A deep sigh came out of his mouth as he turned off the system's screen to direct his gaze towards Shams, which gave him a feeling of warmth and a clear sky, which made him smile a beautiful smile that concealed the expression of a face distorted by the absurdity of this Mehmam, who was giving him more punishments than rewards.
He was unable to use lake loopholes in his plans to succeed due to surveillance directed at him by the Revered 3, who were hostile to him, especially with the regime that gave him punishments and conditions since his entry into this world.
He paused as he looked at Jia, who was contemplating with her eyes closed while sitting in a shady place to sense her strength, which had become very calm, unlike before, which was in a state of chaos. Moreover, her strength had increased greatly compared to what it was when they were in the city of Yohir Speak.
Jiya opened her crimson eyes because she felt the presence of someone close to her, to find Athena and Yuta looking at him calmly.
She sighed slowly while looking at them, trying to figure out their intention in coming to him, even though she did not remain in a meditative state for a long time, 3 hours.
As it was a period of time that she contemplated her percentage, yet she felt that she had become stronger than she was together, and that she was still in the same rank, Master of the Rulers.
She spoke in a calm tone while closing her eyes again, which made Athena look at him with looks that carried some slight annoyance because her behavior seemed disrespectful, but Yuta was not interested at all because he was used to her arrogant behavior.
"What is it, Mr. Yuta Caseral and Lady Athena Caseral, is there a reason for you to come to visit me or is it a miss? I am very curious."
Yuta's gaze was calm as he listened to her words, then he spoke in a calm tone, answering her question, "Yes, there is a reason we pushed for an increase, Ms. Jia, and we are sorry for being a group of fools who waste seconds of your very valuable time."
Jiya's eyes showed clear annoyance as she listened to Yuta's words, and Athena laughed beside her, opening her eyes and turning her gaze to him, listening to his entire conversation.
Which made Yuta smile with a slight smile that clearly carried sarcasm, "Okay, let's get back to what's important. We will go to the Lake of a Thousand Beasts to spend the night there, and we will go shortly, so you have to prepare well because it is a good time to enjoy our time, isn't what I said true?"
Jiya kept looking at him without saying anything while trying to remember where they were going, which she felt she had heard or read about somewhere, but when and where she did not remember exactly, so the situation continued for several seconds before she remembered where they were going.
She spoke as she got up from her place in a tone of questioning and doubt about Yuta's intention to go there, "You know that we are heading to a dungeon and the ground is an ancient battle in the time of Lothar de Moliard, grandfather of a human hero and scientist, Daniel de Moliard. Is there something you want to get?"
Yuta looked at him for several seconds before laughing out loud as he spoke words that increased her doubt, "You will know how to stay at an appropriate time and in an appropriate place, so wait. In the end, patience is one of the keys to success, but make sure that patience is not empty."
He left a place, which made her doubt him more than she had previously. She had known him for the past months, and she was certain that there was something that made him go to that particular place.
Yuta spoke while heading towards a palace in a calm tone of voice full of satisfaction, "There are things in this world whose usefulness appears in the hands of other people, and I should not misuse those hands to achieve my goals."
He then spoke in a high tone of voice that made Jia a little annoyed, "You spoiled child, you have to prepare yourself, as there are 20 minutes left until we head to the Lake of a Thousand Monsters, so stop pretending to be cheap."
Jiya's eyes sparkled as she listened to Yuta's words, so she headed into the palace behind her to prepare herself. In the end, she had to follow him to find out the real goal of whoever headed there, even though her intuition told her that it would be a traumatic trip for him because it would change the way he viewed one of the members of the Caseral family.
But who he was, she wasn't sure, as there were several people with suspicious backgrounds. He would see Kerry, Athena, Chloe, and Madeline, now that they were considered new individuals to her.
After 20 minutes had passed, everyone gathered outside the Caseral family mansion were excited to go on a trip to Athena, Geia, and Yuta, whose real goal was to break the seal of the Ruler of Destruction, Higurashi, which he considered a real possibility and not a trip after itself.
He spoke in a calm tone, calling the names of the members of the Caseral family, "Let's see if everyone here will see."
"Yes"...."Lyra"...."Present"...."Kira"...."Present"...."Chloe and Madeleine"...."Present"...."Giya"...."...".."And finally Athena" "Present sir."
Yuta looked at them with calm eyes for several seconds before speaking in a calm tone of voice, which made Chloe, Madeline, and Seri's excitement to see Kiri reach its peak, and Athena's anxiety and fear, and Jia's doubt, reached its peak in turn.
It was a different trip, depending on the people. They saw Kerry, Chloe, and Madeleine, who saw it as a relaxing trip. It was beautiful and warm. As for Athena, who knew the reason for their going, which was to break the seal of the Supreme Ruler of Damar, which might cause complex problems with the Alawite ruler. The others were worried.
As for Jiya, she found it to be an extremely uncomfortable trip, because the reason for their coming was to know Yuta's intention and reveal Yuta's plan from his decision to head towards that place with specific determination.
Yuta was excited that the fruits of his centuries-long patience had finally come to be harvested
Yuta started the engine of the minibus and headed towards the Lake of a Thousand Beasts, under the eyes of the servants, who had signs of amazement on their faces. They were not accustomed to this type of transportation.
As they headed to the Lake of a Thousand Monsters, Chloe and Madeleine's gazes were filled with admiration as they looked at the nature around them.
While they were watching through a window, Madeline pushed Chloe's pain away from the window in annoyance as it was making her uncomfortable watching.
Chloe turned to her with a mixture of annoyance, anger, and extreme anger, and she pushed Madeleine back in turn, which made her very angry.
For meKiri, Liri, and Siri turned their gazes toward the two quarreling girls with expressions of bewilderment and annoyance—a sentiment mirrored on Jia's face, as she viewed the trio as a bunch of useless fools, judging them solely by their physical appearance rather than their true essence as mere children.
Athena stepped in immediately to intervene, particularly after noticing the subtle tension in Yuta's expression; she realized the danger of the situation, even though her acquaintance with the girls was minimal.
A strange, colorless energy swirled around Chloe and Madeline as they grappled, clutching each other's hair—a scene that would have been comical rather than dangerous were it not for that eerie aura.
"Get away from me, you fool! I'm going to kick you..." As Madeline spoke in frustration, Athena pulled them apart, further infuriating them by cutting their fight short.
They glared angrily at Athena, provoking an urge in her to strike back; however, she suddenly sensed something was wrong. She began to lose feeling in her hands, prompting her to release them and step hurriedly backward.
This left Jia, Siri, Kiri, and Liri utterly bewildered as they watched Athena, whose face now betrayed a hint of fear.
"What the hell just happened? I felt like I was being erased—like my very existence was being wiped away at a terrifying speed," Athena thought in sheer dread, staring at her hands for a few seconds before clenching them into fists and glancing toward Yuta. He sighed—a sigh conveying a tension she couldn't quite fathom, yet it was enough for her to grasp the danger posed by Chloe and Madeline, or rather, "Kind Word" and "Bad Word."
Yuta spoke while driving the bus, a hint of anger in his voice: "Both of you, stop it. This is neither the time nor the place for fighting—you know what I mean, I'm being clear. And if you don't stop, you're banned from sweets for a full five months."
Chloe and Madeline crossed their arms in obvious annoyance as they listened to him, causing both Athena and Yuta to look at them with frustration.
Yuta sighed inwardly, relieved that the situation had ended well as he continued toward the Lake of a Thousand Monsters. "It's a good thing this turned out okay. 'Kind Word' and 'Bad Word' are ticking time bombs; no one wants to be wiped out like what happened in the First Era—specifically the 14th Era, 11th Age. Who would have expected a squabble between them to end with the erasure of an entire era of history? We could have been among the casualties just moments ago. Damn my mother for tricking me into looking after them."
He continued on his way immediately after the situation calmed down, not bothering to reconcile them; they were used to fighting and making up on their own. Indeed, Madeline soon rested her head on Chloe's lap, and Chloe gently stroked her hair.
The others watched them with half-lidded eyes, trying to fathom what was going on in their minds, before deciding to simply carry on with what they were doing—after all, they hadn't realized just how close they had come to catastrophe.
And after some time had passed... After an hour and twenty minutes, they arrived at the "Lake of a Thousand Monsters"—a location renowned for its fame yet simultaneously designated as a restricted zone; entry was only possible because Yuta had authorized it.
Stepping off the bus, Yuta ignored the scowls of Chloe and Madeline as they disembarked in annoyance. "We've arrived at the Lake of a Thousand Monsters," he announced. "Enjoy yourselves until the appointed time."
As he closed the bus door to return the vehicle to its designated spot, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he found Kira looking at him with a puzzled expression.
Kira then spoke, his voice filled with bewilderment and curiosity about the place they had come to: "Why is it called the Lake of a Thousand Monsters, and why is it a restricted area?"
Yuta remained silent for a few seconds before answering Kira's question. "It's called the Lake of a Thousand Monsters because the Hero of Humanity once defeated a thousand monsters there with a single sword stroke; their bodies all fell into the lake, giving the place its name. As for why it's restricted—there is a legend dating back millions of years, from the time after Zhao Li and Alessandra were discovered..."
"...during the war that broke out between the Rulers of the Heavens—specifically the Ruler of Death and the Ruler of Destruction—and the others. The latter sought to seize power from Zhao Li and Alessandra and kill them in order to become the absolute rulers of our world. However, the Ruler of Death and the Ruler of Destruction adamantly refused..." "...decided to leave the judgment of her fate to the very one who brought her into existence."
"After centuries of war, Higurashi—the Ruler of Death and Destruction—was imprisoned; her powers and memories were sealed away within the depths of the Lake of a Thousand Beasts. They say the crimson moon signals that the seal is on the verge of breaking..."
Kiri listened intently to Yuta's words, then let out a sigh heavy with annoyance at the actions of the High Rulers. Yuta smiled faintly and patted Kiri's head.
Speaking in a calm tone, he said, "Alright, go and have fun with the others." Kiri nodded in agreement and headed toward his sister, Chloe, and Madeline, who were playing tag. Meanwhile, Seri sat by the lake, occupied with something.
Yuta and Athena began setting up camp. Athena kept glancing around sharply—as did Jia, who was arranging the table, chairs, and other gear. Yuta, however, remained unconcerned; he knew that what was destined to happen would happen, and he was prepared to confront anything that ran counter to his goals and interests.
After half an hour of work, the camp was ready, and both Athena and Jia sat in a sunny spot to take a break.
Elsewhere, Seri remained seated by the lake, lost in thought, her eyes glowing with a faint violet light. Yuta... She turned her gaze toward him, offering a faint smile.
Yuta studied her for a few moments, smiling back, and spoke in a tone of mild bewilderment as he looked out at the lake. "Are you alright, Ciri? Is something on your mind? You're acting strangely. If someone has taken over your body, they need to get out—I want my mischievous Ciri back; there's only one of her in this world."
Ciri looked at him for a few moments beforeKiri, Liri, and Siri turned their gazes toward the two quarreling girls with expressions of bewilderment and annoyance—a sentiment mirrored on Jia's face, as she viewed the trio as a bunch of useless fools, judging them solely by their physical appearance rather than their true essence as mere children.
Athena stepped in immediately to intervene, particularly after noticing the subtle tension in Yuta's expression; she realized the danger of the situation, even though her acquaintance with the girls was minimal.
A strange, colorless energy swirled around Chloe and Madeline as they grappled, clutching each other's hair—a scene that would have been comical rather than dangerous were it not for that eerie aura.
"Get away from me, you fool! I'm going to kick you..." As Madeline spoke in frustration, Athena pulled them apart, further infuriating them by cutting their fight short.
They glared angrily at Athena, provoking an urge in her to strike back; however, she suddenly sensed something was wrong. She began to lose feeling in her hands, prompting her to release them and step hurriedly backward.
This left Jia, Siri, Kiri, and Liri utterly bewildered as they watched Athena, whose face now betrayed a hint of fear.
"What the hell just happened? I felt like I was being erased—like my very existence was being wiped away at a terrifying speed," Athena thought in sheer dread, staring at her hands for a few seconds before clenching them into fists and glancing toward Yuta. He sighed—a sigh conveying a tension she couldn't quite fathom, yet it was enough for her to grasp the danger posed by Chloe and Madeline, or rather, "Kind Word" and "Bad Word."
Yuta spoke while driving the bus, a hint of anger in his voice: "Both of you, stop it. This is neither the time nor the place for fighting—you know what I mean, I'm being clear. And if you don't stop, you're banned from sweets for a full five months."
Chloe and Madeline crossed their arms in obvious annoyance as they listened to him, causing both Athena and Yuta to look at them with frustration.
Yuta sighed inwardly, relieved that the situation had ended well as he continued toward the Lake of a Thousand Monsters. "It's a good thing this turned out okay. 'Kind Word' and 'Bad Word' are ticking time bombs; no one wants to be wiped out like what happened in the First Era—specifically the 14th Era, 11th Age. Who would have expected a squabble between them to end with the erasure of an entire era of history? We could have been among the casualties just moments ago. Damn my mother for tricking me into looking after them."
He continued on his way immediately after the situation calmed down, not bothering to reconcile them; they were used to fighting and making up on their own. Indeed, Madeline soon rested her head on Chloe's lap, and Chloe gently stroked her hair.
The others watched them with half-lidded eyes, trying to fathom what was going on in their minds, before deciding to simply carry on with what they were doing—after all, they hadn't realized just how close they had come to catastrophe.
And after some time had passed... After an hour and twenty minutes, they arrived at the "Lake of a Thousand Monsters"—a location renowned for its fame yet simultaneously designated as a restricted zone; entry was only possible because Yuta had authorized it.
Stepping off the bus, Yuta ignored the scowls of Chloe and Madeline as they disembarked in annoyance. "We've arrived at the Lake of a Thousand Monsters," he announced. "Enjoy yourselves until the appointed time."
As he closed the bus door to return the vehicle to its designated spot, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he found Kira looking at him with a puzzled expression.
Kira then spoke, his voice filled with bewilderment and curiosity about the place they had come to: "Why is it called the Lake of a Thousand Monsters, and why is it a restricted area?"
Yuta remained silent for a few seconds before answering Kira's question. "It's called the Lake of a Thousand Monsters because the Hero of Humanity once defeated a thousand monsters there with a single sword stroke; their bodies all fell into the lake, giving the place its name. As for why it's restricted—there is a legend dating back millions of years, from the time after Zhao Li and Alessandra were discovered..."
"...during the war that broke out between the Rulers of the Heavens—specifically the Ruler of Death and the Ruler of Destruction—and the others. The latter sought to seize power from Zhao Li and Alessandra and kill them in order to become the absolute rulers of our world. However, the Ruler of Death and the Ruler of Destruction adamantly refused..." "...decided to leave the judgment of her fate to the very one who brought her into existence."
"After centuries of war, Higurashi—the Ruler of Death and Destruction—was imprisoned; her powers and memories were sealed away within the depths of the Lake of a Thousand Beasts. They say the crimson moon signals that the seal is on the verge of breaking..."
Kiri listened intently to Yuta's words, then let out a sigh heavy with annoyance at the actions of the High Rulers. Yuta smiled faintly and patted Kiri's head.
Speaking in a calm tone, he said, "Alright, go and have fun with the others." Kiri nodded in agreement and headed toward his sister, Chloe, and Madeline, who were playing tag. Meanwhile, Seri sat by the lake, occupied with something.
Yuta and Athena began setting up camp. Athena kept glancing around sharply—as did Jia, who was arranging the table, chairs, and other gear. Yuta, however, remained unconcerned; he knew that what was destined to happen would happen, and he was prepared to confront anything that ran counter to his goals and interests.
After half an hour of work, the camp was ready, and both Athena and Jia sat in a sunny spot to take a break.
Elsewhere, Seri remained seated by the lake, lost in thought, her eyes glowing with a faint violet light. Yuta... She turned her gaze toward him, offering a faint smile.
Yuta studied her for a few moments, smiling back, and spoke in a tone of mild bewilderment as he looked out at the lake. "Are you alright, Ciri? Is something on your mind? You're acting strangely. If someone has taken over your body, they need to get out—I want my mischievous Ciri back; there's only one of her in this world."
Ciri looked at him for a few moments before...