Whoosh!
Damien’s figure reappeared in the sky above the Cloud Plane. His location was the Southern Continent, the Sacred Mountain Province that was once ruled by the Ye Clan. His gaze panned the area, his awareness spreading in full.
Within an instant, the entire Southern Continent was present in Damien’s gaze.
‘Hmm, looks like they finished everything over here.’ He nodded to himself. ‘This level of power is great too.’
Although it was limited to the Cloud Plane, the power he felt as he teleported untold kilometers with barely any mana consumption and spread his awareness to cover an entire continent was especially pleasurable.
‘Then, if I do this…?’
Damien sent World Force into his heart and pressed it into the area where he felt his mysterious connection with Ruyue. In that instant, the view in front of his eyes changed completely.
In a battlefield engulfed in flames, three women valiantly cut down their enemies. As if they were the central position of the battle taking place, the movements of both enemies and allies revolved around them.
Damien sighed to himself. ‘In the end, the three of them still joined the purge. Their determination to get stronger is really admirable.’
Although Damien and the experts of the Cloud Plane always referred to the purge as if it was something easily accomplished, the truth was different.
It was a war on the traitors. Because the aforementioned group was always paying attention to war on a universal scale, their perception of the ongoing operation was naturally skewed.
Damien shook his head. ‘This is good experience. I’ve already experienced both Great Wars through various encounters, so I at least have a basic grasp of how it works. As for large-scale battles, I’ve been used to those since the beginning.’
The dungeon was a place where it was him against the world. Large-scale battles had always been his specialty, it was just that he rarely got to experience them.
‘Haa, even if I want to join in, I have to go to Apeiron and solve the matters over there. Should I leave them or take them with me?’
He didn’t ponder it for long. Instead of deciding for them, it’d be easiest to simply meet them and ask.
As he had the thought, Damien’s figure vanished from the skies of the Southern Continent, unnoticed from start to end. When he reappeared once more, he was on the Eastern Continent, hovering above the battlefield he just witnessed.
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
“Glory to the Wushuang Sect!”
“Brothers, take down those filthy traitors and become true warriors!”
Various exclamations and battle cries traveled through the battlefield. The sound of weapons clashing against each other created a horrid cacophony of sound as it entered Damien’s ears. Combined with the heavy stench of blood, it wasn’t a pleasant place to be.
Damien’s nose wrinkled in disgust. ‘Even if I’ve experienced it before, war is never a sight you want to see. Yet, it’s inevitable.’
War was both a blessing and a curse for those living in this universe. It was a horrid time period filled with death and destruction, where countless people would lose their lives and livelihoods.
When it was a universal war, whole planets were destroyed frequently,
But at the same time, war was an opportunity.
In this universe where killing meant leveling up, where bloodshed was synonymous with strength, war was something many people looked forward to.
Because even if one had the worst talent imaginable, the amount of killing one could do on a battlefield was bound to allow one to level. Due to this, “fear” of war didn’t exist. Even though the risk was evident, there would never be a lack of soldiers signing up to join the armies during war times.
Damien cleared his thoughts. It’d be hypocritical to look down on those who courted death in this way since he shared their excitement for battle and leveling. Instead of dwelling on it any longer, he spread his awareness and found his women on the battlefield.
‘There you are.’
His figure vanished and reappeared in the center of the battlefield, where a large empty area had been formed.
As the enemies continued to circle around the perimeter of this area, Damien soon came to understand that they were avoiding the range of Rose’s Illusory Throne skill.
‘Smart, but not smart enough.’
Just as he thought it, hundreds of tree roots burst from the ground and entangled the surrounding enemies. A large tree emitting strong vitality rose from the ground behind Elena at the same time.
Ruyue’s hand moved through the air gracefully, drawing a trail of iceflames and death mana that covered the tree roots, instantly killing those that had been captured.
And to put the icing on the cake, Rose spread her illusions to those further away, drawing them into the death trap with them being none the wiser.
‘What a deadly combination.’ Damien thought proudly as he watched them. He never expected their teamwork to be so good, but it was only natural considering how they spent the past month or so fighting side by side.
As more and more enemies died and were replaced by others, Damien became tired of just watching.
‘Hmm, they’ll have plenty of chances later, so a little kill stealing now won’t hurt, right?’
His eyes flashed, the amethyst and red within swirling and creating various strange patterns.
A formless pulse left his body, spreading into the surroundings. And the second it did…
Splat!
The disgusting sound of bodies being smushed resounded. Tens of thousands of surrounding enemies were reduced to meatpaste.
As it happened, Damien descended from the sky and met his three beauties.
“Yo! Missed me?” He smirked. But his expression vanished as soon as he saw the cold glares he was receiving from the three.
“I-I’m sorry?” He stuttered, not knowing what to do. This wasn’t the reunion he was imagining at all.
“Hmph!” Rose snorted and turned her head away. As if on cue, the other two followed suit.
Damien smiled wryly. “Well, I understand why it’s like this but I can only explain my circumstances later. For now, how do the three of you feel about visiting Apeiron?”
Rose’s eyes widened unintentionally. Before she could even start giving Damien the cold shoulder, she was forced to stop.
“R-really? We’re going back?” Rose questioned suspiciously.
“Mm.” Damien nodded. “Now that the allied forces are cleaning up the Cloud Plane, there’s no reason for us to stay as well. We need to clean up Apeiron and Earth before they finish up here.”
This time, it was Elena’s turn to be surprised. “We’re going back to Earth as well?”
Damien nodded once again. “Of course! These are two worlds that are or will be bound to me. Isn’t it natural that the Star Master keeps the world safe?”
Hearing his words, the girls slowly came to understand his purpose as well. But since they didn’t know about the Niflheim raid that would occur in 5 months, it was normal for them to be confused.
But the main hesitation that the three of them shared was the fact that they’d have to leave the battlefield. Since their power was showing noticeable improvements already, they wanted to continue.
And Damien solved that hesitation before they were even able to voice it. Cleaning up the two worlds meant they’d still get to constantly battle. And since the forces of those worlds were weaker, they’d have more prey for themselves.
“Good!” Rose exclaimed with a smile. “We can show little Ruyue around our home worlds while power leveling at the same time! It’s the perfect plan!”
Damien grinned. “Right? Not to brag, but your husband has become a genius in this past month.”
“Oho? A genius, you say? I’ll be needing proof of that later.” Rose retorted.
Damien nodded. “Later, then. For now, I’ll send you guys back to the sect so you can prepare to leave.”
Rose and Ruyue nodded in agreement. And since they agreed, Damien immediately teleported them to the Celestial Star Palace.
As for Elena…
“Damien, I…” She struggled to get the words out of her throat. The firm decision she made only a few days prior was crumbling now that she’d seen his face.
Damien observed her seriously. Her hesitation and desire, he could see it all. And knowing her personality, he knew she would fold if he didn’t say anything.
“Go.” He said lightly. It was only a single word, but its meaning was infinitely deeper.
Elena’s eyes widened. “You…!”
Damien smiled. “I’ve known for a while, though I don’t know the details. If it’s something you wish to do, then go. Don’t worry about me.”
Elena frowned. “But…”
“How about you spend the next few months with me? We’ll slay enemies and enjoy ourselves to the fullest. Only after we’ve made enough good memories are you allowed to leave me.”
Elena looked at Damien seriously, trying to force the tears forming in her eyes to disappear.
Damien gently wiped those tears off her face. “I know we have a lot to talk about, but let’s put it off for now and enjoy ourselves. When it’s time to get serious, we can truly spill everything in our hearts and start our relationship anew. Until then, you are mine and I am yours. What else is there to talk about, right?”
Elena smiled gently and nodded. “Mm. As long as you are mine and I am yours, there’s nothing else in the world that matters…ow!”
Her sentimental words were ruined by a light flick on her forehead. “Idiot, don’t you have a goal? Never stop pursuing your goal because of me. Just trust me to have your back as you chase it.”
Damien snapped his fingers with a smile. “Anyway, no need to get teary-eyes yet. These next 5 months…I’ll make sure to completely defeat those tears.”
And as his words ended, Elena’s body also disappeared from the battlefield, returning to the Celestial Star Palace.
Left alone, Damien looked around placidly. “As I thought, war is annoying. Let me get rid of this scourge before I leave.”
His hand waved through the air, a mysterious force pervading it along with his movements.
And with that single motion, every enemy that was at the 3rd class or below…
Died in an instant.