Arrival
2 months later, in space. Within the moving Crimsonbreaking Faction space station.
A large object was moving through space, as were many other organizations' forces heading towards the Mistaken Fissures Upper Kingdom. Even when only hours remained before the space station arrived at the selected Galaxy near that Kingdom, its soldier units were still training calmly yet intensely under their superiors' supervision. Among them, Heian Ciemnosc was just one of them, and those he was sparring with were his senior apprentice brothers and sisters who went all-out in the same battle prowess as him.
Sweep! Whoooosh! Swish, whoosh, swish- swiiifft~! Pah, ta-tah! Pum- poh, sweesh~!!
Heian Ciemnosc’s body dashed into the air without flying, dragging a chain with his right hand, not turned into a dark claw. Before him, as he glided through, 3 people charged at him on the ground and kicked the ground. Heian Ciemnosc swept the chain in his right hand to the left, and some dark Neutral Energy covered the chain from one side to the other, forming an edge around it. When the other 3 saw this, they created energy weapons before them and infused them with Fire, Water, and Light elements before sending them flying forward.
They left a contrail with Elemental particles scintillating left behind before colliding with the chain. The dark Neutral Energy in the chain deviated but continued lunging forwards. Just when the 3 sparring partners seemed to focus on attacking Heian Ciemnosc, they retreated and escaped from the chain. A second later, it became stuck in the air as dark Neutral Energy covered it whole, and Heian Ciemnosc impulsed himself into the air in the chain’s direction.
But Heian Ciemnosc wasn’t nervous, and although his tactics were already known by the headquarters’ people after many sparring sessions, they were still surprised when a chain came from Heian Ciemnosc’s left sleeve of his dark coat. The dark Neutral Energy held by his right hand dissipated, and the chair was no longer there. Heian Ciemnosc’s left palm opened as another 2 chains lunged towards the ground and, more specifically, towards his 3 sparring partners.
The chains flew and struck the ground where the sparring partners were, which they dodged and retreated. Immediately after, they were boosted with Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Neutral Energy from the ground to Heian Ciemnosc’s left palm. When the dark Neutral Energy returned to Heian Ciemnosc, the soles of his feet were covered with dark Neutral Energy, which he stomped on and impulsed himself towards the fleeing sparring partners.
“!” They turned around to face the rapidly incoming Heian Ciemnosc, as flying was not allowed. Forming small blades with Elemental particles, they swung them in a cleaving motion towards Heian Ciemnosc, but he didn’t stop. These sparring partners were in the Soul Spirit realm 10th stage, which meant they had exploded 72 of their stars, all 10 galaxies within their bodies. Heian Ciemnosc, on the other hand, had only accomplished that once and had 7 stars, meaning 1 galaxy, explode inside his inner self.
Now, as Heian Ciemnosc faced these 3 sparring partners, he wasn’t going all-out, but he was using all that he had to defeat them. His left hand tugged the chains, and they seamlessly came out of the ground to fly at them. Meanwhile, his right hand punched forwards and aimed at the first person while small Elemental blades flew towards him, and the others prepared their Arts upon seeing they were not selected to be the black monster’s first victim.
One converged pure energy and created a twirl before fusing Fire particles into it, little by little. The other covered her limbs and eyes with watery tentacles as they solidified and gained weight, but the Water particles around and in her eyes only helped her enter a state where she could be more flexible and react quickly. In the meantime, however, they watched the black monster punch the air before their partner’s neck. The impact overflew Heian Ciemnosc’s fist and hit his neck.
Whoosh- thud!~!
Their partner wasn’t deadly hurt, but he went unconscious for a few seconds before waking up to his back being crushed by the ground. No genuine harm was done, though. The other 2 sparring partners finished their preparations but didn’t stupidly send themselves towards the black monster. Instead, they waited for him to move, and Heian Ciemnosc didn’t disappoint. With his left hand motioning the chains, they swept laterally at them, and the wind was cut through without any energy or Elemental particle.
The chains swept by, and the remaining sparring partners defended themselves. They didn’t underestimate the might Heian Ciemnosc’s bodily strength could give to even simple rocks picked from a civilian’s sports arena. The female with Water Arts motioned her arms as blades, cutting through the air and forming mighty Neutral Energy gashes that coursed through the air and blasted on the chains as her body jumped backwards 30 meters with each jump.
The other sent his fiery tornado forwards as he used it to impulse his body backwards, separating from the incoming, sweeping silver chains. They were both naturally afraid of coming into close quarters with Heian Ciemnosc, but they were even more attentive to the black monster’s energy moves. That’s why— when Heian Ciemnosc burst in between the chains, breaking them apart without a care, and charged at them. They were ready to attack!
They sent some energy missiles towards him, focused on might instead of speed, which Heian Ciemnosc toured around from and easily adverted. But when he was jumping towards the sparring partner with a fiery tornado, it suddenly expanded as he punched with his left hand, becoming dark. On his right, the other sparring partner rushed towards him with her limbs, creating tiny needles that targeted Heian Ciemnosc’s vital points. A Neutral Energy aura with Water particles formed as she focused her crystallized armor around her limbs.
Heian Ciemnosc’s punch broke apart a hole in the fiery tornado, with the guy’s last words before being sent flying being ‘no way!’ as he lost consciousness with his chest sinking and his crystallized armor broken since long ago. But the woman covered in Neutral Energy and Water particles wasn’t giving up despite being the last one to face him, this time courageously throwing herself face to face with the black monster.
Her back resurfaced with a coming wave. It was crushing already at its upper end, with foam and Neutral Energy clashing to form a mighty presence, and her momentum increased as the space in her immediate surroundings gained more and more weight. Her Neutral Energy and Water Art created more substance and smaller waves, and when she came close enough to Heian Ciemnosc, she halted, stood straight in her dash as she continued moving forwards, and thrust her right arm like a polearm.
–CRAASHH! Heian Ciemnosc lifted his right hand again, this time with Claws Out but without the claws extending from his fingertips. He waved it to block the incoming strike, and just as it was about to happen, he kept his right hand in the same position but created a bubble of dark Neutral Energy in his left palm and circled around his position without moving his right elbow or hand, delivering the bubble straight at the last sparring partner’s right ribs.
Heian Ciemnosc extended his left hand and slapped that dark bubble against the sparring partner’s right side, but as it happened and before her body was blasted away, her arms, water needles, aura, Spirit Aspect, and legs lashed at him!
Swish- swuusshh, tiing~, SWISH! Po- pom, pom! Cuuh, cuh, cuh~!~! PSHIFT- BANG! Sweeeeesh- thuud~!
Heian Ciemnosc only saw Water Arts employed before his face and felt his body being struck. The Water needles crashed against his body at the same time the woman’s right arm thrust his right palm. But just like his palm broke part of all the Water around the sparring partner’s forearm and the rest imploded, falling to the ground right after, the needles only poked at his dark coat and combed his hair randomly. While the woman was in pain, she continued striking him, swinging her limbs lightly so as to not lose heavily again after her right arm went numb and she couldn’t use it again.
Heian Ciemnosc’s dark coat and training vest were struck everywhere, even behind his knees and lower back, as the sparring partner tried everything to inflict damage on him or just touch him. But the dark bubble’s effect wasn’t delayed, and it went off along with the woman’s pained expressions as she didn’t lose consciousness. After the explosion, she flew for a couple hundred meters in under 20 seconds before falling semi-harshly and lifting 2 meters of dust into the air.
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‘Phew, the usual laws in a Third Step space station are already solid enough.’ Heian Ciemnosc thought as he slightly breathed in and out with difficulty. He panted and slowly lowered his right arm, which had a thin mark of being cut through his darkened skin, but he didn’t bother with it. If he used his bodily strength, not even his hair would’ve been tweaked. And as the dark layer disappeared to reveal his pale skin, not a single injury was seen.
“Wooooooooh!” - “Yeehaw!” - Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
But the crowd didn’t think the same, and they erupted into cheers as the couple dozens of sparring partners with a bit less of dirt or dust around their ‘spot’ after being flung or struck away began having a slight headache. They writhed and grunted as they tried to wake up, though some directly gave up and wanted to rest there.
Over a quarter of the headquarters watched Heian Ciemnosc beat dozens of Soul Spirit realm 10th stage cultivators. They knew Heian Ciemnosc should still have some of that dog on him as the acclaimed black monster, but to carry all 9 stages to beat many more at the same battle prowess as his… That gave many more points of acceptance to Heian Ciemnosc than he thought it would. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t want to go out in case it backfired, and they resented him more in case it was helpful for the upcoming event.
Heian Ciemnosc was no longer going after becoming one of them, at least not for the near future. Instead, he was looking forward to becoming accepted in the entire Crimsonbreaking Faction because the commander Choliac’s headquarters were already in the midst of acknowledging him as a full-fledged soldier unit in the Second Step, just like these sparring partners he had just beaten.
“Wuuoooo!” The cheers continued for some more time. Heian Ciemnosc used his Vocón Link to help everyone else up and waited in the center as the situation gradually calmed down. Just as Heian Ciemnosc thought he was fine as long as he felt belonging to his Team, and his teammates and team leader were already ensuring that. Commander Choliac suddenly appeared in everyone’s Spirit Sense, followed by their naked eye as he flew atop the training grounds.
“You can deactivate the gravity array formation now,” the commander said. Immediately, the pressure Heian Ciemnosc and his sparring partners had felt all along was lifted. Their bodies relaxed, and they could finally breathe effortlessly. As Second Step cultivators, they were balanced in a Third Step organization’s space station, similar to how it would be if they were in an Upper Kingdom, while in a Middle Kingdom, they would be the strongest powerhouse.
“Very well, you’ve given the last training day an acceptable, decent memory, black monster.” Commander Choliac said, looking at Heian Ciemnosc and nodding before staring at the crowd. “You have heard me. From now on, go to your spaceships. The information was transmitted to your medallions a week ago. If you confuse your temporary place in another spaceship or a different Flotilla from your official one. Don’t tell anyone. Just hope nobody will notice.”
The crowd chuckled, some nervously, and others as they frowned, believing such a thing to be stupid. But the commander was the expert at handling some things in the Faction. Nobody doubted him. Fortunately, Heian Ciemnosc and his Team were still under the same Frigate and commander. Although they were part of a Small Flotilla made of different spaceships from other Flotillas.
“Today has been a good day… You’re all dismissed. Enjoy your last few days of peace. After the Interchanging Dust Dynasty’s preparations are complete, those who will go will have to experience a hell you might never have thought you would in your life… or again.” Commander Choliac didn’t forget to add before nodding at them generally, turning around, and leaving as he turned into a Wind contrail which left them far behind. His soldier units looked at this departing shape and moved after a minute.
“Phoo, let’s go. I need to visit lady number 3.” - “What 3? Everyone rejects you. Only that femb-... uh no…” - “Uh yes, heh heh heh!” - “Man, if only I didn’t act like a bum in the beginning…” - “We’re really going to a Dimension, huh? The Faction hasn’t harvested one since hundreds of years ago. This will save us from the drought.” - “Where was our Flotilla’s 60% orgy?” - “I’m going to become strong, mother, father…!”
“Hey!” While everyone was walking to their own stuff, Heian Ciemnosc suddenly heard Cara speak to him as she grabbed his arm and attention. He looked at her, and she smiled before dragging him without saying anything. “Wei Wei and Beto said they would surprise you but only if you drink for an hour with us. Did you really didn’t think you could save yourself from it again, huh? And don’t even try it. Using Milyy to scare only works when we aren’t planning good things for you.”
“...” Heian Ciemnosc grimaced and dragged his feet but became polite and started walking. Cara waited until they went side by side and grabbed his right arm, hugging it with her forearms as her hands sandwiched his right one. “Now, now. Don’t sulk. We promise to let you go shortly after spending time. It’s our last day in the base, and we spent less than a year, and we’re already going to another organization’s operation. You’ll see how risky they are once we’re in there. Agh! And they last sooo long!”
“Can you imagine? That’s why we won’t waste your time with Milyy. Just spend some fun with us first, okie?” Cara said, tilting her head to the right and asking cutely. Heian Ciemnosc looked at her, blinked twice as people passed by, and saluted them with a nudge of their heads or a simple, short wave. He sighed and dispiritedly nodded, “Sigh, alright. But nothing too harsh. If it’s really that long-lasting, I want to spend time with Milyy as much as I can on this last day.”
“Aha, what about your other wives?” Cara said, lowering her chin and turning her expression into a naughty, crafty one. Heian Ciemnosc looked at her as if she insulted his nonexistent ancestors and made her laugh. “Okay, okay. It’s just rumors, alright? We know nothing, nyooothinnn~.”
Cara said as she raised their speed towards the hub. Heian Ciemnosc gave in and walked into a trap, even if it was a good one, where he could finally become intoxicated again, with any drink, unlike in the Academy, with a slightly grumpy face. Thus, the last day began, and Heian Ciemnosc would have never imagined he’d leave the hub alive, with both eyes open, and in a good mood.
… 10 minutes after leaving the hub, Heian Ciemnosc walked into the Team’s base and found a bored Milyy sulking on the sofa and crying to the silent gods and creators as Heian Ciemnosc finally returned, 1 and 12 minutes late from their accorded time for their date.
“Where were youuuuu?!” Milyy spoiledly cried out. Heian Ciemnosc walked over as if he stepped on a hundred dogs’ paws and cupped her small jaw. She pouted and looked at him ferociously but passively. Heian Ciemnosc’s look made her turquoise hot pink eyes glint. She recognized those eyes!
“What is it?” Milyy sat up, stopped sulking, and grabbed Heian Ciemnosc’s arms as he did to her shoulders. Heian Ciemnosc grinned and felt a little tragic that he couldn’t tease her and play with her for a little as he spilled his beans. “Oh, I just confirmed something.”
“Gasp,” Milyy widened her eyes. She became stupidly shy, looked at the side, low, and muttered lowly. “Actually, I don’t want you to expel every other woman who isn’t your lover or wife anymore. I quite want to pick some innocent lamb out there and bring them so I can see you de-”
“It’s not about that,” Heian Ciemnosc didn’t have a reaction to Milyy’s words, but seeing her act cute and say such bullshit made conflicting emotions in his heart. Should he eat? Or should he devour? Either way, Milyy jolted her head backwards and innocently asked, “Eh? You weren’t? What did you mean, then?”
“I just… oh, confirmed Beto and the others won’t be here anymore. They’ve picked up their stuff and have left the entire base for us,” Heian Ciemnosc said, slowly moving his hands up her shoulders and neck to cup her little face again. Milyy’s eyes glowed intently, and her mouth sucked her lower lip in, looking silly and definitely cute. She excitedly asked, “Really?!”
“Mhm, all ours…” Heian Ciemnosc said, closing in on his wifey. Milyy lowered her face and blushed hard. Her lips trembled and moved, barely echoing, “Then…”
… Thus, not even past 30 minutes since Heian Ciemnosc returned to the base. He and Milyy were on the small sofa with 3 seats, watching the TV with a few extra holographic screens with perfect definition at the side containing some news, either wars or conglomerate-based organizations and groups of cultivators making deals. The TV screen varied its contents, from shows and movies to documentaries of wars, weaponry, stories of the recent Eras, and important organizations. Not only the Existential Sixth Step organizations ruling a Universal Land each but others like the Wrath Nihility Academy and the recently moving organizations in the Quiongu Fanhui Existence.
The Interchanging Dust Dynasty and the Tortoise Glabella School were especially important in the eyes of most populations in the Existence, and one name was highlighted in the possible allies the former could call in. The Crimsonbreaking Faction.
However, that wasn’t important for the lovebirds with their bodies stuck to the sofa. Milyy had hundreds of snacks prepared just for her and a comfy mantle made from a costly Third Step Fauna’s hide. She could move her head anywhere on Heian Ciemnosc’s body to rest and sniff his scent, wherever she wanted, at any time, and she made use of her options.
Her eyes were mostly narrowed as they spent time, and she purred nonstop, only stopping when she felt needy and had her husband emperor, the servant, do all her bidding. Caress behind her ear, nose, face massage, or grope her. Also kissed her and rubbed his face on her soft, pale, rosy skin.
When only 15 minutes remained before Heian Ciemnosc had to leave, and they would have to separate until he returned, which was for a year at the very least. Milyy mounted Heian Ciemnosc, who sat on the sofa and spent the entire remaining time with their mouths together as their lower mouth and weapon did the same. Whenever she felt… definitely not shy… Milyy nibbled and bit harshly on his pale red lips, purring, moaning, and screaming into his throat as several quickies took place, and blatant, lustful passion covered the base’s air.
…