"There, that was the last one!" Ren finished, bandaging up Isha, who now could sit up, thanks to the healing pills she took. "Still, you should rest; those bolts were nasty and shredded muscle on impact."

"Yeah… I felt that. A weaker cultivator would be torn apart. Lucky me~."

"Hehe, yup! Your plumpness worked in your favor now!" She patted her hands, standing up beside her.

"You are lucky I am exhausted, or I would smack you hard on the buttocks." Isha snorted.

"Fufufu, I know, I know. Anyway! We need to go back! When 01 and 02 arrive, we leave."

"Just like that?" She raised her eyebrow. "No revenge or something?"

"Nope. I saw the look on the guy's face with the shield. I guess he thought I was of the royal bloodline. This is even better! Let them think that and disappear before they can snoop around further."

"Hah! I see, I see!" Isha chuckled softly. "Well, one thing is sure: I'll advance after I am recovered! I shouldn't put it off anymore."

"For now, rest." Ren patted her head. "Lacuss, can you guard her?"

"Sure." Lacuss nodded as he was already standing beside the small bedroom window.

"I'll go see the others and check out the city. Our battle surely drew some eyes~" Ren giggled before she left the room.

Outside, Shadow was lying down, licking his wounds with a calm expression. His injuries were already taken care of by Lacuss, leaving behind only scars, while Ghanda nervously neighed as soon as he saw Ren arrive outside.

"Relax, she is fine. You did well." She patted his neck, calming the horse down, then rubbing Shadow's head. "You too."

A moment later, Kyu appeared before her, sitting down with a silly expression, clearly smiling, waiting to be rewarded. She looked completely unbothered by the destroyed garden and the hastily burned corpses, still smoking at the back.

"Yeah, yeah, you too… but I would be happier if you would have stepped in without me asking for it!" She rolled her eyes as Kyu just tilted her head, pointing at herself. "I know you were asleep, you lazy bum!" Ren laughed before forming a lightning sphere in her hand and tossing it toward Kyu.

She acted like a flash, quickly grabbing it in the air, putting the whole thing into her mouth, gulping it down with a satisfied expression, and patting her giant belly.

"You are really something…." Ren murmured as in the previous days; since she got her hands on her, she discovered Kyu could absorb any energy if it didn't surpass her natural limits. "No wonder you are so sleepy all the time." She patted her giant belly as she flopped to her back, going to sleep like nothing mattered, absorbing the fresh "food."

…

….

…..

After the sun went down, Ren returned, and Isha was eating soup, already looking a lot better in complexion. Lacuss was sitting outside, meditating, while Shadow was lying beside him.

"How's the city?" Isha asked as Ren walked in, plopping down in a chair next to the bed.

"Chaotic. The leading ministers were all killed gruesomely, and the governor is missing."

"Did they get her or…?"

"My guess is she left early. Her whole villa is empty. Now the city is without a leader, and the lower-ranked nobles are already moving in to secure a position before Elroths' main force arrives to restore order."

"Haah, I heard the kingdom is always full of something like this, fights for a higher position and the battles between the kingdoms, making up the whole territory…." She shook her head. "The place is nice, but honestly, I prefer how the Empire works; it looks more secure from here and more stable, too." She took another spoonful from her soup. "I don't know how people can live like this when everybody is out there, trying to get onto your seat if you are not looking. Maybe even crush you with their butts as they sit down on you! And… What about us?"

"Nothing yet. They heard and felt the shocks from the fight. They wouldn't want to mess with us, but that does not mean we won't be the scapegoats if we stay. They are just waiting for the reinforcement."

"Then we really should go! I'm feeling fine already, so we can go anytime!"

"Well, I wanted to find more warehouses, but they already got wind of losing their people, and it's empty by now. Anyway, it's best to leave, you are right! 01 and 02 shouldn't take longer than two more days to arrive." Ren climbed up to her bed. "When you are healed a bit more, I'll spank you, you know that?"

"You wouldn't hurt an injured girl, no?" Isha blinked her eyes innocently at her, mimicking Ren's usual 'nice' expression.

"That's why I said when you are healed a little~" Ren flicked Isha's forehead. "What kind of order was that, huh?"

"Why? No way I would let those bastards have the chance to capture us! Hmph! I would rather die than be a slave."

"And what should I say to Zern when I go home? What happened to his dear Isha? Hm?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "Don't be so selfish! Hmf!" landed a second flick.

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"He would've understood my decision…." Isha murmured, rubbing her forehead.

"Yeah, but it would still hurt him. Also, me too! So forget those thoughts, okay? Nobody dies under my watch!" Ren grinned, patting her head. "Nobody, not while I still have a breath in me!" She silenced Isha, who just looked down at her soup, her face going red and her eyes slowly filling with tears she held back.

Growing up on the streets formed her the way she is, yet in times like this… how Ren acted and comforted her now was something she never experienced as a child. She couldn't help but shed some tears before wiping her face, putting on a sulking expression yet radiating happiness from deep within her eyes.

"Oookay, Mom!" Isha scoffed, masking her weak voice. "Look on the bright side! You got rid of the collar. How did you do it?"

"Pure, undiluted rage." Ren showed a V sign and then stuck out her tongue. "Also, I used my bloodline's ability I picked up from 01 and 02. It is still not the best and most efficient way I used it, but I bet on the fact that I probably used it as a basis to enhance the collar. My gamble was right, and I could nullify its control. Lucky for you!"

"Thanks…"

"See? Was that hard~? Fufufu~ Anyway, rest, because when you feel better, an ass-whooping is looking out for you, by yours truly!"

"Sure, sure." She rolled her eyes, watching Ren get up from next to her as she went to have a word with Lacuss while Isha leaned back on the bed, putting her bowl to the side, and looking at her bandages. "That little imp… heh, dares to make me cry; hmf, we will see who gets spanked!" She chuckled to herself, already in a happy mood.

…

….

…..

"Okay, stop!" Carthus's steel-like voice came while Leinor stepped backward, cupping his hand.

Carthus looked at him with a calm expression, rubbing his mummified left hand, which slowly regained its flesh and normal skin color. His aura was strong, warm, and energetic, indicating he was already in the Harmony Realm. He only wore the bottom part of his uniform, letting the morning sunshine on his perfectly crafted body while his blonde hair gently moved behind him to the tune of the morning wind.

"Since your tribulation, you have better control over it. Honestly… I don't know if I could kill you by now."

"I still have a lot of things to learn, grandfather." Leinor bowed without a change in his calm expression.

"I just hope you won't rely on that power too much. You are gifted in our bloodline, have great regeneration, and your lifeforce is thick, so much so, just look beneath your feet!"

When Leinor turned his gaze downwards, he could see the grass beside him lively and healthy in green, also small, white and yellow flowers gently bloomed wherever he stood.

"You need to learn to pull all of it back; it still seeps out of your body."

"Ren will help with that." He smiled longingly as it was weeks since he last saw her.

"Like father, like son! I don't know how he turned out like this." Carthus shook his head.

"I-i… didn't mean it like that…."

"..." Carthus looked at him but closed his eyes. "Let's get ready for the journey back; we are out of death row criminals for you to hunt down anyway." He said, floating up as Leinor followed him, putting on the rest of his uniform.

On the way back to the Sect, they first stopped at the capital, where Feynor welcomed them warmly, hugging his little brother strongly.

"Man, when did you advance? You shine like the morning sun!" He laughed loudly, slapping him on the back repeatedly.

"A few days ago." Leinor chuckled, following his brother, still acting like a small kid before him. "We are going back to the Sect, but I wanted to say hi before doing so! How have you been? What is it like being the Emperor?"

"Dull." Feynor sighed. "Every second day is just a meeting with ministers or regional leaders, going over mundane things. No wonder father so readily stepped down; I am already bored with it! The only interesting part is when Niji comes to complete or renew some deals."

"Ahaha, you will get the hang of it, don't worry!"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention, you will be an Uncle!"

"Wha-? Really?! Congratulations, Big Brother!" Leinor laughed loudly, hugging Feynor firmly.

"Ahaha, thanks~ I already sent word to father, but you were out of touch. Also… going by what I felt when I touched her belly, they are twins." He said proudly.

"Great! The more, the better!" Leinor grinned.

"Saying this… what about you? I know Lacuss; I don't think he ever was interested in naked women. Or men. Reignar… the opposite but not about having kids any time soon. So it leaves us, Lil' Bro… you need to work on it too!"

“Ah… well… you see…” He turned red completely, darting his eyes left to right rapidly. "It won't be easy, especially as both of us… you know how hard it is to get pregnant if someone is this advanced in strength..."

"What are you talking about? Our bloodline is made for it! It will be as easy as for any mortal; you just need to hit your mark correctly! So practice that aiming of yours! If you want, I can share some nice poses that will help the outcome!" Feynor laughed loudly, landing a few big slaps on his back, almost making Leinor choke on his saliva.

"When did you turn into Third Brother?"

"When I got addicted to the feeling of becoming a father, maybe?" Feynor joked.

While they were catching up, Carthus was listening to the report of Nameless and his subordinates, who were now out trying to catch those spreading the rumors of the Empire falling to the demons' control.

"Any news?" Carthus sat down at his old gazebo.

"Good to see you, Old Master. The same report I gave to the Emperor." Nameless kneeled down. "The people we catch are all civilians without any noteworthy powers; the strongest was at only the 3rd level of body refinement."

"So they are using sleepers."

"Yes. We likely couldn't find anything important even if we scourge their minds. They must have been planted long ago and got activated only now."

"Damned Naulin bloodline." He tapped on his armrest. "It's hard fighting against something like that. If we start to remove these individuals, it's like we are trying to hush them, and it must be true then! If this turns the public's perception, it could lead to a civil war."

"The Emperor said we should address it through action. He wants to start an education program on telling the demons' history, showcasing our differences and similarities. People who respond well to that get a chance to visit Thunder Valley."

"I see. He will be a good Emperor if he can think something like that." Carthus smiled slightly. "I became old, can't adapt to the new things, it seems… Haahh…" shook his head before looking at him. "I have a mission for you, Nameless."

"I'm listening." He bowed his head.

"You need to infiltrate the Kingdom. Search for my son and deliver a letter to him." He picked one out from the inner pocket of his uniform, giving it to Nameless. He just accepted it with a bow and put it away. "I know it won't be easy, but I trust your powers greatly."

"It will be done." He bowed once again before disappearing, already on his way.

"Thank you." Carthus sighed, leaning backward, watching the small lake silently, submerging in old memories.