Ch. 961: Chapter 961-970

Chapter 961 She Is A Superstar

Colette had a smug expression on her face as she sat on Lux's lap while the latter was busy absorbing the Beast Cores around him.

Aina looked at this scene with the usual expressionless look on her face, but deep within her eyes, there was a tinge of amusement that was barely visible to anyone.

Victor, on the other hand, looked at the Half-Elf with a solemn expression on his face.

When he first heard about Lux, he only knew him as someone who had helped and saved his daughter, Colette, when she was still in Leaf Village.

Back then, he had gifted him several Beast Cores as thanks for his help. Although Colette had been nagging him about this "Big Brother" of hers, he didn't expect that there would come a time when he would meet him face to face.

As a Saint, he had no intention of letting Aina or Colette marry anyone that he didn't approve of.

Naturally, he had certain standards in mind for their suitors, but one of these conditions was for them to be Dwarves.

Because of this, he never really took Colette's words seriously.

Although there were Dwarves who had spouses from other races, he had no intention of letting his daughters follow the same path as the others.

'Colette and Matty are already on good terms, and I also approve of that boy's background,' Victor thought. 'As for Aina, she deserves to be married to a member of a Royal Family. That is the only way that we can secure our footing here in Elysium.'

Victor had already burned his bridges with the members of the Dwarven Royal Family back in Solais.

He had decided to build his own kingdom from scratch, and it took him several years to do it. Now that he was reaping the harvest of his hard work, a Beast Tide suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Truth be told, he already had his suspicion that this was a man-made event.

It was highly possible that this Beast Tide was redirected to their territory by their neighbors, who didn't want the Xeno Kingdom to grow and allow Victor to consolidate his power and influence.

He had no intention of using Aina as a political tool, although his mindset of only allowing his daughter to choose suitable suitors from Royal Families contradicted this intention.

At the end of the day, the foundations of the Xeno Kingdom were shaky. If it weren't for Lux's timely help, they might have already lost their new home.

"Thank you for your help, Lux," Victor said. "Right now, I don't have any lands to cede to you, but I appreciate your efforts, so I am willing to give you an Honorary Title. How does an Honorary Viscount sound?"

"Sounds like a joke to me," Lux replied before taking another Beast Core to absorb. "You don't have to reward me with a title or any other stuff. I only helped you out because of Colette and Aina."

Victor narrowed his gaze at the Half-Elf who was talking to him in a very casual manner. Although his kingdom was small, he was still a King and should be treated as one.

Aina's mother, Felicia, knew that her husband hadn't been in the best mood as of late, so she decided to step in and ease the tension in the air.

"Lux, Colette has said many good things about you," Felicia said with a smile. "She is always bragging about your achievements and pushing you to become Aina's fiance. Do you know that our family has a rule that our children can only marry if everyone approves of their suitor?"

Lux glanced at the beautiful Dwarf who gave birth to Aina and Colette. He could tell that Queen Felicia was a very kind and caring woman, so he wouldn't say anything disrespectful to her.

"That is an interesting condition for marriage, Your Majesty," Lux replied. "But it also has its drawbacks as well. If one member of the family refuses to agree to the marriage, wouldn't that mean that Colette and Aina can't marry anyone?"

Queen Felicia nodded with a smile. "You're right. When this happens, negotiations are bound to take place."

Lux smiled back. Truth be told, he wasn't really interested in these things.

He didn't really care who Colette and Aina married. As long as they would be happy, that was fine with him.

The only thing on his mind was to absorb all the Beast Cores that he had gained in the Beast Tide and raise his rank.

'I'll leave tomorrow,' Lux thought. 'I'm sure that I'll finish absorbing all the Beast Cores by tonight.'

Queen Felicia, who didn't know what Lux was thinking, asked the Half-Elf a question.

"Lux, are you still single?" Queen Felicia asked.

Before answering, the Half-Elf took out another Beast Core from his storage ring and began to absorb it.

"I have two fiances," Lux replied. "We plan to marry and have children in three years."

Colette, who was seated on Lux's lap, couldn't help but open her mouth in shock. She didn't expect Lux to already have two fiances, so his answer caught her by surprise.

Victor smiled when he saw his younger daughter's reaction. It seems that Colette didn't know that Lux was already engaged to two women. Now that she knew, he had a feeling that Colette would no longer insist that Aina become his fiance as well.

However, his adorable daughter's next words almost made him choke on his saliva.

"Big Brother, since you already have two fiances, why don't you make my sister your fiance as well?" Colette asked. "Adding one or two more won't make a difference."

Lux chuckled before lightly patting Colette's head.

"I guess you're right," Lux said in a teasing tone. "If Aina wants to become my fiance, then I won't mind it one bit. In fact, I like her very much."

The Half-Elf's words were very casual because, for one, he thought that Colette was only joking. Also, he had a feeling that their father, Victor, wouldn't agree.

At the end of the day, he didn't know much about Aina. The only reason why he felt attracted to her was because she looked like his favorite idol back on earth, albeit younger.

If she didn't have the same face as his Idol, Luna, he wouldn't have even considered vocally telling her that he liked her.

Just as everyone was about to treat what he said as a joke, Aina said something that made everyone look in her direction.

"I agree to become your fiance," Aina replied. "I look forward to our future together."

""What?!""

Lux and Victor shouted at the same time because they didn't expect the expressionless Aina to say such a thing.

"Um, I'm sorry about this, but I was only joking when I said that I wouldn't mind if you became my fiance," Lux said as beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

He had read several novels in the past, and he knew that this was one of those "forced love plots" that authors like to use in harem novels.

If possible, he wanted to have a normal love life, and not be forced into situations where he suddenly gained a lover out of the blue.

(A/N: I knew I should have made you a virgin for life. You're lucky I didn't give you a 2-inch PP you ungrateful swine.)

(E/N: Complaining about being given a harem, when he hasn't seen a true harem)

"Then, were you joking when you said that you liked me very much?" Aina inquired in the same expressionless tone that she always used when talking to people.

"Well, that part isn't a joke," Lux replied. "You look like someone that I adore with all of my heart, which is why I said that I like you very much."

"I look like someone you adore very much?" Aina asked. "Is there someone who looks like me?"

"… Yes," Lux answered.

Aina stared at Lux as if she was looking at his very soul.

"Then, can you tell me the name of this person?" Aina asked after a few minutes had passed. "I'd like to know the name of this lady who looks exactly like me."

Lux thought that there wouldn't be a problem even if he answered this question. After all, his idol was back on Earth, which was several light years away from the world of Elysium and Solais.

"Her stage name is Luna," Lux answered. "She is a superstar."

For the first time, Aina's expressionless face showed a hint of surprise. She then walked towards Lux and picked her sister up from his lap.

She then placed Colette on the couch before grabbing the Half-Elf's hand.

A second later, she transformed into her Angel of Vengeance form and flew towards the window, dragging the Half-Elf with her, who had no idea about what was going on.

 

Chapter 962 Little Falling Star [Part 1]

After flying a good distance away from the Xeno Kingdom, Aina descended to the ground and gently set Lux on the ground.

She then sat on his waist, preventing him from going anywhere.

Aina then lowered her head until it was only a foot away from the Half-Elf's head, staring at him with the same expressionless face she always wore on her face.

Lux held her gaze as if trying to understand why she suddenly acted the way she did.

However, before he could even ask her a question, Aina spoke first.

Upon hearing her words, Lux's body stiffened.

"Did you come from Earth?" Aina asked.

The Half-Elf looked at Aina in surprise, not expecting to hear this question come out of her mouth.

"How did you know?" Lux asked back. "Are you from Earth as well?"

There were only two theories he could think of why Aina was aware of the existence of Earth. The first one was that she had heard about it or had accidentally found this information on her own.

The other was that the dwarf in front of him, who looked exactly like the younger version of the star he idolized, was also from Earth!

Aina didn't answer Lux's question. Instead, she asked him another question.

"You said that you like this person that has the stage name, Luna," Aina stated. "Are you her friend? Her acquaintance? Or her fan?"

Although Lux felt a little uncomfortable with this one-sided interrogation, he couldn't bring himself to get angry at the young lady, who had the face of his idol.

"I am her fan," Lux answered. "Not only was I her fan, I was her number one fan. I supported her before she even became a superstar."

Aina's gaze softened a bit, but this time, her hands rested on Lux's shoulder, holding him more securely into place.

Aina was a very strong Dwarf. Her unique ability doubled her strength stat, allowing her to become extremely powerful.

When she was in her Angel of Vengeance Form, her strength would stack with a similar power up, making it extremely hard for Lux to break free from her hold.

Although her grip was not enough to hurt him, it was enough to pin him in place.

Lux felt lost looking at Aina's beautiful eyes, which only reflected his image.

He didn't know if he should be happy or concerned about the fact that all of her attention was focused only on him and with their bodies pressed against each other.

Suddenly, Aina spoke a name that made Lux's body shudder.

"MoonKnight69."

This time, he looked at Aina with disbelief because there was simply no way that she could know the username he used back on Earth.

"Who are you?" Lux asked. "How did you know my pen name? It is about time that you give me answers."

Aina once again ignored Lux's inquiry and asked him for confirmation.

"Are you really MoonKnight69?"

"Yes. YES. YES! Now. Can. You. Answer. My. Questions?!"

Lux was now feeling very irritated. He had already compromised despite the discomfort that he was feeling.

It was at this moment when he felt something wet fall on his face.

"A-Are you crying?" Lux asked in disbelief as Aina's tears fell on his face.

He could see her lips trembling as if she was trying her best to hold back her emotions.

This was the first time that Lux had seen Aina's cold expression change, and for a brief moment, he had forgotten all the anger and discomfort that was bubbling inside his chest.

The young dwarf then lowered her face to Lux's chest and started sobbing. Her small body, which had stood on the frontlines of the battlefield in order to protect her Guild Members from harm, trembled as her tears fell one by one.

Right now, she looked very vulnerable. Lux was unable to stop himself from wrapping his arms around her back, and he patted her head gently.

'Fine,' Lux thought. 'I will let her cry for now. But, I will demand an explanation after she calms down.'

Several minutes passed before Aina's sobs started to die down. Even so, she still buried her head on Lux's chest, as if she was afraid to show him the expression she had at the moment.

The Half-Elf wasn't in a hurry either, so he simply continued to pat her head and rub her back.

For him, Aina was a symbol of strength, and seeing her so defenseless like this made his heart ache a bit.

Finally, after nearly an hour, the young lady raised her head to look at Lux.

Her eyes were still a bit red, and there were still tear stains on her face. Even so, her expression had softened a bit, making her look more lovely, compared to her usual stoic doll-like beauty that hid her true self.

"MoonKnight69, I thought that I would never see you again," Aina said softly. "To think that you will be reincarnated in this world, I wished that I had recovered my memory sooner."

"Okay, let's calm down for a bit," Lux said as he lightly rubbed Aina's back. "This time, you will answer my questions, okay?"

Aina nodded. "Okay."

"Then, my first question," Lux said. "Are you also from Earth?"

"Yes," Aina answered.

"Then, my second question. Who are you? What was your name back on Earth?"

"My name was also Aina when I was still on Earth. My full name is Aina Williams."

Lux frowned. He didn't know anyone named Aina back on Earth, but the surname Williams was familiar to him.

This was the surname of Luna's real name.

Shania Williams.

That was Luna's real name back on Earth, and only he and the core members of her fan club knew about this name.

Still, since Aina's surname was Williams, it only means that she shared the surname of his idol and had some kind of relationship with her.

"I'm sure that you don't know my real name, but I'm confident that you are familiar with my username," Aina said softly. "My username is…"

"Little_Falling_Star."

Lux gasped in shock because this revelation hit him like a truck.

Indeed, he had no idea who Aina Williams was, but it was impossible for him to not know who Little_Falling_Star was.

If he was Luna's number one fan, Little_Falling_Star was Luna's staunchest supporter. In fact, she had clashed with Lux in the past for the position of Luna's number one fan.

However, the Half-Elf was firm and didn't budge. Because of this, she had no choice but to settle as Luna's Number Two Fan.

The two of them had fought side by side in countless forums and lambasted anyone who dared to talk sh*t about their idol.

In short, both of them were Keyboard Warriors, and the number of online weebs that they had defeated was countless.

"Little Falling Star, is it really you?" Lux asked as he raised his hand to cup the side of Aina's face. "The last time we talked, you said that you are going to study abroad. But two years passed and I still hadn't heard anything from you…"

Lux's words trailed off as a sudden reality hit him.

There was only one explanation for why Luna's staunchest supporter, who had the same fervor as him in protecting their idol, vanished without a trace.

"I see…" Lux's lips trembled. "You died."

Aina was older than him by two years.

When Little Falling Star disappeared, he hadn't seen her for two years before he died. Now that he was looking at her face to face, he felt as if he had found his long lost lover, whom he hadn't seen for many years.

As Luna's number one and number two fans, they shared a lot of time with each other. The members of the fan club even referred to them as the Moon-Star crossed lovers.

Although Lux was a little embarrassed to admit it, he and Little Falling Star did have an online relationship. However, neither of them had shown their face to the other and only talked using voice chat.

"Can you tell me more about you?" Lux asked. "Tell me why you disappeared for two years."

Aina reluctantly nodded before resting her head on Lux's chest. She then began her tale and told him about her real identity and her relationship with Luna.

She also told him why she said that she would be traveling abroad and would be inactive for the time being.

When she finished, Lux was unable to stop himself from hugging her tightly.

He didn't expect that his online girlfriend had such a tragic backstory.

A story that nearly broke his heart.

Chapter 963 Little Falling Star [Part 2]

Little_Falling_Star.

That was the username that I used when I was still living back on Earth as Aina Williams.

My parents were involved in a car accident, so my twin sister and I were raised by our grandparents after they passed away.

Although my grandparents weren't rich, we grew up with love and care and lived somewhat peaceful lives.

Unfortunately, just as we were about to enter high school, I started to suffer from severe headaches that progressively became worse over time.

Later on, I would sometimes lose feelings in my arms and legs. Having experienced it multiple times, I felt that something was terribly wrong with me.

Thinking that I was just tired and stressed from school, I ignored these symptoms and just settled for pain relievers.

But, one day, on my way to school, I collapsed and was sent to the hospital.

On that day, I found out that there was a tumor growing in my brain, and the only way to get rid of it was surgery.

The news descended upon me with the weight of a mountain.

Even my twin sister and my grandparents didn't expect that I'd be suffering such a serious illness. Unfortunately, we didn't have the money for the surgery, which made my grandparents feel depressed.

However, my twin sister, Shania, took it upon herself to find a way.

And thus, Luna the Idol was born.

Both of us had been scouted many times by companies to become idols due to our good looks. Back then, we didn't think much of it since we were still young, and we believed that education was much more important than entering the entertainment industry.

But, due to the circumstances that befell me, my sister set aside our belief and took the burden upon herself to enter that dazzling world with gritted teeth.

Every time I saw her come back home looking so exhausted that she couldn't even bother to take off her clothes before sleeping on her bed made my heart ache.

The only thing I could do was support her in any way that I could and ensure that she would at least be healthy enough to continue her line of work.

When she made her debut as an idol, she wasn't really popular back then. However, she did gain some fans, and one of them was called MoonKnight69.

My sister's stage name was Luna, and this name meant Moon.

The person who had the username MoonKnight69 was always there to support her, and he never hesitated to fight against the trolls who dared to throw mud at my twin sister.

He was her Knight.

Her Moon Knight.

I was a very timid person, but seeing other people say hurtful words to my sister made me feel hurt as well. Because of this, I decided to join my sister's "Number One Fan" and hid behind the username, Little_Falling_Star.

Although I couldn't be the moon, I could be a little star that would support and protect my sister with everything I had.

At first, I was overwhelmed by fear when the haters, and trolls, ganged up on me. However, MoonKnight69 would always be there to bring them down a peg and became the pillar and shining beacon among my sister's supporters.

In time, this group of fans grew and grew until it became an online organization that had the power to socially destroy a person the moment they attacked her twin sister.

After spending a few years with him, I realized that I had become dependent on him.

Whenever he was offline, I would miss him and think of him all the time.

I would wonder what he was doing and why he wasn't there.

This feeling only became stronger, and with the help of my sisters in the fan club, I finally took that step to send him a private message.

That was how it started, and we would talk about many things.

Although we didn't see each other's faces, we had heard each other's voices.

He was several years older than me, but that didn't matter to me.

His age didn't matter to me, and the only thing that mattered was him.

His voice.

His laughter.

His anger.

His everything.

That was the only thing that mattered to me back then.

After my sister became popular, she had me confined in a top hospital under the care of professional doctors who would conduct the surgery.

My first surgery was deemed successful, so I focused on my recovery. However, as if mocking me, the tumor returned a year later.

My health hadn't always been the best, and after my surgery, it didn't become any better. Because of this, the doctors advised that I spend some time recovering. Only when my body was strong enough to undertake another surgery would they operate on me again.

During this time, my sister's popularity had finally reached a threshold where she appeared in commercials, variety shows, dramas, and movies.

It was as if all my suffering had been converted to her success.

I didn't feel jealous or envious of her. In fact, I was very happy about her success and wished for the best.

But as the seasons changed, my health kept on deteriorating to the point that my doctors finally decided to take a gamble.

I didn't say anything, but I felt that my end was near.

I believed that the moment I fell asleep in the operating room, I would never wake up again.

Because of this, I made my final preparations.

I said goodbye to my friends and acquaintances.

I spent some time with my grandparents.

I spent some time with my sister whenever she wasn't busy with work, and I would always tell her how much I loved her.

I also thanked her for everything she did for me and wished for her happiness in life.

Finally, I bid my farewell to the guiding light who had been by my side for the past few years.

I told him that I would just be studying abroad and would focus on my studies. Because of this, I would be unable to be as active as I was in the past.

MoonKnight69 was worried about me and insisted that I keep in touch with him even when I was studying abroad.

Back then, my tears fell on the screen of my phone as we talked all night.

I typed the words "hahaha!" to make him feel that everything was fine, despite the fact that my heart was breaking because I would no longer be able to talk to him.

Even as the doctors were about to administer anesthesia so that I would fall asleep during the operation, my heart was calling out to him.

That time, I promised myself that if I survived the operation, I would no longer hesitate and meet him in real life.

I wanted to be more than just his online girlfriend.

I wanted to be his girlfriend in real life, and for that to happen, I needed to get through with my second surgery.

Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be.

We weren't meant to be together in that lifetime.

Aina Williams was unable to see the next sunrise.

However, somewhere far away, Aina Goldenslayer was born not long after.

I have lived a life that has been filled with hardships, but I don't feel bad about it.

I have an adorable little sister, whose name is Colette.

I have a dependable older brother whose name is Tristan.

My father, Victor, is a bit strict, but he loves us just as much.

As for my mother, Felicia, she is the true leader of our household, and even my father has to listen to her, or he ends up finding himself sleeping on the floor.

I had no recollection of my past life until I started my Ranker Trial.

When I lost control of myself, I recalled the memories of my past, allowing me to overcome the hidden heart demon that had followed me into my reincarnation.

For some reason, I felt attracted to Lux.

But this attraction had nothing to do with his impressive physical appearance.

It was an attraction between souls.

That was why when Lux healed the scars on my body, I repaid him with a kiss.

Ever since then, I would think about the Half-Elf from time to time and would wonder why I felt attracted to him.

However, after finding out his true identity, I finally realized why I felt so attracted to the handsome teenager.

I felt as if my wishes had been granted by some kind of God, allowing me to have a second chance to grab hold of the love that didn't take place back on Earth.

"MoonKnight," Aina said as she looked at the person whom she loved aside from her sister Shania. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Little Falling Star," Lux said as he cupped her face, fighting the tears that were threatening to fall if he lost control of himself.

This time, I will not hesitate.

Back then, I was sickly and weak.

But now, I am healthy and strong.

Now that the Gods have given me this second chance at life.

Nothing will stop me from taking hold of the happiness that I rightfully deserve.

Looking at Lux's face, Aina could feel her heart beating wildly inside her chest.

Her feelings were overflowing and tears started to well up in her eyes once again.

"I love you," she said as she lowered her head.

"And I love you more than you'll ever know," Lux replied.

Before her tears could fall a second time, she pressed her lips against Lux's and subconsciously closed her eyes, enjoying this happiness that she didn't think was possible.

Two fiances? She didn't care.

Even if he had three or four of them, her feelings wouldn't change.

She'd met him before they did.

She had loved him before they did.

This was why she would not hold back from claiming what was hers.

Although my father will disagree, I will let my mother do the talking.

Even if the sky were to fall over my head right at this moment…

I will strive to share eternity with the person who holds the other piece of my heart.

Chapter 964 Star Crossed Lovers

[Disclaimer: Sweet and intimate scenes ahead.]

The two kissed passionately, the intensity of their intimacy increasing every passing second.

The floodgates had been completely forced open, and the raging torrent of emotions that both of them were feeling for each other rampaged like a Beast Tide that numbered in the millions.

It was impossible to know which of the two wanted the other more.

Aina, whose switch had been flipped on, didn't hesitate to use her hands to remove Lux's upper clothes.

Her intentions were clear, and no one would be able to stop the feelings that she had held back for a very long time.

Lux felt the same, but when Aina stopped kissing him, moving downward to nibble his neck, he regained a bit of his sanity.

Knowing that the beautiful Dwarf wouldn't stop even if he told her to, the Half-Elf wrapped his arms around her body before levitating off the ground.

He then summoned his Soul Book and opened its map feature as Aina struggled in his embrace.

"Be good for a while," Lux said before kissing her forehead. "This will only take a minute."

Aina paused for a bit and held onto Lux, breathing in his scent and hugging him tightly.

She was stronger than him in her Angel of Vengeance form. If she were to really struggle, she could easily break free from his embrace. Even so, knowing that it might injure the person she loved, she wouldn't do it.

After finding what he was looking for, Lux flew to the location as fast as he could.

He was certain that if he didn't stop Aina, she would have made love to him then and there, but how could he possibly let that happen?

What if someone happened to stumble upon them while the two of them were in the middle of doing the deed?

Wouldn't that put a pause on their lovemaking?

If Aina didn't kill that person, Lux definitely would.

In order to not create unnecessary accidents, he decided to look for a place where the two of them wouldn't be bothered by anyone.

The Half-Elf flew inside a cave that led deep underground, his arms still wrapped around the beautiful Dwarf's waists.

They went deeper and deeper into the cave until they arrived at a cavern. There was a small river, illuminated by glowing crystals.

The moment Lux landed, he summoned a bed from his storage ring. However, before he could even do anything, the beauty in his arms had finally reached her limit.

Aina's hands grabbed hold of Lux's pants and ripped them apart. She didn't even bother to undress him properly this time and simply used the fastest method that she could think of.

She then unsummoned her valkyrie armor, exposing her naked body to him.

Unfurling her wings, she pinned Lux on the bed and stared into his eyes, which looked back at her with love and affection.

"Beautiful," Lux said softly as he looked at Aina, whose tendril-like wings fluttered behind her back, further illuminating their dim surroundings.

He cupped her face and kissed her lips. After that, his hands moved to caress her back, sliding downwards and enjoying its smoothness.

His hands finally stopped, resting on her backside. He gave it a light squeeze, causing Aina's body to shudder.

The Half-Elf then moved in one quick motion, reversing their positions.

This time, he was the one on top, while the beautiful Dwarf, whose face was flushed and eyes in a daze, looked at him with yearning.

Lux's eyes were glued to her face for a few seconds and then swept over the rest of her body.

Her breasts were not that big, but they held a fatal attraction that made Lux's breath turn ragged.

He marveled at the outline of her abdomen, tracing it with his hand, igniting the flames of passion that were hiding inside her small frame.

He lightly poked her cute belly button before caressing the enticing curve of her waist.

His gaze moved downwards, looking at that place as he moved toward her slender legs, and finally her small feet, which he lifted toward his face.

With a gaze tinted with lust, he stared at her right in the eyes as he kissed the soles of her feet.

In her current form, her body naturally dispelled any impurities like dirt that clung to her body.

After that small gesture, the Half-Elf lowered her feet and moved to kiss her lips once again.

She was beautiful.

She was perfect.

And she belonged to him.

Aina didn't lose herself to Lux's kisses and once again took control, pinning the Half-Elf to the bed and looking down at him with a smile.

Clearly, she wanted to take the lead, but Lux wished for that as well.

Because of this, the two tumbled on the bed as they fought to dominate while having their way with each other's body.

It was a silly scene because both of them desired each other, and yet, neither of them wanted to back down.

In the end, the one who managed to come out on top was Lux.

For a short moment, Aina breathed raggedly and lay tense in his arms. When Lux was about to take her maidenhood, she didn't struggle and even wrapped her arms on his back, encouraging him to claim her as his woman and mark her as one of his own.

Inch by inch, she took him in.

Lux didn't know whether he should laugh or cry due to how sweet and intimate it felt to become one with her.

He felt as if both of them had been reincarnated for this very moment—holding each other, loving each other, and feeling each other's warmth.

The moment they became one. Aina felt as if all the sadness and suffering that she had experienced in her past life fell beneath her like broken fragments of a mirror.

She could feel Lux's weight upon her.

With every thrust, she could feel her body and heart opening to him, allowing her beloved to shape her in ways that she never thought possible.

She wasn't aware that the soft moans and whimpers escaping from her seductive lips strongly fanned the flames of lust and love that the Half-Elf felt for her, making his movements rougher and, in turn, her sensual cries louder.

As if knowing that the end was about to come, Aina's legs wrapped around Lux's waist, locking him in place while bracing herself for the inevitable.

Lux, who had no intention of pulling back, clung to her small frame and groaned, his seed spurting deep inside her.

As the two of them panted for breath, with their bodies still joined together, their hands moved and intertwined with each other.

Lux and Aina stared at each other for a few seconds before sharing another sweet and passionate kiss.

When they pulled back, the Half-Elf brushed away the tears that fell from Aina's eyes.

"I love you, Aina," Lux said softly before kissing her forehead.

"I love you too, Lux," Aina replied as she kissed his cheek.

Both of them knew with certainty that things would never be the same again between them.

But they were fine with that.

A few minutes later, Aina's soft sighs echoed inside the cavern as Lux made love to her a second time, filling her heart and womb with his love.

 

Chapter 965 I Loved Her Even Before She Was Born In This World.

The sound of flowing water faintly echoed in the surroundings as Lux cleaned Aina's naked body in the underground river.

They had just finished making love for the third time, after which the Half-Elf decided to stop.

Aina had been a virgin before him, and he didn't want to push her body too much on her first time. He took it upon himself to pause their intimate bonding, allowing her body to recover.

After cleaning her every nook and cranny, the Half-Elf held her close to him, and the beautiful Dwarf snuggled into his chest.

The two didn't say anything to each other and simply enjoyed the afterglow of their lovemaking.

The beating of their hearts was calmer now, and the flames that had erupted after coming to know about each other's past lives had been doused by their passion and lust.

Several minutes later, Lux lifted Aina in a princess carry and walked toward the bed. He had already changed the bed sheets and replaced them with a clean one.

The droplets of water disappeared from their bodies after Lux used a spell to dry both of them completely.

Gently, he laid Aina down on the bed before laying beside her.

The young lady hugged Lux as if she was afraid that once she woke up, she would find out that everything that happened was just a dream.

"Don't worry," Lux whispered softly. "I won't go away. So rest for a while, okay? After that, I will have a talk with your family."

"…Un," Aina replied before closing her eyes.

Although she didn't show it, she was actually quite exhausted. The battle of the Beast Tide had just ended, and she had fought on the front lines until everything was over.

After that, she made love to Lux three times, which drained the last of her strength.

The Half-Elf looked at the beautiful Dwarf in his arms as she breathed softly.

The doll-like beauty, whom many had admired, was sleeping peacefully.

Her petite and sensual body clung to his skin, sending faint ripples of emotions in his heart. But Lux endured it and simply held the love of his past life in a firm embrace.

Lux loved Iris and Cai. This much was true.

Because of that, he also understood that the feelings of love he had for Aina were just as strong, if not a little bit stronger than his two fiances.

For him, love was love. It didn't matter who he loved most between his lovers. For him, all three of them held a special place in his heart.

Soothed by Aina's warmth and softness, Lux found himself falling asleep.

He didn't resist and allowed himself to fall into sleep's embrace, knowing that when he opened his eyes, Little Falling Star would still be in his arms.

—————————

A few hours later inside the Royal Palace of the Xeno Kingdom…

Due to Lux's and Aina's sudden disappearance, the King of the Xeno Kingdom, Victor, couldn't help but feel anxious.

Since it was his daughter who dragged Lux away, he couldn't call it kidnapping. In fact, if he insisted that it was a kidnapping, wouldn't that make her daughter a criminal?

Colette, who was always supportive of Lux and Aina, was also feeling anxious. That was the first time she had seen her sister suddenly have an outburst, and it took her completely by surprise.

Of course, she knew that her kind, gentle, and understanding sister wouldn't do anything to hurt her Big Brother.

However, she couldn't help but be worried that there might have been some kind of misunderstanding that might hinder her plan to make the two of them get married.

Queen Felicia was the only one who seemed to not be too worried about her daughter running away with the handsome Half-Elf.

She was the one who raised Aina and knew that her daughter had a good head on her shoulders. Surely, the latter wouldn't do anything that would harm their benefactor.

At the end of the day, without Lux's help, their chances of surviving the Beast Tide weren't that high.

Even if they survived, the casualties would have been too great, and their kingdom's army would have definitely been weakened.

This would've led to their neighbors taking this opportunity to conquer them and force them to become their vassals.

When they decided to migrate to Elysium and cut ties with the Dwarven Royal Family back in Solais, they knew that they were taking a big gamble.

Even so, the state of the Dwarven Kingdom in Solais didn't look optimistic.

The miasma was spreading past their borders, and they knew that in two to three years, the Royal Family would have no choice but to order its citizens to evacuate to Elysium.

Victor wouldn't have minded one bit if the people of the Dwarven Kingdom were to migrate to his kingdom.

However, the Royal Family and the other High-Ranking Nobles wished to suppress him and wrestle away the kingdom that he had built from scratch over the course of many years.

How could he possibly agree to such a thing?

This was why he moved before others could even touch his bottom line, cutting himself and his people off from the reach of the Dwarven Royal Family, who wished to take the kingdom he founded as their own.

Just as the sun was about to set on the horizon, they sensed two familiar presences headed in the direction of the Royal Palace.

When Victor saw Lux carrying his daughter in a princess carry, with the latter having her arms wrapped around his neck and her head resting on his chest, he felt as if he had lost something very dear to him.

Colette, who saw this scene, happily jumped in place and was even shouting, "Big Brother!", repeatedly.

Queen Felicia, who was looking at her daughter, narrowed her eyes. As a woman, she could tell that something was very different about her daughter.

Although her face was still as expressionless as ever, it had a softness to it as she looked at the man carrying her in his arms.

This expression was something that Aina had developed in her past life after she discovered that she had a tumor growing in her brain.

As the years passed, this expression had become her default expression, which she had somehow carried over to her next life.

Even though her face was like that, her eyes were a different matter.

They were filled with emotions, and one could see the love and affection in her gaze as she looked at the handsome Half-Elf, who had just landed on the balcony of their Royal Palace.

Lux helped Aina stand on her own before gazing at Victor with a smile on his face.

"Father…" Lux said. However, before he could finish whatever he was going to say next, Victor cut him off with a glare.

"Who are you calling Father, you bastard?" Victor shouted.

Although Lux was taller than him, he still looked down on him with a vengeance, hovering in the air as if to make his point known.

Lux, who could tell that Victor didn't want to talk to him, shifted his attention to Queen Felicia.

"Mother, I have come to ask for your daughter in marriage," Lux said with a smile. "Please give us your blessing."

Colette's eyes widened in shock after hearing Lux's words. A moment later, the adorable Dwarf jumped into the Half-Elf's arms in happiness.

"Finally! Big Brother is going to be part of our family!" Colette shouted with a big smile on her face. "I'm so happy right now!"

"He's not going to be part of our family," Victor growled, almost making Colette jump back in fright. "Over my dead body!"

At that exact moment, Blackfire appeared between Lux and Victor. A few seconds later, several rows of text appeared on the surface of the coffin.

———————-

< That can be arranged. >

< Do you have any preference as to how you would like to die? >

< Do you have any life insurance? If not, I am offering one plan as a limited time offer. I will even throw in a plaque for your tomb free of charge.>

———————

The corner of Victor's lips twitched after reading the Black Coffin's reply. However, before he could smash the coffin to pieces, Felicia's words caught his attention.

"Stand down, Victor," Felicia ordered before shifting her attention to her daughter, Aina. "Aina, do you want to marry Lux?"

Aina nodded and answered without hesitation. "I do."

"Do you love him?"

"With all of my heart."

Felicia frowned before shifting her attention to the Half-Elf, who was holding her daughter's hand firmly.

"How about you, Lux?" Felicia asked. "Do you love my daughter?"

"I loved her even before she was born in this world," Lux replied in a heartbeat.

Colette's eyes opened wide as she looked at her Big Brother.

The corner of Victor's lips twitched repeatedly after hearing the Half-Elf's reply.

How could someone love a person before they were even born in this world? Did that even make sense?!

Queen Felicia also had the same thought, but a single glance toward the Half-Elf was enough to tell her that he was serious.

"Very well, our family will seriously consider this matter," Queen Felicia stated. "I hope that you can give us time to discuss this properly."

Lux nodded. However, before Victor could even say anything, Lux said something that made the Goldenslayer family look at him in disbelief.

"Aina and I have already made love to each other," Lux said without batting an eye. "Please add that to the list of things you'd take into consideration. Thank you."

Aina's father almost spat a mouthful of blood after hearing Lux's revelation.

Victor, Felicia, and Colette, all looked at the Aina at the same time, as if trying to confirm if what Lux said was true.

Although there was no change in her expression, a tinge of red was starting to spread from her neck, up to the tips of her ears.

This only confirmed the Half-Elf's statement, which made Victor almost wish that he could tear the Half-Elf apart, limb by limb.

They had raised Aina with great love and care.

None of them could've expected that the Half-Elf would eat her up just like that after the beautiful Dwarf had swept him off of his feet, right under their very nose.

 

Chapter 966 Fall In Love, All Over Again

Two hours after dinner, Victor and Felicia retired to their room in order to discuss something very important.

Naturally, this issue was in regard to what happened earlier in the day. Not long had passed, and the King of the Xeno Kingdom was still dissatisfied with Aina's choice.

"What do you think we should do, Felicia?" Victor asked as he sat on the couch with a frown. "Aina can be very stubborn. I'm sure that she will not be changing her mind anytime soon."

The King of the Xeno Kingdom looked at his wife, hoping that she could give him the answers he was looking for.

"There's nothing we can do but respect Aina's decision," Felicia replied. "That means that you should abandon your thoughts of letting her marry one of the Princes of our neighboring kingdoms. If you try pushing this idea of yours, it will only backfire on you, so I advise you to give it up."

"If only that Half-Elf hadn't tainted my daughter, then this whole thing could have been salvaged." Victor clicked his tongue in annoyance.

The daughters of the Royal Family had to remain chaste in order for them to be married off to members of another Royal Family.

If Victor really ignored Aina's wishes and sent her to marry someone else, not only would he face his daughter's anger, but he would also face the anger of Aina's royal husband, which could lead to a war in the worst-case scenario.

"Hah… this is a mess." Victor sighed. "I even sent Tristan to our neighbors in order to form good relationships with them. I even gave him the secret mission to look for eligible Princes that could qualify as Aina's fiancees as well."

"Well, although things didn't work out the way you planned it to be, I have a feeling that the current situation is infinitely better," Felicia stated. "Lux may not be a member of a Royal Family, but you have to admit that he has the ability to become an Overlord. If I were you, I would invest in this future son-in-law of ours."

Felicia smiled. Unlike her husband, she only wanted her two daughters' happiness. Since Aina already decided to become Lux's fiancee, she would give them their blessing.

Although Victor also felt that things were progressing too fast and was now outside of his control, he had to agree that the Half-Elf indeed had some ability.

Lux could have single-handedly defeated the Beast Tide even without the assistance of their army. This much, Victor had to acknowledge. However, he still couldn't believe that someone who had only been in Elysium for a few years had become such a powerhouse.

Colette had met him in Leaf Village, and Victor often heard his adorable daughter brag about his achievements. She would even talk to him about the Half-Elf in hope that he would be persuaded to agree to allow the red-headed teenager to marry her sister, Aina.

However, how could he possibly agree to such a thing?

He hadn't even met Lux since he first heard of him until today.

Even so, his first impression of the Half-Elf was not the person that Colette painted him to be.

He was not a young man who had just started coming to Elysium nearly two years ago.

He was a monster.

A bonafide monster that if left unchecked would grow to become a person who could move unhindered in Solais and Elysium.

His wife was right.

Although the situation was different from what he originally wanted, it didn't change the fact that Lux's potential was enormous.

However, he also understood that these individuals were like a double-edged sword. They might be capable of annihilating anyone who stood in their way, but they could also harm those who supported them from behind.

People hated those that were better than them. They felt jealous and envious of others' talents to the point that they wanted to eliminate them.

After all, a dead genius is no longer a genius.

Victor had no intention of fighting against Lux, but that didn't mean that others wouldn't do it.

Naturally, he was still not aware that the Half-Elf and the Divine Army of Light were at odds with each other. If he knew about this fact then he would definitely oppose Aina's decision, even if it meant that his daughter would hate him for life.

They had migrated from Solais to Elysium, and the Divine Army of Light was one of the biggest organizations in the land.

If they were to offend such a behemoth, wouldn't their newly minted kingdom be exterminated before they could even have time to grow?

Fortunately, he had no idea. Ignorance was bliss.

Victor sighed a second time before looking outside of the window. Right now, he had a very hard decision to make, and it would affect his Kingdom in more ways than one.

—————————

Inside Aina's bedroom…

"Aren't you worried?" Lux asked as he hugged the beautiful Dwarf from behind. "What would you do if they didn't agree to make you my fiancee?"

"I'm not worried," Aina replied as she looked at the moon outside of her window. "Although my father is very disappointed in me, my mother will definitely talk some sense into him. Also, my body is no longer pure. They will have no choice but to yield."

Lux's gaze softened as he lightly caressed Aina's lower abdomen. Indeed, he had already marked this place as his own, claiming her as his woman.

If not for the fact that Aina had just lost her chastity a few hours ago, and needed time to recover, he might have already made love to her again.

'I'm hopeless,' Lux thought. 'I'm so in love with her that it hurts.'

Aina, who seemed to have sensed Lux's thoughts, turned around to look up at him.

She then stood on tiptoe as she presented her lips to him, which the Half-Elf accepted gratefully.

The beautiful Dwarf was barely five feet tall, and yet, she possessed a strength that was several times stronger than Lux. Even so, in his eyes, she was just a delicate young lady, whom he needed to protect at all cost.

He wasn't even aware when she died back on Earth. It even made him depressed because no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reach her.

Now that they had reunited, he felt that the heavens themselves had given them this opportunity to do what they weren't able to do back on Earth.

When the kiss ended, Aina wrapped her arms around Lux's body and rested her head on his chest.

"No matter what happens, the two of us will be together in this lifetime, right?" Aina asked softly.

"Yes," Lux replied. "Although we can't always be physically together, we will definitely spend our lives together. I promise."

Both understood that they had their duties to perform, and responsibilities to uphold.

Lux carried his lover to the bed and laid her down gently. He then laid beside her, but he didn't make a move to make love to her.

He only wrapped his arms around her and told her about the things that he needed to do.

The Half-Elf told Aina about his Master's current situation—how the latter had been captured by the Divine Army of Light, and their plan to execute him in less than a month's time.

When he shared his plan to save his Master, Aina's body shuddered and she gripped his clothes tightly.

"Lux, we have just reunited," Aina said. "I won't stop you from doing what you have planned to do, but promise me one thing."

"What is it?" Lux inquired.

"Don't die, or I will have no choice but to follow you."

"Don't worry, I have no intention of dying. I promise you this."

Aina wanted to tell Lux that she would help him in any way that she could, but she understood that he would not allow her to endanger herself.

Because of this, the only thing she could do was to believe in him and that he would return to her safely after rescuing his Master from one of the biggest organizations in Elysium.

As the hours passed, the two continued to talk.

They talked about their plans and goals in life, including the number of babies that Aina wanted to have, which made Lux chuckle.

Soon, the two of them fell asleep in each other's embrace.

Lux would be leaving in the morning in order to search for another Beast Tide or places that had numerous monsters that he could hunt.

Although it was quite regrettable that they couldn't spend more time with each other, they were still extremely happy to have the chance to fall in love, all over again.

Chapter 967 Simply Courting Death

The sound of screams and metal clashing against each other spread in the forest as a group of bandits attacked a merchant group.

The merchants and their escorts were completely outnumbered due to the number of bandits that had set an ambush for them.

However, just when the merchants had almost lost all hope, two baby slimes stumbled upon the scene.

"Trouble?" Eiko blinked as she looked at the battle that was happening in front of her.

"Wei~" Fei Fei nodded.

"Help them?"

"Wei~"

"Un!"

Eiko, who never shied away from battle, summoned her Terrorist Squad, as well as her Slime Brigade.

A moment later, loud explosions reverberated in the surroundings as the two Baby Slimes threw one Blast Bomb after another while riding on Eiko's subordinate, Bomber.

(A/N: Bomber is Eiko's floating Blast bomb.)

Immediately, the Bandits found themselves being pushed back and dying one by one. In the end, they decided to retreat but not without looking at the two Baby Slimes with bloodshot eyes.

Eiko and Fei Fei didn't remain at the scene of battle and didn't even bother to wait for the rewards that the Merchants might give them.

They helped the Merchants because they felt like it, so they didn't think that accepting any rewards was necessary.

The two rode on Bomber's head, which was hovering a few meters above the ground.

Although they seemed to be traveling randomly, this was actually not true. Eiko had a destination in mind, and it was the Port City of Watford, which was located in the Earldom of Draycott.

This was the same Port City where they had met Captain Jack Spawow back when they had hired him to help them rescue Princess Anastasia, who had been kidnapped by the Rankers of Twilight Rain.

Eiko was fond of traveling on the sea. She found the act to be liberating and enjoyable at the same time.

Of course, she hoped that when she got there, she would find Captain Jack Spawow and board his ship, and sail the Seven Seas with him for a period of time.

What the two Baby Slimes didn't know was that the Bandit Group was tracking them down.

Although it might seem like a petty move to get revenge on the two Slimes, they still felt like they needed to do it in order to recover their pride and dignity.

The Bandits had already called for reinforcements and even asked their leader to personally lead the operation.

The Leader of the Bandit Group was a Ranker. When he heard that the raid against the merchants was thwarted by two Baby Slimes, he felt as if his subordinates were playing a joke on him.

However, after asking a few more questions, he confirmed that this was indeed the case. He felt as if he was surrounded by incompetent people. How could two Baby Slimes possibly defeat them when nearly all of them were Initiates?

The weakest members of the Bandit Group were Grade-A Apostles, who should've been able to kill Slimes without too much effort.

But since he felt that his men wouldn't be able to live with the humiliation, he decided to take matters into his own hands and end the farce.

Taking all the Bandits, numbering nearly two hundred strong, who belonged to the Bandit Group known as the Black Wolves, they moved to intercept the two Baby Slimes, who were currently eating some cookies on top of Bomber.

When King Leoric sensed the Bandit Group heading towards Eiko and Fei Fei, the Wraith King simply shook his head.

Two hundred Bandits versus two Baby Slimes?

The Bandits were simply courting death.

Since that was the case, he decided to not do anything and watch as Eiko and Fei Fei handled everything. Since the two of them were traveling to gain some experience in the world, he would allow them to do as they pleased.

"Leader, that's them!" one of the Bandits pointed at the floating Blast Bomb in the distance that was carrying the two Baby Slimes, who were still eating cookies on top of it.

"Fine, let's get this over with." the Bandit Leader scoffed. "Charge!"

Immediately, the entire Bandit Group ran toward Eiko and Fei Fei with their weapons drawn.

"Bandits?" Eiko tilted her head as she looked at the Bandits that were rapidly closing the distance.

Fei Fei, who was about to bite a cookie, glared in the direction of the Bandits and opened her adorable mouth.

"F*ckers."

This was the first time that Fei Fei had said any other word aside from Wei~ since the start of their trip.

Clearly, she was very annoyed right now because some people were getting in the way of their lunch.

Eiko, who was also quite annoyed right now, decided to end the battle as fast as possible.

She summoned her five clones and gave an order.

"Rise!"

Immediately, six Argonaut-Ranked Lightning Slime World Bosses appeared in front of the Bandits.

The Lightning Slimes didn't waste any time and immediately unleashed countless lightning bolts that turned any Bandit they hit into charcoal.

The Leader of the Bandits screamed in fright before trying to flee. However, before he could even run away, Eiko's Skeleton Monk, Bam, appeared behind him and gave the Bandit Leader an explosive punch that sent him flying.

The battle lasted only two minutes, but the entirety of the Black Wolf Bandit Group was already eliminated.

King Leoric, who was high in the sky and currently invisible, only sighed.

'Anyone who judges Eiko by her appearance will definitely be in a world of pain,' King Leoric thought. 'I just hope she doesn't start a genocide after leaving Lux's side.'

The Wraith King knew that Eiko was a battle maniac. Despite her cuteness, the Baby Slime was more ruthless than Lux when it came to killing people, especially bad people like the Bandits.

A day later, when the sun was just about to set on the horizon, Eiko and Fei Fei finally arrived at their destination.

The two were currently perched on a robed man's shoulders as he walked towards the Port City of Watford.

This robed person was none other than the Skeleton Monk, Bam.

Eiko knew that this would allow them to enter the city without too much fuss, and it worked like a charm.

When they arrived at the port, they saw the familiar ship floating on the water.

It was none other than the Black Pearl, and Eiko's eyes sparkled with delight as she, and Fei Fei, climbed aboard the ship, which would take them to the Pirate King's Island.

 

Chapter 968 You Will Not Be Able To Stop The Inevitable

After having breakfast with the Goldenslayer family, Lux, Cethus, Gerhart, and Keane left the Xeno Kingdom in order to improve their strength as fast as possible.

Simultaneously, Gaap, who had been captured by the Divine Army of Light, sat in a dark cell with his body wrapped up in chains.

He was being detained in the most secure Underground Prison in the Divine Army of Light's territory. It prevented him from using any abilities, including summoning the Golem of Destruction, Antero.

The High Council of the Order wanted his execution to be a grand event in order to show the different powers of Elysium what would happen if they dared to cross them.

Of course, they were also hoping that Lux, as well as the members of Memento Mori, would come to save the Halfling. That way, they would be able to deal with them as well.

Currently, all of the powerful Saints in the continent were staying inside the Divine Empire and constantly monitored Gaap's prison.

Since the execution was still a few weeks away, they had no intention of lowering their guard, just in case someone tried to break inside the prison and save Gaap before the date of the execution.

If that were to really happen, wouldn't they become the laughingstock of the world?

They wanted to show their might, not their incompetence to all the powerful factions of the land. With such a high stake on the line, even the Oracle of Light continuously used her Divination to ensure that not even a rat could sneak past their defenses.

The High King of Lunaria sat on a chair in front of Gaap's prison cell with his arms crossed over his chest.

He should've been the happiest person after capturing Hereswith's Disciple, but he couldn't even bring himself to smile.

Gaap had erased his entire Kingdom from the face of the world, even killing his entire bloodline.

If not for the fact that there were other Saints present when they ambushed Gaap, the High King would have killed the Halfling in order to avenge his kingdom and his family.

"What are you looking at, you pathetic worm?" Gaap asked in a teasing tone. "Want to kill me? Go ahead."

The Halfling's disheveled appearance was truly pitiful, and yet, the sneer on his face truly tempted to strangle the annoying bastard, but even he couldn't break past the was firm as he looked at one of the people who was responsible for his Master's death.

The High King of Lunaria didn't reply. However, his hands were trembling. He was truly tempted to strangle the annoying bastard, but even he couldn't break past the barrier that surrounded the Halfling's cell that prevented anyone from going in and coming out of it.

Gaap chuckled after seeing how much the High King was doing his best to hold himself back from killing him. The frustration and helplessness in the man's eyes made him feel extremely good, despite his current situation.

"I've always referred to you as High-King because I always seem to forget your name," Gaap stated. "Humor me. Was it Mongrel?"

"Bastard, it's Mondo Vi Lunaria!" Mondo growled. "Who are you calling Mongrel?!"

Gaap smirked. "Close enough. Still, Mondo is too good for you. I'll just stick to calling you Mongrel. So, Mongrel, when do you guys plan to kill me?"

"Soon," Mondo replied. "And I will be the one to personally slice off your head."

"Ah that reminds me, your sons begged me to spare their lives when I cut off their heads," Gaap commented. "Their heads should be inside the Bounty Ring that was confiscated from me when I was captured. Did you get them back?"

The sound of gnashing teeth echoed inside the prison as the High King of Lunaria remembered the heads of his sons that had been returned to him several days ago.

Despite the great sadness and pain he felt at that time, he had done his best to give them a proper burial.

As for his wives and daughters, they were nowhere to be found. Mondo had interrogated Gaap about what he did to his wife and daughters, but the Halfling just laughed and told him that it was a surprise.

No matter what the other Saints did, they also failed to pry answers from their prisoner. Even the Oracle of the Divine Army couldn't get any leads as to what happened to Mondo's wives and daughters.

"What's wrong?" Gaap inquired. "Aren't you going to say anything? Are you content just sitting there and wishing that you could strangle me with both of your hands? Ah, let me tell you something funny. Your Third Wife was dissatisfied with you, so she had an affair with the Captain of your Royal Guards.

"She even insisted that he made her feel better than you ever did in the time you spent together. You should consider removing that crown off your head and replacing it with a green hat."

The Halfling then laughed out loud, which grated Mondo's ears. The chair he was sitting on exploded as the anger that he had been holding back gushed out of his body in full force.

At that exact moment, Five Saints materialized between the High King and the Halfling, whose laughter had still not ended.

"Mondo, stand back," the Oracle of the Divine Army commanded. "He is angering you on purpose so that you will break the enchantment of his prison. If you can't control yourself, I will have to ask you to leave."

The Saintess' voice was firm and held no room for discussion or rebuttal. The four Saints by her side eyed the High King of Lunaria with solemn expressions on their faces.

If Mondo didn't stand down, they would be forced to apprehend him and throw him into a cell, until he cooled his head.

The High King's chest heaved up and down as he tried to reign in his anger. He knew that if he really ignored the Oracle's warning, he would definitely be punished and might even be locked up until the day of the execution.

He had already begged their Sovereign to make him Gaap's executioner so that he'd be the one to deal the killing blow to the Halfling. If he made a scene today, he could kiss his only chance of revenge goodbye.

"I'm sorry," Mondo stated after he regained a bit of his calm. "You're right. I lost my cool and allowed this bastard to almost goad me into letting him escape. It will not happen again."

The Oracle narrowed her gaze. "It better be. But just to be safe, you are no longer allowed to enter the prison until the day of the execution arrives. We don't want another emotional outburst to occur, do we?"

Mondo eyed the Oracle before shifting his gaze to the Halfling, whose entire body was bound by magical chains.

Gaap sneered at the High King of Lunaria, making the latter clench his fist.

Even so, with Five Saints blocking his path, he couldn't really do anything to the Halfling, so he decided to stand down.

"Very well, I will cool off for now," Mondo replied before walking away. "But, remember this. The one who will kill that Halfling is me. If his Disciple is captured, his head is also mine."

The High King of Lunaria snorted after saying those words. He wouldn't be content with just ending Gaap's life. He wanted to personally kill Lux as well.

Only then would his anger subside.

The Oracle of the Divine Army frowned, but she didn't say anything else.

The High King was one of their staunchest warriors and supporters. Allowing him to do these two things was a small price to pay for retaining his loyalty to their cause.

"You sure know how to raise a ruckus, don't you?" the Oracle said as he glanced at the Halfling.

"Bitch, how about you untie me, so I can show you something else that I can raise?" Gaap smirked. "Although I don't have any Doomknight Gangbangers in my army, I still have plenty of ways to screw you three times over."

The Oracle merely scoffed at their prisoner's taunts.

"I'd like to see how you will react when we capture your Disciple and kill him in front of you." the Oracle sneered. "Maybe then, you will understand how foolish the two of you are for going against our Divine Army."

Gaap laughed after hearing the Oracle's words. His Disciple was indeed weaker than them and their organization, but Lux had the means to make the Divine Army's life miserable.

"Good luck with that," Gaap replied. "It will take more than trying to kill my Disciple to kill him. Don't worry, once he is done with all of you, you will regret your choice of antagonizing him."

"Words of an incompetent Master." the Oracle scoffed. "You will not be able to stop the inevitable."

The Oracle and the Saints all disappeared from the prison and returned to their stations.

She had wasted enough time talking to Gaap, and she no longer wanted to talk to him.

The Halfling, who had been left alone, chuckled as the chains that bound his body started to make subtle clinking noises.

"Indeed," Gaap said as a tinge of resolution appeared within the depths of his eyes. "None of you will be able to stop the inevitable."

The Halfling closed his eyes and preserved his strength.

The Divine Army of Light wasn't the only one that was looking forward to the day of his execution.

Even Gaap was secretly looking forward to that day, for reasons that only he was aware of.

 

Chapter 969 The Lost Ark [Part 1]

Three days after Lux's group left the Xeno Kingdom, he and his friends finally arrived in one of the most dangerous lands in Elysium.

This place was called the Lost Ark.

It was a valley that spanned for miles, with a giant, black wooden ship that was split in half sitting in the middle of it.

No one knew where the Black Ship came from, or how it ended up in that valley.

Many Historians believed that this area might have been part of an ocean in the past, which explained why such a giant ship was there.

However, the reason why this place was considered as one of the most dangerous places in Elysium was because of the fact that this whole area was inhabited by countless numbers of beasts, most of which were of the Deimos-Rank and above.

Truth be told, Lux was feeling a little anxious about this place because his Elysium Compendium had detected a giant, golden, blinking dot on the map, which was located where the Black Ship was.

This wasn't the first time he had seen something like this on the map of his compendium. He had noticed a similar phenomenon while he was still in the Abyss, and it only meant one thing.

'There is a Demigod inside that Black Ship,' Lux thought.

The territory of the Lost Ark was huge. He believed that as long as he didn't get too close to the center of the Domain, he wouldn't have to worry about the Demigod.

However, all of this was just part of his speculation.

Nothing was preventing the Demigod from emerging from the Black Ship, and it was also possible that it would attack them once it sensed a commotion in its territory.

If Lux decided to leave this place, it would take him several days to look for another place to farm Beast Cores, which would be a waste of time.

After weighing the pros and cons, the Half-Elf glanced at his comrades with a solemn expression on his face.

"There is a Demigod inside that Black Ship," Lux stated as he pointed at the ship in the distance. "There's no guarantee that it will not attack us if we fight monsters inside its Domain. It is very dangerous, so I won't force you guys to come with me. In the worst-case scenario, I can just teleport away in order to save my life."

Keane, Gerhart, and Cethus glanced at each other before shifting their gaze to the Half-Elf.

"I'll take a chance," Keane stated. "At the first sign of trouble, I will not hesitate to return to our Guild Headquarters."

"That is also my answer," Gerhart replied.

"My Grandmothers always say that in the middle of every difficulty, lies opportunity," Cethus commented. "I'm also coming."

Lux nodded after hearing their answers.

"Very well, but remember this," Lux stated. "The moment the Demigod appears, escape as fast as you can. Do I make myself clear?"

Keane, Gerhart, and Cethus nodded at the same time.

Lux smiled before jumping off the cliff to enter the Domain of the Lost Ark. His comrades did the same.

However, the moment their feet landed on the ground, they felt a sudden change.

"I feel heavier," Lux said as he tried to lift his foot, as well as raise his arm. "It's harder to move."

Hearing that, Keane and Gerhart also tried to move their bodies in an attempt to adapt to the sudden change that happened out of the blue.

Cethus frowned as he, too, did a few experiments. A minute later the Dragon Born made a comment that made his companions look at him with serious expressions on their faces.

"It's not our bodies becoming heavy and harder to move," Cethus commented. "It is because the gravity in this place has doubled."

The eyes of the Dragon Born glowed faintly as his vision zoomed toward the giant Black Ship in the distance.

"All of you be extremely careful," Cethus stated. "Every two miles from this point onwards, the Gravity will increase. The closer you get to the Lost Ark, the greater the gravity will be.

"I assume that if you actually managed to get that far, you will be experiencing ten times the gravity of this world. I doubt that any of you can handle that much. At most, your limit will probably be at a five times increase in gravity before your bones break from the pressure.

"If you don't want to die a pitiful death, don't go past the sixth mile. I believe that monsters beyond that point have a way to mitigate this kind of pressure. It is very possible that they also possess gravity-related abilities."

Lux nodded in understanding. "I guess this is for the best. This will prevent us from getting too near the Black Ark, which is a good thing."

The Half-Elf then eyed the blinking red dots on the outskirts of the Domain, which were his targets.

"Let's go," Lux said before summoning his Thunder Warg King, Jed. "We will head West. There are a lot of monsters in that direction."

As the four of them headed to the location of the Monsters, their arrival didn't go unnoticed.

Dozens of Deimos-Ranked monsters that reminded Lux of Velociraptors, a kind of Dinosaur on Earth, charged in their direction.

There were six monsters that stood out from the Monster group, and they were the five Raptors that had red skin. Based on the Life Readings that were appearing in his Elysium Compendium, these five beasts were actually Alpha-Ranked Dreadnaught Monsters.

However, the information of the one leading them, a Raptor that was twice the size of the others, made Lux frown.

It was a Peak Empyrean-Ranked World Boss.

This kind of monster wasn't something that he couldn't fight.

However, what made the Half-Elf frown was actually a skill that belonged to this monster, which was none other than Cethus' ultimate skill, Gravity Domain.

If it weren't for the fact that his Compendium had also ranked up after he became a Ranker, he might not have been able to see this skill in time.

"Cethus, that monster also has the skill, Gravity Domain!" Lux shouted as he and his mount, Jed, charged forward. "Activate your skill and concentrate it towards that guy. If he uses his skill, do your best to cancel it! Leave the rest to us!"

Cethus nodded as he took out his spear. He then pointed it towards the Giant Dinosaur and shouted.

"Gravity Domain!"

Perhaps it was only a coincidence or perhaps the World Boss had also detected Cethus' ability, but it also activated its skill at the same time as the Dragon Born.

A moment later, two black domes clashed against each other, trying to overpower their opponent.

Cethus roared as he flew towards the sky, concentrating his attention on the World Boss, while Lux and his comrades dealt with the rest.

He knew that the moment he lost this battle between Domains, all of them would find themselves in great trouble, which would force them to teleport away from the territory of the Lost Ark.

Cethus was quite proud of his ability. Even Lux, whom he recognized as someone very strong, would not be able to beat him so easily under the effects of his Gravity Domain.

Because of this, he thought that he was special.

However, seeing that another Monster was able to use his Trump Card and even seemed to be more proficient in it, the fighting spirit in his heart blazed like a raging inferno.

Cethus could admit losing to Lux, but he would never allow himself to lose to a Monster, even if that monster was a Peak, Empyrean-Ranked World Boss.

For him, as long as his opponent wasn't a Calamity-Ranked Monster or a Demigod, he would fight until the bitter end and show everyone the superiority of the Dragon Race, which he was a proud member of.

Chapter 970 The Lost Ark [Part 2]

The two Gravity Domains repeatedly clashed, nullifying each other's effect.

In a fit of anger, the Giant Raptor unleashed a breath attack toward the annoying Dragon Born who was in the sky, forcing Cethus to take evasive actions.

"You're just an overgrown lizard." Cethus sneered. "Aren't you sad that you can't grow wings and catch up to me?"

However, the sneer on his face faded the moment the Giant Raptor jumped toward him, jaw wide open in an attempt to bite him in the air.

Of course, the attack missed, but something unexpected happened which made the Dragon Born curse internally.

The Giant Raptor manipulated the gravity in his body, and used it to fly in the sky!

"F*ck!" Cethus cursed. "Why don't you fight me fair and square?! You're not allowed to fly!"

This time, it was the Giant Raptor's turn to sneer. Clearly, the Dragon Born had truly offended it, and now, it wanted nothing more than to shred the arrogant bastard with its razor-sharp teeth.

But, just as World Boss was about to catch up to his target, a Dragon's Breath shot up from the ground, hitting the Monster's body, making it cry out in pain.

It was at that moment that an arrogant voice, which sounded like it looked down upon everyone in the world, reached Cethus' ears.

"Fight someone your own size, Punk!" Avernus roared before soaring towards the sky.

The Dragon Born's fear and anxiety disappeared the moment he saw his backup arrive.

"Uncle Avernus!" Cethus shouted when he saw the Dracolich engage the Giant Raptor in close combat.

The two were both Peak, Empyrean-Ranked World Bosses, but Avernus had a slight advantage over his opponent due to his race.

Although the Giant Raptor had a dragon-like appearance, it still wasn't a true dragon, so the Dracolich was able to push it back.

But this advantage disappeared the moment the Giant Raptor roared and activated its Gravity Domain, almost making Avernus fall from the sky.

Fortunately, Cethus was there to cancel it just in time, allowing the Dracolich to grab hold of the Giant Raptor's body, and slam it toward the ground.

While this was happening, Lux, Keane, and Gerhart busily dealt with the small fries on the ground.

Lux wanted to finish the battle early, but he was hesitant to use the skill, Deus-Gigantia. He was afraid that if he really summoned the Giant Skeleton King, it would alert the Demigod that was located inside the Black Ship.

He also didn't ask Blackfire to summon the Saints to help him in battle.

Only Leonidas, the Gladiators, and the Bounty Hunters assisted Lux in his fight against the Dinosaur-like Creatures.

Because of this, he ordered his Undead Army to focus on the five, Alpha-Ranked Dreadnaught Monsters, while he, Keane, and Gerhart deal with the Deimos-Ranked Raptors.

The battle ended half an hour later with Lux's victory.

After collecting the Beast Cores, he didn't hesitate to absorb the Giant Raptor's Beast Core first.

He was very curious to know what kind of skill he would learn from such a powerful Monster.

But, to his dismay, the only skill he learned was a passive one, and it only worked on a situational basis.

The skill he gained was none other than.

< Gravity Resistance [SSR] >

However, after evolving once, it became, < Gravity Resistance [Epic] >.

——————

< Gravity Resistance [Epic] >

— This skill will allow you to ignore any changes in the gravity in your surroundings.

— You will also gain immunity to any Gravity Offensive Skills below the [Divine Rank].

— This skill covers a two-hundred-meter radius, allowing your allies to benefit from its effect.

——————

Although the skill didn't look that powerful, it was a perfect skill to have in the Lost Ark, where the gravity greatly affected their performance in battle.

Lux glanced at the dead bodies of the Raptors and ordered his subordinates to dig out the Beast Cores in their bodies.

When this was done, he stored the Raptors inside his Bounty Rings because he planned to use them later.

He glanced in the direction of the Black Ship in the distance and then at his Elysium Compendium. Seeing that nothing changed, the Half-Elf decided to continue hunting the Monsters that resided on the outskirts of the Domain.

As long as the Demigod didn't make any move to stop them, he would continue to farm Beast Cores, which was the fastest way to increase his rank.

While Lux and his friends were busy getting stronger, the Divine Army of Light had finished sending their invitations to all the powerful factions in Elysium.

Their branches that were scattered throughout the major cities of different Kingdoms extended invitations to the smaller Kingdoms who were not part of their organization.

A week later, one of their missionaries arrived at the Xeno Kingdom and presented the invitation to Victor.

After seeing the contents of the letter, Victor agreed to participate in the Founding Anniversary of the Divine Army of Light.

He felt that this was the perfect opportunity to get to know the powerful factions in the continent and form connections with them.

This was exactly the opportunity that he was hoping to get, so he didn't hesitate to accept the missionary's invitation.

If he was lucky, he might even be able to join the Divine Army's War Council, which would raise the prestige of his Kingdom.

His son, Tristan, had just returned from his diplomatic mission with their neighbors.

But, when he heard about the contents of the letter, he decided to accompany his Father on his visit to the Divine Empire to see for himself just what kind of organization it was.

Victor agreed to his proposal. After that, the King told him everything that had happened in their kingdom since his departure, including Aina's decision to have a fiance.

When the oldest son of the Goldenslayer family learned that Aina now had a fiance, he immediately demanded to see Lux.

However, Aina had no idea where Lux was currently, so her older brother had no choice but to wait until he visited their kingdom again.

"Father, what is Aina's fiance like?" Tristan asked. "For her to take the initiative to make him her fiance, it means that she really likes him, right?"

Victor sighed after hearing his son's words.

"Liking is an understatement," Victor replied. "That bastard took her chastity right after the threat of the Beast Tide was gone."

"What?!" Tristan couldn't help but look at his father in disbelief. He knew how overprotective his father was, so he found it hard to believe that his father allowed the situation to progress that far.

"Let it be." Victor waved his hand in order to dismiss Tristan's attempt to pry more information from him. "If you want to know more, ask your mother. Just thinking about that Half-Elf infuriates me."

Tristan nodded. "Fine. I'll ask Mother later. Let's talk about our trip to the Divine Empire. We need to make a good impression. What kind of gifts should we bring?"

"About that, I was thinking about giving them one of our prized treasures," Victor replied.

"I think that's fine." Tristan agreed. "So, it will only be the two of us going?"

"Yes. So get ready to leave in a week's time."

"Understood."

The two then busied themselves on their journey to the Divine Empire.

They were not aware that by going to that event, they would not only see the most influential people in Elysium, but they would also find themselves seated in the front row of a grand event, which would make them realize that the identity of Aina's fiance as not as simple as they originally thought it was.