Lux pondered for a bit before asking the question that appeared inside his head.

"Wouldn't it be safer if you keep Cai beside you all the time?" Lux asked. "If you do this then that Succubus wouldn't dare to come close."

Maximilian shook his head. "Like I told you. Even if I keep Cai by my side all the time, the vision that Rose saw will come to pass. Things may happen that would force me to leave her side, resulting in the vision that she saw.

"I don't know why you were there as well, but since you were in Rose's vision, it gave us some kind of assurance that Cai wouldn't be facing that dangerous situation all alone. For better or for worse, you being there gives us plenty of options for how to deal with that future scene."

Maximilian's reminder made Lux realize that he was also in danger. He had completely forgotten about it because in some way, he was worried about Cai's well being due to having a physique that was similar to a double-edged sword.

"When I first discovered that Cai had that special physique, I sealed it right away," Maximilian explained. "Perhaps, she instinctively felt that she was a bit special since she was young, so she decided to always stay in her Boar Form as a means to protect her secret, and prevent anyone from finding out about her secret."

A moment of silence descended inside Maximilian's room as he finished explaining Cai's body constitution.

"Is this why the Rowan Tribe is going to migrate near Barbatos Academy?" Lux asked after understanding how serious the situation was.

In fact, he thought that this was a good move by Maximilian.

With two saints being in close proximity with each other, it would allow them to react to certain situations at a moment's notice.

"Yes, and No," Maximilian replied. "After having a serious talk with your stepfather and Iris, the three of us came to a decision. Lux, would you consider making Cai your Fiance?"

 

 

Chapter 643 “... I’m Not Dumb.”

Lux was taken aback when Maximilian asked him to become Cai's fiance.

He considered Cai as a very close friend, having fought alongside her many times in the past and even been saved by her from a battle against Revon, allowing the Half-Elf to conquer the Gate of Conquest.

Also, if he had to be honest, Cai's human form was strikingly beautiful, comparable to his own fiance, Iris. He believed that any man who would immediately turn down the offer of making her his fiance was stupid.

However, Lux still asked the most burning question on his mind because this was something that would decide whether he would accept Cai as his fiance or not.

"Does Cai know about this?" Lux asked. "Has she given her approval?"

Maximilian leaned back on his chair and lightly tapped its armrest.

"At the very least, she said that she doesn't dislike you," Maximilian stated. "She also asked that she be able to talk to you in private after I discussed this matter with you."

Lux nodded. He understood that he and Cai didn't really have any romantic feelings for each other. However, that didn't mean that they couldn't foster their relationship and slowly fall in love as time went by.

"So, is that a yes?" Maximilian asked with a smile.

"I'll talk to Cai first," Lux replied. "Since we are the parties involved, it is best if we personally talk things out to understand each other."

This time, it was Maximilian's turn to nod his head.

The Patriarch of the Rowan Tribe loved his granddaughters very much, so he wouldn't agree to let just anyone marry them. They must reach his standards.

In his eyes, Lux had the qualifications to take his granddaughter's hand in marriage because he was the Guildmaster of the Mythical Guild, Heaven's Gate, as well as the son of Alexander, who stood on the same level as him.

Of course, he also knew about Rose and Keane's budding relationship and, deep inside, he was blissful about it.

After paying attention to the no-longer-skinny Swordsman, Maximilian deemed that Keane was a very loyal person and would love Rose for life. Also, his background wasn't as simple as one might imagine.

Maximilian and Alexander might be two of the three Saints within the Six Kingdoms, but below them were outstanding individuals whom they recognized as Pseudo-Saints.

Keane's Master was one of those Pseudo-Saints, and the two of them happen to be very good friends.

In fact, when Keane left the mountain, his Master, who went by the title "The Void", went to the Rowan Tribe to ask Maximilian to keep a lookout for his Disciple, who was now wandering the Six Kingdoms in order to search for his "Universal Peace".

He even gave Maximilian a recording crystal of what his Disciple looked like, so it was very easy for the Saint of the Rowan Tribe to know Keane's true identity.

Also, aside from having a powerful Master, Keane's true background was also something that only a handful of people knew.

Even Keane didn't know this information about his true identity, which was a closely guarded secret by the people who were in the know.

In order to ensure that Maximilian wouldn't bully his Disciple, the Pseudo-Saint divulged Keane's Secret, which surprised Maximilian very much.

Because of this, the Saint of the Rowan Tribe gave his silent stamp of approval for Rose's and Keane's slowly developing relationship.

After discussing a few more important matters and letting Lux know that his fiance, Iris, approved of Cai becoming his fiance, Maximilian finally left the room to fetch Cai.

Ten minutes later, the door of the room opened and a young lady, wearing ceremonial priestess clothes entered the room.

To Lux's surprise, Cai was wearing a veil, hiding her beautiful face from the Half-Elf's gaze.

The First Priestess of the Rowan Tribe sat on her grandfather's chair and lowered her head, looking at her hands that were resting on her lap.

An awkward silence descended inside the room as both people remained silent. Neither of them knew what to talk about, but they also understood that this couldn't continue.

The one who first broke the silence was surprisingly Cai, but the first words she said didn't make much sense.

"... I'm not dumb."

Lux blinked in confusion because he didn't understand what Cai was talking about. Because of this, he decided to agree with her for the time being.

"Um, I know you're not dumb," Lux replied.

"No, you don't understand." Cai sighed. "I'm dumb and not dumb at the same time."

The Half-Elf scratched his head in confusion but simply waited for Cai to clarify what she was talking about.

"I-It's when I turn into a Boar," Cai stated. "The me as Cai and the me as Me are different. It's like I revert to the mindset of a six-year-old whenever I am in my Boar Form."

"Ah! So that's what you're talking about."

"... Yes. So, I would appreciate it if you don't think of the real me as dumb."

After Cai finished her explanation, another moment of awkward silence descended inside the room, which made Lux decide to take the initiative this time around.

"Cai, are you really fine becoming my fiance?" Lux asked. "Have you thought long and hard about it?"

Cai remained silent for a few seconds before she raised her head to look at the Half-Elf in front of her.

"I did," Cai replied. "After careful consideration, I deemed that you are indeed a good person, and I would be happy if I were to become your fiance."

"Is that your only reason?"

"No. I also want to be with Iris, so this is just like hitting two birds with one stone. Ah!"

Cai accidentally spoke out her true intentions out loud, which made her face turn beet-red. Fortunately, she was wearing a veil, preventing Lux from seeing her current expression.

A chuckle escaped Lux's lips after hearing Cai's reply. He had known how much she loved his fiance, Iris, even going as far as to join the tournament in order to prevent the blue-haired beauty from marrying someone she didn't love.

"Wait… are you planning to use your title as fiance in order to cuddle with Iris on the bed with me?"

"..."

"I knew it."

Lux could only smile and shake his head helplessly because this was something that Cai would very much love to do.

"Don't misunderstand," Cai stated. "I also plan to have a serious relationship with you. Cuddling with Iris is just a side benefit of being your fiance."

Lux smirked, but he decided to let this matter slide. In the end, he didn't mind having Cai as his fiance, and a part of him was even looking forward to the time when the three of them could cuddle on the same bed together.

"How about you remove your veil for now?" Lux asked. "I've already seen your face twice, so there is no use hiding your face now."

"...My face isn't the only thing you've seen twice," Cai pouted. "But both are accidents so I didn't hold a grudge against you."

Although Lux had a calm expression on his face, a tinge of red could be seen on his cheeks. Cai's words reminded him of the time when he had seen her fully naked, and he would be lying if he said that he didn't appreciate what he saw.

Making his resolve, Lux stood up and walked towards Cai.

The priestess of the Rowan Tribe didn't move and only watched him approach her.

"I hope that the two of us get along well, Cai," Lux said as he slowly parted the veil that covered her beautiful face.

"Caitlin," Cai replied. "When I am in my human form, you can call me, Caitlin."

Cai raised her hand and offered it to Lux, which he held firmly in his own hand. She could feel his rough hand, which had seen its share of struggles in Elysium.

The beautiful Priestess had also been part of those struggles, so she understood more than anyone else that Lux had always faced these challenges with his life on the line.

"Although the circumstances that tied our fates together are because of my sister's vision, just know that I don't dislike the idea of spending my life with you," Cai replied. "Of course, that goes for spending my lifetime with Iris as well."

Lux chuckled, but he still nodded his head to acknowledge Caitlin's words.

"On my part, I will do my best to treasure and protect you to the best of my ability," Lux promised.

The two held each other's gaze before Cai closed her eyes. It was as if she was giving Lux a silent invitation, and the latter understood what she wanted.

A moment later, Cai felt something soft press against her forehead and smiled inwardly.

This was a test that she had given Lux, and she was happy to find out that the latter truly cared about her.

He also gave her a sign of respect and a promise that he would be there when she faced the darkest moment in her lifetime.

 

 

Chapter 644 Hey! Long Time No See!

"Make sure to eat on time, okay?" Rose said as she handed Keane a basket filled with sandwiches. "If you come back skinny like the first time I saw you, I'll ignore you for a month."

"Okay," Keane replied as he took the basket from Rose's hand and put it inside his storage ring. "Thank you. And please, take care of yourself too, okay? I know you have a lot of responsibilities, but don't push yourself too hard."

"Don't worry, I know." Rose nodded. "Come find me in our Ancestral Grounds when you return, okay?"

"I will."

"Good. I'll be waiting."

The two then hugged each other, very reluctant to let each other go. However, both of them understood that they had responsibilities to take care of.

Under the cover of the forest, on the outskirts of the Rowan Tribe, Keane and Rose shared a kiss of farewell before returning to where the others were while holding each other's hands.

The two of them only separated at the very last minute when they were nearing the Plaza, where everyone had gathered in preparation for the Tribe's journey toward Barbatos Academy.

"Safe journey to all of you," Maximilian said with a smile. "I pray that the next time we meet, all of you have emerged victorious and have learned a lot from your adventure."

Lux and the others all nodded their heads to acknowledge Maximilian's words. Cai had also returned to her Boar form with Fei Fei perched on top of her head, similar to how Eiko was perched on top of Lux's head.

With one final wave of farewell, the Giant Manta Ray flew into the sky and headed East, where Barbatos Academy was located.

Xander would meet up with Lux at the Gate of the Domain of the Fallen because he still needed to assist with the migration of the Rowan Tribe.

—--------------

Several hours later…

As the Giant Manta Ray flew peacefully in the sky, Lux noticed a flying ship in the distance. It was quite big and reminded Lux of the Viking Ships of his world.

"It's a Barbarian Ship," Cai said. "Are they perhaps heading to Barbatos Academy as well?"

"A Barbarian Ship? Do they perhaps belong to Einar's Kingdom?" Keane pondered as he looked at the ship that seemed to be approaching them.

Gerhart, who was suspicious by nature, summoned a fan and held it firmly in his hand.

"Are you good friends with the Barbarians?" Gerhart asked. "I hope that this isn't a Raiding Ship that is coming to rob us. I've heard that they were quite a menace back in the days when the Six Kingdoms were still at each other's throats."

Lux eyed the flying ship in the distance. Although he considered Einar as a trusted comrade at arms, he didn't have too many interactions with other Barbarians to know if they were battle junkies or not.

"Everyone, be on your guard," Lux ordered, taking the role of the leader of the group. "If they show any signs of aggression, don't hesitate to fight back."

Fortunately, before all of them could take out all of their weapons, a loud shout coming from the flying ship reached their ears.

"Hey! Long time no see!"

Einar Mordosk, the Barbarian Prince, shouted and waved his hand towards his companions whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

"Fancy meeting you guys here," Einar said before jumping off the flying ship and landing on top of the Giant Manta Ray. "Are all of you going to the Academy?"

Lux raised his fist at the same time Einar did. The two then exchanged a fist bump as a greeting, and this exchange made the Barbarian Prince laugh. However, his laughter was short-lived as he eyed the red-headed Half-Elf with an appraising gaze.

"So, you have reached the Peak of the Initiate Rank." Einar grinned. "Very good!"

Lux smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Look who's talking. Did you steal some Beast Cores from your Kingdom's Treasury to also reach the peak of the Initiate Rank?"

Einar nodded. "Aye. Although I did hunt some Monsters, it was taking too long. That is why I asked my Father to give me a few Cores in preparation for our dungeon exploration. Don't tell me you find fault in my method?"

"Of course not," Lux replied in a heartbeat. "The stronger you are, the better. Besides, our team needs some additional hard hitters."

Einar smirked before shifting his gaze to Keane, who gave him a brief nod.

"You're still not at the peak of the Initiate Rank, but your aura is sharper than the last time I saw you, Keane," Einar commented. "It seems that you don't even need to draw your sword in order to cut people."

Keane didn't deny or affirm Einar's statement. He simply smiled and acted like his usual self.

Einar didn't mind Keane's reaction because he had expected as much. However, when his gaze landed on Gerhart, the Barbarian narrowed his eyes as if seeing something he didn't like.

"He's coming with us?" Einar asked Lux. "Are you sure of this? Enlil and he might start a duel when they see each other. Also, the Rankers of the Elves will be there. What would you do if they decided to kidnap him then and there?"

Cai snorted. "They'll do that only if they want to court death. My Grandpa won't sit idly, and knowing him, he would also drag Iris' father into joining him in trashing the Elven Kingdom. Gerhart is now one of our people. I'd like to see them snatch him under my watch!"

"Da Wei!"

Fei Fei glared at the Barbarian, which made the latter laugh out loud.

"Well, we'll see if they court death at the Gate of the Fallen or not." Einar raised his hands in surrender. "This is not my problem. I'm just saying that there might be trouble if we bring him with us."

Lux who had remained quiet until now only nodded.

"I understand, but don't worry," Lux replied. "This is a crucial time for everyone. I'm sure that they will not make a scene when all the other Rankers of the different Kingdoms are there."

Einar didn't answer right away. Instead, he gave Gerhart a side-long glance before asking another question.

"But, what if they did do it?" Einar asked. "What if they didn't care about saving face, and simply wanted to get rid of Gerhart, whom they consider to be a threat to their kingdom?"

"If it happens, it happens." Lux shrugged. "Gerhart is aware of the risks yet he still chose to come with us. Since that is the case, we'll just see if the Elves really want to court death."

The red-headed Half-Elf's tone carried a finality to it, so Einar no longer pursued the issue.

"Brother, dinner is ready!" a young lady with light-brown hair and green eyes called out to Einar from the Flying Ship. "Come and get some before it disappears!"

Einar chuckled as he waved at his younger sister, Fiora, who was about to turn eighteen years old in a few months.

"Well then, I'll be back later," Einar stated. "Dinner comes first."

The Barbarian Prince then jumped back to the Flying Ship to join the others, who were about to partake in their early dinner.

The sun was setting in the West, and according to Lux's estimate, there was only an hour left before sunset.

"Should we have dinner as well?" Lux asked.

"Yes!" Cai answered. "I'm hungry. How about you Fei Fei?"

"Wei~"

"Fei Fei said she's hungry as well, so let's eat!"

Everyone else agreed with the notion of having dinner, so they unloaded the food that the best cooks in the Rowan Tribe had prepared for them before they left.

They still had a long way to go before arriving at their destination, and if nothing unexpected happened, they would land near the gates of Barbatos Academy before sunrise the next day.

 

 

Chapter 645 By The Way. Tonight, Lux And I Will…

"Iris!"

"Cai!"

The blue-haired beauty hugged the boar, while the latter snuggled in Iris embrace.

"Ma!"

Eiko jumped off Lux's head and used Air Steps to land on her Mama's shoulder, giving her a kiss on the cheeks.

Iris, in turn, gave the baby slime a kiss, which made the latter giggle.

Lux watched this scene with a smile on his face because he could see the love Iris and Eiko had for each other.

The sun was about to rise from the East, and the surroundings were still a bit dim. But, that didn't matter.

Barbatos Academy was expecting the arrival of their guests and prepared accordingly. Floating lanterns were all around the Academy, providing enough illumination to their surroundings.

"Welcome back, Lux," Alicia greeted the Half-Elf, who had just arrived alongside the Flying Ship of the Barbarians.

"It's nice to see you again, Alicia," Lux shook hands with the beautiful woman who served as his Father's personal secretary. "It seems that the Academy has more visitors than I expected. Is there some kind of event?"

The Half-Elf and the others were surprised at the sight of several Giant Eagles outside the Academy grounds. They were the Apex Predators in the Kingdom of Elswyth and also served as the Beast Companions of Elves.

They were very powerful Beasts, and even Gryphons would do their best to not antagonize them.

"They are the representatives the Elven Kingdom sent here to Barbatos Academy to celebrate your birthday," Alicia replied. "You, Sir, are now a very important person, and it seems that the Six Kingdoms intend to have a better relationship with you."

"Oh? Am I really that popular now?"

"Yes. Although your birthday is still four days away, some factions have come to the Academy early to celebrate this event with you."

Lux couldn't help but smile after hearing Alicia's reply. Back then, he was just an insignificant Half-Elf that the other factions didn't even pay any attention to.

However, after accomplishing many incredible feats, especially inside the Sacred Dungeon, all of the other factions had changed their impression of the red-headed teenager, now treating him like one of the previous Four Kings of the Younger Generation.

"I just hope that they don't mess with my friends while they are here," Lux stated as he gave Gerhart a side-long glance. "Can you ensure that no problems will arise, Alicia?"

"His Excellency, Maximilian, communicated with the Headmaster the day you arrived at the Rowan Tribe," Alicia replied. "He mentioned that Gerhart was coming as well, so your Father already talked to the Elven Emissaries and reached a compromise."

Everyone within their circle knew that Gerhart and the Elves had a vendetta between them and that both sides were at each other's throats.

However, since they were on the grounds of Barbatos Academy, a direct conflict was something that both sides didn't want to happen.

"Don't worry," Gerhart said. "I won't kill anyone."

"That's good," Alicia replied. "The Elven Rankers who accompanied Prince Enlil said the same thing. But, just to be safe, make sure to stay within the Academy grounds and don't wander outside."

Gerhart nodded his head in understanding. He didn't come here to fight with the Elves and was aware that he wasn't a match to any of their Rankers. But that would only be for now. He believed that as long as he stayed in Heaven's Gate, he would definitely reach a level where he no longer had to fear the Elves.

"Well then, everyone, come with me," Alicia clapped her hands. "Prince Einar, Princess Fiora, we have prepared accommodations for you, as well as for your escorts. If you can just follow me, I will take you to your temporary quarters."

Einar and Fiora thanked Alicia for her hospitality and followed behind her.

Lux and the others did the same. Their journey had been quite long, and they hadn't had much rest along the way.

Just as he had expected, Cai's temporary quarters were in Iris' private residence in the Academy, which made the Boar very happy.

"Breakfast will be ready in an hour," Iris said. "I'm sure you are tired from your journey. Do you want to take a bath together?"

"Of course!" Cai replied. "Let's go together!"

Iris smiled before shifting her gaze to the Half-Elf, who was sitting on the couch.

"You want to come with us?" Iris asked in a teasing tone.

Lux thought about it for a brief moment before shaking his head.

"Maybe later tonight," Lux replied. "I still have to talk to Father about a few things."

Truth be told, Lux wanted to go, but he didn't want to make things difficult for Cai at the moment. He had agreed to become her Fiance, but they weren't at the stage where they were comfortable enough to show each other their naked bodies.

Also, he wanted to give Cai some breathing space because he was certain that she was more anxious than he was when it came to skinship.

Iris gave her Fiance a wink because she understood what Lux was thinking. She then took Cai, Eiko, and Fei Fei into her private bathhouse, where they would soak in a hot spring before heading down to the dining area for breakfast.

—---------

"Are you disappointed that Lux didn't come with us?" Iris asked the beautiful lady beside her, who had returned to her human form.

"No," Caitlin replied. "I'd be too embarrassed if he was here. Now that I am also his fiance, I've noticed that he is quite a gentleman."

"That's true," Iris agreed with pride. "That is one of the reasons why I love him very much. But, since you are now his fiance, you should also do your best to get accustomed to him."

"...I'll do my best."

"By the way. Tonight, Lux and I will…"

Caitlin's face immediately became beet red after Iris told her that she would be making love with Lux tonight.

Seeing her reaction, the blue-haired beauty giggled before dragging the still-blushing priestess toward the hot spring.

Eiko and Fei Fei played tag while swimming on top of the water, while the two beauties soaked in the hot spring, cleaning their seductive bodies, which would make all the teenage boys in Barbatos Academy howl like wolves.

Suddenly, Caitlin said something that Iris didn't expect her to say.

"...Can I watch the two of you make love to each other?" Caitlin asked.

This time, it was Iris' turn to blush. Although she was open to the idea of sharing Lux with her best friend, the idea of being watched while the two of them were doing the deed was still embarrassing for her.

After a few minutes later, a reply, which was like a small squeak, escaped Iris' lips.

"... Okay," Iris replied with a flushed face.

The blue-haired beauty wanted Cai to be more comfortable around Lux, so she decided to make a little sacrifice to help her best friend see the intimate things that lovers did.

The Priestess of the Rowan Tribe didn't know much about the pleasures of the flesh. However, she was very curious about it. Also, she thought that it was a good idea to see how the deed was done as a future reference for when she and Lux would share their first union together.

While Iris and Cai were talking about the things that they would do that night, Lux knocked on the door of the Headmaster's office.

"Come in."

Alexander's words were curt, but they held the power of his position as the Headmaster of Barbatos Academy.

The moment Lux entered the room, he noticed that the Headmaster wasn't alone. There were three men with him.

One of them was an Elf, the other was a Swordsman, and last but not the least was someone that Lux didn't expect to see in Barbatos Academy.

"Captain Jack Spawow," Lux's eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing here, Captain?"

"Ah, Lux my boy. I came here to look for some Rum," Jack Spawow replied with an over-exaggerated gesture.

"Rum? Here?"

"Aye, boy. Rum is where the heart is."

Lux blinked once then twice before nodding his head. Although he had no idea what the Ship Captain was talking about, he decided to just nod his head and agree with him for the time being.

"Oh, so this is Lux?" the Swordsman eyed the Half-Elf with a smile. "Thank you for taking good care of my disciple, Keane. I've heard many good things about you."

Although the Swordsman was smiling and looked friendly enough, the air around him was giving off a very sharp presence that could probably slice anything that was thrown in his way.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency," Lux replied. "How may I address you?"

"The Void," the swordsman replied. "That's what my friends and enemies call me."

"Or you can just call him Voidy," Jack Spawow commented. "Don't worry, my boy. He acts tough, but he's still a virgin. I've been trying to get him laid for the past decade, but the man holds his pants tighter than his sword."

"Spawow, it seems like you're itching for a fight. I'll be more than happy to oblige. Should I cut your ship in half?"

"Why fight when we can negotiate? Peace friend, let's drink some Rum after Alex is done with his work."

The Captain then laughed before walking towards Lux and whispering something in his ear.

"Advance happy birthday, Lux," Captain Jack Spawow whispered. "I wish I could stay, but I need to set sail when morning comes. My crew in Elysium sometimes causes trouble when I'm not around. If you happen to need a ship to travel in the open seas, look for me. I'll be your guide in the Caribbean."

Captain Jack Spawow then walked towards the door to leave, but as soon as he opened the door, he turned around to look at the Half-Elf, who was still looking at him, once more.

"In case I don't see her later, say hi to Eiko for me," Captain Jack Spawow said. "That girl has the makings of a true pirate!"

A laugh escaped the Captain's lips before he closed the door behind him. He had come to the Academy to talk to Alexander in private, but his former acquaintances had arrived before him.

Because of this, he decided to take his leave for the time being and wait for Alexander to finish whatever he was doing before trying to talk to him again.

"He never changes," the Elf snorted before shaking his head in dismay. "He's still the unruly and uncouth bastard that he has always been."

"Well, he's still better than a hypocrite," Keane's Master replied. "I'll also take my leave. Let's talk later, Alex."

The Void left the room without leaving even a backward glance, leaving Lux, the Elf, and Alexander inside the Headmaster's Office.

 

 

Chapter 646 Time Does A Lot Of Things

"This is the first time we've met, so allow me to introduce myself," the Elf said with a curt nod. "My name is Zarazel Neifion. I am the Elven King's brother and a permanent member of the Elven High Council in my Kingdom. It's a pleasure to finally meet one of the heroes of the younger generation."

Zarazel, like all Elves, was quite handsome. His green hair was cut short, and his green eyes were as sharp as the arrows he frequently used to hunt the Beasts around their kingdom.

Lux took his hand and shook it twice before letting go. Although being called "one of the heroes of the younger generation" sounded good, the Half-Elf could tell that this was just flattery in order to get him to have a good impression of the Elven Noble who had visited the Academy.

"Now that we're both acquainted, allow me to cut to the chase," Zarazel said. "The slots for the 6 Kingdoms are very limited. Cai, Xander, and Keane had given the Skystead Alliance, Xynnar War Pact, and the Six Kingdoms their quotas.

"However, those are just 5 quotas. Even if the Barbarian Kingdom and the Azov Kingdom are no longer vying for those five slots, the three kingdoms need to divide them. Unfortunately, our Kingdom got the short end of the stick, and we were only able to get one quota out of the five.

Because of this, I have asked your father to give me one of the slots that Henrietta has, and he agreed… at least, in return for some favors."

The Elf glanced at Alexander, who was busy signing documents, completely ignoring his gaze.

"Usually, we can ask Prince Einar and Vallaki Meitar (Val), to give us some of their quotas as well, but they refused this time," Zarazel narrowed his gaze in displeasure. "The Barbarians are sending their own Initiates, while Vallaki has decided to bring his Guild Members to conquer the dungeon.

"The way I see it, the Gesian Kingdom (Barbarian) and the Azov Kingdom want to increase their quotas for the Final Gate once the Gate of Famine is cleared.

"With you leading this exploration, the chances of success are nearly 100%. To this day, the representatives we sent in the Gate of Conquest regretted their decision to separate from your group. It is not an understatement to say that their regrets know no bounds, especially for the Wildgarde Stronghold who sent so many people last time."

The Elf's slight jab at the place where he grew up almost triggered Lux into slapping the arrogant man silly. However, since Zarazel was a High-Ranker, he decided to just let it slide for now.

"Tell you what, the Elswyth Kingdom is willing to purchase the five slots in your possession," Zarazel stated. "Also, you may also ask us for a favor, with the exception of Gerhart's safety. You already know that he is hell-bent on making the Royal Family suffer, so we will not stand by and allow him to do as he wishes."

Lux pondered for a bit as he considered Zarazel's proposal. Currently, he needed a few slots to take Gerhart, and Cethus with him. The reason why he planned to take Cethus with him and not summon him inside the dungeon like what he intended to do with Flamma was because of his race.

Cethus was a Dragon Born, and although the Six Kingdoms rarely interacted with Dragons and Dragon Borns, they understood that it was a race that mustn't provoke at any time.

Lux wanted to show the Skystead Alliance, the Xynnar War Pact, as well as the Six Kingdoms, that he was on good terms with the Dragon Born.

This would act as a deterrence, as well as a reminder to the other Factions, that he had some friends in high places.

Originally, he planned to give the remaining three slots to Barbatos Academy, but since his father agreed to give the Elves one Slot, it only meant one thing.

His father was thinking about the bigger picture.

Since that was the case, Lux decided to do the same.

"I have three slots remaining, but I can only give the Elswyth Kingdom one slot," Lux replied. "I intend to auction the last two remaining slots to the Sevede Kingdom, Razohan, as well as the Navarre Kingdom. This is the only compromise I can make."

Zarazel frowned and tried to negotiate with Lux, giving him promises of wealth, as well as more favors from the Kingdom. However, the Half-Elf was firm in his decision, which made the Elf Diplomat give up in the end.

"Dealing with you Kaizers is always problematic." Zarazel sighed. "Fine. We will take the one slot you have for the agreed price. Also, you may ask us for one favor, but this favor mustn't exceed our bottom line."

"Understood." Lux nodded.

Although he was a bit disappointed with the outcome of the Negotiation, Zarazel was still able to secure two additional quotas for the Elswyth Kingdom. This allowed them to bring three representatives into the Dungeon.

If all went well, and those three survived, the Elves would have fifteen slots for the exploration of the last gate, which was rumored to open once the Four Gates had been conquered.

When Zarazel finally left the room, Alexander raised his head and made a gesture for Lux to sit.

"You did well," Alexander stated. "Did you originally want to give Barbatos Academy those slots?"

"Yes, Father," Lux replied. "But, after gauging the status quo, I deemed that it would be unwise to annoy the other kingdoms any more than they already are. Although you are a Saint, and they can't do anything to you, maintaining friendly relations with our neighbors can give us better rewards in the future."

Alexander nodded. "That's right. It is better to make friends than to make enemies. This way, we can focus on what is in front of us without worrying about being stabbed in the back."

Lux agreed with his father's words, and they chatted in detail about the things that were happening behind the scenes. When their talks were finally over, Alexander finally breached the issue with Cai.

"I apologize if I decided on your behalf about Cai's issue," Alexander said. "I thought that it was a good idea at that time. Also, Iris didn't reject the idea, so I thought that it was fine to push through with it. Maximilian has already told me your reply, and I just want to ask you one thing."

The Saint of Barbatos Academy held Lux's gaze and asked his question.

"Are you really fine with this arrangement?" Alexander asked.

Lux nodded. "Yes. I have thought long and hard about it, and the answer is still yes. Although Cai and I are far from being lovers, this can be nurtured as we spend time together. Also, Iris seems to like the idea of having Cai as my Fiance. I'm sure that it will work one way or another. All we need is time."

"Right. Time does a lot of things." Alexander agreed before once again looking at the document in front of him. "The representatives of the other Kingdoms will arrive before your birthday. Having considered this, we decided to hold a grand party for the event. I know that you aren't fond of these kinds of things, but since guests from far away have arrived, it would be inappropriate if we do not hold a proper ceremony."

Lux felt like a major headache was about to hit him, but since his Father had already decided, he deemed it best to just let him do what he wanted.

 

Chapter 647 Intimate Things That Lovers Do

(Disclaimer: Softcore scenes up ahead. Nothing too graphic.)

Two hours before midnight, right after Lux had finished his bath, Iris dragged him to the bedroom.

He was originally planning to sleep on the couch so Cai could sleep with Iris in bed. He knew that the Priestess wanted to spend some time with the blue-haired beauty, so he decided to let them spend the first night together.

However, Iris seemed to have other things in mind, making the Half-Elf wonder about what was going on.

"Um, maybe I should put something on first?" Lux asked as Iris opened the door to her bedroom. "Cai is inside, right? I don't think letting her see me wearing only a bath towel is appropriate?"

"Why should you still wear clothes when you're just going to take them off later anyway?" Iris replied with a beet-red face.

She wasn't blushing because she was embarrassed to see Lux naked. After all, the two of them had shared many intimate moments together and had made love several times already.

However, she couldn't help but feel anxious about making love with her fiance while someone else was watching. Iris was just trying to act unbothered because this was her idea. Since that was the case, she had to see it through till the end.

Cai, who was already waiting inside the room, was also blushing because she already knew what was going to happen next.

"C-Can someone tell me what's going on?" Lux felt that something wasn't right when he realized that the two Baby Slimes weren't inside the room.

Iris had taken Eiko and Fei Fei to where her Guardian Beasts were staying and asked the pair to sleep with them for tonight. The two Baby Slimes had a keen interest in knowing Iris' other Guardians, so they agreed with Iris' arrangement.

"The two of us will make love as usual," Iris replied while trying to keep a straight face. "Cai will just watch from the side as a reference."

Cai, who had been called out, nervously cleared her throat and said something to back up Iris' statement.

"J-Just treat me as someone invisible," Cai stuttered. "I promise I won't make any noise. This is just for future reference."

Lux didn't know whether he should cry or laugh out loud when he heard the two ladies' words. After careful judgment of the current state of affairs, the Half-Elf inferred that the one that initiated this plan was none other than Iris.

The Princess of the Rowan Tribe had no knowledge about the art of lovemaking, and yet, she was very curious about how it was done. Iris' proposal was perfect for her because it would allow her to learn what was in store for her in the future.

"Well, I don't really mind, but is this really okay?" Lux scratched his head.

"It's fine," Iris replied.

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Cai answered. "After all, I am also your fiance. We are bound to do this sooner or later, so learning how it is done is better than not knowing anything at all."

Lux wanted to say that she wasn't wrong, but he still felt a bit awkward doing this act with someone watching him.

"Don't worry," Iris said softly as he pulled Lux to the bed. "If you don't feel like taking the lead, I will do it."

With a simple tug, the bath towel covering Lux's lower half fell to the floor. The Half-Elf's body was lean and toned, and this was the first time that Cai was seeing it in full view.

The blush on her face turned a shade deeper. In her heart, she knew she liked what she saw.

"Don't be too conscious of her," Iris whispered as she slowly pinned Lux to the bed. "I'll handle the rest."

Although she was embarrassed, she was willing to take the lead because she missed her fiance terribly.

Lux, who also missed Iris, no longer resisted and soon found himself being kissed by the blue-haired beauty who loved him very much.

The sound of kisses echoed inside the room as Iris' lips clashed with Lux's, biting it like a hungry wolf that hadn't eaten for days.

A few minutes later, Iris pulled back and sat on top of Lux with a mischievous smile on her face.

The Half-Elf found this expression of hers very cheeky, so he raised his hands and pulled the string of her nightgown, baring her breasts.

Lux's hands moved to grope them, while his fingers played and pinched the firm tips that reacted to his touch.

Cai, who was watching this scene, felt her body heat up as feelings she had never experienced before rose to the surface.

Iris, who had decided to take the lead, playfully pried her fiance's hands off her breasts and stood up, making the nightgown slide down from her body and drop onto Lux's waist.

Iris then lightly kicked the nightgown to the other side of the bed.

Lux, who hadn't seen Iris for quite some time, felt his desire slowly awakening inside his chest, making him feel hot and bothered. However, since he agreed that Iris would take the lead, he painfully endured how her soft hands moved up and down while holding his…

The two once again shared a deep and passionate kiss as Iris continued to stroke her fiance's member, which was standing tall and proud.

Cai, who was seeing Lux's little brother for the first time, subconsciously gulped as she watched her best friend's practiced movements.

Lux's right hand wasn't being idle either, gently caressing Iris' folds, preparing them for what was about to come.

Finally, after two painstaking minutes, Iris decided that it was now time for the main act.

With practiced movements, she sat on top of Lux and slid his member inside of her before once again lowering her head to kiss his lips.

If earlier, she felt embarrassed that Cai was watching them, now she had completely forgotten about the latter and began moving her hips in a steady rhythm with the intention of making her fiance feel good.

Lux had also been swept by the flow and no longer cared about the Priestess of the Rowan Tribe and moved his hips to match Iris' rhythm, making her moan in pleasure.

A few minutes later, Lux let out a grunt, and Iris, who was on top of him, shuddered after feeling his burning love for her seep deep inside her womb, melting it from the inside out.

After a sweet, and long release, the blue-haired beauty fell on top of the Half-Elf panting for breath.

Cai could see something white, seeping out of her best friend's… which stirred something inside of her.

Just as the Priestess of the Rowan Tribe was about to say something, Lux moved and gently laid Iris on the bed.

This time, he was the one on top, and he immediately proceeded to make love to her in a missionary position.

Although he just came, he was still pretty lively, so he decided to do it once again while his Fiance was still recovering from the afterglow of their first round.

Soon, only Iris' moans and the sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed inside the room.

Cai didn't know how many minutes had passed and how many rounds of lovemaking the two had. The only thing she knew was that after everything was over, Lux carried the limp Iris in a princess carry and walked toward the bathroom so that he could wash her properly.

When the Half-Elf had left the room, Cai finally stirred and subconsciously moved towards the bed.

The scent and aftermath of Lux and Iris' lovemaking was still on the bed, making Cai feel a little light-headed. Even so, the Priestess of the Rowan Tribe curiously traced her hand over the bed, replaying everything she had just seen inside her head.

—-----------

"Are you alright?" Lux asked the blue-haired beauty who had just regained her consciousness after passing out on their sixth round. "Sorry, I was a bit rough in the end."

Iris just smiled and allowed Lux to carefully clean her body, while her back leaned against his chest.

She felt how much Lux had missed her through his actions, and it made her feel happy inside. When all of her nooks and crannies were cleaned, the Half-Elf planted a kiss and sucked on the nape of her neck, leaving his mark on her white skin.

He had left similar marks on her body earlier, which would slowly heal when morning came. Now that both of their lusts were sated and they were now thinking properly, they remembered that there was a third person in the room earlier.

"I wonder if I went too far?" Lux asked. "Cai is probably scared after seeing something like that."

"She's not a vase, you know?" Iris replied. "Still, I understand what you're trying to say. But, now that she has seen how much stamina you have, she would no longer have to worry about your capability of making love with the two of us at the same time."

"...You know Cai really likes you, right? She'd probably help me attack you if you are capable if given the opportunity."

"Well, I'll look forward to that day. I'm sure that it will be a brand new experience for the both of us."

Lux couldn't help but chuckle after hearing Iris' positive reply.

Both were unaware that while they were taking their time soaking in the bath, the beautiful lady that was left inside their room had started to understand the intimate things that lovers do when they are together.

 

 

Chapter 648 It Seems That All Of You Are Courting Death

When Iris opened her eyes, she found herself locked in the embrace of two people.

On her right was Lux, and on her left was Cai.

After they returned from their bathroom, they found Cai sitting on top of the bed with a flushed look on her face. Of course, they found this to be a very natural reaction.

Iris and Lux said nothing and simply removed the bed sheets and replaced them with new ones. After that, the three of them all slept on the same bed, with the blue-haired beauty in the middle.

'Waking up like this isn't too bad,' Iris mused.

Lux was the person she loved, and Cai was her best friend. Being embraced by these two people made her feel something warm stir in her chest, chasing away the sleep that still clung to her senses.

There was a faint light coming out of the window, which was the sign that morning had already come.

Even so, Lux and Cai were still asleep with no signs of waking up anytime soon. In consideration of this, Iris didn't move and simply enjoyed the happiness she was feeling right now.

However, that silence only lasted for a minute longer as the door of the room opened. Two lively Baby Slimes came in and jumped on the bed.

"Ma!"

"Pa!"

"Da Wei!"

Eiko and Fei Fei jumped up and down Lux's and Cai's bodies, waking them up from their slumber.

Seeing the two Slimes being so hyper early in the morning made Iris giggle. After being jumped on like a trampoline countless times, Lux opened his eyes and grabbed Eiko as she was just about to land on his body, making the Baby Slime giggle.

Seeing that Eiko wasn't even a little bit sorry for waking him up, the Half-Elf tickled her, causing the baby slime to uncontrollably laugh and squirm in his hands in an attempt to escape.

Only after Iris intervened did Eiko manage to free herself. The baby slime jumped into her Mama's arms, asking to be spoiled like a little child.

Cai, who had finally woken up due to Fei Fei's actions, caught the Baby Slime in her hands before lightly patting her head.

"Are you hungry, Fei Fei?" Cai asked as she stifled a yawn.

"Wei~" Fei Fei nodded.

The members of the Rowan Tribe were early risers, and Fei Fei had grown accustomed to their daily routine. Right now, it was two hours past sunrise, and the Baby Slime was already very hungry.

Half an hour later, Lux, Iris, and Cai left the room to have breakfast.

Cai had returned to her Boar Form, not wanting anyone to see her human form—of course, aside from a handful of people and her family.

Although her Grandpa, Maximilian, had placed a seal on her body, making others unable to see through her body constitution, Cai had been using her Boar Form since she was a child.

For her, turning into a Boar was similar to breathing. It was a very natural action for her, and she was known to stay in that form for as long as possible.

When they arrived in the Dining Area, they saw Gerhart and Keane seated beside each other. Einar and Enlil were seated at the opposite table, alongside the Elves and the Barbarians that had come to Barbatos Academy to celebrate Lux's Birthday.

Fortunately, Gerhart and the Elves weren't doing anything that would provoke the other, which made Lux breathe a bit easier.

Einar and Enlil gave Lux a curt nod, and the Half-Elf returned their gesture with a nod as well. After that, he went to Gerhart's and Keane's table so that they could eat breakfast together.

Everyone ate in peace and made small talk with each other.

Lux ignored the side-long glances from the Barbarians and the Elves, who looked at him from time to time.

They had heard many stories about Lux from Einar and Enlil, and most of them wondered if they were true or not. Some were even itching to spar with him, making Einar chuckle at their ignorance. His companions had no idea who they were dealing with.

If possible, he wanted Lux to show them a thing or two to let them understand why he had recognized the Half-Elf as the Team Leader whenever they challenged the Sacred Dungeon.

"He doesn't look strong, Your Highness," one of the Elves said softly. "Why don't you fight him for the position of Team Leader in the Sacred Dungeon?"

Enlil firmly shook his head because he learned firsthand that Lux was a very capable leader. Those who had challenged the Gate of Conquest were still regretting their decisions to this day and, if possible, the Elven Prince didn't want to repeat that mistake.

His Father and the Elven Council had given a decree that the Elves accompanying Prince Enlil must follow Lux once they were inside the Sacred Dungeon regardless of how absurd his orders were.

Of course, the two other representatives that were accompanying their Prince weren't too happy about it, but the punishment for disobeying the decree by the Elven King, as well as the Elven Council, was severe. This gave them no other choice but to reluctantly accept the orders.

However, if their Prince wished to take the position of Team Leader, they would support him regardless of the punishment waiting for them back home.

Half an hour later, Lux had finished his meal and was about to leave the Dining Area with the others when several of the Barbarians blocked their path with their arms crossed over their chest.

"We've heard great things about you, Sir Lux," one of the teenage Barbarians said. "Our Prince has recognized you as our Team Leader, and we are willing to follow his words. However, we Barbarians only follow the strong. If possible, can you have a sparring match with us, so we can better understand if you have what it takes to lead us to battle?"

Before Lux could answer, Cai, who was by his side, snorted.

"It seems that all of you are courting death," Cai stated in an arrogant tone. "Do you wish to get beaten up that badly?"

"No," another teenage Barbarian shook his head. "We just want to spar. That is all. How about it, Sir Lux? Will you grant our request?"

The Elves who had eaten alongside the Barbarians all clapped their hands in support of their proposal. They also wanted to see with their own eyes if the fame the Half-Elf currently had was just an exaggerated rumor, or if he really had the strength to back it up.

"Okay," Lux replied with a smile. "Let's go to the Training Grounds."

The Barbarians were very happy to hear Lux's reply, so they allowed him to pass and followed behind him and his entourage.

Naturally, the Elves followed suit, leaving Einar and Enlil walking a good distance from the back.

"Why aren't you stopping them?" Enlil asked.

"They won't recognize Lux unless they understand how strong he is," Einar shrugged. "Also, I want to see how much he has improved since the last time I saw him. You want to see it as well, right?"

Enlil didn't comment, but his silence was enough to tell Einar that he was right. After the battle in the Gate of Conquest, the strongest members of the Young Generation within the Six Kingdoms had all risen to the Peak of the Initiate Rank.

They had received enough resources to achieve their current Rank in preparation for the great battle that was waiting for them inside the Sacred Dungeon.

Although Cai and Keane were also in the Initiate Rank, they were not Peak Initiates. However, that didn't matter because both of them had the ability to go above and beyond their current ranks, making them even stronger than the side characters that Einar and Enlil brought to accompany them to the Domain of the Fallen.

"It seems that the brats are itching for a fight," Zarazel commented as he finished drinking his cup of tea. "Should we also watch?"

The Barbarian High-Ranker who went by the name Kavan nodded his head.

"I also want to see if this kid is as good as the rumors," Kavan replied. "I sure hope he doesn't disappoint."

Zarazel only smiled, and stood up from his seat.

Now that there was an opportunity to watch Lux fight, he would definitely go and see for himself, if the Half-Elf was worthy of the title of the "Strongest Fighter of the young generation", which he earned after winning the tournament in Barbatos Academy.

 

Chapter 649 I Can Do This All Day [Part 1]

"So this is where the tournament of Barbatos Academy was held," one of the Barbarians said. "Not bad."

"Indeed," another Barbarian agreed. "Too bad, there are only a few dozen students who will watch our moment of glory."

Barbarians were similar to the Orcs in a way that most of them were battle junkies. Einar was like that as well in the past. But after several close calls in the Sacred Dungeon, he was now a seasoned warrior and his attitude in regards to fighting had also changed.

Alicia, Zarazel, Keane's Master, and Jack Spawow appeared in the stands. Clearly, they were also quite interested in watching how Lux would handle the feisty Barbarians who didn't know what was good for them.

"Okay, let me just tell you the rules of this sparring match," Lux started. "Anyone who falls off the stage, loses consciousness, or is unable to continue fighting loses the match. Are these terms acceptable for all of you?"

The Barbarians nodded their heads. The rules that Lux spoke of were no different from what they had back home.

"Very well." Lux nodded. "As you may already know, I was the Champion of the Tournament in the past. Because of this, it will be unfair if you can just challenge me just like that. So, I'll give you one condition. You need to beat one of my summons. If you are able to do that, then I will allow you to challenge me."

The Barbarians frowned and communicated by glancing at each other. However, Lux's words held a bit of truth in them. If they wanted to fight him, they must prove that they were worthy, so they all agreed to his condition.

"Great!" Lux smirked before raising his hand. "Come, Pazuzu!"

Lux's fearsome Fortress Defender appeared, making the Barbarians narrow their eyes.

"Pazuzu, feel free to go all out," Lux ordered. "Show them your might!"

"Yes, My Lord," Pazuzu replied.

Currently, the Fortress Defender was wearing golden plate armor and holding a golden shield. The shield was the one stolen from Ronan on the battlefield, and the plate armor was from the same person, taken when he took it off to try and take advantage of the unconscious Sarah.

In other words, except for his spiked mace which was a Pseudo-Legendary Weapon, Pazuzu's defensive armor and shield were both Legendary Equipment!

Even if the fearsome Defender's attack damage wasn't that high, the Barbarians could only dream of breaking past his defenses!

"I'll fight him first!" one of the Barbarians said. "This monster looks similar to that girl that dumped me a few months ago. It's time for revenge!"

Hearing that, Pazuzu looked at the Barbarian in contempt. Even though he admitted that his looks weren't that good, he was still more good-looking than the Barbarian in front of him.

"Battle start!" Lux shouted from outside of the Arena.

As soon as the cue sounded, the Barbarian charged toward Pazuzu, planning to strike with the War Axe coated in blazing flames.

The Fortress Defender didn't move from his spot and simply waited for his opponent to strike him with his strongest blow.

"Die, Ugly Monster!" the Barbarian roared as he slashed at Pazuzu using his full power.

Since his opponent was a Summoned Monster, there was no need for him to hold back his attacks.

A metallic clang reverberated in the surroundings as the Flaming Axe and Pazuzu's Golden Shield collided.

The ground under their feet shattered, but Pazuzu's defensive stance didn't break.

As if thinking that one strike wasn't enough, the Barbarian unleashed a flurry of blows. However, all of his strikes were blocked perfectly by the Fortress Defender, preventing the latter from gaining any advantage in the exchange.

A few minutes later, the Barbarian backed away panting for breath. He couldn't believe that he was unable to even put a dent in the Golden Shield that Lux's Summoned Monster was holding.

"Impossible!" the Barbarian shouted. "This is a Mythical War Axe! Why isn't your shield breaking?!"

Pazuzu lowered the shield blocking his body and looked at the Barbarian who was uglier than him.

"Do you know why you can't break past my defenses?" Pazuzu asked.

"Why?!" the Barbarian asked in a heartbeat.

The Fortress Defender walked fearlessly toward the Barbarian as if he was invincible.

He only stopped when he was a foot away from the teenager, and lowered his head until it was only a few inches away from his face.

"It's because I can do this all day," Pazuzu replied. "How about you? Can you do this all day?"

The Barbarian looked down as if pondering Pazuzu's question. Half a minute later, he answered.

"Is it because I can't do it all day that girls don't like me?" the Barbarian asked.

"No," Pazuzu replied. "It's because you don't know Da Wae~"

Without another word, Pazuzu used his shield to bash the teenager, sending him flying out of the arena.

Everyone watching, with the exception of the Rankers and Lux's entourage, booed.

"Haters gonna hate," Pazuzu replied before making a gesture for the other Barbarians to come up the stage and challenge him. "Who's next?"

"Me!" The biggest among the teenage Barbarians jumped on the stage and summoned a two-handed Great Sword. "I'll make you pay for what you had done to my comrade!"

"I don't think so," Pazuzu replied as he raised his shield in front of him.

"Shield Counter!"

Earlier, the Fortress Defender only blocked his opponent's attacks. But the reason why wasn't just to defend against the Barbarian's attack. It was because he was charging up his skill, Shield Counter.

This ability allows Pazuzu to store the force behind each blow that was directed at him and return it to his enemies by 200%.

Before the Barbarian could even engage the Fortress Defender in a battle, a powerful blast of energy erupted from Pazuzu's shield, sending the Barbarian crashing toward the walls of the stands.

The Fortress Defender had calculated the strength of the attack perfectly, and made sure that his opponent would only receive a minor injury from his attack.

"Who's next?" Pazuzu asked as white smoke rose up from his golden shield. "I already said this, but I will say it again. I can do this all day. Who wants to fight me next?"

The Fortress Defender looked down at the three remaining Barbarians who were staring at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Come," Pazuzu said as he made a taunting gesture to the three Barbarians who wanted nothing more than to snap his neck. "I'll fight the three of you at the same time."

 

Chapter 650 I Can Do This All Day [Part 2]

"Bastard!"

"You're looking down on us?!"

"Let's go! Let's teach this Orc a lesson!"

With Pazuzu's taunt, the three Barbarians jumped to the arena and took out their weapons. Although they had no intention of fighting Pazuzu 3 to 1, his arrogant words made them want to give him a good beating.

Einar, who was watching this scene, couldn't help but cover his face in embarrassment. This was supposed to be a one-on-one battle, and yet, his comrades had decided to gang up on the Fortress Defender 3 to 1 because of just a few words.

"So the three of you want to fight me?" Pazuzu smirked. "Good! Let's see what the three of you can do together!"

Truth be told, Pazuzzu had a lot of pent-up frustrations. He had always fought creatures who were many times stronger than him, with some of them able to kill him in two blows.

The more he died, the more Pazuzu's resentment grew. But he also learned a lot of things, like how to properly meet an attack head-on and how to keep his calm even if death was staring at him in the face.

Right now, the Fortress Defender was learning to effectively deflect blows instead of taking them head-on. This would give him an opportunity to counter-attack and deal as much damage as he could to his enemies.

Although his role in Lux's Army was to be a Tank, that didn't mean that he couldn't use his defensive skills as an offensive strike.

The three Barbarians spread out and encircled Pazuzu. Even though they were very angry at how their comrades were defeated, they weren't dumb.

They were specifically chosen to accompany Einar to the Sacred Dungeon, which meant that they weren't weak.

Still, they couldn't understand how the Summoned Monster, who was actually weaker than them, defeated their two comrades.

Pazuzu was only at the Initial Stage of the Initiate Rank, which was slightly lower than theirs.

All of them were Peak Initiates, and they had faced many challenges together.

Right now, they were treating Pazuzu as a Boss Monster that needed to be taken down as a team, so they didn't feel like what they were doing was against the rules.

Well, in a way, they weren't wrong. Although Pazuzu was indeed at the Initiate Rank, his equipment, with the exception of his weapon, were all Legendary Items, raising his overall strength to that of an E-Ranker.

In short, Lux had cheated from the very beginning. Pitting mere Initiates against a Pseudo-Ranker that had died countless times on the battlefield.

"Madlad Rush!" Pazuzu shouted. "Shield Bash!"

As if he was injected with two liters of steroids, the Fortress Defender ran like a Madlad and slammed his shield into one of the Barbarians, which sent the latter skidding out of the arena.

"Shield Throw!"

The Fortress Defender then made a backhand throw, making his shield fly into one of the Barbarians who had targeted his backside.

"Fool! You let go of the only thing that protects you from us!" The Barbarian thought that he could smash the shield aside with his weapon and follow up a counterattack on Pazuzu.

However, as soon as his weapon hit the spinning shield, it instantly bounced off, leaving him unable to react before the shield smashed into his chest, making him groan in pain.

"You're open!" The third Barbarian, who managed to close the distance, hacked his weapon upwards with the intention of decapitating Pazuzu, who had lost his shield.

"No," Pazuzu replied. "You're open!"

As if waiting for that exact moment, Pazuzu raised his golden gauntlets and blocked the Axe, sending sparks flying in every direction.

After the attack had been successfully deflected, the Fortress Defender wrapped his arms around the Barbarian's waist and did a suplex.

The latter's head was slammed onto the ground, shattering the floor of the arena.

Lux winced after seeing such a brutal scene, not expecting that his Fortress Defender would use the Barbarians as tools to vent out his frustrations for always dying on the battlefield.

The reason why he summoned Pazuzu instead of his other Named Creatures was because he thought that Pazuzu was the least aggressive of the bunch.

But now that he had seen how the Fortress Defender used wrestling techniques to body slam his opponents, he felt the need to give Pazuzu a paid vacation, so that the latter could do some soul-searching.

In the end, the Half-Elf was forced to intervene and stop the fight because Pazuzu was treating the two Barbarians who were still in the arena like punching bags. Their faces had already turned black and blue due to his Named Creature's punches.

Truth be told, Pazuzu didn't need to use his shield. His golden armor was enough to repel any attacks that came from Initiates and below.

Once the fistfight was over, the Barbarians were all taken to the infirmary, while those who watched the "sparring match" looked at the Half-Elf with complicated looks on their faces.

Zarazel's, as well as the Barbarian Ranker, Kavan's, expressions were solemn because this fight alone told them many things.

Although they were both High-Rankers and Lux was no match for them, they understood that very few among those of the same rank as the Half-Elf could beat him.

The fact that his one Summon could beat five Peak Initiate Barbarians was more than enough to let them see the red-headed teenager in a new light.

It was not only them who learned a lot of things from this fight. The Elves, who were led by Prince Enlil, all quieted down after the match was over.

They knew that the Barbarians didn't use their Trump Cards in the battle, but that didn't mean that they hadn't fought against Pazuzu seriously. Because of this, they all decided to listen to the Half-Elf, as was decreed by their King and the Elven Council.

Only Alexander, who was watching this battle from within his office, shook his head helplessly.

He knew that Lux cheated, but he was fine with that.

'With this one move of his, he managed to make his peers acknowledge him as their temporary leader in the expedition,' Alexander thought. 'However, the news I received from our spies in the Vahan Empire is quite troubling…'

According to the men he had stationed in the Vahan Empire, aside from Malcolm, Nero, and Prince Cyrus, Emperor Andreas was able to recruit some other powerful individuals who would act as their representatives inside the Sacred Dungeon.

He knew that his stepson was strong.

But, being strong wasn't enough to deal with the unexpected guests that would make their appearance at the entrance of the Domain of the Fallen.

"I just hope they don't do anything stupid," Alexander muttered as he placed the documents he just finished reading on top of the table. "This is not the right time for conflicts."

Right now, all the Factions only wanted one thing, and that was to successfully conquer the Gate of Famine, which would be the key to unlocking the final Gate of the Apocalypse.

—-----------

Vahan Empire…

"We are truly honored that you have graced us with your presence, Your Excellencies," Emperor Andreas said with a smile.

"As you should," a person wearing a black robe replied. "You and your people are very lucky that someone of my standing is wasting my precious time talking to lowly beings such as yourself."

Emperor Andreas' smile stiffened, but he kept his smile, knowing that this was an important moment for him and his Empire.

"Are you sure that this Domain you spoke of is truly the Domain of the Fallen?" the black-robed figure asked.

"Yes," Emperor Andreas answered. "We have already sent representatives to challenge it repeatedly, and now, we are facing the Gate of Famine."

The black-robed figure nodded. "It seems that you people are not as incompetent as you look. Very well, I will accompany your son on this expedition, but I will not follow any of his orders. I and my servants will move separately."

"Understood," Emperor Andreas replied. "Thank you for your graciousness."

The black-robed figure snorted before walking out of the throne room, accompanied by his two servants.

He moved as if he owned the place, making even the arrogant Emperor of the Vahan Empire take a step back and do his best to flatter his guests that came from a very far away place.