Second Step

Titling a cultivator within an organization wasn't something that could happen just because one was good enough for their organization. A First Step had to follow the same rules that even an existence would have to in their Sixth Step organization. A Genius, Gifted, Chosen; these were all titles only the adequate people could harness. If someone like Milyy was far beyond the requirements for a favored title such as a Son, Daughter, Holy, Sacred, Saint, Child, and so on, then Olivia Clark was an expert employed ways below her level.

As she became the Sacred Celestial, news finally spread throughout the 3* Region they’ve been battling. What started as an ‘in the Sect, there’s someone who can break through realms as fast as one can learn a Craftsmaking profession for the first time’ to a well-understanding level in the Sect.

Already knowing the Forbloffende Traes Sect’s impossible expertise of Craftsmaking, the 3* Region was abundantly curious to know what this person was like. However, while the higher Step organization debated if it would be worth it to stand on a lower ground with them just to know this person’s intricacies, the Sect sent more people to the 3* Region.

Among them was the Sect Master’s disciple, whom many thought very well of after many rumors. This move from the Sect wasn’t merely because it was time to show more power, or because it was brainlessly necessary to do so.

After 18 years of showing off the Shadows’ might, there was a strange situation unfolding in the 3* Region. Slowly, more and more people converged on the enemy side, but weren’t thrown to the battles right away. Instead, they spent more time preparing.

This didn’t mean they’ll suddenly grow stronger, but the atmosphere during the battles became more somber and heavy. Thus, during the 174th year during the 12th month, as Olivia Clark became another Grand Ancestor, the battles continued.

After numerous years, and with the manual of the [Chronicles of Life & Death] Second Step evolution spread throughout the Sect, it was bound to welcome Second Step cultivators. After the first decade, more or less, Todoro Kalavera, Pretieta Gori, Liliam, Hexitia, and even Saon Gori led the first batch of Second Step cultivators.

On the other hand, once more Grand Ancestors were promoted to such, and the already previous ones broke into the Second Step, cultivation base didn’t become easier, but things started moving forwards.

Additionally, the mines that had previously closed were reopened, with only some old engineers and Servants allocated to work on them. They were the most trustable regarding not spouting nonsense and creating rumors outside the Sect. With these developments, during the following 8 years, the Sect’s first Second Step cultivators were evenly supported.

Pretieta Gori and the others had returned from the battle zones before breaking into the Second step. Now that they were returning, almost a decade later, they would face new enemies with different levels of strength. They would have to experience the enhanced Power Energy and crystallized armor for the first times in their lives, but also spear charge into showing the Sect what their Second Step looked like.

Meanwhile, Olivia Clark, the Sect’s so-called ‘secret weapon’, had challenged 3 equals 2 stages above her cultivation base as soon as she set foot into the battle zone. One by one, with her smooth sword, which was an Earth grade sword that could extend like a thorny, darkish whip. She defeated those 3 without suffering grievous injuries, although some blood was drawn from her body.

Nevertheless, from then on, without them knowing as it could only be reflected later on, the sinister years in the battle zone began. The Shadows were victorious and gained incomparable morale at the very start, but this was only the beginning of a stain in the Shadows’ history.

During the following months, the Shadows fought through battles, slowly feeling as their bodies became slightly heavier during their fights and marching towards the enemy. Occasionally, they’d look at the skies to see their Spirit Rebirth realm, current Grand Ancestors dueling the enemy equals. The most eye-catchy one belonged to Olivia Clark. A young woman fighting any old and young from varying Steps organizations.

This became the norm for the current Grand Ancestors, who would be replaced very soon, and their status as Grand Ancestors would diminish once the transition was complete. However, the sinister years became more and more heavy to the Forbloffende Traes Sect.

As the Grand Ancestors put in all their effort to break into the Second Step, dueling more enemies and some even receiving critical injuries after consecutive duels, the enemy began stopping the soldier units’ advancement.

On the 8th month, when Olivia Clark pushed her limits and went past them for the umpteenth time in less than a year, she was struck severely during her last 2 duels. When she wanted to retreat, her surroundings were occupied by an enemy assaulting group. The other Shadows were quick to act, and Olivia Clark killed 5 of those 13 assassins with equal cultivation base, but that was the first day that the Forbloffende Traes Sect lost a Grand Ancestor, and 2 at the same time.

Irremediably, this called for an answer from the Forbloffende Traes Sect, and overall, from the Vrida Region’s people. When things were over, and before a grievously injured Olivia Clark was visited by her Master, whom she refused to want to see until she had enough combat experience to spar with him. Sect Master Darkness exposed those who initiated the assault.

Without giving any source or evidence, the Forbloffende Traes Sect Master’s… leader demanded respect and compensation for daring to form a strike group to assassinate the battling cultivators. This made sense, as the Sect could do the same and contract other Regions to assassinate this 3* Region’s First Step organizations’ people.

However, the 3* Region only reacted on the day the Sect Master exposed the several Second Step organizations, and the 1 Third Step organization scheming everything under the table. Before a reaction that led to the 3* Region opting for the same methods to occur, as assassination and sudden assaults on the Sect’s Grand Ancestors vehemently sprouted from nothing.

From then on, the battle zone became no longer a battling scenario, but one where the enemy side started using tactics to straight-up lower their strong numbers. As this was just starting, Heian Ciemnosc reunited with his stubborn disciple, who had no choice but to bow her head as she rested on her bed and was breathless.

… Step, step, step, step…

Heian Ciemnosc stepped into her private chambers, in a base where she built her own new temporary residence, with Heian Ciemnosc’s standards and customs and all. Olivia Clark had her back against the wall, her torso bled as she woke up from exhausting her Power Energy and to change her grievous wounds’ medicine and theriac dressing.

When Heian Ciemnosc stepped in, she wanted to protest and shoo him away. Olivia Clark knew that as long as she presented signs of wanting to see him to either see him and just that or seek guidance from him, her Master would know. She struggled so much to not give any signs, but when she saw him come into her chambers, her struggles gave up.

With her head hung low, she let Heian Ciemnosc stand beside her bed, just a foot to her left, as she painfully leaned her back on the wall. Heian Ciemnosc looked at her in silence, while those greenly, star-twinkling eyes sneaked glances to his knees and hands beside her, immobile.

“You’ve been stubborn enough. Time to end that, too.” Heian Ciemnosc said as he lifted his right hand and moved it towards his disciple’s face. Olivia Clark slightly lifted her face before dropping it again, but his fingertips landed on her semi-golden-like skin. His voice, softly spoken, traveled into her ears and transformed afterwards, like devilish whispers.

“It seems like every time you achieve your goals but don’t understand when to stop, I need to be there and remind you what to do, how, and that you’re being too stupid.” Heian Ciemnosc’s right hand brought her now long blonde hair further behind her ear, with his face closing in and his left-handed fingertips tracing from her left shin to her knee.

“It seems…” Heian Ciemnosc repeated, pausing for a moment. His left fingers traced further up, traveling to her thigh and putting pressure at the center, with half a distance away from her body. Instead of feeling pain because of her injuries, his disciple gasped in comfort. “You need my heavy hand more than I thought you would.”

“… Master,” said Olivia Clark, after lifting her face and letting her seemingly blood-covered lips slightly open. She looked up at her Master’s obscenely handsome, overly pale countenance.

“Shhh,” Heian Ciemnosc softly shushed her while suddenly but smoothly bringing his left hand up her groin. Olivia Clark’s eyes inadvertently blinked as if many things got into her eyes as Heian Ciemnosc’s right hand held the back of her head and gently landed her back on her bed. It was an individual bed, with blank, yellow bedsheets.

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“Now, I want to take what is mine,” Heian Ciemnosc said without shame or forcefulness. His words were possessive, however. The greenly, star-twinkling eyes looked up at her Master’s blatant, overt desire for her. Not just her body, which he seemed obsessed about, as his hands never left her body despite no direct skin contact… yet.

Because his darkest eyes never left hers. It could be awkward and even strangely intimidating at first, but as her Master spread her legs and she softly let her body move on his hands’ commands, his stare turned universally intimate. He would always have her in his safe, caring arms.

It didn’t take more than a couple of seconds for her Master to disrobe her. Some wounds continued bleeding, but as she wanted to protest as the pain from those wounds spilling her blood continued ever so slightly, she heard her Master’s clothes go away…

When Olivia Clark opened her shut tight eyes, she saw the throbbing head that lied on her belly, as if letting her body get comfortable with it before taking something away from it. Inadvertently, Olivia licked her lips before sending them into her mouth to suck and lightly nibble on them. Then, she heard Heian Ciemnosc’s words as she couldn’t help but crane her neck forwards.

With Heian Ciemnosc’s body, his waist was at a readied position, but his face was above the top of her head, quite demonstrating Olivia’s regular height body looking like a young girl in contrast. Nevertheless, Heian Ciemnosc’s hoarse words made her entire head blush beet red. “What… Won’t you let me?”

They stared into each other’s eyes again, as hers were drifted to his manhood, which even she knew her body had already decorated even the garden outside to welcome in, all the way in. Her pointy, amazing archetype breasts with large, rosy, honeyed-brown teats hardened to oblivion, and her exquisitely perky, small bottom was fondled by his large, cold yet warm hands.

Without words, Olivia’s right hand grabbed her Master’s penis, the one her contentedly beating heart would finally belong to, and guided it to take a shower first. Once she and her Master violently excited each other from the sheer pleasure of foreplay, she tugged the long monster until the head pried her vaginal lips open. She inadvertently lifted her right hand to his waist and pulled him further into her waiting vulva, but she stopped almost immediately after.

“…” Olivia looked at him in silence. Her half-dreamy, star-twinkling green eyes told Heian Ciemnosc she wanted him to have that moment. Thus, Heian Ciemnosc let his body fall slightly on her as her surprised face slowly relaxed with a soft yet heavy tongue showing her the ropes. When her neck lied on the mattress and Heian Ciemnosc felt an incessant tightening around his crown, he caressed her neck with his darkened teeth before invading her to his heart’s contents.

“This vulnerable… weakened… fragile, hurt body… makes you tastier.”

“Aaah~!” After his breathy words reached her, Olivia was busy feeling his glans in her body, his tongue in her mouth, him sucking and biting her when he suddenly went to her neck. She had only heard from some boasting gals about their lovemaking with their man, but feeling it was another thing altogether.

Just then, Olivia felt his hands and claws marking their way up her chest. When she felt them harshly squeezing her whole breasts yet only sending smooth, squishy pleasure to her overworked brain. Her moans were muffled into his throat as she felt two heavy, bally things slam her buttocks and sides of her entrance.

Heian Ciemnosc remained there as if to give Olivia time to breathe, as she knew her blood was decorating his overly paleness down there. However, with how abrupt her Master… her man intruded into her now shaking, blissful body, and how she felt something poke her womb before bending and somewhat coiling inside it. It was definitely not the case of a gentle first time, or at least insertion.

As Olivia felt her body belonging to her Master, the question of the morality between their status was erased from her mind. What the fuck were rules and morality when it came to her Master? For him, she’d work hard until she could at least read his cultivation base. Trekking her cultivation path in the process was the appetizer to her future full of grace.

As for Heian Ciemnosc, he had prepared many things for his first disciple. From a path to greatness, becoming the one and only Vice sect master to lead the future battles in his necessary absence from the public, He suddenly fell to his disciples’ innate charm. Her absurd, perverted potential only enhanced the notion. The once a young girl behind his disciple also added to the desire in his now beating and raging heart as he pumped her full of his meat.

Her beauty, her actions towards him, her loyalty, and her thirst for cultivation and finding her desire to find answers. It was undeniable. It would have happened at some point, and Heian Ciemnosc wouldn’t have waited until a chance or opportunity to do so.

Several minutes later, Heian Ciemnosc was considerate enough to let her experience the blissful filling up that his wives always tremble like dying chickens when it happens. As he inseminated her, with Olivia immediately understanding he was infertile, making her disappointed for a couple of seconds. Heian Ciemnosc turned her around and sat his bum on the edge of her bed as he mounted her on his lap.

Olivia instinctively followed her heart and body’s desires as she placed her hands on his shoulders and bounced up and down on him while still orgasming for the first time in her life. The wide disparity between Heian Ciemnosc’s body and his genitals to his disciple’s body and her small, but hard-trying vaginal lips engorged around the vicious behemoth with foam from the result of their passion added to the notion.

It started as a meeting between master and disciple, only to turn into a lovers’ first night together. Before long, Heian Ciemnosc began showing her the ways to please him best while reading her like a book. Her body was truly his, and she was his to play with as much as his greedy, lusty heart wanted to. Starting with many plays, including her face and his groin, among others…

… The day after the Sect Master’s disciple was assaulted and thought she’d need at least half a year to recuperate, Olivia Clark went against all odds and reappeared safe and sound. Her expression when looking at the enemy was different, and as she experienced near-death for the first time just the day before, she seemed to exude breathtaking, imposing killing intent from her star-twinkling eyes.

The duels resumed, but this time, everyone fought closer to each other. Even then, enemy ambushes and assassination attempts began occurring a month later. It went from 0 to 40, before becoming too often. At one point, the Shadows could no longer duel without knowing they’ll be targeted by at least a dozen others.

However, the number of enemy Spirit Rebirth realm cultivators that could deal with them with such preparedness weren’t many. Every battle, the Grand Ancestors had to worry about their retreat, grouping even closer and ready to defend whoever was targeted.

The year ended like this, as the Shadows were stopped from making any advancement, but at least they didn’t lose terrain again throughout the year.

During the following 2 years, the Shadows became used to the enemy's relentless assassination attempts, and even lost a few more Grand Ancestors. However, back in the Vrida Region, the new members yearly influx exponentially increased. Those who failed more than once before had practiced enough Craftsmaking and created a stable foundation in their cultivation path.

With the happenings in the first year, when Olivia joined the battle zone and the Second Step Shadows dueled the enemy equals, but without assassination attempts. The Grand Elders and Ancestors of the Sect found a brand-new blood-boiling goal to stimulate themselves with.

As such, the new Grand Ancestors, or at least the future Spirit Rebirth realm cultivators in the Sect, were bound to increase like never before. On the other hand, the Sect warned the Vrida Region that they’ll stop taking new members in the foreseeable future, after the battle zone situation was settled.

Additionally, Olivia broke into the Second Step. However, this wasn’t for no other reason but because she spent half her leisure time designing something Heian Ciemnosc thirsted for the most. His Sect’s very own assassination, stealth, and espionage assets.

After cultivating his disciple until she achieved peak First Step Craftsmaking overall, just like Pretieta Gori, Todoro Kalavera, Liliam, and Hexitia had done. Olivia had become as productive as Heian Ciemnosc imagined an impossible living being like her to be born in the current world to be. In fact, she was even a little better…

While this was only the first baby step towards such assets, Olivia managed to devise one from his teachings and experience he imparted on her. Thus, every day, after making love and some dual-cultivating, Olivia received newfound inspiration to continue researching.

Like this, the first few Shadows to train in assassination, stealth, and espionage began their regimen. However, it unfortunately wasn’t all good news. The Shadows were finally pushed back from ¾ of the terrain they had occupied for a few years.

The enemy suddenly sent over 20 million soldier units forth, pushing the Shadows backwards until they reunited and formed a sheer defensive position in the middle. That day’s battle, both sides tried to end the other to gain their lost territory. Some since long ago and others just today, nobody could have expected the complete, utter massacre today would continue to unfold for the next years.

. . .

8 years after the first Second Step Shadows and Olivia Clark joined the battle zone.

During the sinister years, the Shadows experienced millions of deaths, amounting to more than 10 million. Their losses were constant, but so were their temporary victories. Although one could push forth and eliminate the enemy, making them fearful and retreat or helplessly die by their hands. When one lost, it couldn’t be recuperated.

The lives lost were not worth the temporary victories, but if they didn’t force the enemy back with their indomitable persistence, willpower, and strength, they would be shrunk to the enemy’s heart’s contents. The Shadows couldn’t allow themselves to be at the enemy’s mercy. They fought and struggled, each time killing as many tens of millions that killed more and more of their comrades.

The enemy was naturally not without critical losses. Throughout these 8 years, they had completely given up on understanding and matching the Shadows, they finally realized it was meaningless, fruitless. They relied on their big numbers and patrons supporting their war effort, never fading from the battle zones despite… nearly 200 million soldier units gone, just like that.

It was a never-ending struggle to control most of the terrain in the once-a-port area. Throughout the years, both sides battled to control ¼, half, and up to ¾s. But it never ended with a solid, long-lasting victory. It was always a change of hands in the following few months. The losses were tremendous.

However, in the last year and 2 months, with the Sect Master’s disciple’s espionage units, the enemy was worked up to become pushed out of the port area. The Shadows no longer lost as many casualties, although sacrifices were still made. Furthermore, all soldier units in the Sect participated in the last year and few months.

But then, the Shadows were graced with their ultimate victory after they completely occupied the port area. They were to finally return, and their Forbloffende Traes Sect was to finally become a Second Step organization. They… have made it!

…