**********
—Two days later—
Lev and the others were now only a short distance from the main city of the Star Lou Empire.
Since they weren't in any particular hurry, they decided to stop at an inn in a nearby town and rest for the day. They didn't make any special plans or engage in any particular activities. Instead, they simply stayed inside and enjoyed a peaceful day of rest, intending to continue their journey the following morning.
However, unbeknownst to them—or rather, despite being fully aware of it—numerous eyes were watching them.
Their location and movements had already been reported to the Star Lou Imperial Palace.
**********
—The next day—
Just as planned, Lev and the three beautiful women accompanying him continued their journey toward the main city of the Star Lou Empire.
They were already aware that people had been following them ever since they left the Zhu Family Palace.
Yet despite knowing they were being monitored, they hadn't made a single move against them.
There was no need.
As long as those people didn't interfere, Lev had no reason to bother with them.
After approximately three hours of traveling, Lev and the others finally arrived at the city gates.
The moment they entered, they couldn't help but admire the city.
It wasn't bad at all.
The streets were lively, the buildings were well maintained, and the overall atmosphere was quite pleasant.
After taking some time to appreciate the city's scenery, they decided to find a restaurant where they could eat and perhaps look for a place to stay for the night.
Although the Imperial Palace was already visible in the distance, none of them were in a hurry.
They had come here to deal with the matter tomorrow.
For today, they simply wanted to enjoy themselves.
**********
—Night—
Star Lou Imperial Palace,
Inside the main hall of the imperial palace, Emperor Dai sat together with the elders while listening to the latest report.
They had already received news of Lev's arrival in the main city.
Now, they were carefully monitoring his every movement.
"Your Majesty, Emperor Lev of the Eternal Divine Empire and his companions have chosen to stay at a hotel for the night. Just as the previous reports indicated, Miss Zhu Zhuqing is indeed traveling together with him."
The man respectfully reported everything they had observed.
Emperor Dai nodded.
"Understood. You may leave."
The messenger bowed before leaving the hall.
Once they were alone again, Emperor Dai turned toward the elders.
The group immediately began discussing the situation in depth, carefully considering every possible move Lev might make.
They knew that the coming day would likely determine the future relationship between the two empires.
**********
—The next day—
Restaurant,
After a good night's sleep, Lev and the others were enjoying breakfast at a restaurant.
They casually sampled the local delicacies, appreciating the different flavors compared to the food they normally ate within the Eternal Divine Empire.
Their peaceful breakfast was interrupted when someone suddenly stopped beside their table.
It was a middle-aged man dressed in military-style clothing.
He bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Your Majesty Lev. I have been tasked with delivering a message from His Majesty, Emperor Dai."
He maintained a respectful posture as he continued.
"Emperor Dai was delighted to learn of your arrival in the city and wishes to invite you to the Imperial Palace so that the two of you may have a proper conversation."
Lev listened to the man's words without much reaction.
After a brief moment, he simply continued eating.
"Wait until we're finished."
The middle-aged man's expression twitched slightly.
He clearly hadn't expected such a casual response.
Nevertheless, he didn't dare complain.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He stepped outside and waited patiently.
After some time, Lev and the others finally finished their breakfast.
Only then did they leave the restaurant and board the carriage prepared by the Star Lou Empire.
The carriage soon departed, carrying them toward the Imperial Palace.
At last, Lev was going to meet Emperor Dai face-to-face.
*****
Star Lou Imperial Palace,
With the carriage transporting them directly to the palace, Lev and the others didn't have to travel for long before arriving at their destination.
They were soon escorted into the main palace hall, where Emperor Dai was already waiting.
He sat upon his throne with five elders standing beside him, all of them watching Lev and his companions carefully.
"First of all, I would like to welcome Emperor Lev to the Star Lou Empire."
Emperor Dai smiled politely.
"This is the first time we have met face-to-face, but I can already tell that Your Majesty is no ordinary person."
His words were courteous, though the five elders behind him also offered their greetings.
Despite the malicious thoughts some of them harbored toward Lev, they still maintained the proper etiquette expected when greeting the ruler of another empire.
"Well, it is also my honor to meet Emperor Dai in person."
Lev smiled and returned the greeting.
Tsunade, Zhu Zhuqing, and Dugu Yan also politely greeted Emperor Dai and the elders.
Regardless of how confident they were, they hadn't forgotten the importance of courtesy.
However, Lev had no intention of wasting time with meaningless pleasantries.
"Let's not drag this out, Emperor Dai."
His expression became serious.
"I came here because I have something that needs to be resolved before I return to my empire."
His eyes swept across the hall.
"And considering your rather obvious surveillance, I assume you've already guessed what I came here for."
He paused briefly.
"But I'll say it anyway."
"I want to formally break off the engagement between Zhuqing and Mubai."
Lev's voice remained calm and confident.
"I hope you will allow it."
He had no desire to remain in the Star Lou Empire any longer than necessary. They had already been away from the Eternal Divine Empire for quite some time, and there were still many matters waiting for him back home.
Emperor Dai showed little reaction.
He had already anticipated this request.
However, one of the elders standing beside him could no longer tolerate Lev's attitude.
The hot-tempered elder had been among those who opposed the idea of negotiating peacefully with Lev from the beginning.
He had always believed that they should instead suppress this young Emperor and force him to submit.
"Presumptuous! How dare—"
Before he could finish his sentence—
Swish!
A dagger suddenly flashed through the air.
Pfft!
It pierced directly into the elder's leg.
"AGH!"
The Titled Douluo's expression twisted in pain as he collapsed onto the floor.
His eyes were filled with disbelief.
He hadn't even seen the attack coming.
Lev calmly recalled Infinity, returning the weapon to his hand in its dagger form.
With a faint smile, he casually wiped the blood from its surface.
He had already expected something like this to happen.
So he wasn't surprised in the slightest.
The possibility of a peaceful negotiation had now disappeared.
The entire hall fell silent.
Emperor Dai and the remaining elders stared at the injured elder in disbelief.
Everything had happened too quickly.
They had barely been able to react.
But more importantly, the incident forced them to reconsider everything they had heard about Lev.
The so-called "naïve young Emperor" was clearly nothing of the sort.
He was decisive.
Ruthless.
And most importantly...
He was extremely difficult to deal with.
"I don't particularly like people shouting in front of me."
Lev's voice suddenly became cold.
He looked across the hall at the remaining elders.
"So, if anyone else wants to stand against me, you can say it now."
The atmosphere immediately became suffocating.
Emperor Dai and the remaining elders exchanged complicated looks.
They were struggling to determine how they should respond.
Lev's actions had already made one thing perfectly clear.
He wasn't bluffing.
Despite the humiliation they had just suffered, none of them dared make another reckless move.
They continued observing him carefully.
"If this is about the engagement between Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai..."
Emperor Dai finally spoke.
"I accept."
He paused.
"But I have a condition."
His expression became serious.
After witnessing Lev's ruthlessness firsthand, his attitude had changed considerably.
Regardless of what they thought of Lev, he was still an Emperor.
And more importantly, he was an Emperor who had already demonstrated that he possessed the power and willingness to act without hesitation.
"A condition?"
Lev raised an eyebrow.
"If I wanted to, I could simply take over this entire empire."
His voice remained calm.
"I'm already standing inside your palace, after all."
His gaze sharpened.
"I'm not asking for permission."
"I'm giving you an order."
Lev stared directly at Emperor Dai.
"I hope that's clear."
Emperor Dai's expression became complicated.
He hadn't expected Lev to be this domineering.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Instead, his eyes shifted toward the elders beside him, silently gauging their reactions.
The entire situation had already gone far beyond what he had anticipated.
Emperor Dai frowned at Lev's response.
Before he could say anything else, a man suddenly appeared beside him and whispered something into his ear.
After listening to the report, Emperor Dai's expression darkened.
He let out a sigh before his spirit pressure suddenly erupted throughout the hall.
"Leave this brat to me. Take the others hostage."
Hearing the Emperor's command, the five elders immediately moved into action.
Even the injured elder gritted his teeth and followed.
They had already anticipated that things might reach this point, and they had prepared accordingly. If negotiations were no longer possible, then they could only resort to force.
And now that they had received confirmation that no one was guarding Lev and his companions, they believed they had finally found the perfect opportunity to end the matter.
Lev had also heard the report.
Instead of showing concern, however, the corner of his lips curled into a smirk.
He hated killing.
But the situation had already been pushed beyond the point where he could simply walk away.
His gaze shifted toward the five elders surrounding him before moving toward Emperor Dai.
"Did you know that Emperor Xue Yu died after making a decision similar to the one you just made?"
"Hmph. Don't lump me together with that failure."
Emperor Dai's expression became cold.
"Go."
The five elders immediately dashed toward Tsunade, Zhu Zhuqing, and Dugu Yan.
"A foolish Emperor indeed."
Lev shook his head.
The next instant, five enormous magic circles suddenly appeared in the air.
Boom!
Five strange figures emerged from them.
They immediately positioned themselves between the elders and the three women.
Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan had already prepared themselves. Lev had warned them beforehand that a confrontation was likely, so the two immediately moved behind Tsunade.
The five elders were caught completely off guard.
They had expected to encounter only Lev's three companions.
Instead, five unfamiliar creatures had suddenly appeared directly in their path.
Their attacks collided with the creatures, forcing both sides to retreat several steps and create some distance.
The elders narrowed their eyes as they carefully examined their unexpected opponents.
Emperor Dai was similarly surprised.
His eyes swept over the five creatures, trying to determine where they had come from.
From their appearance, it was obvious that they weren't human.
They were short, had distinctive green skin, and possessed appearances unlike any spirit master he had ever encountered.
What are these creatures?
Emperor Dai couldn't help but wonder.
Lev, however, simply smiled.
To him, they were nothing more than his five goblins.
The first two were warriors.
One wielded a sword while the other carried a massive axe.
The third was an archer, holding a bow tightly in his hands.
The fourth resembled an assassin, with a dagger in each hand and a sinister look in his eyes.
The final goblin wore a mage's robe and carried a staff, clearly serving as the group's spellcaster.
"Go."
Emperor Dai's expression remained calm.
"There's nothing to fear. They're merely spirit beasts of unknown origin."
He had already examined them carefully and believed that they weren't particularly powerful.
His confidence returned.
"I offered you a peaceful negotiation earlier, yet you refused to appreciate it."
Emperor Dai sneered at Lev.
"What will you do now?"
His eyes shifted toward the five goblins.
"It's only a matter of time before we subdue these ugly creatures of yours."
His cruel smile widened.
"I truly don't know whether you're incredibly brave or simply a fool for coming here without any guards."
Despite his confidence, Emperor Dai remained vigilant.
After all, Lev himself had yet to make a move.
And no matter what the rumors said, there was still one fact he couldn't ignore.
The young man standing before him was supposedly the person who had single-handedly brought down the Heaven Dou Empire.
"Really?"
Lev smiled.
"I never came here seeking peace in the first place."
The moment his words fell, five elemental spirits suddenly appeared around him.
Their powerful presence immediately filled the hall.
Lev didn't even bother looking back at the battle behind him.
"Take care of them."
He casually gave his orders before walking toward Emperor Dai.
Seeing Lev approach, Emperor Dai immediately heightened his senses to the maximum.
His eyes locked onto Lev's every movement.
He could see everything clearly.
Lev stepped forward and suddenly threw a punch.
Emperor Dai smiled.
Too simple.
He immediately raised both arms to block the incoming attack.
But at that exact moment—
Lev's movement abruptly changed.
The punch stopped halfway.
Before Emperor Dai could understand what had happened, Lev's leg had already struck his body.
BOOM!
The impact sent Emperor Dai flying backward like a cannonball.
His body crashed violently into the palace wall.
CRACK!
"Blarrgh!"
Emperor Dai coughed up a mouthful of blood.
For several seconds, he remained stunned as he tried to process what had just happened.
He had clearly seen Lev throwing a punch.
Yet somehow...
A kick had reached him instead.
His eyes widened in horror as he looked toward Lev.
That single kick had caused far more damage than he could have imagined.
Just how powerful is this young man...?
"Your Majesty!"
The five elders shouted in alarm when they saw Emperor Dai being sent flying.
They immediately abandoned their positions and rushed toward him, intending to help.
However, before they could get anywhere near their Emperor, the goblins and Elemental Spirits moved to block their path.
"You ugly little piece of shit!"
One of the elders cursed angrily as he glared at the goblin standing before him.
He raised his hand, intending to finish the creature as quickly as possible.
However, he never expected the goblin to suddenly throw something directly toward his face.
"What—?"
The elder instinctively raised his arm to defend himself.
Then—
BOOOOM!
A violent explosion erupted right in front of him.
The elder was caught completely off guard as the blast sent him flying backward.
His body slammed into the ground several meters away, leaving him seriously injured.
Fortunately, he was still a Titled Douluo, so the explosion wasn't powerful enough to take his life.
Nevertheless, the injuries were severe.
He hadn't bothered to activate any defensive ability because he had never imagined that the seemingly insignificant object could possess such destructive power.
The goblins immediately burst into laughter upon seeing his miserable appearance.
The object they had thrown was a grenade Lev had given them earlier.
It was an ordinary grenade and wouldn't cause much damage against someone of their level.
But the goblins didn't care.
They simply enjoyed using it.
After all, watching their opponents become helpless was entertaining enough.
Emperor Dai looked toward the scene in shock.
However, he wasn't overly concerned.
He knew the strength of his elders.
As long as they dealt with the strange creatures, everything would eventually be resolved.
His attention quickly returned to Lev.
Emperor Dai activated his ability, trying to analyze Lev's movements and figure out what kind of power he possessed.
He then stepped forward and launched himself toward Lev.
I won't lose!
But the moment he reached Lev, his hopes were shattered once again.
Lev's hand suddenly seized his head.
"Ugh!"
Emperor Dai's eyes widened.
He immediately grabbed Lev's arm with both hands and desperately tried to break free.
It was useless.
No matter how hard he struggled, Lev's grip remained completely immovable.
The difference in strength was overwhelming.
BOOM!
Lev slammed his head into the palace wall once again.
CRACK!
Cracks spread across the wall as Emperor Dai's body was embedded into it.
"Blarrgh!"
He coughed up another mouthful of blood while desperately trying to free himself.
This was completely beyond his expectations.
Until this moment, he had still held onto a sliver of doubt regarding the reports about Lev.
Now, that doubt is finally gone.
The rumors were true.
The young man standing before him truly possessed enough power to overwhelm the Star Lou Empire.
"You're nothing but all talk."
Lev's voice was cold.
BOOM!
He slammed Emperor Dai into the wall once again, creating even more cracks throughout the structure.
"Your Majesty!"
One of the elders shouted in panic upon seeing their Emperor helpless in Lev's hands.
But that moment of distraction proved fatal.
A goblin assassin appeared beside him with a sinister grin.
A dagger was already buried deep within the elder's chest.
"Arrrgh!"
The elder's eyes widened.
"You...!"
He immediately unleashed a powerful attack toward the goblin.
The assassin reacted quickly, abandoning the dagger and retreating.
However, it wasn't fast enough.
The elder's attack struck the goblin and sent it flying across the hall.
The elder instinctively looked down at his chest.
Something was wrong.
His heart was beating abnormally fast.
His veins began swelling across his body, and an intense pain spread throughout his chest.
Poison...?
His expression changed.
It's poison—and a lethal one!
He looked toward the goblin assassin.
Despite its battered condition, the creature was still wearing a disturbing, almost mocking smile.
The elder's expression became grim.
The battle continued to escalate throughout the palace hall.
Then suddenly—
BANG!
The massive palace doors swung open.
A group of people hurried into the hall.
Their eyes immediately widened at the scene before them.
Normally, the imperial palace hall wasn't a place that people could enter casually.
But the commotion had become so intense that everyone inside the palace had already noticed something was terribly wrong.
And among those who had arrived...
Were familiar faces.
Tang San and the others had entered together with Dai Mubai.
They had rushed toward the palace after hearing the commotion, believing that some powerful enemy had attacked the Star Lou Empire.
But they were still too late.
The palace hall was already a complete mess.
Broken walls, shattered furnishings, and blood could be seen throughout the area.
And at the center of it all was Emperor Dai himself.
Almost every bone in his body had already been broken.
Lev sensed their familiar presence.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He finally released Emperor Dai.
The Emperor's broken body immediately collapsed onto the floor.
Thud.
Lev had made certain that he had completely shattered the Emperor's bones, leaving him thoroughly crippled.
"I didn't expect to see all of you here."
Lev calmly looked toward Tang San and the others.
It had already been a month since he last heard anything about them.
After the destruction of the former Heaven Dou Empire, their group had disappeared.
He hadn't expected to encounter them here.
Tang San and the others gulped nervously.
They had originally rushed into the palace intending to help after hearing the commotion.
But they never expected to find Lev.
And after seeing the state of Emperor Dai and the destruction surrounding them, they immediately understood what had happened.
They still vividly remembered what had happened a month ago.
They knew exactly what Lev was capable of.
And now, seeing that he was the one responsible for the chaos inside the Star Lou Palace...
Their situation had suddenly become extremely complicated.
"F-Father..."
Dai Mubai's voice trembled as he stared at Emperor Dai lying helplessly on the floor.
He couldn't understand what had happened.
Everything had happened too quickly.
One moment, he had entered the palace expecting to help his father deal with an enemy.
The next, he was looking at his father, battered and broken, barely clinging to consciousness.
A surge of anger immediately overwhelmed him.
"Father..."
His eyes slowly filled with bloodlust as he turned toward Lev.
It's him.
Dai Mubai clenched his fists.
He didn't need anyone to explain what had happened.
Lev was standing right there.
To Dai Mubai, that was enough.
He believed that Lev was responsible for everything.
"You..."
With his anger consuming his reason, Dai Mubai rushed toward Lev with the intention of killing him.
Lev merely looked at him.
He didn't even bother moving.
Dai Mubai's spirit power erupted as he transformed, just like his father had done earlier.
But before he could reach Lev—
Someone suddenly stepped in front of him.
Dai Mubai froze.
His eyes widened.
"Z-Zhuqing..."
The name escaped his lips in disbelief.
Standing directly between him and Lev was the woman he had once considered his fiancée.
Zhu Zhuqing.
She looked at him coldly.
Dai Mubai was momentarily stunned.
He had expected anyone to block his path except her.
"Move, Zhuqing."
His voice was filled with anger, but there was hesitation behind it.
He didn't want to hurt her.
Zhu Zhuqing, however, had no intention of moving.
She immediately attacked.
Dai Mubai hurriedly defended himself, unwilling to strike her with full force.
The situation quickly turned into a one-sided battle.
Lev simply watched for a moment before deciding to let Zhu Zhuqing handle the matter herself.
He then turned away and walked toward the goblin assassin lying injured on the floor.
After reaching him, Lev took something out and handed it to the goblin.
"Use this."
The goblin immediately accepted the item.
Lev then ignored Tang San and the others, shifting his attention toward the battle taking place around the palace.
His summons were already fighting the remaining elders.
It didn't take long.
The battle soon came to an end.
One by one, the remaining elders fell.
Their lifeless bodies lay scattered across the palace hall.
Dai Mubai had also been thoroughly defeated.
His face was so badly beaten that it was almost impossible to recognize him.
Lev glanced toward Tang San and the others.
Although he wanted to have a conversation with them, the situation was no longer suitable for it.
The increasingly loud commotion outside told him everything he needed to know.
The Star Lou Imperial Army was coming.
"Although I would like to have a conversation with all of you right now..."
Lev's expression became serious.
"If you don't want to get caught up in this mess, you'd better leave immediately."
Yu Xiaogang and the others understood what he meant.
No matter how shocked they were by everything that had happened, they knew that their lives came first.
They quickly regained their composure.
"Take Mubai with you."
Lev looked toward them.
"And tell him to stay away from us."
His gaze briefly shifted toward the unconscious Dai Mubai.
"If he ever wants revenge, tell him that I'm always ready."
A faint smile appeared on Lev's face.
"That is, if he's prepared to face the consequences."
Before anyone could respond, Lev suddenly looked toward the entrance of the palace hall.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The sound of hurried footsteps was approaching.
The Star Lou Spirit Master Army had arrived.
Tang San and the others didn't hesitate.
They quickly moved toward Dai Mubai, carried his battered body, and hurried out through another route.
Before leaving, however, they briefly stopped and looked back at Lev.
Their expressions were complicated.
But in the end, they turned around and left.
Lev watched them disappear before turning his attention toward the approaching army.
"Now..."
A cold smile appeared on his face.
"Let's end this."
The five elemental spirits immediately turned toward the incoming army.
The five goblins did the same.
Excitement appeared in their eyes as they prepared themselves for another battle.
After all, they could still fight.
And more importantly...
They could still grow stronger.
Even Tsunade looked toward the approaching army with anticipation.
She had been restraining herself for quite some time.
Perhaps this was finally an opportunity to let loose.
The next moment—
The battle began.
A battle powerful enough to shake the entire Star Lou Empire erupted within the imperial palace.
And at the center of it all stood one man.
Lev Hendrix.
The Emperor of the Eternal Divine Empire.
The very existence of Lev had once again become the catalyst for the destruction of an empire.
Just as the Heaven Dou Empire had fallen before him...
The Star Lou Empire soon met the same fate.
*****
—One month later—
In just one month, the Star Lou Empire had been turned upside down.
With the help of Zhu Zhuqing's father, the former Star Lou Empire officially came to an end after being swallowed into Lev's growing dominion.
Just like what had happened to the former Heaven Dou Empire, it took Lev only a month to settle everything, establish his authority, and secure a firm foothold over the newly acquired territory.
The news was nothing short of earth-shattering.
Every major power, clan, city, town, and even the smallest villages across the continent had heard about it.
Shock spread throughout the entire continent.
No one had expected that, only a month after the fall of the Heaven Dou Empire, the Star Lou Empire would suffer the same fate.
Two great empires...
Both conquered by the same person.
And Lev had done it alone.
*****
Spirit City,
Inside the Supreme Pontiff's Hall, Bibi Dong's expression could no longer be described as calm.
She sat upon her throne with a deep frown, her mind occupied by the increasingly serious problem before her.
While Spirit Hall had been preparing for how they would deal with Lev, she had never expected him to move this quickly.
In the span of only one month, he had conquered another entire empire by himself.
This can no longer be delayed.
Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed.
The longer we wait, the stronger Lev becomes.
We need to initiate the plan and eliminate him immediately.
She clenched her fist.
With both the Heaven Dou and Star Lou Empires now under Lev's control, there was only one logical conclusion.
His next target will be Spirit Hall.
And I won't allow that to happen.
*****
God Realm,
While the continent was being shaken by the shocking changes below, five magnificent beings could be seen seated inside a grand hall.
Their appearances were so sacred and awe-inspiring that anyone who saw them for the first time would instinctively feel the urge to worship.
And if someone knew their true identities, they would have even more reason to do so.
These five beings were none other than the Five God Kings, the supreme rulers and overseers of the God Realm.
"The changes happening on the continent are becoming somewhat concerning, wouldn't you say?"
One of the God Kings spoke, his expression thoughtful.
Although the Gods no longer involved themselves directly in the affairs of the mortal continent, they were still its overseers.
They couldn't simply ignore such drastic changes.
"Indeed."
Another God King nodded.
"Drastic changes have been occurring throughout the continent, and that strange youth named Lev is at the center of all of them."
They already knew about Lev through the remnants of their followers and the various forces they maintained within the mortal world.
"How about sending someone through our followers?"
Another God King suddenly suggested.
"His power is far too dangerous. I believe everyone here understands that."
His expression became solemn.
"Since we cannot freely descend into the mortal world, we should use our followers and candidates to investigate him. At the very least, we need to determine whether his power is somehow related to the Spirit Beasts."
"If you're all so worried about another Dragon God ascending..."
One of the God Kings suddenly spoke with clear irritation.
"Then you might as well kill him already."
He scoffed.
"Everything you're doing now is simply wasting time."
Although the possibility of another Dragon God appearing was extremely unlikely, even he couldn't deny that Lev's power was unusual.
Perhaps even more dangerous was the fact that they couldn't determine its origin.
The other God Kings showed their displeasure at his words but chose not to respond.
Instead, they continued discussing the matter among themselves.
They needed to determine the best way to establish contact with Lev.
After all...
They weren't merely interested in him because of his power.
They also had their own hidden motives for wanting to communicate with him.
*****
Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well,
After an entire month of constant activity, Lev had finally found some time to relax.
He was currently soaking in the hot spring within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, his eyes closed as he allowed himself to enjoy the peaceful sensation.
Although the effects of the spring were no longer particularly beneficial to him, the warmth still provided an indescribable sense of comfort.
For the first time in quite a while, Lev could simply relax.
With the second phase of his plan successfully completed, he had decided to temporarily set aside his missions and vigilance.
For now, he simply wanted to rest.
He leaned back against the edge of the spring and closed his eyes once again.
This feels good.
However, his peaceful moment didn't last long.
Suddenly—
A familiar voice echoed inside his mind.
Lev's eyebrows furrowed.
"What now?"
He opened his eyes and looked toward the source of the interruption.
But the moment he saw what had appeared before him...
His expression changed.
A smile slowly formed across his face.
It seemed that his brief period of relaxation was already over.