Chapter 243: Looking for me?

"And do you really think I can’t escape from your pressure?" Nova said, his words making Kharos frown. But the very next second—

Nova, Velena, Nyxara, and the two colossal Deadborns vanished right before everyone’s shocked eyes.

"What?!"

"Where did they go?!"

Jaws dropped across both armies as they watched the masked man, Nyxara, Velena, and the two colossal Deadborns completely escape from Kharos’s pressure.

It should have been impossible.

Even though no one truly knew Nova’s actual strength, the fact that he had only been targeting low-level Emperors — while relying on Nyxara’s protection — made it clear he should not have been able to escape the strongest Demon Lord’s suppression so easily.

Yet his demonic aura and pressure had never belonged to a weak existence... and now he had vanished right after openly challenging Kharos.

Kharos himself was visibly surprised. He had not sensed any spatial rift opening, which should have been impossible under his pressure.

"Did he have some kind of treasure?"

"Even if he did, that shouldn’t have been possible..."

"Just what kind of existence is this Slaughter Monarch?!"

Murmurs spread rapidly through both armies. Even Caelan looked surprised. In the very next moment, a familiar voice rang out across the sky.

"Looking for me?"

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice and saw Nova standing alone in another location, arms folded casually as he looked down on them all.

"You idiot. Did you really think you could catch me?" Nova said toward Kharos.

Shock once again rippled through the battlefield. Nova had appeared in a completely different place without any spatial fluctuation or spatial rift.

What kind of ability was that? Was he using the Void? No... that sounded impossible. Only one existence in this world was known to possess that affinity.

....

Eight seconds earlier – Inside System Space

Nova, Nyxara, Velena, and the two Deadborns appeared inside the system space.

They all breathed heavily after escaping Kharos’s crushing pressure. They had arrived at a location far from where Nova’s family was staying.

Liya immediately appeared and supported Nova, having already reactivated the time dilation.

Nova turned to her.

"Do you think that was enough of a performance? Enough to show the entire continent the might of the Slaughter Monarch?"

Liya shook her head slightly.

{I would like to say yes... but I don’t think it’s enough yet.}

"Husband... it’s alright. We can still help you with your quest," Nyxara said. She looked at the exhausted Nova and realized just how much he had been pushing himself to endure Kharos’s pressure — even though the Demon Lord had been holding back.

She herself was a Sovereign and had struggled under that pressure. She could not imagine how much harder it must have been for her husband. Inwardly, she praised him.

Velena shared similar thoughts. Yet more than that, her heart was beating rapidly because of what Nova had said earlier.

He had called her his woman.

Even though he had said it together with her princess, he had still called her *his*. Those words kept ringing inside her head. Her cheeks grew redder and redder as she struggled to control her expression.

Nova shook his head.

"No. Both of you should stay here. Kharos will try to capture you, and I’m not sure I can concentrate enough to bring you both back into the system space under his overwhelming pressure."

"It’s easy under normal circumstances... but it’s hard when he’s suppressing everything."

"But—"

Nyxara tried to protest, but Nova stopped her.

"Don’t worry, my wife. I’m not looking for an active fight against them. If I’m alone, I can complete the quest much faster."

Nyxara had no choice but to agree. In the end, she knew she could not help him much against existences like her father, the Human Emperor, the Beast-folk Emperor, or even Aurora. Not to mention those hateful Eclipse Order leaders like Zeon.

A heavy sense of weakness settled over her.

Nova saw the sad look on her face and sighed softly. He pulled her closer, made her look into his eyes, and spoke gently.

"My beautiful demoness... didn’t you see the looks on their faces when they realized you had already broken through to the Sovereign realm? That phoenix woman Lyra is many times older than you... yet you are already at her level."

"This only proves how powerful you have become. So don’t feel dejected."

Nyxara’s heart trembled under his warm words. The gloomy thoughts slowly faded as she realized he was right.

Nova continued with a confident smile.

"And don’t worry. As your man, how could I ever let my beautiful wives remain weak? It’s only a matter of time before all of you will be able to look down on everyone in this world."

Nyxara’s expression softened into a genuine smile, which made Nova smile as well. Liya also smiled as she felt the sincerity in his words. She knew that day would come soon.

Nova then turned to Velena and deliberately patted her head. Her body shuddered at the sudden affection, and she flinched slightly.

"As for you, Velena... thank you for helping me. I felt the sincerity in your words when you stood up to Demon Lord Kharos for Nyxara and her mother. You are a great person."

Velena could only manage a quiet reply.

"...I-It’s my pleasure, Lord Nova."

Nyxara smiled at her cute maid. She fully understood what Nova had meant, and she felt truly grateful.

Nova then turned toward Liya and asked:

"If I consume the souls of these Emperor Realm warriors — including the Level 4 one Nyxara captured will I be able to break through to the Emperor Realm?"

"You definitely will... but—"

Liya’s first words made Nova feel relieved, yet the moment he heard the word "but," his expression tightened. Liya glanced at Nyxara, who stepped forward to explain.

"Husband, the third evolution is quite different. The strength gap between Peak King Realm and Level 1 Emperor Realm is enormous."

"Because of that, it takes a great deal of time to break through. Even with your innate skill, it would still take you at least a few months... possibly up to a year. It took me one and a half years."

"It took me two years," Velena added quietly.

Nova understood.

If he started his third evolution — or the breakthrough to Emperor Realm — it would take him at least several months. With his unique existence, which did not follow the normal rules of this world, it might take even longer.

That would mean missing the quest.

Then another thought crossed his mind.

What if I only raise my strength to Peak King Realm for now?

{That could work.}

Nova instantly brought out all the sealed souls from his inventory. Before any of them could speak, he sealed their mouths.

The captured Emperors looked utterly terrified as they faced death — in their eyes, Nova appeared like a true god of death.

They could not even beg for their lives.

As he examined them, Nova noticed something important. Before killing these Eclipse Order psychopaths, he had already observed that their races had been altered.

Some were hybrids of human and demon, others demon and elf, human and beast-folk, beast-folk and demon, and there were even a few human-dragon hybrids.

These bastards are really up to something...

Nova thought. How had they managed to find balance after forcibly changing their races? He himself only managed such things because of his innate skill.

Although the changes in these men were incomplete — they had not been born this way — the alterations still granted them certain advantages of other races.

However, none of them possessed anything close to the pure power of Demon Lord Raze.

They must have received help from some greater power... or something beyond his current understanding.

Putting those thoughts aside for now, Nova focused on the matter at hand.

His level had already risen significantly after killing the Level 2 Emperor earlier. He never ceased to be amazed by his own power.

He had not expected to be able to kill a Level 2 Emperor so easily — though part of that success was due to continuously maintaining the Demon Lord’s aura.

Without further delay, Nova activated Voidborne Telekinesis and mixed it with Soul Pulse. One after another, he shattered the souls of the seven Emperor Realm warriors.

**

Thanks for reading...