Swift And Fast

That night, close to the last hour before the next day. Everyone moved outside their encampment and started forming their teams and groups together. Currently, all participants who got to this point in the continent were silently sitting cross-legged on the ground, in the air, or preparing themselves for the upcoming action. On one of those sides, far away from the site where the Concealed Ornament Team had set up their camp, Heian Ciemnosc and Elena were alone among the people.

“Now, mount my back,” Heian Ciemnosc said as he finished putting some gadgets around his body. Elena looked at him, relatively curious, and started climbing his back where a large cross formed by black ribbons lay on his back. She hugged his waist with her legs and below his armpits with her arms. She put her face against his upper back, covered by his dark coat. Everyone turned to look at them, wondering what these two slightly famous people were doing.

Naturally, Heian Ciemnosc was recognized once the participants received news about the exact timing of the mountain foot opening with great herbs, Fauna, and treasures waiting to be picked up. Elena wasn’t a great beauty of sorts. But her story and some rumors started working magic in the heads of ambitious and naive people. Now that her charming man had appeared since not being seen, everyone was curious, but more than that, comparing themselves to him.

“What are you gonna do?” Elena asked. Heian Ciemnosc turned his head towards her and said without any intention to hide it. “I can’t help it. This is something I shouldn’t let others see so early on, but for my wifey, I’ll have to sacrifice my secrets. Tell me, am I a good enough husband?”

“...” Elena looked at him, baffled at his cockiness out in public, and rolled her eyes, not responding. Heian Ciemnosc thus accommodated auxiliary and protective measures around her body before patting her back to check if everything was ready. Once he confirmed things were alright, he spoke to her again. “There’s some…-thing I need to show you there. As I said, I don’t know if I can bring you there, but if I can, then we must be fast.”

“What is it that is so important?” Elena placed her chin on his left trapezius muscles and asked. Heian Ciemnosc patted the tip of her nose with his left cheek twice before rebuking her. “I told you not to move. Get back to position.”

“Ah,” Elena pouted, amazing the eyes of many, especially those who tried wooing her. She returned to bury her face in his dark coat’s upper back, under its neck, and smell his scent. No biggie. Minutes went by as everyone waited, and still a few more left before the end of the day. Amidst the colorful night with multiple colors on the ground, Elena started a little chat with Heian Ciemnosc.

“Did you know how your team treated me all these days?” Hearing her, Heian Ciemnosc grinned, his eyes narrowed to a slit as he followed up. “No, what is it?”

“Mn, every Fauna we got, I dismantled it. At first, I thought I was being put to work to get familiarized with your people. But then, I suddenly remembered how many points we were getting each time we captured or killed Fauna and who would be getting more, wondering if we should balance that… or not.” Elena said. Meanwhile, Heian Ciemnosc shook his head. She was so much like him in things like these where they just couldn’t help but do math and think for the better of a group.

“And then?” Heian Ciemnosc superficially asked. His voice was like a dad doting on his child. He got that from his Mother. Elena continued, “You are too naggy. Even your little family wants me to grow fat and fast to take care of their children. Did you know Esteban and Violet are already trying to get a baby? Not right now, but maybe after graduating. They’ve been talking a lot about this without you around.”

Heian Ciemnosc grinned when he heard her words, especially her newfound humorous side, without needing to get physical with him or taunt him. If anything, her mentions about Esteban and Violet thinking about having a baby ‘soon’ surprised him, but he also understood a few things. ‘No wonder Violet’s body has been filled up more by Esteban. I thought they were getting into heat or something… Bah, it makes sense, she is so protective, and he is a very stable, capable young man.’

“Huh? Is this a hint?” Heian Ciemnosc looked at her again, his narrowed, darkest eyes making her smile uncontrollably. She was just trying him, not hinting… But then, as if she remembered something deep within her mind and heart, she looked at him, only an inch between their faces, and spoke. “You know, it wouldn’t be bad to have our prince so he can rule over the Academy while I rule the rest of the world with you.”

“Hmm~, oh. The rest of the world, eh?” Heian Ciemnosc’s pitchest-blackest eyebrows were playfully lifted. Elena nodded, nudging her chin on his cheek a little as she did, and added. “But only after several thousand years. I want to bring the Wrath Nihility Academy to its best state first. Meanwhile, you go around and rule over the world for me. Ah, that’s right. It’s not rule over ‘the rest’ of the world, but all of it. My bad.”

“...” This time, Heian Ciemnosc entirely raised his eyebrows. Nudging the back of her head on her face, and without Elena moving away, he calmly spoke. “What, do I, now, have to rule everything just for you?”

“Nah, but I know you won’t go around marrying any ‘princesses’ left and right until the entire world is yours. If you had another nature, perhaps, but you are you. I know what you’re capable of, but I can only guess what you’ll become in the future ahead. And even then, you might still surprise and surpass my expectations. Isn’t that right, husband?” Elena whispered those last words into his ear, swiftly penetrating his brain softly and warmly.

“Spoken like a true wife!” Heian Ciemnosc exclaimed, his words only reaching her before abruptly turning his head to the front. His darkest eyes were thinking as they twinked with ultimate darkness. Even now, he had no idea how ‘simple’ conquering a Minor Kingdom would be. He already failed to achieve any of that in a failed Kingdom, let alone an actual one. Conquering the world was a correct description of nothing but a pipe dream.

Dash! Whooooosh- track trak trac track track track… Suddenly, to everyone’s shock, Heian Ciemnosc shot forwards into the mountain. His body climbed up with only his feet landing on the surface as he and Elena had long disappeared from their position. A few ‘ooh’ and ‘...wow’ sounded before the leaders of each group started shouting with frustration and greed.

“What are you waiting for?!!” - “Move it! MOVE. IT! Don’t waste time and reap those resources. They must be ours!” - “Take it all, come one! Follow me!!” - “Someone has already gotten ahead of you! Why are you still here? Charge! Charge!!” - “Follow me, everyone, let’s get rich and bring the School glory!” - “For the Empire!” - “Our Dynasty must triumph!” - “...”

… Meanwhile, Heian Ciemnosc, carrying Elena on his back, used his shadow of a tail no one saw nor felt. Only Elena, who was about to ask Heian Ciemnosc what was poking her inner thighs, realized. But before she could ask him, he received his strict, mental message to remain in her position. Elena didn’t cause trouble, and when Heian Ciemnosc wanted to rush forward, he did so without any problems.

“!!” Now that Elena understood what ‘trump card’ her husband mentioned, she was flabbergasted at the insane speed boost. Without his dark Power Energy protecting her, she reckoned her clothes and limbs would’ve been left bare for whatever was beneath, either her body or muscles and bones. Her hair wantonly flapped beside her as she held tight to Heian Ciemnosc, who enjoyed the ride and sensations of his wife holding onto him like the only remaining existence in the world.

… whooooosh- futomp. Finally, Heian Ciemnosc stopped his advancements. Elena was still holding onto dear life and him as he turned around to look at the ants, starting their advance towards the mountain. No cultivator above the Broken Crystallization realm was allowed to participate. Only the ‘little ones’ could get the fun and richness within it. It was a thick, tall mountain, enough to hold everyone in it. But it could be cleanly swept off its treasures quickly, leaving those who were slightly slow with only the leftovers.

“We are here, my little baby,” Heian Ciemnosc said as he flicked the top of Elena’s head. She smoothly lifted her head to gaze before her, seeing that they were still not high enough to its peak. She looked at Heian Ciemnosc and asked him while getting off. Since she ignored his teasing, he pouted once but returned to wear a calm expression. “It’s somewhere around him. Have you felt something, too? It could be something that interests you or is simply calling to you.”

Heian Ciemnosc spoke like an expert, leaving Elena praising him in her lovestruck head. She nodded, explaining with an indifferent expression as she looked down at the ants and then up. Feeling somewhat interested in a treasure hunt vastly above anyone else, she looked at him and nodded. Heian Ciemnosc started sensing with his Spirit Sense, and nature read around to find the Wind door faster.

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“... What are we looking for exactly?” After walking around the mountain a little and seeing the other participants already halfway to reach them, Elena asked Heian Ciemnosc as he led the way. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t turn around and continued searching with his eyelids down, responding to her. “Something fortuitous. It might help you somewhat. Come, I can feel we’re close to it.”

“Will we spend too much time there? We wouldn’t want to miss the opportunities in the mountain.” Elena said as she thought about the few Fauna they found, all between the Broken Crystallization realm 1st and 2nd stage. Yet, Heian Ciemnosc punched them with a robust bout of dark Power Energy and smoked those things into flesh and mushy goriness. Heian Ciemnosc grinned and looked back at her. Elena’s brown eyes didn’t show any anxiety or impatience.

“You might become stronger after this chance. Would you be willing to let some treasures go in exchange?” Heian Ciemnosc asked. His words left her wordless for half a second before immediately nodding and mouthing, “Mhm! Let’s continue, this is interesting.”

“...!” Heian Ciemnosc grinned and mentally shook his head as Elena stepped forwards with little skips and grabbed his right hand. However, his head turned in a specific direction, and his darkest eyes turned glad, monstrous, and filled with killing intent. “Come.”

Whoosh… whoosh.

As soon as he spoke that last word, Heian Ciemnosc disappeared into the distant side of the mountain. Puzzledly, Elena followed after a few seconds, wondering how he could not have noticed something around this mountain when his Spirit Sense was already bigger than all of it before Greg’s incident. When she arrived at the scene, she saw Heian Ciemnosc dashing towards a vulture.

Whooooosh- crr- crer- crack. Heian Ciemnosc faced a Silverpeak Vulture! Just what he needed as one of the most significant materials for creating better pills for his Master! He was fearless even as the Silverpeak Vulture was in the 4th stage of the Broken Crystallization realm and rushed towards it without letting it have a chance to react. It was fast and had even quicker reactions. But Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Power Energy and dark Soul left it feeling pressured for a few seconds. When it finally reacted, Heian Ciemnosc was just 1 meter from it!

A blue sparkle went off, followed by the sound of breaking and crashing in the air as a small lightning strike came out from the Silverpeak Vulture’s peak and towards Heian Ciemnosc’s face. With a swift motion, Heian Ciemnosc rolled his body forwards in midair, his right hand immediately searching for the vulture’s head as it sent more and more lightning strikes upwards.

Crack, crack, crack, crack- whoosh, criiiiii- pam- fwap, crreeshhk PUUMM…

Heian Ciemnosc’s body was surrounded by electric snakes, shooting towards him and, when failing to hit him, recoiled and united with other electric snakes, forming a much thicker lightning strike descending onto Heian Ciemnosc’s back! Heian Ciemnosc felt the danger from behind, but he gave it no importance as he continued to fly towards the fleeing vulture. It tried shaking him off, abruptly moving from one side to the other, leaving lightning sparkles behind.

However, like a starving leech, Heian Ciemnosc changed his direction before the Silverpeak Vulture finished its sudden sidesteps in midair. It wasn’t longer than Heian Ciemnosc’s size, and its head was small, too. It even looked somewhat perplexed, and not by facing Heian Ciemnosc, but something from, perhaps, earlier.

The vulture could only last for another 3 dashes before Heian Ciemnosc arrived before it and was just several inches away from capturing it. In a last struggle, its survival instincts kicked in as its rigorous Power Energy went all out. The lightning strike behind Heian Ciemnosc, increasing in space with each passing second, lunged forward faster and thinning down, but not aimed towards Heian Ciemnosc!

Crrraaaaacckkksshhh! As Heian Ciemnosc was just about to grab the vulture’s head, his darkest eyes widened. But he hardened them up as he determinately continued! His right hand slightly opened as the vulture opened its peak widely. The lightning strike thinned out but, as threatening as before, circled around Heian Ciemnosc, prickling his skin and sending harmless, tiny electric ripples around his dark coat scarcely, condensed at the middle of its peak… before shooting out!

Heian Ciemnosc, as mentioned before, didn’t stop. With his hardened, darkest eyes and his wife watching, he felt himself imparable amidst the dark of the night. His right hand continued motioning to grab its head as the vulture’s lightning strike effectuated, and its eyes visibly dulled a bit. His pale hand met an electric ball head-on, his palm receiving its shape directly as the rigorous Power Energy behind tried spreading everywhere at once.

However, Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Power Energy was already prepared and went ahead like valiant warriors to stop the enemy from advancing. From his pale palm, lightning spread almost in a moment’s time, covering his wrist and part of his forearm completely. But before it could reach the elbow, the dark Power Energy formed a dark layer around it, rapidly pushing back the electric, rigorous Power Energy.

For several seconds, Heian Ciemnosc felt his right hand in turmoil. Pain and fresh coldness permeated, interchanging in between as a furious struggle broke out. The Silverpeak Vulture’s lightning strike wasn’t little, breaking apart his skin, charring it, and damaging his muscles. His skin was hopelessly ripped apart by the time the dark Power Energy was no longer shakingly drawn back and forth in a struggle for victory by attrition.

The dark Power Energy finally gained an advantage as Heian Ciemnosc’s bodily strength was already above the vulture. And the Silverpeak Vulture, with its life essence and blood essence put in the line, weakened and lost its strength faster. Heian Ciemnosc’s resilience, storage, and body were fatally superior in every possible regard. If it had been prepared, it would’ve hurt Heian Ciemnosc more, but it didn’t even know how to fight back.

In the end, the victor would still be the same, just not with only half his right arm charred black and injured from within. Heian Ciemnosc’s expression remained fierce since he began the struggle, not emitting a word or exclaiming. When his right hand felt a tiny bit stronger than the lightning ball against his palm, he went for it and rapidly grabbed onto the vulture’s head. Since it was small, he could hold it like most other Races and squash it to death.

However, Heian Ciemnosc didn’t do that, and with electric, rigorous Power Energy still in his right-handed fingers, pieces of which fell off rapidly like lightning bolts shot. He moved his left hand, thrusting it under the vulture’s head, and, with his thumb and index finger, pinched something before taking it out. The vulture let out a tragic, weak howl before being crushed against the ground, its neck stomped by Heian Ciemnosc’s left foot as it turned into part of the soil.

In his left hand was a narrow tongue that was even shorter than a Human’s head compared to its proportions. Looking at it, it was less than half the length of its peak. However, it was this thing that was hard to get as it only appeared in the most matured Silverpeak Vultures or those children from Goldenpeak Vultures. Heian Ciemnosc looked at it with relish as it was in perfect condition. In fact, one might even say it could be one of the best qualities ever.

Step, trrggh… step, step, step. “Did you get it?” Elena came flying after the fight was over. Heian Ciemnosc looked back at her and showed her the pristine, silver tongue. Her eyes became marveled at the exoticness. But after a few seconds, her brown eyes looked up at him as she sent both her hands to her Covert Space bag on her waist to her right carefully, as if not wanting to unfairly treat whatever she was about to show him. Before doing so, though, she asked him.

“I haven’t sensed anything from this mountain other than that ‘calling’ sensation you spoke of. But what did you not see some things? For example, this?” - “!” When Elena showed Heian Ciemnosc what she had in her hands, he became astounded and looked at her, asking for an explanation as he threw the vulture’s carcass far into the distance, away from the mountainside. Elena tilted her head to the left and looked at the little disc-like thing in her hands before cutely giggling.

“You were fighting so hard and not caring about your well-being that you even missed a tiny little thing you flew over. Look, how old is this, uh… Gliding Disk?” Elena asked him afterwards, not knowing this much about mutated plants. Heian Ciemnosc walked forwards, and suddenly, a tiny platinum disc-like object with a miniature stem and a couple leaves aiming in different directions moved.

Vwfoo vwfoo, vwwwwf~... futomp- pah… The tiny disc suddenly became the width of Elena’s torso as Heian Ciemnosc walked towards her. It began spinning and getting even bigger as Elena didn’t know how to proceed, not wanting to harm this thing. Just then, Heian Ciemnosc sent a trace of dark Power Energy and Soul energy. It collided with the disc as it immediately stopped, returned to its previous size, and wobbled about as if drunk.

“It’s very young, about 4,000 years old. It couldn’t recognize anyone as ‘peaceful’ other than you, so it almost harmed you because of it. As you can tell, it’s like a child.” Heian Ciemnosc elaborated, but Elena still caressed the silly thing as it kept falling around her palm. Her other hand’s fingers kept nudging at it as if to wake it up from its stupor. “Gasp. What did you do? Why is it like this now? Heian Ciemnosc!”

“Hmm~,” Heian Ciemnosc said nothing and closed in. His pale hands slowly picked the Gliding Disc mutated plant up to his face and let it see him again. It recuperated at a regular speed as it woke up, but now, it was well-behaved and acted more like a docile little flora. Elena looked slightly unwilling to depart from it, so he added a few words as he stored it and hugged her shoulders, pulling her tighter towards his body. “It’s how nature lives. It will be glad to become something else, even if it has to disappear or ends up being devoured. On the other hand, I’ll try to plant more and keep taking care of them ‘till I can use them before planting more.”

He looked at her, face to face, and added with a pampering tone. New of him, towards his wives, and tonight, it began. “It has always been like that. Even if it’s not seen like that for now, I will change that in the future. It’s how things should have been from the get-go.”

“... Mn.” Somehow, she didn’t know how, but Elena felt like what he said made sense, especially about him making this change happen. After all, he had to rule the world… or die trying. And they would, too, with him.

…