"Hah."
A breath of foul air escaped from the mouth of the man who had lived in darkness for months. His hair had grown longer than what suited him, and his face was covered with a thick beard.
Drawing a sharp breath, his eyes opened as he looked up at the ceiling, waking from his months-long slumber. Blue eyes—beautiful, noble, yet sharp enough to pierce one's soul. They radiated with magic so intense that anyone who witnessed them would feel terror seep deep within their hearts.
Crack... crack...
His muscles snapped and stretched, releasing loud sounds as he moved his stiff neck. His hands unconsciously gripped the floor, causing the magically reinforced surface to crack in an instant.
Boom!
The entire floor beneath his hands shattered as Damon barely managed to stabilize himself. The earth trembled as the house shook with a force it had never experienced before.
Damon was stunned as he looked at the scene. Gazing down at his own hands, he clenched them—releasing a shockwave. His body overflowed with power, so much that he believed a single stomp could destroy the city if he willed it.
He turned toward the wall, where a digital clock displayed the time. With Envy's property allowing him to control his actions to their fullest potential, he could properly restrain his monstrous strength.
Before, even a battle against a commander-level mage would have been a challenge. But now, he felt that a single punch—or even a flick—could send one flying.
The power akin to a standard Monarch now resided within his body, enhanced by the bones of a totem that granted him monstrous strength, growing with his cultivation.
His physical prowess was something perhaps only Devil Mo Fan at his later stages could possess—below only the Great Rulers.
His cultivation had reached the terrifying Super Level—a true powerhouse among humans, capable of venturing into the most dangerous regions and representing absolute authority beneath the Forbidden Mages.
As the house continued to shake, black mist began to seep from his body, lifting him up—similar to the black totem he could now control. With this mist, he could fly.
"Amazing!" Like a child discovering a new toy, Damon floated in the air, spinning in circles, swimming through the atmosphere like a fish in water.
He had flown before—but only with the help of equipment. It was fast, straight, but hard to maneuver. Now, Damon laughed as he felt his cultivation surge. His eyes, once glowing with magic, returned to normal as he broke through the ceiling and soared into the sky.
Like a bird gliding through the wind, he pierced the clouds, stepping upon them as if they were solid ground. Alone in the vast sky, standing on a land of clouds, he faced the radiant sun. His heart raced.
Each powerful heartbeat made him feel alive. He leapt from the clouds, dispersing them into mist as he floated above the city of Shanghai.
Flying faster than cars, weaving between skyscrapers, he felt free—unchained. His newfound power filled him with exhilaration. In his mist form, he soared toward a familiar building. His soul resonated; something—or someone—was calling him, anxiously awaiting his awakening.
Yi~
Even before he reached the building, a small bundle of fiery energy burst through the window. Setting nearby plants ablaze, it flew straight for Damon, who transformed back into human form just in time to catch the red princess in his arms.
Yi~
The little spirit moaned softly, her childlike voice resembling that of a kitten as she gazed at Damon with wide, beautiful eyes.
Yi~ Yi~
She chirped happily, struggling to escape his hold. Damon let her go, and she circled around him in a spiral, observing curiously.
Yiii~ (Changed!)
She chirped again, noticing the difference in his aura before crying out in joy and jumping back into Damon's arms.
"Fira!"
A worried voice came from the apartment. The girl who had missed his presence the most ran out to the balcony—only to freeze in place as she saw the duo hovering above.
Yi~
Fira, the name Mu Nujiao and Damon had given the little Flame Belle, chirped excitedly. She left Damon's arms and flew straight toward the woman she saw as her mother.
Instinctively, Mu Nujiao caught Fira, though her eyes remained fixed on Damon. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks.
Damon descended slowly, landing on the balcony before pulling both of them into a tight embrace. His heart filled with warmth unlike any he had felt before, and his hold tightened.
"I'm back."
***
During Damon's retreat, it was Mu Nujiao who had taken care of Little Flame Belle. With the resources Damon had left behind, the spirit's growth was steady—her power and intelligence both blossomed.
Unlike the original timeline, Mu Nujiao now lived in a separate apartment after Mo Fan's return, along with Ai Tutu. Damon had purchased the building and reduced their rent so they could afford to live comfortably.
During his absence, the little girl brightened Mu Nujiao's days. With Ai Tutu as the mischievous aunt and Mu Nujiao as the loving mother, the two raised Fira together.
Fira's personality grew calm and gentle, taking after her mother. She was affectionate and kind. With no Mo Fan around, there was no bad influence to rub off on her.
"You don't know how much trouble it's been," Mu Nujiao pouted as she complained. "The recruitment for the national team for the World Tournament has started. I need to put in more effort to get selected."
As the father and daughter played their magical game of catch—Damon turning into mist each time Fira tried to tag him—Mu Nujiao sighed.
"World Tournament? It's already that time, huh?" Damon asked, dodging another playful attack. "Why do you want to join so badly? It's nothing that great, is it?"
Just a bunch of privileged second generations, supported by rich families trying to increase their fame. Nothing worth taking seriously, according to Damon.
Though even he had to admit—the tournament's popularity was unmatched. Every news channel, every screen, every conversation revolved around it.
"Before, we couldn't even capture magic properly... but now, with my company," Damon muttered to himself, "I think streaming it would be a great idea!"
Broadcasting the tournament that had the world's attention—capturing the essence of magic like never before, using custom, top-tier cameras, and strategic marketing—Damon's mind raced with possibilities.
Money. Influence. Power.
'Money, money, money,' he thought, as ideas filled his mind.
"Hah, what do you know?" Mu Nujiao huffed. "If I don't get selected, my family will stop investing in me."
"The resources my sister and I get are already limited. If I can't even make the team..." Her voice softened as her mood dropped.
"Nothing will happen," Damon said, appearing beside her in a blur and tackling her playfully. "And even if they stop investing, I'll take care of you. Right, Fira?"
Yi~
Never missing a chance to join a hug, Fira jumped in as well. Mu Nujiao laughed, her worries fading away in Damon's embrace—the safety and comfort she had missed for so long returning at last.
'A Super Mage…' Mu Nujiao thought as she looked at Damon's calm expression. Comparing her peak Intermediate rank to his immense aura, unknown emotions clouded her mind. Her resolve to cultivate grew stronger than ever.
***
A/N:
I seriously thought about the chapters before where sudden friendship with Zhao Manyan, Mo Fan and he girls made many frown.
About how I didn't developed the relationship and instead rushed to main plot and actions.
Well I do understand my mistakes.
I know it wasn't ideal but my writing experience wasn't even worth a 3 days nor it is more than 10 even now. Anyways I understand that many wanted slow development of relationship but as a newbie it was hard.
In the future once I am done with this I may release the side stories chapters dwelving deeper into how it was made