Malaika smirked and said dryly, "Honestly, he could probably sneeze and wipe out the whole world."
Lan Xue blinked. "You're kidding, right?"
She didn't doubt Max's strength—she had traveled with him, fought by his side. She knew he was strong… but that strong?
Rize gave her a knowing smile and shook her head. "I get what you're thinking. You've seen him fight, and it looked like he was going all out."
She gestured calmly, like she was explaining something simple to a student.
"But the truth is—Max holds back most of his power. He keeps it under control so he doesn't end up wrecking the world around him. What you saw? That was him still holding back."
Lan Xue frowned, trying to make sense of it. "So… that wasn't even close to his real strength?"
Gwen stepped up and nodded. "Not even a little. Even the gods of this world don't stand a chance against him. If he wanted to, he could just walk into the Divine Realm, take over… or destroy it."
Mu Qing's eyes widened slightly. She glanced over at Max, who was just sitting there, sipping tea, calmly watching the wind rustle the trees like none of this was about him.
"He was just playing with us?" she asked, still stunned.
"No," Rize said softly. "He was living beside us. There's a difference."
Mu Qing tried to process that. "It still feels unreal…"
Rize chuckled. "Here's an easier way to think about it—he's so strong that if he even let out a tiny bit of his real power, it could shake the entire world. That's why he keeps almost all of it sealed."
Gwen crossed her arms and nodded. "What you've seen until now? It's a super toned-down version of him. Just enough for him to live like a normal person, enjoy life, and avoid accidentally breaking reality."
Lan Xue's eyes widened further. "Then… why bother? Doesn't it feel fake? Or like he's wasting time?"
Malaika gave her a soft smile. "It's not fake. It's his choice. You think someone like him wants to be feared or treated like a god? He hasn't lived all this time just to sit in a cave like some ancient sage and call himself a legendary hermit."
Rize grinned. "It's got that old-man energy—'I'm retired now, let the world handle itself' kind of vibe."
"So he's just living his life," Gwen added, "wandering around, visiting places, and enjoying his time with us."
That finally got a small laugh out of Max, who had been sitting quietly, letting them talk.
"Hey, I'm not that old," he said, raising a brow.
"But you are that powerful," Mu Qing said, her voice softer now, her gaze more serious—full of respect and something more. "And you've been hiding it."
Max gave a casual shrug, smiling. "Power's just a tool. It only matters how you use it."
Lan Xue looked at him sideways. "And you… use it to act like some ordinary traveler?"
"I use it to stay free," Max replied calmly. "And right now, freedom means being with all of you."
The pavilion grew quiet. A gentle breeze stirred the trees, scattering a few petals across the floor. It was peaceful—like time had paused just for that moment.
Then Gwen grinned and leaned in with a teasing look. "So, Old Sage Max… if you're not gonna sit in the mountains with a long beard giving advice, what are we doing next?"
Max stretched and smiled. "What do you say… we go to the beach? Have a real beach party?"
Gwen's face lit up. So did Rize's and Malaika's. "That sounds perfect!"
But Lan Xue and Mu Qing looked at each other, confused. "Beach… party?" Lan Xue asked, unsure.
"Yeah," Max said with a playful grin, noticing their confusion. "Don't worry. You'll get it. These three will show you."
Malaika leaned toward Mu Qing, her eyes glinting. "Let's just say there'll be sun, waves, swimsuits… and not much clothing."
Rize laughed as both Lan Xue and Mu Qing blushed, their ears turning red.
Gwen was still laughing when Max suddenly moved—faster than she could track—and gently grabbed her wrist. Before she could speak, his other hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her close.
"You tease too much," he said, voice low.
And then he kissed her—slow, warm, and full of emotion. The kind that made her knees weak and the world feel like it stopped spinning for a moment.
When he pulled back, Gwen's cheeks were flushed, and her usual confidence was replaced with stunned silence. Max gave her a smirk. "Now that I think about it… I need to make it up to all of you."
Rize raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Took you long enough."
She didn't wait. Before she could say anything else, Max was already in front of her. She met him halfway. Their kiss was full of fire—short but deep—and when they pulled apart, Rize whispered, "You better kiss me like that every single day."
Malaika didn't hesitate. "My turn," she said simply.
Max didn't make her wait either.
Then something unexpected happened.
Lan Xue and Mu Qing, still watching in surprise, saw Max turn to them. He reached out—not forcefully, but gently, inviting them in.
For the next several days, Max gave each of them his love—fully, without holding anything back. Gwen's teasing softened, turning tender. Rize's pride turned into quiet joy. Malaika, who rarely let anyone close, now rested her head on his shoulder without a word.
Lan Xue and Mu Qing, who had already been traveling with him for some time, also received their share of his attention and affection.
For a full week, the Ghidorah Academy pavilion was filled with joy—laughing voices, sweet kisses, shared meals, and calm nights under the stars. Max made sure the Academy would be fine while he was gone. After confirming everything was running smoothly, he left with his five girls the very next day.
Thier first destination being the out of the Douluo Continent, going to an remote island in middle of Sea where they can just lay around freely in thier swim suits, with no one peeping around.
***
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