As the combined armies under Lasciel and Silentia fell upon the Tarken forces, the difference in strength and training was immediately visible.

Ants were stronger than bipeds by nature, but aided by the Legion cultivation they were ten times stronger than a normal Sovereign rank would be, by pure physical strength. Combined with their natural shadow affinity and a host of weapons and armor provided by the Legion's smiths...

Lasciel worlds were re-conquered with less than 1 percent loses, while millions of luckier ants promoted to Monarch and even Saint ranks. Meanwhile, the levy army conscripted by Lasciel in desperation fared much worse, losing half of their numbers when fighting unsupported by Silentia's troops.

Thus, Pef decided to mix the troops together, and use the devils for flanking, enveloping and other such tactics, where their lower cultivation levels wouldn't matter that much.

Immediately, the results of the battles changed for the better, and the campaign began to progress at rapid pace. In two weeks the main assault reached the capital world, defended by two Tarkin brothers and their elite divisions.

"Your show now, ladies. These two aren't all that strong." Pef said after scanning the two tier 3 devils.

Strella and Lasciel lead the attack on the capital, while Pef trimmed the few tier 2 devils he encountered, and promptly subdued them as slave fighters. Sadly, re-educating them would take at least a year, so these captured devils will not be immediately useful. The Tier 1 devils in this galaxy were all in a loose state, merely sentient qi gas without a body, so they weren't an issue.

"Ah, my mistress has returned!" one of the Tarkin brother exclaimed while licking his lips.

Lasciel took aim and launched a barrage of sword qi beams, forcing the devil to evade in desperation, and not entirely intact. His left hand was shattered into strips of meat and bone.

"I have returned to take your head, cretin!" Lasciel yelled while chasing after the wounded devil.

Meanwhile, Strella and her 2 lieutenants engaged the other Tarkn brother, and with such an advantage they promptly chopped him into bits, leaving only the devil's head intact.

Pef collected his new recruit for re-education and Blinked in front of the running devil. "Did you just call my wife your mistress?" Pef asked in a rather upset voice.

"You! The slave trader?" Tarkin wondered while looking back towards his pursuer.

Pef sighed and sliced off his head while it was turned. "This one was quite a moron, my love." he said with a shrug while collecting the body parts into his glove.

Lasciel smiled widely and hugged him. "Thanks, for protecting my honor." she whispered gently.

"Uh. I'll be sure to tarnish that as soon as we finish this battle." he replied wryly.

Lasciel blushed and pounded his chest in shame. "Idiot"

Pef nodded wisely as he scanned for the remaining resistance pockets.

"All units, land and restore order." he commanded via the Legion's qi channel.

Soon enough, thousands of Legion warships began unloading their troops and commenced securing prisoners from the surviving Tarkin troops.

Lasciel's troops landed as well to resume their posting in their army barracks or street patrols.

The population seemed quite happy to see their ruler return to power, and filled the streets with dancing and singing.

Pef landed at the Baronial palace to find Lasciel livid. "Look! They looted my palace! All the statues, even the jade marble tiles!"

Pef chuckled amused and drew her into a hug. "One week to repair and rearm our forces. And then we exact revenge."

"Yes. I think I'll join you for this war as well, though with only a few troops. I need to maintain order now." she mused out loud.

"It's okay. Your troops are kinda useless, so it won't matter much. Bring a higher tier division and most of your commanders." Pef said after considering the situation for a minute.

Silentia appeared next to him, and glanced around at the bare and desolate walls.

"I could let Krissa come here and decorate. Your place is kinda dour, my dear Lasciel." she said with a smirk.

"Not you too!" Lasciel muttered and sobbed.

The Tarkins had lost a big portion of their army trying to defend the new conquest, so Pef had numbers superiority now, plus the training bonus.

A hundred Legion warships departed towards the more peripheral worlds in the Lasciel's Barony, to eliminate the remaining Tarkin garrisons and re-establish order. With a Saint onboard each other these vessels, they should not have trouble pacifying the outer planets.

New ants emerged from Pef's inner universe to repair the regiments to full strength, and some urgent ship repairs were also finalized.

Then, Pef and his armada departed towards the Tarkin Barony, to secure it for Strella and revenge Lasciel's honor.

However this time, the Tarkin were prepared for war and awaited them in force, troops mobilized, forts and defense stations with maximum shields and weapons ready.

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Pef, Silentia, Lasciel and Strella emerged side by side to confront the remaining Tarkin brothers.

"Look brothers! Three new concubines have delivered themselves to our doorstep." an arrogant devil proclaimed, while his nearby underlings cheered.

"Bow to your knees, beg for mercy and you may keep your lives as slaves!" Baron Tarkin spoke with a powerful voice.

Pef scratched his cheek while measuring his new opponent. 'Any ideas?'

'We do not bow?' the glove suggested innocently.

Pef sighed inward and drew his knife.

"My wife Strella fancies herself to become a Baron. Who will uphold the challenge?" Pef asked in a mild voice.

Before anyone could answer, a familiar Count-class warship appeared above the battlefield.

"We are here, you may proceed with the challenge." Count Argil proclaimed in a noble voice.

Baron Tarkin grit his teeth visibly. "I will defend my station, Count Argil." he replied in a more subdued voice.

His words were followed by a rapid soul spike, aiming to extinguish the challenger immediately.

Pef held his palm open and released his own soul spike, twirling in a silver helix and dispersing the attack.

"Try something else, former Baron." Pef added with a wide smile.

A black sword with a violet edge appeared in Baron's hand, and it began glowing white with sword qi.

Pef manifested his fire wings and sped forwards, and began launching his own sword intent beams, hundreds at once.

Baron Tarkin strained to defend, but a few dozen curved and hit one of his brothers to his side, mincing his body into small bits. "Brother!" the other three devils yelled at charged to attack as well.

Lasciel picked her own target and drew him into melee to the side, while Strella did the same.

Pef Blinked behind the Baron and collected the prize devil head, and kept attacking with fewer beams, keeping the Baron occupied.

A yell sounded from Lasciel target, making the Baron lose focus for a second. It was more than enough, as Pef's knife flew like a missile and severed Tarkin's soul.

Soon after, Strella managed to cripple her own opponent, just as Pef arrived beside her. He sliced once to decapitate the wounded devil and collect the head.

Then he glanced at Lasciel, who was quite busy dismantling the first speaker, the rude devil brother who wanted her as concubine. Fingers and toes flew away, then femurs and the other organs, as Lasciel blurred her new sword like a lawnmower, until only a wailing head remained.

"You may keep your life, as a slave."Lasciel spoke in a glacial voice, flicking the severed head towards her husband.

Count Argil arrived beside Pef and smiled friendly. " Lord Pef. It has only been a year and you've gained two more Baronies for your wives."

Pef nodded and shrugged. "This was without intention, my friend. They attacked Lasciel and lost."

Count Argil sighed. "You realize Count Tarkin is now your enemy, right?" the devil asked with a wry voice.

Pef blinked. "Actually... I had no idea. Which camp is that Count Tarkin in?"

The devil sighed again. "Some people do have the devil's luck. Archdevil Yama."

Pef nodded and smiled." Would you be so kind, and...?"

"Already done, Lord Pef. By association, you're now in Archdevil's Yamon camp." the Count explained with a smile.

"Any demands for a slave army?" Pef asked with his merchant voice.

"Naturally, my dear friend. I have a million Sacred realm ants now. Lord Yamon had noticed this as well."

"They will not lose their bodies as they ascend, you know? Like all beasts, they cross into the divine realm intact." Pef added with a grin.

"Oh? That would make a big difference indeed. Nobody has divine soldiers by the million. It would be quite a game changer..." Count Argil mused to himself.

"Still only ants in front of an Archdevil, my friend." Pef said rapidly, to prevent the Count from getting ahead of himself.

"I realize that very profoundly, Lord Pef. I have met both of them, and they cannot be fought. Not with numbers." the devil replied thoughtfully.

"But one with an army, and one without...millions of divine ants would tilt the balance, right?" Pef argued with a wide grin.

The Count nodded furtively.

"Do not speak of this anymore. Lord Yamon will send a disciple after I inform him. And do not haggle for the price. He will not barter with someone like you." the devil advised him as a parting gift, then flew towards his warship.

Pef grinned widely as the warship sped away.

"Let's finish this conquest already." he said with a content voice.

The Legion began moving again, taking prisoners where possible, or just blasting their enemy apart when not.

By the next year, the three Baronies were mostly pacified and turned into Legion's forward bases in the Singularity galaxy. Now, Pef only had to wait for the devils to split into factions and begin their inevitable war.

He was going over the normal business beside Strella, helping her consolidate the Barony when he felt a menacing aura enter the palace.

'We have a guest.' the glove said in a cautious tone.

Pef nodded and Blinked into his office. A golden aura met him at once.

"Lord Yamon" Pef said politely.

"Veritas." the Archdevil replied a bit surprised.